Former manager and player loses cancer battle

Celtic mourn legend Burns
Former manager and player loses cancer battle

Last updated: 15th May 2008
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Tommy Burns

Burns: Celtic legend
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Former Celtic manager and player Tommy Burns has died from skin cancer, the club has announced. He was 51.

The SPL side's first-team coach originally contracted skin cancer in 2006. Although he received treatment, the disease returned in March.

Former Scotland international Burns, who spent 15 years as a player at Parkhead and also managed the club for three seasons, had been undergoing treatment in both Glasgow and France in recent weeks.

A statement from Celtic on their official website said: "It is with great sadness that Celtic Football Club confirmed this morning that Tommy Burns has passed away.

"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."

Burns joined Celtic as a teenager in 1973 and went on to play 352 league games for the club, scoring 52 goals, and winning eight Scotland caps.

In 1989, he moved to Kilmarnock and was given his first job in management there three years later.

He left to take the Celtic reins in 1994 but was sacked three years later.

A short spell as boss of Reading followed before Burns became Scotland number two in 2002 under Berti Vogts and later Walter Smith.

He returned to Celtic as first-team coach shortly before Martin O'Neill's arrival, a position he retained when Gordon Strachan became manager.

He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Rosemary, and four children.

Provan tribute

Former Celtic team-mate Davie Provan also sent his best wishes to the family.

"I first came across Tommy in the Scotland Under-21 team - that must be 30 years ago," Provan told Sky Sports News.

"I will remember him as a very good footballer but more than that, a great human being. He was decent and honest.

"He was hugely popular at Celtic but I'm sure his death will cause great sadness among the Rangers supporters too.

"He embodied everything good about the club. He made a terrific Celtic manager but was desperately unlucky that Rangers under Walter Smith were so powerful.

"He was a great example to everybody at Celtic Park. He was a universally popular at the ground. He was born and brought up in the Calton district of Glasgow - a stone's throw from Celtic Park - and he got to live the dream.

"But football was a poor third in his life. His great devotion was Rosemary and his family, and his faith."