WHILE the sporting week may have been pregnant with issues, including a Scotsman winning the European Cup and a league title being won and lost, the most affecting moment surely remains footage of Billy Stark gently placing his hand on the coffin lid of a friend and former colleague. He had just completed a stirring eulogy inside St Mary's church in Calton. That it was said to have done credit to the subject is praise indeed when the subject is Tommy Burns.
There, in front of Burns' mother, wife and four children, and also a huge collection of footballing luminaries, Stark rendered a stirring account of a young life lived with faith and fervour. Once described by his former Aberdeen manager Alex Fe
rguson as – pound-for-pound – his greatest ever signing, Stark certainly proved his worth on Tuesday. A later commitment with his Scotland Under-21 side paled into insignificance as Stark was charged with reflecting the mood of a football nation. Given the circumstances there was little surprise when his Under-21s fell 4-1 to Norway at night, and even less distress.
"It was one of the most difficult things I have had to do, and yet it was one of the easiest in terms of finding the words," recalled Stark yesterday. "Speak to anybody about Tommy Burns and they will tell you that they could speak about him for hours. There was a lot to get through. I just hope what I said was appropriate."
His presence by Burns' side for large portions of his football life helped provide Stark with insight. The pair played and also formed a managerial partnership at their beloved Celtic. But their paths first crossed in opposition, with Burns, a left midfielder, often pitched against Stark, who played on the right with St Mirren and then Aberdeen.
"We had a bit of banter on those occasions," recalled Stark. "But what brought us together was doing a coaching course down at Largs in 1985. Tommy and myself were in the same group. People sometimes criticise the coaching courses there, but it stimulates you and you meet people who are on the same wavelength as you.
"I think our partnership in management, at Kilmarnock and later Celtic, came out of that. The original bond was struck because I had a wee bag for my boots and he got me to keep his glasses in it while we were working. When I joined Celtic a couple of years later we became firm friends."
If Burns lived the dream, then so did Stark. He did not make it to Paradise until aged 30, but made up for lost time. The day before Burns slipped away had been the 20th anniversary of one of their finest afternoons together in the green-and-white hoops.
There was no Queen of the South at Hampden Park on 14 1988, but there was a Prime Minister. And an unpopular one, at that. Margaret Thatcher had been invited to the Scottish Cup final between Celtic and Dundee United in order to present the trophy to the winning skipper, something which prompted a red card protest from both sets of fans.
Stark, though, was oblivious to the controversy. He was still coming to terms with his exclusion from Billy McNeill's starting XI having played 34 matches in a season where Celtic had repelled the challenge from a Graeme Souness-inspired Rangers, and also Hearts. But on the big day against Dundee United, when Celtic aimed to clinch a significantly-timed double, Stark was left on the bench alongside Mark McGhee. Unsurprisingly, given the way he conducts himself, Stark proved stoic when accepting his fate.
"There was an initial disappointment at not starting the game but I do remember clearly – and I know now that all managers give this patter, including me – Billy being at pains to point out it was going to be a 13-man game.
"Alex Ferguson always tried to name his team at the beginning of a cup final week," continued Stark. "He obviously felt the ones who were starting could begin to focus then. That was his way. But big Billy just read the team out at the usual team meeting on a Friday night. You think you are in with a chance up until that point, but afterwards you just go to your bed and get ready to contribute from the bench.
"We played a 4-4-2 formation during most of the season, but Billy would play a 3-5-2 on some occasions, and he did against United. Mick McCarthy, Roy (Aitken] and Derek Whyte were the back three, with Chris Morris and Anton Rogan in the wide areas. Paul (McStay] and Tommy were in the middle, with Joe Miller. Up front there was (Frank] McAvennie and (Andy] Walker. It was Kevin Gallacher's pace which Billy was trying to protect us against, which is why Roy was sweeping. But, of course, the opening goal came about after Kevin got in behind Roy. Roy was mindful of a previous cup final when he had been sent-off and might otherwise have taken a booking. He let Gallacher go and it was a tremendous finish."
Stark and McGhee were sent on as the rescue squad in the 70th minute, and within another five minutes Celtic had drawn level. Stark played a ball out wide to Anton Rogan, and the Northern Irish left-back's cross was headed in by McAvennie. The winning goal, which came in the 90th minute, was again down to Stark, whose shot was flicked in by McAvennie. "You can come on and not get a kick sometimes," reflected Stark. "So I was quite lucky. What you have to consider is that you can start in a cup final and not be there at the end when you win the cup. Mark and myself got the benefit of being there when the whistle sounded. And it does not get much more euphoric than winning the double in the club's centenary year, and doing it in the last few minutes of the game."
"I remember the cup win with great affection – probably more than any other," he continued. "Added to it was the glorious sunshine. The old Hampden did not have a roof, so the Celtic end was uncovered. The green and white seemed more brilliant. There was a fairytale element to it. I was fortunate to score in two cup finals for Aberdeen, but I think, when you reflect on the raw emotion of it, nothing compares to that day. I was very fortunate to swan in there in Celtic's centenary year and be a part of it."
Stark suspected that the post-Ferguson era at Aberdeen might prove less dynamic than what had gone before, and, with his eldest daughter about to start school, decided to return to his Glasgow roots. He didn't imagine that Celtic might be interested, and had already been in talks with Hearts and Motherwell. "Fergie had left in November '86 and Ian Porterfield came in," recounted Stark. "Fergie would never have sold me to Celtic, Aberdeen's rivals. But I told Ian Porterfield that my contract was up at the end of the season and I would be looking to head back down the road."
He is intensely glad he did. Not only because it allowed him to turn out for Celtic, but, just as significantly you suspect, it also meant he got to know a certain team-mate with red hair even better. The house-parties Burns held would enter club legend. Sometimes he would even warn his wife, Rosemary. During his eulogy on Tuesday, Stark told a classic tale of Burns inviting the former Celtic striker Jorge Cadete and his girlfriend over for Christmas dinner, although he didn't disclose this information to Rosemary until an hour before.
After the 1988 cup win at Hampden the players and their wives were all entertained by the host with the most. "Tommy liked to create an audience for him to do a bit of singing," recalled Stark. This week the songs have all been for him.
The full article contains 1369 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
