Celtic Boys’ Club boss had key role in appointing Tommy Burns

——atb

Well-Known Member


A former senior figure at Celtic FC’s feeder team played a key role in ensuring that Tommy Burns was appointed manager of the Parkhead side, further undermining claims that the two clubs were separate entities.


It has emerged that Burns spoke of how Frank Cairney, who headed Celtic Boys Club, which has been riven by allegations of systemic sexual abuse, was “instrumental” in him landing his dream job when he was appointed in 1994. Cairney was pictured welcoming Burns to Parkhead in Celtic View, Celtic FC’s official magazine, after Burns replaced Lou Macari as manager.


Legal action against Celtic FC began last week in connection with “insidious” sexual abuse at the boys’ club. The latest revelations appear to contradict Celtic’s position that its feeder club was an “entirely separate” organisation. On July 20, 1994, the club magazine dedicated its back page to the relationship between Burns and Cairney, lauding the latter as “one of the great unsung heroes of the Celtic story”.


The magazine said: “It is because of the support given to him by the former Celtic Boys Club president that Burns is now firmly installed in the manager’s chair at Parkhead. Burns said: ‘Frank was instrumental in me coming here as manager and over the last fortnight has been a fantastic help and a true friend.’ ”


Burns said that Cairney had brought him to the boys’ club as a teenager and had been his confidant and mentor ever since, adding: “He’s given 30 years of his adult life championing the Celtic cause.”


Cairney resigned as general manager of the boys’ club in 1991 immediately after leading 20 teenagers on a tour to New Jersey.


However, the Celtic View confirmed that he was present at Parkhead when news of Burns’s appointment was announced three years later. It made no distinction between the boys’ club and the senior team, stating: “Frank was brought into the Celtic set-up by [the manager] Jock Stein and [the chief scout] John Higgins in 1970. He was entrusted to set up the system which would help the under-16s on to the next step of the ladder. That system has paid off with one of those raw recruits becoming the man in charge of the club.”


A year earlier the magazine published a letter from a family thanking Cairney for organising a tour of the stadium and arranging for them to meet the first-team player Charlie Nicholas.


Cairney replaced Jim Torbett, the founder of the boys’ club, who was jailed for two years in 1998 and for six years in November 2018 for sex attacks against boys who had been in his care.


In January the Crown Office confirmed that Cairney had been charged and was involved in a “live solemn case”. The Times understands that the charges relate to the alleged sexual abuse of young people and that Cairney, of Uddingston, South Lanarkshire, will appear in court within months.


Burns played for the boys’ club in 1970-73 and frequently attended club functions and prize-givings when he went on to play for the senior club and served as manager. He died of skin cancer, aged 51, in 2008.


Last week Thompsons Solicitors lodged papers on behalf of one client who is seeking damages from Celtic FC. The firm, which represents 25 individuals who claim they were molested at Celtic Boys Club over three decades, says that it represents the largest child-abuse scandal in British football. The first test case will be heard at the Court of Session in the coming months.


Celtic FC has said it is very sorry that the abuse took place, but continues to insist its feeder club was a separate entity. It did not respond to a request for comment.
 
You can see where The Times are going there , rounding them up .

Burns’ case is very peculiar wrt Cairney on so many levels . How can we reconcile the extremely nice guy people have said he was against what Frank Cairney was as a bullying boorish bastard of a ‘man’ .

It’s very difficult to understand
 
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Lying animals.

What sort of club comes out and claims they never had a youth team when the whole worlds knows they’re lying!

“Celtic are currently in the process of hanging themselves” was what I was told around about the the time the started hiring Holicom PR.

A club like no other!:eek::mad::oops:
 
Ther has always been something extremely off about Burn's defence of these animals, it's almost as if they had a sinister hold over him. Was he abused? Was he part of the ring or did he simply turn a blind eye to protect the Celtic name? Whatever it was, he's definitely no Saint Tommy.
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Saint Tommy knew.

A club like no other....
Are we seriously to believe that someone who spent from 1970 to 1996 as a player, manager, then coach (excluding a gap from 89 to 94 when he was at Kilmarnock) coming through the boys club, reserves, working with every abuser so far convicted at some point or another and then another spell as Strachans coach didn't know a thing about any of this?....
 
Abhorrent scumbags that’s all I can say, subterfuge is a skill willingly embraced and utilised by most of these sickos. I actually despair.
 
Stand by for:
" It has now become clear that bla bla bla and Celtic FC would like to assist these victims of the separate entity that was Celtic Boys Club'


Then listen to the press sell ' their help' as a wonderful moral gesture in support of the victims.

They had their chance to do that at the beginning, yet they peddled the separate entity line. They are absolutely fucked now.
 
What is now being illustrated is that it is not people on the periphery. It is the heart and soul of that club.

The extent of this is frightening. Where is the outrage?

When their Board downwards, including " icons " like Stein and McNeill, knew what was going on and both refused to call the police, nobody else would. They are a degenerate entity that should have been thrown out of Scottish football decades ago. That the police themselves, politicians and media didn't know about this scandal is also fanciful. The dogs on the street knew what that club are all about.
 
That is dynamite stuff.
“Frank was brought into the Celtic set-up by [the manager] Jock Stein and [the chief scout] John Higgins in 1970. He was entrusted to set up the system which would help the under-16s on to the next step of the ladder. That system has paid off with one of those raw recruits becoming the man in charge of the club.”
If this next part comes to pass its only going to get worse for them. Especially should the U.S. authorities choose to get involved
Cairney replaced Jim Torbett, the founder of the boys’ club, who was jailed for two years in 1998 and for six years in November 2018 for sex attacks against boys who had been in his care.

In January the Crown Office confirmed that Cairney had been charged and was involved in a “live solemn case”. The Times understands that the charges relate to the alleged sexual abuse of young people and that Cairney, of Uddingston, South Lanarkshire, will appear in court within months.
All you lads deserve tremendous credit for all the work you've done uncovering this. Lets just hope the media pick this up and run with it and don't ignore it as they have in the past.
 
That is dynamite stuff.

If this next part comes to pass its only going to get worse for them. Especially should the U.S. authorities choose to get involved

All you lads deserve tremendous credit for all the work you've done uncovering this. Lets just hope the media pick this up and run with it and don't ignore it as they have in the past.
I think some of the press are in the process of crossing the t's and dotting the i's. This is far worse than most could've ever imagined and will more than likely get worse as the full scale of this is exposed. There is absolutely no way Saville was floating around the club by coincidence and as for all those in authority that have turned a blind eye to this allowing these monsters to continue the abuse on innocent children I have no idea how your conscience let's you sleep at night. We regularly get referred to as Scotland's shame by that clubs fans but this scandal is going to be Scotland's disgrace.
 
I think some of the press are in the process of crossing the t's and dotting the i's. This is far worse than most could've ever imagined and will more than likely get worse as the full scale of this is exposed. There is absolutely no way Saville was floating around the club by coincidence and as for all those in authority that have turned a blind eye to this allowing these monsters to continue the abuse on innocent children I have no idea how your conscience let's you sleep at night. We regularly get referred to as Scotland's shame by that clubs fans but this scandal is going to be Scotland's disgrace.
Maybe it goes deeper than conscience mate. Perhaps they fear they are legally culpable.

Interesting point about Saville. I'd never thought about it that way before, and you are spot on about them being Scotland's shame. A naughtly word pales in comparison, doesn't it?
 
Maybe it goes deeper than conscience mate. Perhaps they fear they are legally culpable.

Interesting point about Saville. I'd never thought about it that way before, and you are spot on about them being Scotland's shame. A naughtly word pales in comparison, doesn't it?
I raised the question of Savile a while back.

What drew him to Celtic? What drew him to that priest in Blantyre?

It was rhetorical question as many of us had a good idea of what attracted him - we are now seeing the proof.

As regards Burns and Cairney. Get Keevins interviewed under caution.
 
I think some of the press are in the process of crossing the t's and dotting the i's. This is far worse than most could've ever imagined and will more than likely get worse as the full scale of this is exposed. There is absolutely no way Saville was floating around the club by coincidence and as for all those in authority that have turned a blind eye to this allowing these monsters to continue the abuse on innocent children I have no idea how your conscience let's you sleep at night. We regularly get referred to as Scotland's shame by that clubs fans but this scandal is going to be Scotland's disgrace.
Is it so hard to imagine that some of those supposedly turning a blind eye were actually involved?

Pure supposition on my part but I just don't buy the keeping the guid name of the club intact b/s given the nature of the crimes. They stood by and watched them move back in? It's not normal to know you are putting kids at risk and do nothing. Like I say, I just don't buy it. Not one bit of it. Should be leaving no stone unturned.
 
Is it so hard to imagine that some of those supposedly turning a blind eye were actually involved?

Pure supposition on my part but I just don't buy the keeping the guid name of the club intact b/s given the nature of the crimes. They stood by and watched them move back in? It's not normal to know you are putting kids at risk and do nothing. Like I say, I just don't buy it. Not one bit of it. Should be leaving no stone unturned.
If you look where these scandals have been exposed they all manage to operate by gaining a wall of silence and gaining the support of the people in power. The films Spotlight, Paterno, Athlete A and Our Fathers are all based on true stories and in every one of these scandals people in power helped to maintain a wall of silence. Everyone knows what went on at Celtic is wrong and the cover up is disgraceful and for the government to exempt institutions from an investigation into historical abuse is shameful l honestly can't imagine the pain that statement caused the survivors. This should have been exposed years ago by those in power and the silence and cover up has allowed these monsters to continue ruining the lives of youngsters.
 
Toxic club from top to bottom, scandal of epic proportions, denials for decades . To those associated with Celtic FC past and present one question, what part did you play in this whole sordid affair?
 
What will the punishments be for Celtic as a football club

Can the current corrupt governing bodies be trusted to deal with it impartially ....

No

Lieswell is on both the SFA board and due to rejoin SPL board again

A conflict of interest

Also Lieswell is far too busy with his own “internal investigation” into the 40 plus years of child abuse so given the amount of victims and paedos involved his time will be taken up - won’t it ?

Marc Horne again in The Times holding them to account

Shame on the majority of the SMSM

When the full details of the abuse is exposed the Red Tops should be hounded for their failure to expose and highlight the scale of this scandal

An independent investigation is required ans all the people who are working to close this scandal down need exposed and shamed

Well done all the people who are working to expose this scandal
 
It’s over for Celtic ,the game is up,well and truly beyond all doubt it’s clear that the boys club and the club were inextricably linked.

The courts will look very dimly on the fact the club has tried to escape culpability,it’s like a Murderer pleading not guilty then being proven beyond all reasonable doubt they were guilty.

It is over tho ,make no mistake they are in deep trouble ,I find it abhorrent they have tried to escape responsibility,it must be faced,now it will be faced and the club will be dragged kicking and screaming out into the light where the truth will sear into the clubs very soul exposing a warped and evil monster that has lay comfortably in the dark chambers of Celtic Park for decades and is now hunted by the truth,like a vampire writhing against the shafts of light that are now burning it’s horrible despicable and evil carcass .

What now happens in the next few months and months will define the club,above all else it will be known for this ,I take no gloating ,I find the boys club accusatory songs uncomfortable ,it trivialises it and it’s too serious now for that but that’s not anyone’s fault but theirs ,child abuse is abhorrent ,all I feel for these kids now is sad ,just extremely sad ,minds that have been broken well into their adulthood,child abuse memories never ever leave you ...

A day of reckoning is coming .
 


A former senior figure at Celtic FC’s feeder team played a key role in ensuring that Tommy Burns was appointed manager of the Parkhead side, further undermining claims that the two clubs were separate entities.


It has emerged that Burns spoke of how Frank Cairney, who headed Celtic Boys Club, which has been riven by allegations of systemic sexual abuse, was “instrumental” in him landing his dream job when he was appointed in 1994. Cairney was pictured welcoming Burns to Parkhead in Celtic View, Celtic FC’s official magazine, after Burns replaced Lou Macari as manager.


Legal action against Celtic FC began last week in connection with “insidious” sexual abuse at the boys’ club. The latest revelations appear to contradict Celtic’s position that its feeder club was an “entirely separate” organisation. On July 20, 1994, the club magazine dedicated its back page to the relationship between Burns and Cairney, lauding the latter as “one of the great unsung heroes of the Celtic story”.


The magazine said: “It is because of the support given to him by the former Celtic Boys Club president that Burns is now firmly installed in the manager’s chair at Parkhead. Burns said: ‘Frank was instrumental in me coming here as manager and over the last fortnight has been a fantastic help and a true friend.’ ”


Burns said that Cairney had brought him to the boys’ club as a teenager and had been his confidant and mentor ever since, adding: “He’s given 30 years of his adult life championing the Celtic cause.”


Cairney resigned as general manager of the boys’ club in 1991 immediately after leading 20 teenagers on a tour to New Jersey.


However, the Celtic View confirmed that he was present at Parkhead when news of Burns’s appointment was announced three years later. It made no distinction between the boys’ club and the senior team, stating: “Frank was brought into the Celtic set-up by [the manager] Jock Stein and [the chief scout] John Higgins in 1970. He was entrusted to set up the system which would help the under-16s on to the next step of the ladder. That system has paid off with one of those raw recruits becoming the man in charge of the club.”


A year earlier the magazine published a letter from a family thanking Cairney for organising a tour of the stadium and arranging for them to meet the first-team player Charlie Nicholas.


Cairney replaced Jim Torbett, the founder of the boys’ club, who was jailed for two years in 1998 and for six years in November 2018 for sex attacks against boys who had been in his care.


In January the Crown Office confirmed that Cairney had been charged and was involved in a “live solemn case”. The Times understands that the charges relate to the alleged sexual abuse of young people and that Cairney, of Uddingston, South Lanarkshire, will appear in court within months.


Burns played for the boys’ club in 1970-73 and frequently attended club functions and prize-givings when he went on to play for the senior club and served as manager. He died of skin cancer, aged 51, in 2008.


Last week Thompsons Solicitors lodged papers on behalf of one client who is seeking damages from Celtic FC. The firm, which represents 25 individuals who claim they were molested at Celtic Boys Club over three decades, says that it represents the largest child-abuse scandal in British football. The first test case will be heard at the Court of Session in the coming months.


Celtic FC has said it is very sorry that the abuse took place, but continues to insist its feeder club was a separate entity. It did not respond to a request for comment.
Ah, the Old No Comment again
 
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