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Distraught Ally McCoist: 'We all loved Tommy'



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RANGERS assistant manager Ally McCoist was "distraught" to learn of the death of his close friend Tommy Burns.
The pair had been Old Firm rivals for many years and worked together under Walter Smith in the Scotland set-up until Smith and McCoist returned to Rangers in January last year.

Rangers were reeling from their UEFA Cup final defeat when McCoist was
informed that Celtic legend Burns had lost his battle with cancer at the age of 51.

McCoist said: "It had obviously been an emotional night on Wednesday and I got a call just before eight in the morning to tell me Tommy had passed away.

"I was absolutely distraught. I don't mind saying that there was a tear in my eye.

"I loved Tommy. We all did. It's hard to think of anything else right now."

Manager Smith added: "If I have one regret about Tommy Burns, it's that I didn't know him for longer."

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan paid an emotional tribute to Burns yesterday, saying the man who was his first-team coach and the club's head of youth was "top of the league" of football's gentlemen.

Rangers and Scotland captain Barry Ferguson described Burns as "a great man". He added: "I woke up still gutted after the final and found out that Tommy was gone. It's so painful and such a waste of a life to lose such a great man at just 51."





The full article contains 246 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 16 May 2008 3:19 PM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Celtic FC , Rangers FC
 
1

BEMUSED EXILE,

16/05/2008 18:15:49
Nice to find a thread open, even if only because nobody has found it yet, and nicer still to see the whole world of football united in its praise of Tommy Burns, and in its grief over his untimely death.

In the aftermath of Wednesday, and with a desperate end to the SPL season just around the corner, it hopefully brings a sense of perspective to all of us, and maybe those posters with such inclinations can put aside their hatred for their rivals and realise that it's only sport.

The only tribute that doesn't sit particularly well with me came from Fergus McCann, a man who threw TB onto the scrapheap in return for three seasons where he broke Celtic's trophy drought and produced the most attractive OF footballing team of modern times.

Tommy deserved better from the club that he served and loved so graciously.

RIP.
2

Brother Walfrid,

16/05/2008 20:53:30
1

Point scoring at a time like this is absolutely despicable. Fergus Mcann did what he thought was right for the club ...it was nothing personal so far as TB was concerned.
At least there was honesty with the fans...it was made clear that he was sacked...fans were not deceived into thinking anything else.

Mcann didn't throw him onto the scrapheap....people throw themselves onto the scrapheap...but TB was not one to think that way...he picked himself up, DECIDED not to go onto the scrap heap, and fought on.

Yoo disgust me. What even motivated you to bring mcann up ? There were so many fabulous things to remember about TB, but only one dark moment, the one you chose to bring up.
You are a bigot and a fiend. The only thing that distinguishes you from the mob in manchester is fear of the sack and your armchair.
3

,

16/05/2008 21:14:05
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
4

BEMUSED EXILE,

16/05/2008 22:06:12
Thank you #3.

As for the good Brother? What on Earth in my post, or in any other I've made, makes me a bigot? Nothing could be further from the truth.

The one thing that annoys me is hypocrisy. I can well remember the "wee bunnet's" words when he got shot of Tommy Burns. "One trophy in 3 years might be okay for some clubs, but not for Celtic". Then when he was asked to say something complimentary about TB he said "I don't want to damn him with faint praise". If that's how he feels about TB, then he should shut up now.

It wasn't in any way intended as an anti-Celtic rant, just an anti-McCann one, but at that time, he effectively WAS Celtic, and I feel that getting rid of Burns after what he'd given to the club both as player and manager was a very poor decision. If McCann had backed him with a budget to match Smith's and he hadn't delivered, then he might have been a little more justified, but I doubt that anyone could have produced a better team than TB with the money that was made available, and he deserved better.
5

George Kay,

London 16/05/2008 22:24:56
Bemused Exile - I knew I could find an argument somewhere if I searched hard enough. Are you one of those "he could start a fight in an empty room" types by any chance? To be serious, I think that you have to pick your moments carefully, it's hardly the time for recriminations yet, if ever.

Having said that however, I don't think that your post is an attempt at point-scoring and Brother Walfrid does seem to be all too eager to find offence in your words. I can't criticise Fergus for what he done for Celtic FC, he pulled us back from the brink, quite literally, and has my undying gratitude, but as you say, a silence over TB might have been more appropriate after the way he treated him. That's easier said than done however, when you're phoned up in the middle of the night, given the bad news, and asked for a quote!
6

BEMUSED EXILE,

16/05/2008 22:48:34
George.

Thanks for the support (I think).

One of the things that I find so frustrating on here is the lack of free thinking, and that need for "tribal loyalty", ie, "he's saying something bad about Celtic, therefore I have to attack him, and ideally have a dig at Rangers while I'm at it".

I've often criticised RFC, and conversely, I've said nice things about Celtic. Attacking what I see as a hypocritical stance by wee Fergus is NOT an attack on Celtic. It's nice that a couple of Celtic fans can see that. I'd be equally happy for a Rangers fan to come on and tell me that I'm out of order, rather than just instinctively jump in on the side that he favours.

So maybe I've achieved something. ;)
7

George Kay,

London 16/05/2008 23:08:19
Bemused, putting all of this aside and getting back to football - I have to fancy our chances of the title after watching your bunch chasing shadows in Manchester. I reckon you'll suffer big-time on the heavy surface of Fir Park tomorrow, a draw at best, and I think that the Tommy Burns factor will double our determination to beat Dundee Utd, so I believe that Rangers need 9 points to lift the title. Want to give up now?
8

BEMUSED EXILE,

16/05/2008 23:17:24
George.

I was just about to retire for the evening when your post popped up!

Tomorrow is definitely the key. I think that Rangers are suffering physically, and if they take an emotional blow tomorrow by not winning, then it's surely over. You could hardly ask for a tougher assignment than to play away to the 3rd best team in the SPL on the division's worst playing surface less than 3 days after losing a major final, but I won't give up hope.

I agree with you that we need 3 victories. Dundee Utd are probably the least inclined SPL side to consider doing Rangers a favour right now, so I'm sure that Celtic will win that final match.

Even if we find the strength to get the 9 points, I worry about our physical readiness for the Scottish Cup Final. It may "only" be Division One opposition, but the game is only about 40 hours after our last SPL match, which is ludicrous. We'll be dead on our feet.

This is a treble that will definitely have to be won the hard way.

Goodnight.
9

Silence of the Yams,

17/05/2008 01:18:36
Good guy, much respected all over Scotland as a decent man of honest integrity. Very sad loss.

 

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