Celtic chairman John Reid revealed he will break with tradition on the opening day of the season to allow the wife of former Toon coach Tommy Burns to unfurl the Clydesdale Bank Premier League flag.
The champions welcome St Mirren on August 10 where it was expected that Reid would perform his duty before kick-off.
Break With Scottish Tradition To Honour Former Toon Coach!
By Nu Mad
Updated Thursday, 31st July 2008
Former player, manager and coach Burns died of cancer in May and Reid has asked wife Rosemary to take over this season, thus starting a new tradition at Parkhead.
Reid: "It's the occasion that we all want every season. The highest element of the season is when you raise that emblem of the champions.
"For the third year running, it's going to be raised above Celtic Park - the home of the SPL champions and the club that's leading Scotland into Europe once again.
"It's a huge day for all of us and, incidentally, there's something that I promised myself when I became chairman.
"Every chairman sets their own traditions, and that's not to say the traditions of the past were wrong.
"But I recall when I was a much smaller lad standing on the terraces of Celtic Park on the day the flag was unfurled.
"A car, I think it was a Rolls Royce, would come on to the pitch and someone I'd never seen before, the chairman, would get out, unfurl the flag, and drive away again.
"When I became chairman, I said I wasn't going to do that. I think you should use the unfurling of the league flag to bestow an honour on someone the club wants to recognise and thank - not automatically just the chairman.
"This should be a symbol of our thanks to someone and within a few days of us winning the league this year, I phoned and spoke to Rosemary Burns.
"I said it would be an honour, in the board's view, if she would agree to unfurl the flag for us.
"It's in memory of the fact that she was part of the Celtic family and stood together with Tommy in everything that he gave to this club. It's a small way of recognising that."
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