Tommy Burns, R.I.P.
From the Gallowgate to Paradise
Our Lord, he waits at heaven’s gate
With Brother Walfrid by his side,
For Tommy Burns, a legend, travels
From the Gallowgate to Paradise.
Jimmy Johnstone and Johnny Doyle
Both stand on heaven’s pitch.
As they await the arrival of Tommy Burns,
Who will enter heaven in a Celtic strip.
There, the angels will praise his name
For they will remember him of the days,
For when Tommy Burns wore a Celtic jersey
He played football, the Celtic Way.
© Daniel McDonagh
R.I.P Tommy Burns
The green giant – Tommy Burns
Tam, the wee lad from Maryhill
Joined the Bhoys in 73
A gallant and true servant was he
Not many would disagree
A silky, accomplished schemer
A bridge in the Old Firm divide
Blue and green gathered in union
Last respects paid side by side
Out of a mere 51 years
20 served the club he adored
As player, coach and gaffer
Tam was loath to cut the Hoops cord
Said Lisbon Lion Gemmell
‘I don’t think you will find on this earth
Anyone who will say a bad word’
A comic full of laughter and mirth
His greatest moment in football
Mac the knife sealing a double at Hampden
All in the great centenary year
Upstaging Rangers was extra golden
352 league games for the Bhoys
8 golden national caps
53 potent strikes
For this affable, golden haired chap
Assistant to ‘Allsort’ Bertie
A refined coach with Smithy
Star youth development at Parkhead
Maloney, Mc Manus, McGeady
Completed a rare football hat trick
Returning home as coach and trainer
Mentor to the latest starlets
A stroll for the seasoned campaigner
Alas a fatal blow was struck
By an old lurking assassin
The aged adversary struck
Diagnosed cancer of the skin
A Requiem Mass at St Mary’s
Evoke with the chime of the bell
A true ambassador for Scotland
For Bonnie Tam a final farewell
Number 7
© Emdad Rahman
A tragic loss of a wonderful man.
Coming so soon after the death of Phil O’Donnell, who he signed for Celtic.
Respect to Tommy Burns – A true Celtic great.
Poem for Tommy Burns
Celtic Park stands quiet
While the nets sway in a breeze,
As the spirit of Brother Walfrid
Embraces the faithful’s tears
Tommy Burns was proud to wear
The famous hoops of green & white.
He battled for his faith and Celtic’s cause,
On the pitch at Paradise.
A left foot with immaculate talent,
Committed to Celtic on the pitch.
His prayers, as a boy, were answered
When he wore Celtic’s green & white strip.
Now, as Parkhead mourns the passing
Of a faithful Celtic son,
We will remember in song and story
A Calton bhoy, called Tommy Burns.
In the sky over Parkhead
Shall shine bright, a heavenly star,
For the soul of Tommy Burns
Shall live forever at Celtic Park.
© Daniel McDonagh
Tommy Burns has died at the age of 51 after losing his long-running battle with cancer.
The club’s first-team coach originally contracted skin cancer in 2006 and 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.
“Tommy had a fine career and every Celtic supporter and Scottish football fan will have their own special memories of a man whose life was dedicated to his family, to the game of football and in particular to Celtic Football Club.
“Those memories will live on.”
Tommy Burns, R.I.P.
They breed heroes in Glasgow
Toughened men of steel
They drape them in one or other colour
To only one half they appeal
But now the city unites in grief
As the dark sky returns
For there’s an extra twinkling up above
The star that was Tommy Burns
© Clik the mouse, 15th May 2008
Condolences to Tommy’s family & friends, from his many fans in football.
About This Site
Welcome to Football Poets -- a club for all football poets, lovers of football and lovers of (alternative) poetry. Discover poets in every league from respected internationals at the top of their game to young hopefuls in the school playground.
Publish your football poems here and then discuss them with your team mates and fans. We're archived by The British Library, so your masterpieces are in the safe hands of a world-class keeper. What a result!
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Latest Poems
John Gilbert Ellis
28th November 2024
joe morris
26th November 2024
Denys E. W. Jones
26th November 2024
Gacina Bozidar
26th November 2024
Wynn Wheldon
26th November 2024
joe morris
17th November 2024
Crispin Thomas
17th November 2024
kevin halls
10th November 2024
joe morris
10th November 2024
Clik The Mouse
10th November 2024
Crispin’s Corner
In Memoriam
Kick It Out & Christmas Truce
Latest Comments
27th November 2024 at 5:55 am
‘You’re Supposed To Be At Home’ is an excellent and moving poem Denys.
You start off thinking it’s just about another oft-sung chant, one we personally heard a lot last season throughout our second relegation in a row here at Forest Green(FGR) ! I always love poems where you think they are saying one thing and then they suddenly pull you deeper to somewhere or something else else.
I’m currently helping in a local school for FGR in a voluntary capacity using football to help young students with reading. At an upcoming session we will tackle racism, just like we did in workshops at football schools and grounds when we first started this site 24 years ago. I’m gonna try and weave your poem into a session.
We’ve added it to the Anti- Racism/Kick It Out section under Crispin’s Corner.
Best C
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26th November 2024 at 1:59 pm
Great poem and great to see you back Wyn.
Don’t leave it so long next time my friend!
More please.
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13th September 2024 at 6:14 pm
Welcome to Football Poets Beth
Great evocative poem Beth….
More please !
Haiku always welcome.
Hope we (FGR) get to play you again soon
Best
Crispin
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26th July 2024 at 6:25 pm
Great poem Mike Bartram. Eddie was a legend, affectionately known in Liverpool as, “the first hooligan.” Even the hoolies were well dressed in those days. The amazing thing was he was only 26 when that picture was taken. He’d played for Everton youth team and was well known to the players. He never got arrested. They threw him out and he climbed back in, just in time for Derek Temples winner.
I used the picture of him being tackled to the ground on the front cover of my book, “Once Upon a rhyme in Football.” It’s worth looking on youtube and finding the re-enactment of the Wembley scene. Frank Skinner and Baddiel went around to Eddies home in the 1990’s and acted it out on the green outside. It’s hilarious, especially all the effort they put in to get Eddie sober enough to shoot the scene.
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10th July 2024 at 6:07 pm
Hi Crispin,
I don’t know if you’ve see the picture in social media today…
a picture of a teenage Lionel Messi cradling a baby in Africa as part of a photoshoot…. the family had won a lottery to have their baby pictured with him….
the photographer has just revealed that the baby is actually in fact Lamine Yamal!!!!
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26th May 2024 at 2:30 pm
Hi Denys…
Re Man City:
OK it was 20 years ago but Criag Wilson did write this and a few others on them back in 04/05.
BTW I’m more Forest Green Rover since 2014 (and Chelsea) these days . I drum and am a standing season ticket holder .
Best
Crispin
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29th April 2024 at 2:47 pm
Hi Denys,
Yes Richard Williams you’re a brilliant wordsmith, my friend. When I first saw your football poetry I thought it was the superb Guardian sports and music writer. I once had the honour of sitting next to Richard Williams while at the Independent on the sports desk. He writes about music and sport with immense knowledge and authority. I’ve read a couple of Richard’s books recently. Great writer rather like you Richard Williams the Pompey fan. Congratulations on promotion.
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28th April 2024 at 5:59 pm
Thanks Denys. Yes your replay poem was superb.
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26th April 2024 at 4:46 pm
Nice work, Joe. You were quick off the mark with that! Good one from Richard Williams too I see.
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25th April 2024 at 7:33 pm
Hi Denys,
Thanks mate. I’ll do it now.
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