Paul Wilson (Scottish footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 23 November 1950 | ||
| Place of birth | Bangalore, India | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1967–1978 | Celtic | 129 | (30) |
| 1967–1970 | → Maryhill (loan) | ||
| 1978–1979 | Motherwell | 21 | (1) |
| 1979–1980 | Partick Thistle | 10 | (0) |
| 1980–19xx | Blantyre Celtic | ||
| National team | |||
| 1975 | Scotland | 1 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Paul Wilson (born Bangalore, India, 23 November 1950), is a former internationalist Scottish professional footballer.
His football career peaked in season 1974–75 after being moved to play as a striker when he scored 29 goals for Celtic including two in that season's cup final win. He was selected to play for Scotland that season making him the only non-white player to represent the full Scotland team in the 20th century. He was the first Asian footballer to have represented any of Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland at senior level.
Following his mother's death his enthusiasm for football diminished before leaving the professional game at the age of 29.
Wilson was born in Bangalore, India. His Scottish father was stationed there with the Royal Air Force, where he met Wilson's Dutch-Portuguese mother. The family moved to Scotland when Wilson was one year old.
Celtic manager Jock Stein signed Wilson for the club in 1967. Stein immediately farmed him out to Scottish Junior club, Maryhill, to gain experience before returning to Celtic. Wilson was part of the group of young players named the Quality Street Gang by the Scottish media. Wilson was one of many in that group that replaced Celtic's Lisbon Lions team that won the 1967 European Cup Final. Wilson's senior debut was in a European Cup 9–0 win at Parkhead against KPV Kokkola in 1970.
Wilson was a quick footballer able to shoot with either foot. He was largely deployed by Stein on the wing where he felt Wilson's pace would be useful. Wilson disliked playing wide preferring to play more centrally. Wilson had dark skin tone and received racist abuse during his football career during Old Firm games.and from supporters of his own club
Wilson became a first team regular in August 1973. He ended that 1973–74 season with a league winners' medal.
Stein moved the fast and elegant Wilson to play up front for the 1974–75 season where he outscored his friend and strike partner, Kenny Dalglish, with 29 goals. This culminated with Wilson scoring two goals in the 3–1 victory over Airdrie in the 1975 Scottish Cup Final. This was also the season he was selected to play for Scotland.
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