| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Thomas Burns | ||
| Date of birth | 16 December 1956 | ||
| Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Date of death | 15 May 2008 (aged 51) | ||
| Place of death | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1970-71 | Eastercraigs Boys Club | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1971–1989 | Celtic | 353 | (52) |
| 1973–1974 | → Maryhill (loan) | ||
| 1989–1994 | Kilmarnock | 151 | (16) |
| Total | 504 | (68) | |
| International career | |||
| 1976–1982 | Scotland U21 | 5 | (0) |
| 1978 | Scottish League XI[1] | 1 | (0) |
| 1981–1988 | Scotland | 8 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1992–1994 | Kilmarnock | ||
| 1994–1997 | Celtic | ||
| 1995–1998 | Scotland B | ||
| 1998–1999 | Reading | ||
| 2002–2007 | Scotland (assistant) | ||
| 2004 | Scotland (caretaker) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Thomas Burns (16 December 1956 – 15 May 2008) was a Scottish professional football player and manager. He is best known for his long association with Celtic, where he was a player, manager and coach.
Usually a midfielder, Burns played for Celtic from 1975 to 1989 and won six Scottish league championships, five Scottish Cups, and the Scottish League Cup once. He was also a Scotland international, winning eight caps between 1981 and 1988.
He finished playing with Kilmarnock, where he also began his managerial career. He returned to Celtic as manager in 1994, and won the Scottish Cup in 1995 – the first trophy the club had won in six years. After being sacked by Celtic in 1997 he managed Reading from 1998 to 1999. Burns returned to Celtic in 2000, and held positions including assistant manager, head of youth development and first team coach. He was also assistant manager of Scotland from 2002 to 2007.
Burns died of melanoma on 15 May 2008, aged 51.