Born: 16 Dec 1956
Died: 15 May 2008
Birthplace: Glasgow
Games: 352 Games
Goals: 52
Intl: Scotland
Intl Caps: 8


One of Celtic's favourite sons! He was a player, manager and coach and there was nobody to say a bad word about him on a personal level. Really was truly a Mr Celtic personified.

Player 1975-1989

COUNTLESS thousands of Celtic supporters have dreamed of playing for their club or of taking charge as manager. Tommy Burns was one of a very select few who was able to turn that dream into a reality.

Born in 1956, he came to the attention of Celtic while playing for Maryhill. He signed for them as a teenager, and after brief spells as a reserve and then as a fringe member of the first-team squad, he established himself as an essential member of the side.

Scottish football has known gifted players who lacked application, and hard workers whose technical ability was limited. In Burns, Celtic were fortunate to find a midfielder who was both richly talented and utterly willing to give his last ounce of energy for the cause.

His first major honour, the league title of 1976-77, was won when Jock Stein was still manager. His second, two years later, came under Billy McNeill. He won six in all as a player, in addition to three Scottish Cups and one League Cup, but he was far more than a player who could be relied upon to come good on the big occasion.

At times, in the first half of the 1980s when Alex Ferguson's Aberdeen were the dominant force in Scotland, Celtic were a poor team, at least judged by their own high standards. But even when some of those playing alongside him were hardly worthy of appearing on the same pitch, Burns would not let his commitment waver.

His enthusiasm for the sport, his commitment to the cause, and his belief in the necessity for honest hard work could not be separated into distinct ingredients. Instead, they were intertwined elements of his personality which reinforced each other – and that personality, in turn, gave hope to the Celtic support even in situations when they might have succumbed to despair.

Burns was not the only player in the squad to have a never-say-die attitude, but he was often the only one skilled enough to turn defiant hope into a tangible result. That attitude and the ability which went with it ended up by inspiring virtually every player at the club, and at times they all appeared to believe they simply could not lose.

The 1985-86 season, when Celtic won the title on goal difference on the last day, was a case in point. So too was the centenary season, 1987-88, when the Scottish Cup joined the league flag among the trophy haul.

Celtic should not even have got past their first match in the cup that year, as Stranraer had a penalty saved and another excellent chance missed before Frank McAvennie popped up to score the only goal of the game. And they would not have got past Hearts in the semi-final, when they were a goal down with minutes to play, but for the kind of late rally which Burns had led them to believe they could make. They won that game 2-1, then won the final, against Dundee United, by the same score.

It was towards the end of that centenary season that Burns realised another long-held ambition, when he was capped against England at Wembley. Andy Roxburgh was the manager then, and Craig Brown, the assistant who would succeed him, yesterday recalled the gratitude shown by Burns.

"Before he went on to the pitch (as a substitute], Tommy stopped at the bench to thank Andy for giving him something that meant so much on a personal and a family level," Brown said. Burns, who went on to win eight caps, later said himself that even coming off the bench to play for Scotland against England "fulfilled a boyhood dream".

The following year, Burns left Celtic at the age of 32 to join Kilmarnock in 1989 where he would become the manager in 1992, winning the club promotion to the Premier Division in season 1992-93..

Manager 1994 - 1997

Tommy Burns was appointed team manager on 12 July 1994., where his team grew a reputation for playing attractive and attacking football. He was able to spend more on players than any previous manager in Celtic's history. In his first season the club won its first trophy in six years (the Scottish Cup), though league form was poor and there had also been an embarrassing League Cup final defeat early in his tenure. Results and performances improved markedly during his second term in charge, and only one league defeat was sustained. But progress was not maintained, and towards the end of a disappointing third season at the helm (especially as regards results of matches v Rangers) he was offered another position at the club in charge of youth development—an effective demotion which he refused to accept. He resigned accordingly on 2 May 1997. He later moved on to an undistinguished period of management at Reading.

He became assistant manager of the Scotland national football team under Berti Vogts and has retained the position under Walter Smith. He also returned to Celtic in 2005 in a third-in-charge role under Gordon Strachan.

He is a former Scotland international himself, having won 8 caps whilst a Celtic player.

On 29 March 2006, Celtic confirmed Burns has begun treatment for skin cancer.

On 15 May 2008, Tommy Burns passed away RIP, a great loss to Scottish Football and to Celtic, but more importantly to his friends and family.

Honours

As player


As manager
Major honours: Scottish Cup 1995.

Quotes

'The manager at the time, Billy McNeill, knew it was going to be my last game for the club but the fans were unaware I was joining Kilmarnock.
'I wanted to go out with a smile on my face and not a tear in my eye, so I got all of my crying out of the way during the warm-up before the friendly against Ajax.
'I ran about the pitch for 20 minutes with tears running down my cheeks because I knew I would never wear a Celtic jersey again.
'Big Billy was kind and understanding because he took me off 30 minutes into the match so that I could say a lingering farewell to the fans.
'I ran to the old Jungle and paid my respects before moving to the 'Celtic end' where I had stood as a boy.
Tommy Burns on his last game for Celtic

'I probably did 15 or 20 years as a manager in those three years.'
Tommy Burns on his three years as Celtic manager under Fergus McCann

'When they attacked we were four players down.'
Tommy Burns on fielding Paolo di Canio, Jorge Cadette, Andy Thom and Piere van Hooijdonk in a UEFA Cup game defeat against Hamburg, 1996

"There's always room in the team for an exceptional youngster, but I think the Old Firm will be fielding cheque book teams more and more in the future."
Tommy Burns 1989

"The way Celtic play you could put Franz Beckenbauer at the back and they would still lose goals."
Terry Butcher (ex-Rangers, commentating on Tommy Burn's team) 1997

"Tommy was simply one of the best friends anyone could ever hope to have. I can only consider myself fortunate not only to have worked with him on a daily basis for the past three years, but to have been able to count on him as a friend in that time. His bravery throughout his illness was an inspiration, and right to the end he was checking everyone else was OK, never giving a thought for himself or his situation. The fact that he has now gone will take a long time to sink in, and my thoughts are with Rosemary and his family."
Gordon Strachan (Celtic Manager) on the announcement of Tommy Burns Death (15th May 2008)

"You would never hear anybody in football say a bad word about Tommy Burns, and to have been involved in football for so long, that's quite an accolade. He's a smashing man, he's a very strong man, he's got a lovely family and we at this football club just wish him all the very, very best." Ally McCoist (ex-Rangers player) on Tommy Burns (15 May 08)

Fergus McCann, the Parkhead club's chief executive during Burns' stint as manager, was equally effusive in paying tribute. "I am deeply saddened to hear of Tommy's death," McCann said. "I pray for the repose of his soul and for strength for his wife Rosemary and their children. "Tommy had a fine career and every Celtic supporter and Scottish football fan will have their own special memories of a man whose life was dedicated to his family, to the game of football and in particular to Celtic Football Club. "Those memories will live on."Fergus McCann (ex-Chairman) on the announcement of Tommy Burns Death (15th May 2008)


Pictures

KStreet

• KDS Player Discussion
• Announcement of passing away 15th May 2008
• Memories of Tommy Burns (15 May 2008)

Articles

• Obituary - The Scotsman
• Obituary - The Herald
• Obituary - Guardian/Brian Glanville

Tommy Burns Factfile

1956: Born 16 December in Glasgow.

1975: Joins Celtic, having started his career with Maryhill Juniors.

1976: Having played for half an hour the previous season against Dundee, Burns makes his full debut in a 1-1 draw with Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

1988: Influential member of the Celtic side that wins the Scottish Premier Division championship and Scottish Cup in the club's centenary year under the management of Billy McNeill.

1989: Bids an emotional farewell to the Celtic supporters after agreeing a mid-season £50,000 move to Kilmarnock. Throws his shirt into the 'Jungle' terracing at Parkhead in a friendly with Ajax.

1992: Handed the Kilmarnock manager's job on a caretaker basis after the departure of Jim Fleeting. Insists he wants the job permanently and has his wish granted by the Rugby Park board.

1993: Guides Kilmarnock into the Premier Division and his team promptly beat Rangers at Ibrox early in the season thanks to a late winner from Bobby Williamson.

1994: Leads Kilmarnock to the Scottish Cup semi-finals where they only lose out to Rangers. Leaves Kilmarnock on 11 July and is appointed Celtic manager by Fergus McCann the following day. In October, Celtic are fined £100,000 by the Scottish League for approaching Burns while he was Kilmarnock manager and ordered to pay compensation. In November Burns leads Celtic into the Coca-Cola Cup final against First Division Raith Rovers at Ibrox but it ends in despair as Jimmy Nicholl's side win on penalties.

1995: Signs Pierre van Hooijdonk from NAC Breda in January. The Dutchman scores on his debut and then helps Celtic end a six-year trophy famine by netting the winner in the Scottish Cup final against Airdrie at Hampden.

1996: Celtic lose just one game in the Premier Division but still fail to stop Rangers winning the title. Also lose to Rangers in both cup competitions.

1997: January - Burns is fined and banned from the touchline for a year after a trackside flare-up in an Old Firm derby. The ban is later cut on appeal. On 2 May, Burns is released from his contract early by Celtic and parts company with the club. Joins up with Kenny Dalglish as assistant at Newcastle.

1998: Leaves St James' Park after the dismissal of Dalglish. Appointed manager of Reading after departure of Terry Bullivant.

1999: Sacked by the Royals after a poor run of results at start of 1999-2000 season.

2000: Re-joins Dalglish at Parkhead after head coach John Barnes' exit following the Scottish Cup defeat by Inverness. Takes over youth development officer role after the appointment of Martin O'Neill as manager.

2002: Scottish Football Association confirm they have made an approach to Burns to become part of the new national team coaching set-up under Berti Vogts. He is confirmed as Vogts' assistant on a part-time basis, while continuing his role as youth development officer at Celtic.

2004: Vogts resigns as Scotland manager but Burns' position as assistant remains unaffected. He is appointed as caretaker manager for the friendly against Sweden on 17 November but Scotland are defeated 4-1 by Sweden at Easter Road. The following month, Walter Smith is named as new Scotland manager, and keeps Burns on his coaching team.

2005: Gordon Strachan takes over as Celtic manager. Burns is named first-team coach.

2006: Celtic announce Burns faces treatment for skin cancer, having been diagnosed as suffering from a melanoma. Two months later, it is announced he has been given the all-clear by doctors after having two lumps removed from his leg.

2007: Eight days after Smith quits as Scotland boss, Burns resigns as assistant manager and commits himself to working full-time for Celtic. He had been tipped as a potential successor to Smith but was not invited for an interview.

2008: Celtic announce Burns will begin receiving treatment for skin cancer again. On 15 May, it is confirmed he has died at the age of 51.