A Rollercoaster Ride for Celtic: Burns’ Legacy Continues to Flourish

TOMMY BURNS made an impressive mark during his inaugural season as the boss of Celtic by clinching the coveted Scottish Cup in 1995. However, as he navigated his second season, his primary objective stood clear: to secure the league title, a feat that seemed to elude him despite his relentless pursuit.

Description of Burns’ journey continues in this CQN EXCLUSIVE segment from Alex Gordon’s tribute book, lovingly titled The Winds of Change, originally published in 2015. We delve into the poignant moments crafted in its pages.

Celtic took a brief pause from their intense competition with Rangers during the league to defend their prestigious trophy against the ever-determined Raith Rovers at Parkhead on February 17, 1996. In a commanding display, the Hoops overpowered the non-league side Whitehill Welfare with a 3-0 victory at Hibs’ Easter Road in the opening round. Notably, they managed to exorcise the ghosts of a previous penalty shootout loss to Raith Rovers in the League Cup Final, having demonstrated resilience by defeating them earlier that season.

The Kirkcaldy squad did not make it easy, employing a solid defensive strategy that was broken through with goals from Simon Donnelly and Andreas Thom. With that victory, the narrative around “Cup jinx” associated with Raith Rovers faded into oblivion for Celtic.

Enter Jorge Cadete—a new sensation—amidst a flurry of anticipation in February 1996. The following weekend at Parkhead, as the 37,017-strong crowd gathered for a league clash against Partick Thistle, Cadete was unveiled to his adoring fans, wrapped in red tape due to extensive negotiations with Sporting Lisbon regarding his transfer. His debut hastily turned into a captivating spectacle, where, despite not yet playing, he endeared himself to supporters by kneeling to kiss the grass, instantly becoming a fan-favorite.

When it came to the action on the field, Celtic affirmed their dominance with a 4-0 slaughter of Partick Thistle. Morten Wieghorst, a fresh acquisition from Dundee, dazzled in his debut as a substitute and scored shortly after stepping onto the pitch. Meanwhile, Pierre van Hooijdonk netted twice, alongside Peter Grant, as the team showed no signs of slowing down.

The relentless momentum carried into the subsequent match, another 4-0 triumph, this time against Hearts in Glasgow. Fans remained eager to witness Cadete partake in the action, but contractual hold-ups had delayed his involvement. Tommy Burns remained optimistic, assuring the Celtic faithful that Cadete would suit up for the team shortly.

On March 1, Celtic faced Dundee United, and the atmosphere was electric as the club trailed 1-0 going into the dying minutes of the Scottish Cup quarter-final. However, with sheer determination, they turned the game around dramatically. With only seconds left, the club scored twice in quick succession, propelling them into the semi-finals. In a thrilling finish, Pierre van Hooijdonk’s header in the 89th minute followed by Andreas Thom’s stunning strike sealed a comeback that left fans on cloud nine.

As their path to the semi-finals was locked, Celtic refocused their energy toward the league title and plotting revenge against their fiercest rivals, Rangers. Their previous meeting in November had left spectators in awe with a remarkable 3-3 finale reminiscent of a historic derby.

In the next clash against Rangers, Andreas Thom dazzled with an early goal, but Celtic faced challenges as the match drew to a close. A series of ups and downs ended with a late equalizer from John Hughes, crucially maintaining Celtic’s title hopes before facing adversity in a goalless draw against Motherwell.

The week of matches came to an alarming close for Celtic. Across the city, Rangers slimmed past Falkirk in a suspenseful 3-2 finish, leaving Celtic’s supporters increasingly anxious about their title aspirations.

April 1 marked a historic day when Jorge Cadete finally stepped onto the field during a match against Aberdeen after weeks of anticipation. Coming on for Andreas Thom, Cadete wasted no time, scoring within minutes, much to the delight of the ecstatic Parkhead crowd.

TOMORROW: Expect a continuation with the twelfth installment of The Tommy Burns Story—only in your trusted CQN.