Tommy Burns
1989-94
(Manager Apr
92-May 94)
Tommy
Burns
was appointed manager in April 1992 but he was originally signed Jim
Fleeting who pulled a masterstroke by signing him while Killie were
still in the Second Division. Tommy proved to be a brilliant servant for
the club, playing a major role in our revival. He
continued
to play and brought former player Billy Stark back to Rugby Park as his
assistant. Promotion to the Premier League was achieved in season
1992-93 with a
0-0 draw 
against Hamilton at Rugby Park before a
crowd of almost 13,000.The following season the club retained their
Premier status on the last day of
the season with another 0-0 result.
Tommy Burns' Killie sides were based on hard work, with one Bobby
Williamson at times being a one-man forward line. Tommy's contribution
to the Killie cause should never be underestimated.
He joined the club
in the Second Division as a player and left the club as manager of a
team in the Premier League. It was very sad that Tommy left the club in
the circumstances he did. When he left to join Celtic in the summer of
'94, the very experienced Alex Totten took over the reins.
After Burns took the Celtic manager's job in
1994.he went on to only lose once in the
1995-96 league campaign, but still couldn't live with Rangers.
Previous Club : Glasgow Celtic 1976-89
Signed: Nov 1989
First Match: East Fife (A) Dec 20th 1989 (match abandoned)
Last
Match: Hibernian (A) May 14th 1994 A match
where Killie needed a point to avoid relegation. Result was a 0-0 draw
much to the delight of the 7,000+ Killie fans that travelled through to
Easter Rd that day! (right)
Killie
Career Highlights: 89-90 Promotion from the 2nd Division, 92-93
managed Killie to
promotion
from the old 1st Div to the SPL, helped Killie avoid relegation in
93-94, famous Ibrox win that same season, and took winners/holders
Rangers to a cup final semi replay, before losing to a controversial
Mark Hately goal.
Life After Killie: In June 1994
Tommy Burns was lured away to become manager of Celtic. Killie are awarded compensation, after the SFA
gets involved. Was sacked by Celtic at the end of the 96-97 season after
losing to 1st Div Falkirk in the Scottish Cup.
After Celtic Tommy had a spell as manager of Reading, and did Killie one
"last solid" by buying Jim McIntyre off us
for over 400 grand!
Tommy got Reading to within one place of a play-off spot. But,
alas, it was not to be.
He had no hesitation in returning to his beloved Celtic when
Kenny Dalglish invited him to rejoin the coaching team back in 2000.
Tommy then had a variety of roles at the club ever since from coaching
the young lads to helping out with the first team under current manager
Gordon Strachan.
Tommy
in July of 2004 played in the the Killie Vs
Ayr "Old Crocks" (left) match at Somerset. Match Pic's are
Here
Tommy was also delighted to be invited to join the Scotland coaching
set-up as assistant when Berti Vogts took over as manager. He was always
honoured to represent his country as a player and gave his all to their
cause as part of the back room team. It was a role hecontinued in when
Walter Smith took over.
When Alex McLeish resigned as Scotland manager Tommy was linked with
the position. But was thought by many to be too much of a Celtic-man for
the Scotland job..
Thursday May 15th 2008, ........ will sadly be remembered as the day that Tommy lost
his battle against skin cancer, at only 51 years of age. To a generation of Killie fans he will
be remembered as one of the best players they ever saw don the
stripes...RIP TB.
Prior to the May 17th 2008, season finale, Killie hosted Falkirk, and
pictured right is part of the Killie fans tribute to "TB" outside of
Rugby Park.
