Celtic Park has become a shrine to Tommy Burns

Walter Smith says the death of Tommy Burns has overshadowed the disappointment he felt at Rangers' Uefa Cup final defeat.

Rangers returned from Wednesday's defeat by Zenit St Petersburg to the news of the Celtic legend's passing.

"There are aspects outside of football that put all that into perspective," said the Rangers manager.

"And Tommy Burns' death is one of those - it really does put a football match into perspective."

Burns worked closely with Smith while the Rangers boss was in charge of Scotland.

"Professionally, there is a disappointment at losing the game," he said.

"Then, the next morning, you hear the news that Tommy had passed away and there is an obvious sadness there.

"I've been fortunate enough to get to know him well over the last four or five years and he is one the best people I have met.

Scotland has lost a giant and so many people have lost a friend Scottish FA chief executive Gordon Smith

"It was a real privilege to work with him with the Scotland national team.

"Our own staff here have all worked with Scotland - myself, Ally McCoist, Jim Stewart - and Kenny McDowall worked with Tommy at Celtic.

"So we were all really saddened to hear the news."

Celtic Park immediately became a shrine to the man who had served the club as a player, manager and coach, with Rangers fans also paying their respects in huge numbers.

"If you look at the respect he has from the Rangers support, I think they respect that he was a Celtic man," said Smith.

"Tommy played there as a youth player all the way through and had a tremendous career before going on to manage the club.

"Very few people do that and he became synonymous with everything that was good about Celtic Football Club.

"He was proud of that aspect and so he should be."

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Motherwell manager Mark McGhee, who played alongside Burns at Celtic in the 1980s, also paid tribute.

"He was very, very serious about his football but always a guy who had an encouraging word and time for anybody," McGhee said.

"Sometimes it's a bit cliched, when someone passes away he suddenly becomes the nicest guy in the world.

"But the fact is Tommy was one of the nicest guys in the world and nobody can deny that."

Scottish FA chief executive Gordon Smith added his own tribute.

"Tommy Burns was a football man and a gentleman," said former Rangers player Smith.

"He transcended the usual footballing rivalries that we have here in Scotland, with supporters from all clubs and from all walks of life full of admiration for the teams he built and the careers he helped shape."

"Scotland has lost a giant and so many people have lost a friend."

Meanwhile, the route for Tommy Burns' funeral cortege has been announced.

The funeral party will leave St Mary's Church, Abercromby Street, Calton, on Tuesday May 20 at about 1345BST to pass the front of Celtic Park before heading to Linn Cemetery.