Background
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.
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.
He was selected to play for Scotland that season making him the only now white player to represent the full Scotland team in the 20th century. He was the first Asian football player to have represented any of Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland at senior level The family moved to Scotland when Paul was one year old.
Club Legendary 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 Wilson was part of the group of young players named the Quality Street Gang by the Scottish media.
Wilson was a quick football player 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. Wilson became a first team regular in August 1973. He ended that 1973-1974 season with a league winners" medal.
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. Wilson"s mother died in the week leading up to the final against Airdrie.
He later stated his mother"s death was the source of his waning enthusiasm for football. This was not helped by a niggling injury requiring cortisone injections.
Wilson remained at until 1978 when he was out of favour under Billy McNeil"s management.
At wilson made 214 appearances scoring 52 goals. Next Wilson moved to Motherwell for one season. He then finished his senior career at the end of the 1980 season with Partick Thistle at the age of 29.
After his spell at Thistle he was tempted into junior football by exteam-mate Jimmy Johnstone with Blantyre, winning a junior international cap.
International Wilson gained one international cap for Scotland in 1975, coming on as a 75th minute substitute for Kenny Burns in a European Championship qualifier 1–1 draw against Spain in Valencia in which Joe Jordan had put the Scots ahead. Wilson remarked, "I nearly scored but their keeper just got his hands to my effort.
I was as sick as a dog. I was so proud to get my one cap." Wilson was the only non-white player to be selected by the full Scotland international team during the 20th century.
Andrew Watson collected three full caps in the 1880s.
The next non-white player to be capped by Scotland was Nigel Quashie in 2004. Wilson was the first Asian player to have represented any of Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland at senior level