ANOTHER poignant connection with old Glasgow was irreparably severed yesterday, when Tommy Burns, the former Celtic player, manager and coach, died of cancer at the age of 51.
Born and raised in Calton, in the tenemented, working-class east end of the city, Burns spent most of his adult life with his wife, Rosemary, and their four children in Newton Mearns, the rather posh suburb on the south side. In thought, word and dee
d, however, he never left his birthplace.
In the way that an authentic Cockney is said to be one who is born within the sound of Bow Bells, Burns would be the definitive "Celtic man". Had he arrived in the world 70 years earlier than he did, in December, 1956, he would have been one of the reasons for the club's existence.
It was founded for charitable purposes, "to help feed the needy children of the parishes of St Mary's, St Michael's and Sacred Heart", and Burns was born into a family who worshipped at St Mary's. His dedication to Celtic – as a supporter and, later, as an active contributor – was surpassed only by his devotion to his Catholic faith, with a special reverence for the Virgin Mary.
As manager of Celtic, his desk was littered not only with paperwork, but also some Marian icons, a kind of personal shrine at which he would offer daily prayers. His religious beliefs were deep and genuine and informed the caring personality that made him universally loved and admired.
Burns was an inveterate and seemingly inexhaustible fund- raiser, hospital visitor and attendee of supporters' functions. When, a number of years ago, St Mary's was in urgent need of a substantial amount of money for a new roof, it was he who led the drive. Despite his 20-odd years in Newton Mearns, it is no surprise that his funeral will be held at St Mary's.
At charity events, he would mesmerise fans with his talks, usually ending the night with a song delivered in an exceptional voice, the Bobby Darin classic Mack the Knife, his speciality.
When the parish priest of St Pius's, in Drumchapel, on the western outskirts of Glasgow, required £1,000 in a hurry, Burns, then manager of Celtic, agreed to host a fund-raiser. As it happened, the event was arranged for the night after the team had lost to Raith Rovers in the Scottish League Cup final and the organisers feared that it would be a disaster. Burns not only showed up, but drew such a crowd that they were hanging from the rafters. When he was asked to render his party piece, he said he would if everybody in the audience would pledge an additional £1.
When he had finished, amid cries of "Encore!", they were throwing £10 notes into the plastic bin bags, and the target amount was reached through Burns's impromptu song alone.
At Old Trafford 11 days ago, after Manchester United's Champions League semi-final victory over Barcelona, something occurred which encapsulates the esteem and the affection in which Burns was held by all who knew him. In the room in which Sir Alex Ferguson welcomes old friends after big matches, the United manager called me over to ask about Tommy.
He had heard the prognosis on his illness was not good and he was clearly deeply concerned. Ferguson was with Sir David Frost and, having expressed his sorrow, he turned to Frost and said, "You won't know Tommy Burns, but he is one of the kindest and most loveable men God ever put on Earth. Actually, you could call him a saint."
The full article contains 608 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
