Playing for Tommy was time of my life

WHEN I walked through the front entrance of Celtic Park for the first time in October 1995, there was already little doubt in my mind that I was going to sign for the club. If there had been, however, it would have disappeared within seconds of meeting Tommy Burns.

He knew my dad well, they had played together for Celtic in the 1970s, and he greeted us both warmly that night as I arrived to discuss personal terms after a £600,000 transfer fee had been agreed with Dunfermline Athletic.

I was only 21 at the time and while there had been interest from other clubs, I was thrilled that Celtic wanted me. As time went on, it would become even more of an honour that Tommy Burns regarded me as good enough to play for the club.

He took me on a tour of the stadium, still under reconstruction at the time, and told me the plans the club had on and off the pitch. His passion for Celtic shone through and after listening to everything he had to say, I couldn't sign my contract quickly enough. I didn't have an agent, my dad did all the negotiations for me, but money wasn't an issue. I wanted to play for Tommy Burns.

It was the easiest decision I have ever made in my career and also the best. Thanks to Tommy and the faith he showed in me, I enjoyed ten years as a Celtic player and was able to fulfil all of my ambitions as a professional footballer.

He put me straight into the first team and while his time as manager of Celtic did not turn out to be as successful as he would have hoped, it was the most exciting time of my life. Some of the football Celtic played was just a thrill to be part of and a tribute to Tommy's philosophy on the game.

Like anyone else fortunate enough to know Tommy, however, it was his human qualities which made the biggest impression on me. He was the funniest man you ever met and also the most caring and compassionate.

My wife Samantha and I will never forget Tommy's kindness and help when we suffered a lot of heartache trying to start a family. Samantha miscarried five times and we had all but given up hope of having kids. Tommy was hugely supportive and put us in touch with expert medical help. In 1998, my oldest daughter Erin was born and we are now fortunate to have a healthy and happy family.

It was a sad day for me when Tommy left Celtic as manager, but I was fortunate enough to work with him again with Scotland. The players loved him and it said everything for his standing in the game that despite the problems of Berti Vogts' time in charge he was kept on as assistant manager by Walter Smith.

Tommy had one match in charge of Scotland before Walter took over, a friendly against Sweden at Easter Road, and it was one of the proudest moments of my life when he made me captain of my country that night.

He remained a major influence on my career and a great friend. I could always rely on Tommy for sound advice and encouragement. When my mum Linda died at the age of 49 from cancer in 2003, Tommy was there for me and his support meant a lot to both my dad and myself. It was a measure of the man and I'm still struggling to come to terms with him also passing away at such a young age yesterday.

Like everyone else who knew Tommy, I'll cherish the memories of a unique man who will be painfully missed.

His commitment to youth development will be 'legend's' lasting legacy to Celtic

IN SEEKING to pay a lasting and fitting tribute to Tommy Burns, Celtic may well come to consider renaming their £12 million training centre and youth academy at Lennoxtown after the man who championed it for so long.

As the club's chief executive Peter Lawwell observed yesterday, it was the commitment and dedication of Burns to the project which finally saw Celtic move into their 21st century complex last year.

Burns' passion for Celtic was always evident, both as a player and then as manager, but perhaps never burned quite so intensely as in his desire to ensure the club he loved had the facilities he believed they needed to allow the youth development programme he set up to properly flourish.

"What Tommy leaves us is the legacy of the youth academy," acknowledged Lawwell. "Stephen McManus, Aiden McGeady, Darren O'Dea and Paul Caddis have all broken through into the first team in recent years and he had a big input in terms of what we have built at Lennoxtown.

"He has left the club in a great state and I hope his family can take some comfort from that as well. He campaigned for 10 years for the training ground and youth academy.

"He was a big inspiration in it all. I remember taking him up to Lennoxtown when it was a derelict site. It was a beautiful day, but as we looked around it still needed immense imagination to see what we could get there. I don't think he believed us, because he had had so many disappointments on that front in the past, but we delivered it for him this time."

Not quite, however, without complaint from Burns. His personality and humour allowed everyone who spoke about him yesterday to do so with a smile at times and Lawwell was no different. "Tommy gave me a hell of a row when he saw the size of the indoor pitch (at Lennoxtown)," he recalled. "He thought we were getting a full size pitch and we didn't tell him until we opened the door that we had run out of money!"

Such was Burns' focus on the youth development operation at Celtic, Lawwell revealed, that he remained involved in the project right up to the latter stages of his illness.

"Even up until he went to France for treatment, he was in here working away," said Lawwell. "He wanted to put his house in order, if you like, to make sure everything was alright when he was away getting his treatment. He was working all hours. I spoke to him on the 'phone last Monday and it was business as usual, he was worried about a couple of things. His energy, drive and passion for this club was remarkable.

"It is very early to talk about how he will commemorate him, we haven't even thought about that yet, but Tommy Burns will live forever at the club.

He was a wonderful human being. In life, I think you only meet a few truly special people and Tommy Burns was certainly one of those. His values, standards, integrity and humour made him that special person.

"Tommy also transcended the football world and the divide in this city. You can see that from the tributes outside which are coming in from every club. That takes a very special person."

Club captain Stephen McManus, whose own development from a reserve team player on the verge of leaving the club to becoming its first team leader owed much to Burns' influence, summed up the shattering effect his death has had on the Parkhead squad. "It's very tough at a time like this," said the Scotland defender. "I've spoken to a few of the players, and we are all pretty numb. Something like this really does blow you away.

"We knew he wasn't keeping too well for quite some time, but then he would suddenly bounce back into the training ground as if everything was fine. He was willing to fight on and wanted to make sure no-one felt awkward about it, or felt sorry for him. He was courageous, probably as brave a man as you will ever meet.

"He will be badly missed by every single one of us, not just as a coach but as a person. For me, it has been a pleasure to have known him for eight years. Working with him almost every single day, you couldn't help but get close to Tommy and to love him to bits.

"He just made you feel you were very important. I was just a tadpole in the ocean here when he came back to the club, yet when you met him he made you feel like the most important person in the world. It's only special men who make you feel like that.

He was a one-off, there is never going to be another Tommy Burns."

Stephen Halliday

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.

• 1989: December – Bids an emotional farewell to the Celtic supporters after agreeing a £50,000 move to Kilmarnock.

• 1992: Handed the Kilmarnock manager's job.

• 1993: Guides Kilmarnock into the Premier Division.

• 1994: Leaves Kilmarnock on July 11 and is appointed Celtic manager by Fergus McCann the following day.

• 1995: Celtic end a six-year trophy famine by winning the Scottish Cup 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.

• 23 April 2007 – Celtic lose the Tennent's Scottish Cup semi-final replay 1-0 to First Division Falkirk at Ibrox.

• 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.

• 13 March 2002 – Burns is appointed assistant to national team manager Berti Vogts' on a part-time basis.

• November 2004 – Vogts resigns as Scotland manager, and

• Burns is appointed caretaker for the friendly against Sweden. Scotland lose 4-1 to the Swedes at Easter Road.

• 2 December 2 – Walter Smith is new Scotland manager, and keeps Burns as assistant boss.

• 2005: 1 June – Gordon Strachan takes over as Celtic manager. Burns is named first-team coach.

• 2006: 29 March – Celtic announce Burns faces treatment for cancer.

• 16 May: Announces he has been given the all-clear by doctors.

• 2007: 18 January – 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: 10 March 10 – Celtic announce Burns will begin receiving treatment for cancer again.

• 15 May – Celtic announce Burns has died at the age of 51.