THURSDAY promises to be one of the most emotional nights I have ever known as a Celtic supporter. It's not just the chance to win the league, but the fact that the spirit of Tommy Burns will give an extra charge to the game at Tannadice.

This has been a helluva week for Celtic and I'm sure I speak for a lot of people when I say the news doesn't seem to have really sunk in yet. Tommy's legacy to beloved Bhoys TOMMY BURNS was like the Ready-Brek advert; he always had a bounce and a glow.

It was down to him I got the chance to play for the club I supported. I owe so much to him as a player and as a man.

More than being a football enthusiast, a warm, humorous and likeable guy, Tommy was one of the most down-to-earth people you could ever meet. He had time for everyone.

It's a difficult time for everyone who knew and loved him, especially his young family, for whom I feel desperately sad.

Sunday's game at Parkhead to mark Phil O'Donnell will be difficult. There is nothing Tommy and Phil loved more than to see the stadium full of people for a Celtic game.

Tommy was in charge when the club launched the share issue that raised £18m to start reconstruction. When we went back for the opening game against Newcastle it was amazing. It was like going into your new home.

Tommy made it clear to us we owed the fans, that it was them who built it, and we wanted to give them a team to be proud of. Phil was there at that time, and on Sunday I'll be thinking how poignant it is that both he and Tommy were so enthusiastic about what we all believed was the start of a new era.

And it was. Foundations laid then helped Wim Jansen and then Martin O'Neill go on to have the success they had.

Tommy had a special relationship with the Celtic fans. He understood them because he was one of them.

One of the most vital things Tommy believed in was that youth was the lifeblood of the club and nothing gave him more satisfaction than the club rearing its own players.

Aiden McGeady, Paul Caddis, Stephen McManus and John Kennedy all had coaching from Tommy and I'm sure it will be an emotional night for them, too, on Thursday at Tannadice.

It is such a sad time for everyone who came into contact with Tommy, and you can see that by the way in which Gordon Strachan was so visibly upset.

Tommy and Gordon worked closely for the last three years and the effect of his death on Gordon was there for all to see.

I think the Celtic manager has conducted himself exceptionally well in the difficult days since Tommy's death.

Having said that, it's too crass to say that winning the league is for Tommy, because it's not about that.

Tommy's spirit and stamp will live on at Celtic Park regardless of what happens, but it would be a fitting tribute to his memory.

I have said all along it was wrong to write Celtic out of the title race. I have been in football too long not to know there are always twists and turns.

Celtic, better than anyone, should know that after the way they have lost leagues on the final day in recent seasons.

But this season could be the perfect revenge for that. Rangers need to beat Aberdeen by five clear goals after their 3-0 win over St Mirren but Celtic have to concentrate solely on winning.

There is no point in getting hung up on the goals. It's far better to go out and simply make sure of the three points and I reckon that's the way Rangers will be thinking too.

For so long Gordon has taken a ridiculous amount of flak, but the Celtic manager deserves a pat on the back today.

Not only did he keep his faith in his side, but also his side kept its faith in him.

At one point, it looked long gone but, if anything, this is a Celtic side that have carried on the club tradition of resilience and that unique fighting spirit.

I always had a hunch that if Celtic could win the two Old Firm games they could go on and win the league and that is the way it's looking.

But I would be very wary of writing off Dundee United.

Craig Levein's side have shown they can take points off Celtic - they got a point at Parkhead only a few short months ago - and their performances against Rangers in the CIS Insurance Cup Final and then again the weekend before last at Ibrox show there will be a game to play at Tannadice.

Other than an Old Firm match, I would actually say it's as hard a game as any Celtic could have, maybe with the exception of Tynecastle.

United are a very good team with a determined manager and it is vital Celtic don't go up there thinking that the league is already won, because a big performance is necessary.

It will be an anxious evening because everybody knows what is at stake and, having clawed their way back to this point, where success is within sight, the pressure is really on. But should they do it - and I think they will - it will be every bit as dramatic a finale as Love Street was in 1985.

And I will be absolutely delighted for Strachan. No manager has won three successive titles for Celtic since Jock Stein and that says much about Strachan's abilities.

He has twice taken the club into the last 16 of the Champions League and the fact he ensured his players did not let their heads go down a few weeks ago, when everyone thought the league was over, speaks volumes for him.

He believed when no-one else did and made his side big enough to go out and get results when heads could have gone down.

They roused themselves for the two Old Firm games and for subsequent sticky afternoons when they knew nothing but a victory was good enough. It's time to grind out another one and who cares how it is done.

The title is theirs to go and claim now and in the process shut up a few people. No pressure on Hoops to offload Boruc

ARTUR BORUC was always going to attract interest from elsewhere, but Celtic don't need to sell the keeper.

It will be a different story if the Pole makes it clear he doesn't want to stay at the club but, financially speaking, Celtic are not under any pressure.

It is all well and good saying that £10million is an outstanding offer and you have to bite the hand off whatever club comes in with a concrete bid, but it is a false economy.

Boruc is world-class and Celtic have waited a long, long time to have someone as dependable as this.

Not since the days of Packie Bonner have fans been able to have such faith in a Parkhead keeper.

If Celtic let him go they will need to spend the same amount in recruiting someone of equal calibre and that will take some doing.

Chief executive Peter Lawwell deserves credit for the manner in which the club are on a solid financial footing.

His work means there is no need to sell star players to make ends meet.