Celtic kid who played Tommy Burns in film role scores belter for Academy side

By Euan Davidson

October 23, 2021

Ben Summers played the role of Tommy Burns, a Celtic fan who got lucky, in a feature film back in 2018 [Scotsman].

Now, Summers, who signed professional terms with his boyhood club last year [Celtic FC], is another supporter who’s being given a chance to live his dream.

And he’s doing it some style.

Summers starred for Celtic U18s in a win over Partick Thistle last night at Penny Cars Stadium. The Bhoys ran out 4-3 winners [Soccerway] in an end-to-end clash, with supporters able to get in for free.

The red-haired Burns-a-like smashed a 30-yard free kick past the despairing Jags goalkeeper [Celtic FC Academy]. It put Celtic 2-1 ahead on the night, with other goals coming from Ben Doak and Ben Quinn.

Thistle attempted a comeback, even scaring the Celts with late goals to make it 4-3. But it was SFA Youth Cup progression for the U18s, who march on into the next round.

Summers said of his strike [Celtic FC Academy]:

“[It was] my first goal in about five months as I’ve been out with an injury. So it’s good to get on the scoresheet.”

Modest Celtic kid who played Tommy Burns on screen part of exciting crop of youngsters

It might not have been a vintage display of defending, but there’s plenty of reason to get excited about some of the talents coming through the Academy.

Summers is an example of that. Having the technique and power to blast a 30-yard free-kick is something else. Meanwhile, Ben Doak, Ben Quinn, Bruno Davidson, Rocco Vata and plenty of others are showing potential.

Former U18s coach Darren O’Dea, now of the B Team, has expressed that youth players now have the best chance of impressing at Lennoxtown. Academy players routinely join the first team for training, and guys like Adam Montgomery and Mikey Johnston have shown what’s possible.

Now, that isn’t to put any pressure on the Academy talents, far from it. But it seems now, certainly more than in years prior, there’s a belief that youth team players really can make the grade at Celtic.

Just like Tommy Burns did. How appropriate it would be if a guy who played the Celtic legend on the small screen made his own breakthrough in the Hoops.

There’s no pressure or expectation on Summers’ shoulders yet. What we will say, though, is that scoring 30-yard belters does your cause a fair amount of good.

Read more: Chris Sutton bullish on Celtic Europa League chances