John Burns (Irish footballer)

{{short description|Irish former professional footballer|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = John Burns

| image =

| fullname = John Christopher Burns

| height =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|12|04|df=y}}

| birth_place = Dublin, Republic of Ireland

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Belvedere

| years1 = 1994–1999

| years2 = 1999–2002

| years3 = 2001–2002

| years4 = 2002–2003

| years5 = 2002–2003

| years6 = 2002–2003

| years7 = 2003–2004

| years8 = 2003–2005

| clubs1 = Nottingham Forest

| clubs2 = Bristol City

| clubs3 = → Shelbourne (loan)

| clubs4 = Carlisle United

| clubs5 = Burton Albion

| clubs6 = Hucknall Town

| clubs7 = Ilkeston Town

| clubs8 = Hinckley United

| caps1 = 4

| caps2 = 11

| caps3 = 8

| caps4 = 5

| caps5 = 8

| caps6 =

| caps7 =

| caps8 =

| goals1 = 0

| goals2 = 0

| goals3 = 4

| goals4 = 0

| goals5 = 0

| goals6 =

| goals7 =

| goals8 =

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland U21{{cite web|url=http://www.belvederefc.com/honours/international-roll-of-honour.913.html|title=International Roll of Honour|publisher=belvederefc.com|access-date=2 February 2016|date=2 February 2016|archive-date=31 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131041658/http://www.belvederefc.com/honours/international-roll-of-honour.913.html|url-status=dead}}

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

}}

John Burns (born 4 December 1977) is an Irish former professional footballer{{cite web |url=http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/1999-2000/d1/nottmf.htm |title=Football Squads Website}} who played as a midfielder in the Football League for Nottingham Forest, Bristol City, Carlisle United and Burton Albion. Burns later played non-league football for Hucknall Town, Ilkeston Town before ending his career with Hinckley United.

Club career

Burns started his career at Belvedere before joining Forest as a sixteen-year-old in 1994. Touted as "The next Roy Keane",{{cite web|url=http://www.bridportred.co.uk/Players/Players%20B/Players%20B.htm |title=Bridport Red Archive |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090427010157/http://www.bridportred.co.uk/Players/Players%20B/Players%20B.htm |archive-date=27 April 2009 }} he stayed with Forest for the next four years, making his debut on 4 September 1999 in a league match against Walsall. Despite this, Burns was not able to hold down a regular first team place and made just four appearances for the club.

Following his spell at Forest, John was transferred to Bristol City in November 1999 as part of the deal that saw Jim Brennan move in the opposite direction, with a valuation in the transfer reported as approximately 100k. Burns saw little playing time at City, making just eleven league appearances and spending six months on loan at Shelbourne in Ireland. In November 2001 Burns agreed to terminate his contract with Bristol City,{{cite web|url=http://mobile.bcfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10327~233628,00.html |title=BCFC – Bristol offer to terminate Burns' contract }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} having not featured in the league since the end of the 1999–2000 season.

After leaving Bristol, John signed for Carlisle United on 9 August 2002 on a monthlong contract. Despite making five appearances including four starts, his contract was not extended and Burns was released.

John then moved to Burton Albion, making his debut against Farnborough Town on 30 October 2002.{{cite web|url=http://www.burtonalbion.com/Albion%20Oldboys/john_burns.htm |title=Burton Albion Player Archive |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090420174247/http://www.burtonalbion.com/Albion%20Oldboys/john_burns.htm |archive-date=20 April 2009 }}

International career

Whilst at Nottingham Forest, Burns was called up to the Republic of Ireland under-21 national football team, having previously represented his country at Under-16, Under-17 and Under-20 level.{{cite web |url= http://indigo.ie/~bvr/internationals.htm |title=Belverde Player Archive}}

Burns was voted U 18 FAI Young Player of the Year in 1996. Burns was also voted Young Player of the Year for Nottingham Forest in the same year.

Honours

Republic of Ireland

FIFA World Youth Championship Third Place: 1997

Post-Football Activity

After leaving Football John formed a band called The Establishment, enlisting the help of the PFA who agreed to fund the production of the band's first EP in June 2008 as part of its programme to help former players start new careers.{{cite web |url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/content/articles/2009/03/02/introducing_the_establishment_feature.shtml |title=BBC Nottingham – John Burns Interview}}

The Band is managed by former footballer Dion Dublin.{{cite web |url= http://www.rte.ie/ten/news/2013/0625/458725-dublin-footballer-john-burns-releases-new-single/ |title=RTE Dublin footballer John Burns releases new single}}