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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joe morris
4th December 2023
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3rd December 2023
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2nd December 2023
Clik The Mouse
1st December 2023
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1st December 2023
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30th November 2023
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26th November 2023
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26th November 2023
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Latest Comments
19th November 2023 at 1:45 pm
Thanks Gacina, glad you liked it, and I have just posted a new one about our points deduction…
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7th November 2023 at 6:34 pm
Today B.B.C post on F.B was titled:Premier League reduced to 18 clubs? I really think it may be interesting to see if this would be Everton’s nightmare and this poem is well suited for this concern.If there would be more difficult battle to stay if there were 18 teams.Great poem and somehow true.
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6th November 2023 at 4:43 pm
Ashington FC have launched a £50,000 Crowdfunder appeal to meet the increased costs of winning promotion last season, to pay for urgent stadium improvements, travel costs and equipment
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31st October 2023 at 4:26 pm
‘Three Teams Worse Than Us’ from our Toffee friend Denys in Italy, also sums up how FGR fans currently feel. Yes, in our case, with two going down to the Conference, it could be entitled ‘Two Teams Worse Than Us’, but three would make us feel even safer.
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6th October 2023 at 11:49 pm
Enjoy it while you can, although I’m sure Mbappe could well be bound for St James
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2nd October 2023 at 1:52 pm
There still remains a magic about the early rounds of the FA Cup that the premier league / internationals can never match.
Coventry Sphinx v Leicester Nirvana sounds so much more than a tale of two cities etc. etc.
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24th September 2023 at 5:14 pm
Very accurate indeed!
Palace home for me is always a tough journey as well. From the wilds of west London to Selhurst is a random journey into the unknown.
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20th September 2023 at 1:37 pm
Lovely stuff for one of the best.
We love him to death down at the Palace.
I’ll post my Roy poem a bit later. You’ve inspired me to finish it.
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19th September 2023 at 5:06 pm
I’d like to think some of my scarves might get passed down the generations, but can’t see some of the “quality merchandise” I have making much past my son’s generation. They’ll fall apart before he even has kids, I reckon!
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7th September 2023 at 2:43 pm
Very true Crispin. Thanks!
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