Football stars pay tribute to Celtic legend Burns

AFP - 20 May 2008 15:39

Celtic supporters sing ´You´ll never walk alone´ during the Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk at Celtic Park in Glasgow, 2007. A hosts of football stars and thousands of mourners paid their last respects to Celtic legend Tommy Burns at his funeral.

GLASGOW (AFP) - A hosts of football stars and thousands of mourners paid their last respects to Celtic legend Tommy Burns at his funeral on Tuesday.

Burns, a former Celtic player and manager, died at home last Thursday aged 51 after a fight with cancer and the Glasgow club's current manager Gordon Strachan was joined by Rangers boss Walter Smith at St Mary's church in the Calton area of Glasgow.

Rangers captain Barry Ferguson was also present as well as former Scotland and Rangers manager Alex McLeish, now in charge at Birmingham, along with Scottish FA chief executive Gordon Smith.

There were also a host of former Celtic players, including Roy Keane, Kenny Dalglish and Pierre van Hooijdonk.

Mourners began arriving two hours before the requiem mass for the ex-Scotland defender. Hundreds of fans were in the street outside the church from early this morning and up to 3,000 had gathered by midday at Celtic Park where the service was being broadcast.

Even before guests began arriving, the street outside the church turned green and white as hundreds of fans turned out to pay their respects.

Floral tributes were laid outside the entrance to the church and Celtic scarves hung from the railings.