Paul Burns

Paul Burns (born 18 May 1984) is a Scottish professional footballer who currently plays for Scottish First Division side Queen of the South. He plays on the right side of midfield but can be deployed on either wing or in a central role. He is now, since the retirement of Jim Thomson, the longest serving player at the club.

Burns followed in the footsteps of another Irvine born footballer, George Hamilton, by playing for Queen of the South.

Early life

Born in the local maternity hospital in Irvine, but brought up in Cumnock, he is the grandson of the late Mick Morran, who served Ayrshire Junior side Glenafton Athletic as physiotherapist for thirty-five years.

Burns played for a number of youth teams, including the same Ayr Valspar boys club side as the current Rangers defender Kirk Broadfoot. It was whilst playing with them that he was spotted by Queen of the South and signed up as a sixteen year old.

Playing career

Queen of the South

Semi final result on the scoreboard at Hampden Park

Having signed for Queen of the South youth team in 2000, he was promoted to the senior side in 2002. Burns made his first team debut in a league match against Arbroath on 18 March 2003, three years after joining the Dumfries side. He came on as a 84 minute substitute for Eric Paton.^[1] His first goal came verses Ross County in a 3-0 League Cup victory on 23 September 2003.^[2] He became a popular player amongst the fans due to his committed performances and his hard, crowd pleasing tackles.

Early on in his spell in Dumfries was a member of the starting eleven that topped the Scottish First Division, the first time Queens had done so in fifty years, thanks to a 3-2 win over Inverness in October 2003.

Affectionately known as 'Burnsy', he made his 100th start in a Queens shirt in a league defeat to Hamilton Academical on the 18 August 2007 and was rewarded with a presentation at Palmerston Park before Queens' league match against Livingston a week later.

Burns scored the second goal for Queens in the thrilling 4-3 victory over Aberdeen in the semi final of the 2008 Scottish Cup. This goal along with others from Steve Tosh, Sean O'Connor and John Stewart ensured Queen of the South played in their first Scottish Cup final on 24 May 2008 at Hampden Park.^[3] Burns played in the final as Queens went down 3-2 to Rangers despite a battling second half performance. Queens finished 2007-08 in fourth place in Scottish football's second flight.^[4]

In 2008-09 Burns played in both of Queen of the South's UEFA Cup second round qualification games.^[4] In the top of table clash at home against Livingston on 4 October Burns hit the Queens sixth goal of the day. The 6-1 victory saw Queens go top in the First Division for the first time in five years.

Burns signed a contract extension, which will see him at Queens until 31 May 2011, accumulating a total of 11 years spent at Queen of the South. He made his 200th appearance for the side in a Challenge Cup match Dunfermline Athletic on 18 August 2009.^[5]

Career statistics

Correct as of 7 November 2009

Personal life

In the summer of 2009, Burns became the first footballer in the United Kingdom to contract swine flu. Burns, a boyhood Celtic fan, had caught the illness from his cousin who had been travelling on a Rangers supporters bus from Dunoon to Tannadice Park, Dundee for the last day of the Scottish Premier League season. He was quarantined in his house for five days but made a full recovery.^[7] That same summer a second Queens player, Bob Harris, contracted the virus while on holiday in Ibiza.^[8]

References

External links

• Paul Burns career stats at Soccerbase
• Paul Burns career stats at Soccerbase (early career, soccerbase error)