Whenever Tommy Burns's name is mentioned, players and former stars from across the Old Firm divide and beyond are quick and willing to tell stories of how close to him they were.

Burns was beloved. One of the very, very few men in Scottish football without a bad word to his reputation. Everyone who knew him loved him and those who did not know him wish they had. Whether it was his sense of humour in the changing room or on the training pitch, or his kind nature away from football, Burns was a man held in the highest regard.

For former Celtic winger Paul Byrne, though, Burns was even more special than that. The Irishman played for the club between 1993-95, during which time Burns was in his dream job as manager of the Hoops. And both understood the Glasgow goldfish bowl where it was Celtic and Rangers all the time.

Byrne, who had battled gambling demons during his time as a pro, recalls the one moment in December 1994 that he truly understood the icon that was Tommy. And he'll never forget it. "Someone rang the club and said that I had five grand on Rangers to beat us in the game where I scored the equaliser at Ibrox," Byrne told Herald and Times Sport.

"Tommy pulled me off the bus and asked me if it was true. Under no circumstances was it true and I told him to check the records and things like that. Tommy said, 'No, someone rang the club and it is my job to ask, but I believe you'. I went and scored. He and I used to joke after where I'd say, 'Tommy if I had five grand on Rangers I would've hit the corner flag'.

"Maybe I was doing well and someone wanted to bring me down a peg or someone was jealous. Whatever it was, it's crazy in Glasgow. They must see you in the bookies having a bet and they get something in their head and all of a sudden I've got five grand on Rangers, it was so stupid. It was a random call into the club and they had to follow it up. That's the way it was.

"To be fair, when I first joined Celtic, the lads did warn me about all of this stuff. That's your life no matter where you are. You could go to have a water and blackcurrant in the pub, it's people saying, 'I saw Paul Byrne in the pub', they don't mention what you were drinking. Automatically people think you're out gargling. But you're in the limelight and have to put up with things like that."

That Tommy Burns - who would have been 63-years-old yesterday - had complete and unwavering trust in his players meant the world to Byrne and it did - and still does - to the younger generation who worked with him including the likes of Aiden McGeady, Si Ferry and others.

But it was also his honesty and desire to do the best with the club he loved that also left an indelible mark. Byrne also respected that side of his former manager.

He knew Burns was right, too, at the time, when he hinted he could move on. Byrne faced competition from some decent players in his position and, if formations and set-ups needed changing, he faced trying to oust even tougher players. That's why he refused to sit on the bench - or in the stands - and pick up a wage packet. Another personality trait he believes he shares with Burns - that he would do anything he could to help his favourite team win, even if it was to his own personal detriment.

"My time at Celtic with Tommy," Byrne went on, "I remember once he said to me, 'You can stay if you want', but that wasn't the encouragement that I needed. If he'd said he wanted me to stay, I would've grown six foot tall.

"He couldn't guarantee me first-team football but the type of person he was he didn't want to be ruthless or hurt my feelings. He came across in a different way but because I'm streetwise I twigged it and I said 'fair enough'.

"But I played in Europe for Celtic and all that. I played in some really big games, away at Sporting Lisbon and the likes, and I'm proud of that. But I think I'll always be remembered for scoring two goals against Rangers. It's taken 25 years for supporters to maybe give me a pat on the back for what I did all those years ago.

"Before signing initially, you hear about Celtic winning titles and trophies, competing in Europe, and I'm thinking, 'I'm going to be part of that, I want to be part of that'. That wasn't the case for me, I felt like I was fighting a losing battle at the end of that season. I loved the club too much and didn't want to just sit on the bench collecting money. I also didn't want reserve team football at 23-years-old.

"I was playing in the first-team, on half-decent money, playing for the biggest club in the world with the best fans in the world, so I was riding on a cloud. And I was playing with the likes of Paul McStay, John Collins, Frank McAvennie and Peter Grant. And working with Tommy."