Twenty two years after being hammered by the SFA Fergus McCann remains highly critical of the way Celtic were punished for recruiting Tommy Burns.
Within three months of taking control McCann sacked Lou Macari with his footballing friends pointing to Ayrshire for a replacement.
Five years after leaving Celtic, Burns had got Kilmarnock out of the doldrums and retained their place in the Premier League at the first time of asking.
Football has certain ways of doing business with third parties engineering moves that lead to managers resigning before appearing in the colours of their new club.
McCann’s North American business background led to a more direct approach with the Scottish football authorities hammering Celtic as a consequence.
Recalling the situation he inherited in 1994 McCann told the BBC: “When I came in and Tommy Burns applies for the job, I go to meet him. But I got fined [£100,000] for the approach. The previous highest fine for a similar situation was £5k.
“Tommy Burns’ salary with one year to go at Kilmarnock was £40k. I felt [the fine] was vindictive and unnecessary and excessive.
“[Celtic] are not entirely surrounded by friends. The Scottish environment is such that there has been some prejudice, against immigrants.
“Celtic is seen as having a big Catholic population among its support. Celtic supporters understand that Celtic is a symbol of their dealing with that by not being second to anyone.”
At the same time as the Burns fine, which put the manager and his assistant Billy Stark out of playing football, McCann found himself regularly at odds with the football authorities.
Celtic were bundled into a £1m season long rental of Hampden Park, were given no support in their claim against Monaco over the departure of John Collins and had the registration of Jorge Cadete deliberately held up by SFA chief executive Jim Farry.
In 1995 Celtic were forced to play Motherwell within 48 hours of a Cup Winners Cup tie in Batumi, Celtic drew the match 1-1 and lost the y.
In 2012 Rangers (IL) were fined £250,000 for over a decade of fielding ineligible players, no sanctions were taken against the club, it’s unknown if the fine has been paid.
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