2009-05-31: Celtic 11-4 Tommy Burns Select, Tommy Burns Tribute Match

Match Pictures | Matches: 20082009 | 2008-2009 Pictures

Trivia

  • Tommy Burns homepage
  • Tribute match for much missed ex-player/manager/coach.
  • Money went to charity
  • Gordon Strachan had resigned as manager only week before, so strictly this was his last game.
  • Only 25k attendance, most due to apathy due to past season.
  • Debut for 14-year-old Islam Feruz, a highly-regarded Somalian from the club's youth academy
  • Stephen Melville – a supporter paid £20,000 in a charity auction for the privilege of playing.

Review

IT turned out to be a fitting tribute to a man who loved to see football played ‘the Celtic Way’. Throughout his life as a Celtic supporter, player, coach and manager, Tommy Burns continually espoused the merits of attack-minded, entertaining football.

And in this tribute match, played in glorious sunshine at Celtic Park, the Celtic players and a select side captained by Tommy's son, Jonathan and featuring many of his Dad's former team-mates and charges produced a display which raised cheers, applause and a few familiar songs over the 90 minutes.

Despite the blazing summer heat, the aches and pains of a long season and a little bit of rust in the ageing legs of the former pros, this turned out to be an enjoyable match, marked by 15 goals and some great little cameos as the Celtic first team won the contest 11-4.

Teams

CELTIC (4-3-3)
Brown; Flood, Caldwell, O’Dea, Naylor; Donati, Crosas, Maloney; Vennegoor of Hesselink (Ferry 46), McDonald, Samaras (McGeady 46).
Scorers: (Caldwell 5, 43, McDonald 8, 21, Vennegoor of Hesselink 31, McGeady 49, Donati 53, Ferry 57, Naylor 73, 83, 87)

TOMMY BURNS SELECT (4-4-2)
Bonner (Kerr 37);
Boyd (Vata 30, Callaghan 72), McKay (Stubbs 44), Whyte (Baillie 44), McKinlay (Donnelly 60);
Burns (Grant 25, Melville 72), Keane (Lambert 25, Feruz 61), Macleod (Johnson 34, Burns 87), Di Canio (Miller 34, McCluskey 61, Lennon 72);
Cadete (Walker 54), Van Hooijdonk (Hartson 54).
Scorers: (Cadete 14, Keane 17, Hartson 75, Walker 84)

Att: 25k

Articles

Pictures

KStreet

Strachan return for Burns tribute(BBC)

Gordon Strachan has made a surprise return to Celtic Park less than a week after standing down as manager – but only to pay tribute to Tommy Burns.
More than 25,000 fans watched the present Celtic side beat an old-boys select 11-4 in honour of former manager Burns, who died last May aged 51.
Former Celtic midfielder Murdo MacLeod told BBC Scotland: "Everybody is here because of their friendship with Tommy.
"It's been a very emotional day and the fans showed great support for Tommy."
Strachan, who missed out on a fourth straight Scottish title on the final day of the league season last weekend, took a bow and received a warm round of applause from the Celtic fans before the charity match.
Ex-Celtic striker Mark McGhee, the Motherwell manager recommended to Celtic by Strachan as his successor, was also an emotional presence in the stand along with his former Aberdeen team-mate.
The match had three beneficiaries – Burns' family, the Tommy Burns Skin Cancer Trust and the Celtic Charity Fund. But the unveiling of a sculpture in tribute to Burns, which was originally planned to be held before the match, will now take place around the first home league match of next season.
Burns spent most of his career with Celtic as player, manager and youth coach and the high regard in which he was held was exemplified by the star-studded turnout.
In bright sunshine, the present side, managed by Neil Lennon, ran out easy winners with a Lee Naylor hat-trick, doubles from Gary Caldwell and Scott McDonald, and with Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Aiden McGeady, Massimo Donati and Simon Ferry also on the scoresheet.
The 'three amigos' of Paolo Di Canio, Pierre Van Hooijdonk and Jorge Cadete, who played for the club while Burns was manager, made a nostalgic return to Celtic Park for the select side captained by Burns' son, Jonathan, and managed by Billy McNeill and Paul McStay.
And Cadete, Roy Keane, John Hartson and Andy Walker scored for the team of veterans.
Also making an appearance was 14-year-old Islam Feruz, a highly-regarded Somalian from the club's youth academy, and Stephen Melville – a supporter who paid £20,000 in a charity auction for the privilege of playing.

players past and present pay perfect tribute (official Celticfc.net)

Gregor Kyle
IT turned out to be a fitting tribute to a man who loved to see football played ‘the Celtic Way’. Throughout his life as a Celtic supporter, player, coach and manager, Tommy Burns continually espoused the merits of attack-minded, entertaining football.

And in this tribute match, played in glorious sunshine at Celtic Park, the Celtic players and a select side captained by Tommy's son, Jonathan and featuring many of his Dad's former team-mates and charges produced a display which raised cheers, applause and a few familiar songs over the 90 minutes.

Despite the blazing summer heat, the aches and pains of a long season and a little bit of rust in the ageing legs of the former pros, this turned out to be an enjoyable match, marked by 15 goals and some great little cameos as the Celtic first team won the contest 11-4.

The opening goal actually raised a smile as well as a cheer from the audience, coming as the result of a driving run out of defence by Gary Caldwell and a one-two with Shaun Maloney in the penalty box that finished with the big defender lifting a delicate chip over Packie Bonner and into the top corner.

There were a few grumbles amid the veteran back four just three minutes later when Scott McDonald beat the offside trap by a whisker, breezing into space and onto a Maloney pass before coolly slotting the ball beneath Bonner.

The big keeper had a few choice words for a few of his team-mates in the wake of this strike, as well as the linesman who failed to raise his flag when McDonald broke through and this team of old Bhoys were clearly determined to defend their pride while putting on a show.

Roy Keane forced a save from Mark Brown with a long-range effort before Murdo Macleod cracked in an effort of his own. Then, in the 14th minute they rolled back the years as Pierre Van Hooijdonk found Jorge Cadete in space, with the Portuguese striker instinctively striking it first time past Brown and in off the far post.

It was an excellent finish and one that raised a familiar song from the crowd and sensing an opportunity, the veterans struck again, with Roy Keane stealing in at the back post to head home a beautifully delivered curling cross from the left by Tosh McKinlay.

There were further flashes of brilliance, little cameos from the likes of Di Canio and Van Hooijdonk, who were clearly aiming to impress before their legs gave way and there were a few competitive moments as well, with Caldwell chopping down Cadete when he threatened to go through on goal.

This foul set up Van Hooijdonk, who stung the palms of Mark Brown with one of his trademark free kicks, before the first team raced up the park and restored their lead, with McDonald rifling a first time volley past Bonner after being found by Vennegoor of Hesselink. The big Dutchman then made it 4-2 in the 31st minute from close range.

There was plenty by way of entertainment in this first half and while the young team had taken the lead, the old Bhoys continued to threaten and excite, with Mark Brown pulling off a proverbial ‘wonder save’ to deny Van Hooijdonk.

Some players were clearly determined to impress and this game saw Caldwell transformed from a ball-playing centre back to a goalscoring threat, with the big defender delicately dinking home his second and Celtic’s fifth just before half time.

Within 10 minutes of the restart the first team then pulled away, scoring three goals in quick succession with Aiden McGeady, arguably Tommy’s greatest protégé, making it six when he coolly rolled his shot past Stewart Kerr.

This goal was then followed by a lovely chip by Massimo Donati, which was lifted over the keeper and in to the far corner from a tight angle and composed finish, rifled home from the penalty spot by Simon Ferry.

The midfielder is viewed as one of the next generation of Academy prospects and supporters were given another glimpse of the future when Islam Feruz, a 14-year-old Academy player who was guided and influenced by Tommy, was warmly welcomed by the crowd.

Lee Naylor added a ninth for the first team in the 73rd minute, shortly after Stephen Melville, a supporter who paid £20,000 for the privilege of playing in a charity auction, entered the field.

But one of the biggest cheers of the afternoon came in the 75th minute when John Hartson lobbed Mark Brown, putting the ball in off the crossbar. The big Welshman followed this up with a delicate through ball that put Simon Donnelly one-on-one with Brown, but the former Celt fired straight at the keeper.

In the closing minutes Naylor took it to double figures with another chip, before Feruz broke forward and unleashed a venomous effort, which Brown could only parry into the path of Andy Walker, who knocked home the rebound.

The match then ended with Lee Naylor completing his hat-trick, making it 11-4 to the current team. Then, at the final whistle, the winning side was presented with Tommy Burns Memorial Trophy by his sons and daughters.

The match will have raised a considerable amount for its three beneficiaries, the Burns family, the Tommy Burns Skin Cancer Trust and the Celtic Charity Fund. But more importantly, it was a celebration of the life of a truly great Celt.

Click Here For Full Game Video