CELTIC footballer Tony Mowbray's wife Bernadette, who died on New

Year's Day after a five-year battle against cancer, was buried

yesterday.

Family, friends, and Mowbray's Celtic team mates filled St John's

Church in Barrhead for a requiem Mass conducted by parish priest Canon

James O'Connell and attended by Bishop John Mone of Paisley. A group of

Celtic fans also gathered outside the church to pay their respects.

Canon O'Connell gave thanks for the life of Mrs Mowbray, 26, who

married Mowbray nine months ago. He said ''no amount of reasoning''

could take away the sadness caused by her death.

Many mourners were in tears and Mowbray, the 31-year-old defender who

joined Celtic from Middlesbrough in 1991, looked pale and drawn as a

single candle flickered on top of his wife's coffin.

Father Benedict O'Keeffe, the Paisley priest who conducted Tony and

Bernadette's wedding last Easter, also attended the funeral service, and

paid a special tribute in which he said she had borne her illness with

''courage and dignity''.

The couple were due to marry last June but brought forward their

wedding knowing they would have only a few months together after

Bernadette's cancer was diagnosed as terminal. Tony was at her bedside

when she died.

Most of the non-playing staff and several Celtic directors also joined

mourners.

A small crowd watched as the funeral cortege left for St Conval's

Cemetery, Barrhead.

Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner said earlier: ''Everyone at the club is

determined to help Tony pick up the pieces. The players feel terrific

sympathy for him at this time. We're all very close, that's always been

the way at this club. Tony made a big decision to come up here and he

ended up marrying a beautiful girl.

''Her death has happened so quickly, it's devastated everyone. Tony

trained hard and then went home and often had to sit up throughout the

night caring for his wife. The big man has battled through a hard time.

But the whole club is here to help him.''