Players and fans mark memory of football legend Tommy Burns

May 18 2008 By Raymond Hainey

CELTIC hero Tommy Burns was remembered by football fans and players across Scotland yesterday.

At Kilmarnock's Rugby Park, a minute's silence marked the memory of the popular player and manager who was at the club for five years.

And at Motherwells's Fir Park, a minute's applause was held in memory of the footballer before the crucial SPL match against Rangers.

Both teams wore black armbands for the game and ran on to the pitch to the strains of Burns' favourite karaoke song, Mack The Knife.

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee had personally requested the musical tribute to his former Celtic team-mate and friend who died last week.

Rangers supporters in both away stands joined in the standing ovation for the Celtic legend as the players wearing black armbands applauded in the centre of the pitch.

The red-haired midfield maestro, who was a coach at his beloved Celtic when he died, passed away at his Glasgow home on Thursday, aged 51.

Last night his mother Margaret, 83, talked of her grief at losing her only son.

She said: "Tommy was such a good son and too young to die.

"His illness happened so quickly that it's hard to believe. One week he was fine, the next he was in his bed.

"At least I know that he's not in pain any more. His suffering is over now."

Tommy lost a long battle with cancer after being diagnosed in 2006.

It was revealed last month that the disease had returned.

He spent the bulk of his career at Celtic, joining the club as a teenage midfielder. After a glittering playing career at Parkhead, he left at the age of 32 to join Kilmarnock, where he was to become player-manager.

Flags, scarves and flowers were still piling up outside Parkhead yesterday as hundreds of fans came to pay their own tribute. The funeral service will be on Tuesday at St Mary's Church, Calton, Glasgow, where the worlds of sport, showbusiness and politics are expected to pay their final respects.

Celtic have asked that only family and close friends attend due to the church's limited size. After the service, the funeral cortege will pass by the main stand at Celtic Park to give fans a chance to say their last goodbyes.

Pop legend Lulu joined the tributes to the footballer yesterday. The Scots singer and the Celtic legend grew up on the same street in Calton, in the east end of Glasgow.

Although Lulu was eight years older than Tommy, their families were friends.

Lulu, 59 - real name Marie Lawrie - was on a flight to America when she heard the news. She said yesterday: "I was a great fan of Tommy Burns.

"I am shocked and saddened by his untimely death and send my deepest condolences to his family."

Denis Curran, 63, of the Glasgow charity Loaves and Fishes, recalled how Burns once spent hours giving out soup to the homeless in the city.

He said: "He came to give us a £20,000 cheque from Celtic and got stuck in to help us. He was a compassionate man."

SUNDAY EMAIL

r.hainey@sundaymail.co.uk