Burns a great example to us all

By Alex Smith

Published:

THE BIG football story this week should have been Rangers’ Uefa Cup final.

I wish it was.

Instead, the untimely death of Tommy Burns has overshadowed any of the events which happened on, or indeed off, the pitch in Manchester.

Burns will be a massive loss and first and foremost my heartfelt condolences go out to Tommy’s wife, Rosemary, and the family.

I knew Tommy was seriously ill but I was still shocked and deeply saddened when I heard the news he had died.

Tommy was a friend of mine for many years.

My first encounter with him was as a 15-year-old kid, with his wild red hair and tremendous ability.

He played the way football should be played, with flair, passing and attacking, and I could see, even at that age, he had an almost unrivalled enthusiasm and love of the game.

I put Tommy through his SFA coaching badges at Largs more than 20 years ago.

He was getting towards the end of his career but he still had the same enthusiasm for coaching as he did for playing.

Everyone knows Tommy’s achievements as a player, manager and coach, but he was also very special as a person.

Football was important to him but only after his family and faith.

He was the perfect family man, a devoted husband and father, and an example to everyone.

He was deeply religious but it was very much a personal thing for him, he respected everyone regardless of their faith.

Tommy had a magnetic personality, everyone liked him.

He had a great sense of humour and, some people might not know this, he was also a terrific singer.

Many a time I have heard his Bobby Darin impression, belting out Mack the Knife and the like.

I doubt there is a single person in the country who will have a bad word to say about him.

The news of his death will hit a lot of people hard, including Rangers manager Walter Smith.

Walter spoke very well about Tommy at the Scottish football writers’ dinner on Sunday, as did Jim Duffy and Ron Scott, the president of the writers’ association.

Walter would have been disappointed with his side’s result in the Uefa Cup final on Wednesday but it will all be put into perspective by the news yesterday morning of Tommy’s death.

Rangers did themselves proud in Manchester but sometimes tactics and endeavour can only get you so far.

There is a glass ceiling where ability can take you and I think even Walter would maybe admit they have surpassed his own expectations by a couple of rounds.

Getting to a European final was a remarkable achievement.

Walter will be able to look back at the run with pride.

But, for now, everyone’s thoughts are about the loss of one of our game’s great men.