Background
Burns was born in Glasgow, and started his career with Rangers as an apprentice but left for Birmingham City aged 17, in 1971.
Burns was born in Glasgow, and started his career with Rangers as an apprentice but left for Birmingham City aged 17, in 1971.
He arrived at the Blues as a defender, but was converted to striker after Bob Latchford left in 1974, and earned the first of his 20 international caps in that role soon afterwards. However, after joining for £150,000 in 1977, he was converted back into a central defender by Brian Clough and Peter Taylor. He also managed to score in the second leg of the 1979 Union of European Football Associations Super Cup final victory against Barcelona.
At one time he was renowned for his "wild man" image and while maintaining an aggressive nature, he also possessed a shrewd football brain and was always likely to score vital goals.
Burns left the City Ground in 1981 when Forest accepted a £400,000 offer from Leeds United for him. He stayed with the Yorkshire side until 1984 and played with Derby County, N ottinghamshire County (on loan), Barnsley and Elfsborg in the latter stages of his professional career.
He went on to represent a string of non-league clubs as player or player-coach, finishing up as assistant manager of Telford United in 1993.