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Tommy twists Tommy turns Tommy Burns

Tomorrow is going to be a tear-stained day for Celtic fans as Tommy Burns funeral takes place bringing the area around Celtic Park to a standstill.

Celtic without Tommy will be a strange place, he hasn't been high profile for a number of years but it's always been comforting to know that he was hard at work with the club he loved.

Every now and then there would be a reference to him from a first-team player, he'd be involved in the dug-out or seen celebrating wildly at a victory.

I first saw Tommy playing in the Eastercraigs Tournament at Celtic Park, soon he was in the reserves and breaking through to the first team at the same time as Roy Aitken.

Tommy played a part in the 76/77 double winning side, missed out on the famous 4-2 league decider in 1979 but really came into his own from 1980-1982.

The left side of midfield was his beat as he introduced us to the double-shuffle and other tricks that left defenders chasing shadows as Frank McGarvey, George McCluskey and Charlie Nicholas bagged the goals.

Throughout the 80's Burns was a fantastic player with the added edge of being a lifelong fan appreciating the honour of wearing the hoops and playing for the supporters he identified with.

Victory against the odds in 85 against Dundee United in the Scottish Cup Final was followed by the equally memorable and unforgettable title win at Love Street. More than most players TB appreciated and savoured the very Celtic nature of those successes.

The Centenary double winning season saw Burns a pivotal figure as a new Celtic side emerged from the shadow of Souness to be champions again. Alongside Paul McStay, Peter Grant and Aitken, Burns helped bring out the best in Andy Walker, Frank McAvennie, Joe Miller and others as the club's Centenary was celebrated in style.

One more Scottish Cup success was to come Burns way, a 1-0 win over Rangers in 89, before he left for Kilmarnock then returning as Celtic manager.

The Celtic that Burns inherited was a shadow of the club that he had played for but despite a season in exile at Hampden and the gutting defeat to Raith Rovers in the Coca Cola Cup Burns finally broke a six year trophy drought by winning the 95 Scottish Cup Final against Airdrie.

That Hampden season is best forgotten but with a new look Celtic Park rising up so to did a new team full of excitement, goals and skill, the ingredients Burns knew were essential to any Celtic side.

No tangible success was to follow but with The Three Amigos of Pierre van Hoojidonk, Jorge Cadete and Paolo di Canio around demand to watch Celtic went through the roof whilst most of us wondered about the wisdom of building a 60,000 seater stadium.

Burns the manager left Celtic as Rangers prepared to make it 9-in-a-row but no-one would have cheered louder when Wim Jansen's side stopped the 10 to the relief and delight of every Celtic fan.

Spells at Newcastle and managing Reading never seemed quite right for Burns who returned to Celtic in the aftermath of the John Barnes fiasco.

As Celtic celebrated a fairly worthless CIS Cup win over Aberdeen in 2000 the fans chanted for Burns above all others as silverware returned to Celtic Park.

Under Martin O'Neill and Gordon Strachan Burns has been a key member of staff with Strachan adding his former adversary to the first team coaching staff as well as retaining his role alongside Willie McStay as head of Youth Development.

Cancer struck in 2006 but TB bounced back to enjoy back-to-back titles alongside Strachan before cancer returned again in the spring of this year.

Losing a man of Burns calibre has been a horrible blow to Celtic but the team has battled on with Neil Lennon returning to the dug-out to continue Burns work.

Horribly last Thursday the news we hoped that we'd never hear was announced, Tommy Burns had died in the early hours of the morning.

Since then the legend of TB has grown, a tearful Gordon Strachan spoke to the media on Thursday of how we had visited Burns on the Wednesday before he had died, how Burns had talked football and wished Strachan all the best knowing that his death was around the corner.

Peter Lawwell spoke of his last phone call with Burns of how it was business as usual as Burns continued his work on nurturing the next generation of McGeady's and McManus's.

He'll never ever be forgotten by Celtic supporters but sadly a family has lost a husband, father and grandfather, that's where our sympathies should be.

We were lucky to know TB the Celt, but how painful must it be to have a man of that character and strength taken from your family at the age of 51?

Rest in Peace TB, we're all the poorer without your presence.

Celtic Park video tribute.

Tommy Burns 1956-2008

Tragically today Tommy was taken from us, from his family and extended Celtic family.

The sadness was obvious around Celtic Park, quietness, people stunned that Tommy, someone that we've all grown up with, has passed away.

Two years ago we were shocked at his cancer, he recovered and returned to enjoy more success at Celtic.

Cancer returned, Tommy battled on but this morning he was taken from us, tragically at the age of 51, a husband, father and grandfather gone far far too early.

Words will never do Tommy justice, every Celtic fan has their memories of Tommy. The player, the manager and always the Celtic supporter.

RIP TB

Video from Celtic Park

Scotland's shame shames Scotland

It's all over now

VIDEO REPORT

It's another championship for the Bhoys

Congratulations to Willie McStay and the reserve side on winning the title for the seventh year running.

Lots of players have been involved, consistency is hard to find but whatever the team they play good passing football and know how to score.

Mark Millar has probably been the best player over the season with Paul Caddis and Scott Cuthbert not far behind.

Derek Riordan, Evander Sno and Chris Killen would rather have been playing in the first team but have given 100% to the reserves.

VIDEO REPORT

Craig Levein stands firm

This morning on Radio Scotland Craig Levein remained furious.

He's not for backing down, it wasn't heat of the moment, he was telling things straight after four clear cut decisions went against his side in the second half of the game with Rangers.

Noel Hunt didn't get a penalty, David Weir wasn't sent off, Weir had a good own goal unfairly disallowed and Daniel Cousin was only yellow carded for head-butting Lee Wilkie.

And to add to it all Mark deVries was booked for scoring against Rangers and daring to hold back his celebrations in case the goal was mysteriously disallowed.

And Neil Alexander jumped in to the Copland Road stand to celebrate Rangers third goal while Kirk Broadfoot punches Hunt while Weir puts the ball in his own net.

VIDEO UPDATE

Celtic end of season singalong

It's been an incredible home season, more lows than we'd like but plenty of high's as well.

AC Milan, Benfica and Shakhtar Donetsk were all beaten in the Champions League, Barcelona provided us with a genuine thriller and of course Rangers got memorably skelped twice in quick succession.

After the 2-0 win over Hibs the players took a well deserved ovation from the supporters, whether they win anything this season is in the hands of Mike McCurry and friends as much as anyone.

ENJOY THE FINAL CURTAIN CALL VIDEO

"We'd be as well not turning up today," Craig Levein's verdict on Mike McCurry.

After being cheated out of a point or three by the Rev Mike McCurry in today's game against Rangers Dundee United manager Craig Levein exploded in rage.

VIDEO REPORT AND SETANTA INTERVIEW

Levein didn't hide in his post match comments calling things straight from the heart as McCurry kept Rangers SPL hopes alive with a string of dishonest decisions.

LEVEIN SUMS UP THE MATCH: "We'd be as well not turning up today, we couldn't win today, no matter how well we played."

LEVEIN ON MCCURRY: "I think that he knew the importance of the game to Rangers, it's all about Rangers, it's important that Rangers don't lose, it's important that Rangers don't go down to ten men. Absolutely ridiculous decisions, not even doubts, ridiculous decisions."

Davie Weir crunches Noel Hunt in the box, should be a penalty and a red card but McCurry waves play on.

LEVEIN SAYS: "It is a red card, if that's not a goal scoring opportunity I don't know what is. It's a sending off."

A perfectly good own-goal from Davie Weir from a Danny Swanson shot is disallowed for no reason, whilst Kirk Broadfoot punches Hunt in the face

LEVEIN SAYS: "The ball hit Davie Weir. The linesman started off by saying that it hit Davie Robertson, then he realised that it hadn't him him all off a sudden it's Robertson ran across the line of the goalkeeper, 20 yards from goal. It's ridiculous.

Hit man Daniel Cousin headbutts Lee Wilkie in front of McCurry with both players yellow carded.

LEVEIN SAYS: "Hunt got punched in the face when Danny Swanson shot and Lee Wilkie got head butted.

Looking back at the CIS Cup Final when Kenny Clark denied Utd a clear cut penalty whilst 1-0 up.

LEVEIN SAYS: "Nobody bothers about Dundee United, it's all about Rangers. We played in a cup final, there was a penalty decision, a definite penalty decision and we didn't get it and we lost the cup final. Today at Ibrox it was important to Rangers and we didn't get anything, you don't get those important decisions. It's disgraceful."

On Scottish referees in general

LEVEIN SAYS: "The sooner that we get referee's coming in from another country the better, they don't understand the pressure that's on.

Well said Craig Levein, by no means a Celtic man, those views expressed by Levein will carry added weight, he's not an ex-Celt, but has came out and said it exactly as he saw it with his team cheated out of point/s in order to assist Rangers.

The SFA must take action now against Levein for these comments, he's been stubborn before, should be very interesting to see how these incidents are dealt with.

The quotes are from Levein's interview on Setanta, they have been repeated on Radio Scotland and in the general press conference afterwards.