Chris Burke talks of his regret on "lost" Ibrox years

A friend of a friend knew him when he stayed in his flat in the Gorbals (I think) and used to say they were up to all sorts.

Maybe didn't help that perhaps his heart was never, truly, in it with us.

Don't think that was the case at all. Most 18 year olds earning the money he did aren't going to be very mature with it, especially when they think they've already made it. He's hardly the first young footballer to fall into that trap either.
 
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. He's still sitting with a couple of shiny league and league cup winners medals.
 
Pittodrie. 0-0 first game of 04/05 season. Happened right in front of me.

He started well during 03/04 - then disappeared until second half of 05/06. Sitter at Parkhead then knocked him back.

Always forget he played under Walter but was doing okay in the UEFA cup run - until the LC final.

When you see how he played under Clarke, I think he should have made it in a Water team.
Would I be correct in saying that he suffered multiple times at Pittodrie from a physical perspective. I could swear blind that there was a game during the Manchester season that he was literally blowing out his arse there and not long after Walter lost patience with him and he was flogged.
 
Used to see him in The Garage and Bamboo on a Saturday night when he was just breaking through - not a big deal given he was young, but his comments make sense. Should really have buckled down and trained like a professional.

He was outstanding vs. Villareal iirc so had the talent for sure.
 
Sat next to David May at old Trafford CL 2003.

Burke was on the bench and I think we had May on trial during the summer and didn’t offer him a deal.

He raved about Burke (and also the potential returns on his accumulator that night) for most of the game which was a welcome distraction from the actual game.
 
A cousin of a mate swears he was on the piss with him the night before he fainted at Pittodrie

I’m not buying that, team would have stayed over the night before a game at Aberdeen.

possibly the Thursday night I could believe.

I’m 4 years younger then Chris Burke and when I started going out to the dancin etc he was someone you used to see about quite a lot along with Stevie Smith
 
That guy had a few brilliant performances against class opposition in Europe. The talent was there, the application wasn’t. I also remember when he made his first few appearances and you could see he was a talented player.
 
Fair play. Doesn't read like a sob story and no criticism of the ckub, just recognises he did not have the required maturity and professionalism to make the most of his time with us. Which is a shame cos I always liked wee Burkie and remember thinking he had potential to be a special player when he first broke through.
Exactly, he’s owning his own mistakes and blaming no one else.

If he was allowed to live alone at 18, then I would argue the club could have done a better job with him. Young footballers earn more money than their mates and there are myriad example of their “mates” being no better than hangers on, enjoying the trappings of someone else’s talents. If he’d been in digs, or staying with older professionals, who knows what good it might have done. As it was it is hardly unusual for young, relatively wealthy men to make poor decisions.
 
Seem to remember him missing a sitter at parkheid?
Never fancied him as a player for us.
 
Pittodrie. 0-0 first game of 04/05 season. Happened right in front of me.

He started well during 03/04 - then disappeared until second half of 05/06. Sitter at Parkhead then knocked him back.

Always forget he played under Walter but was doing okay in the UEFA cup run - until the LC final.

When you see how he played under Clarke, I think he should have made it in a Water team.
ah well, Its All Walter Under the Bridge now :p
 
Wee Burkey....no doubt he turned in a few good performances for us but my lasting memory will be more recent - when Burke tried to kick several real gers a off the park.

"EA Sports...... It's in the Name" :eek:
 
One of the most frustrating players I've seen in a Rangers jersey.

The potential was there but never the consistency that was always his problem.

Tore it up in our CL last 16 campaign and was really in and out of the team after that for a while if I remember.

His performance in the league cup final v Dundee Utd was one of the worst I've seen it generally summed him up at times he could be brilliant or just shite there was no inbetween with him.
The game versus Dundee United is the one that springs to mind the most. He was absolutely terrible and a man down. How he survived into extra time before being hooked I'll never know.
 
I think it may have been the last year under Alex McLeish. Rangers were absolute keech all season, bar a couple of European games, and it was also the year Murray's stormtroopers got round the front of Ibrox to punch/spit at Bears who were unhappy with his running of the club. I don't expect them to own up. They know they were fooled by either Dodgy Dave or his media gofers.

But for one year only, Chris Burke was absolutely outstanding. Won the club Player of the Year. Also made his national team debut on a tour of the far-East at the end of the season.

Then the next season, injury after injury. Smith came in, another chance, a European MotM performance, then injury again. He was gone soon after and didn't get back to his best until Clark got him going at Rugby Park.

When he hangs his boots up there'll be major regrets. On his day he was seriously good, and good enough to be one of our wingers for years if not necessarily the first pick.
 
Aye? I always was under the impression that his family were Sellik minded.
His family are more than sellik minded, they stopped taking to him when he signed for us. I know this as he told me one day, just when he signed for Ross County and moved into a house in Eaglesham planning to commute to training daily, I sat in his kitchen and he made me a roll and bacon and told me. His kids were wearing scum tops and he posters up etc.
 
One of the best first games ever from a youth player of ours against Kilmarnock if I remember correctly. He had the talent but not the application. I must admit I get fed up hearing stories of players not making the best of their opportunities. Scotland seems to excel in this.
 
He lived upstairs from my mate in The Gorbals... In the whole time he lived beneath him he says he never heard any partying, saw him come and go with mates/birds etc. Said he was a great neighbour to have. Surprised he's said he was more interested in socialising, definitely never showed it in his home life... Must have done all his partying in clubs and in mates houses haha.
 
The game versus Dundee United is the one that springs to mind the most. He was absolutely terrible and a man down. How he survived into extra time before being hooked I'll never know.
To me that was the game that signaled the end for Burke at Rangers for me,He obviously had talent but lacked commitment.
 
There was a spell he was top drawer

Think it was his mullet years. Defenders couldnt get near him at home and in Europe.

He had the tools
IIRC the mullet was due to McCoist being superstitious. He told Burke not to cut it or we would be out of Europe as he hadn’t had it cut since the start of the season. We made it to Manchester.
 
Guy on here dealt with his phone contract and said his memorable information word for his account was 'Celtic1888'

Could be bullshit I suppose.
 
I always thought Burke was a talented player, and that he could have went further in the game.

A little bit dissapointing to read that perhaps he did not maximise his opportunities at Rangers.

Best of fortune to him.
I always liked Burke, could put in a hell of a cross. Was better than mcgeady.
 
I seem to remember him putting in one of the worst cup final performances I’ve seen, was it perhaps the league cup final v scumdee Utd in 2008?

his performance that day is the worst performance of any Rangers player in any game ever
 
I remember being really excited by him when he broke through.

It never worked out, but when he was on his game he could glide past defenders for fun.
 
He’s admitting to making mistakes as an 18 year old and pinning the blame on no one but himself. I don’t think it’s pathetic at all to be honest, it’s a statement many young players should pay heed to.
Totally agree. It’s a confession as such and he isn’t looking for sympathy over it.
However... any time I have heard him on Clyde he sounds like a Celtc cheerleader. Comes across as a bit of a dick if I’m being honest.
 
I could tell you of an acquaintance or two who shunned having a laugh with their mates and went on to make it and earn a comparative fortune. And one who definitely didn’t miss out in their formative years and despite all the talent in the world, slipped out the top flight and dropped down the leagues.
What an absolutely tragic and pathetic post.
 
That’s pretty disappointing to read. I thought he just didn’t have the physicality to succeed despite his talent. It’s a surprise he wasted his chances as I assumed his head was screwed on right
 
An old pro looking back over his career with a wiser head. I see nothing in that article that surprises me or even stirs an emotion. If I remember rightly, he was a ghost at the back post for a lot of his goals. Rather than creating his own magic down his own wing he'd benefit from the labour of his counterpart on the other side of the field squaring him in.

Had his moments. Don't really see what the fuss is about.
 
Personally IMO Burke is playing exactly at the right level.
I think you’re right it’s the same old story with youth plenty of ability but not enough application everyone realises when it’s too late clearly he was one of them it’s disappointing.
 
Scored one of the best goals ever against St Johnstone at Ibrox I think, sort of put his foot under the ball and lobbed the goalie from about 18 yards.
 
Was initially very promising but just kind of faded, was never really keen on him myself I thought he was light weight and never really done it on the big occasion.
 
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