Glenavon Burns played youth football for
Lisburn Distillery and
Cliftonville before joining
Glenavon in June 2015. The following season he went on loan with
Knockbreda in January 2016. The club were battling relegation but Burns played attacking midfield and scored 8 goals in the final 8 league games to steer the club away from relegation on the final day of the season. Burns then returned to Glenavon for the 2017–18 season. At Glenavon he scored 8 goals in 41 appearances, was nominated for the NI Football Writers' Association Young Player of the Year Award, and won Glenavon's Young Player of the Year and Fans' Player of the Year awards. He described his professional football career as a 'dream come true', and stated he wanted to break into the Northern Ireland senior squad. After being involved in pre-season fixtures, he made his competitive debut for the club on 18 July 2018, in a
Scottish League Cup game against
Cove Rangers, where he played the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 victory. In August 2018, Hearts loaned Burns to
Livingston. His loan ended in January 2019. Burns then returned to Hearts in January 2019. He played a number of games before the end of the season, including an Edinburgh derby and a Scottish Cup semi-final. Burns scored his first goal for Hearts in a 2–1 defeat against
Aberdeen. He was then listed as an unused substitute for the
2019 Scottish Cup Final, which Hearts lost 2–1 to
Celtic.
Loan to Newcastle Jets In September 2019 he moved on loan to Australian side
Newcastle Jets. He said he hoped the move would earn him his first senior international cap. Due to the shutdown of the league due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, Burns left Australia in April 2020.
Barrow On 4 August 2020, Burns joined
League Two side
Barrow. On 3 October 2020 he moved on loan to
Glentoran. On 2 November he suffered a double leg break during a match. On 28 July 2021, Burns had his contract terminated by mutual consent.
Glentoran On 31 July 2021, three days after his departure from Barrow, Burns returned to
Glentoran on a permanent contract. Burns was seriously injured during a match on 28 October 2023 after colliding with pitch side advertising hoardings, eventually being stretchered off. On 7 May 2024, it was announced that Burns would be one of ten players departing Glentoran upon the expiry of their contracts.
Galway United On 26 June 2024, Burns joined
League of Ireland team
Galway United. After a year and a half at the club, it was announced in November 2025 that Burns would be departing Galway following the end of his contract, having turned down a new multi-year contract offer by the club, in favour of "an exciting opportunity elsewhere".
Dundalk On 15 December 2025 Burns signed for recently promoted
League of Ireland Premier Division side
Dundalk ahead of the
2026 season. ==International career==