Distraught Ally McCoist: 'We all loved Tommy'

Published on Friday 16 May 2008 13:45

RANGERS assistant manager Ally McCoist was "distraught" to learn of the death of his close friend Tommy Burns.

The pair had been Old Firm rivals for many years and worked together under Walter Smith in the Scotland set-up until Smith and McCoist returned to Rangers in January last year.

Rangers were reeling from their UEFA Cup final defeat when McCoist was informed that Celtic legend Burns had lost his battle with cancer at the age of 51.

McCoist said: "It had obviously been an emotional night on Wednesday and I got a call just before eight in the morning to tell me Tommy had passed away.

"I was absolutely distraught. I don't mind saying that there was a tear in my eye.

"I loved Tommy. We all did. It's hard to think of anything else right now."

Manager Smith added: "If I have one regret about Tommy Burns, it's that I didn't know him for longer."

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan paid an emotional tribute to Burns yesterday, saying the man who was his first-team coach and the club's head of youth was "top of the league" of football's gentlemen.

Rangers and Scotland captain Barry Ferguson described Burns as "a great man". He added: "I woke up still gutted after the final and found out that Tommy was gone. It's so painful and such a waste of a life to lose such a great man at just 51."