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RIP Tommy Burns

1279 Views 17 Replies 16 Participants Last post by  SALFORD RED
Celtic legend Tommy Burns has died at the age of 51 after losing his long-running battle against cancer.
Burns had been undergoing treatment in both Glasgow and France in recent weeks after being diagnosed in March.
The former Scotland midfielder was treated for skin cancer in 2006 but it returned earlier this year.
Burns played for Celtic from 1974 to 1989, had a spell as manager in the mid-1990s and was the club's first-team coach before being granted leave.
A statement from Celtic said: "Tommy, a true Celtic legend and wonderful man will be sadly missed by us all. Clearly, our thoughts are very much with Tommy's wife Rosemary and his family at this extremely difficult time."
The tributes were led by the Association of Celtic Supporters' Clubs.
"I knew Tommy very well both as a friend and obviously through his connections with Celtic. I got to know him over many years," said secretary Peter Rafferty.
"He was a true gentleman and a big family man. I would just like to pass my condolences on to Rosemary and his family on behalf of the Celtic supporters.
"Celtic was a big part of his life but the biggest part of his life was his family. He became a grandfather a few weeks ago and that is the biggest tragedy.
"Legend is a word that is used quite a lot these days but he was. He was a great player with Celtic first and foremost.
"He was a manager who played football the way Celtic supporters like to see it.
"All these things pale into insignificance this morning. He was a very nice person, a very religious person.
"If you needed anything, Tommy Burns would always be there for you."

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.

BBC Sport
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What can you say really?

Tommy was a great football man, but more importantly, a great, loving family man. He fully deserves his status as a legend and Scottish football will be a lot worse without him.

R.I.P Tommy.
Very sad news for Scottish and British football in general. He was a great ambassador for football over his years of working with Celtic and Scotland. He'll be missed. Always optimistic and happy, enjoyed life to the fullest...something which is missing a lot of the time nowadays :( .

R.I.P
cheers for that ,we are shattered up here ,what a great man ,a very true and honest guy and a great family man ,and as a footballer celtic threw and threw
Heard on the radio this morning, very sad for the footballing world!

R.I.P Tommy Burns 1956-2008
51 isn't very old. The good always die young. :(
sad to hear! I hope he got to see Rangers lose last night!

RIP
rip tommy,a true celtic legend,your in big jocks 11 now.
Devastated to say the least - very sad indeed - RIP Tommy, you were excellent for football and Scotland. My thoughts are with your family just now
G
Another sad day for all football fans.
RIP Tommy .
I have to add my post here too. Came back from manchester and read that on sky sports and i was sad to hear it.

He wasnt liked by rangers fans, but ive seen many of us, putting aside our rivalry for the sides and just getting on.

Something like this, puts football in to prospective. How its just a game

Well tommy - you're up there, prob having a good kick about with davie cooper, you wil be missed. RIP
i used to work with a huge celtic fan who had worked in the knitwear industry just north of glasgow for years and he always spoke well of tommy . my memory is vague on this but was he not in charge for a european cup game against liverpool ? seem to recall mcmanaman scoring after my mate called him worse than you know what . danny used to say he was a student of the game always looking for an advantage always looking for a way through . i am told he hated hoofers and subscribed to cloughies mentality that football is a game to be played on the grass not in the air .
G
Thousands bid farewell to Burns

Figures from the footballing world joined thousands of fans to bid farewell to Celtic legend Tommy Burns at his funeral in Glasgow.

Manager Gordon Strachan and the entire Celtic first team squad attended the service at St Mary's Church in the Calton area where Burns grew up.

Hundreds gathered outside the church and thousands more listened to the two-hour requiem mass at Celtic Park.

The funeral cortege stopped at the ground on its journey to Linn Cemetery.

Tommy Burns died from cancer on Thursday aged 51.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7409117.stm
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