Quality Time

Davie Hay looks back at his career in the Hoops alongside Paul Wilson

- Mark Henderson

THE Quality Street Gang were close on and off the pitch in Paradise, so the sad news last week that one member of that gifted generation of players, Paul Wilson, had passed away at the age of 66 was particularly felt among the group. 

The versatile attacker, who could play out wide or through the middle, came through the ranks at Celtic alongside the likes of Kenny Dalglish, Danny McGrain, Davie Hay, George Connelly and Lou Macari. This stunning array of talent was able to seamlessly fill the void of the ageing Lisbon Lions and continue the dominance of Jock Stein’s side into the mid-1970s – and Wilson would play a crucial role. After scoring on his debut for the club in September 1970, he would go on to make 218 appearances and find the net 55 times over the next eight years.

Speaking exclusively to the View, his former team-mate and Club Ambassador, Davie Hay, said that the former Scotland cap was a likeable character and a fantastic servant to Celtic. 

“Paul was younger than me but that whole group got on well on and off the park. Some were closer than others, for instance Geordie (George Connelly) and I were pally. We all liked one another as people, not just as football players, and you tend to forget how long he was there and how many games he played. He was a good winger and that was the position he predominately played, and he was capable of taking people on and scoring goals. 

“He was quite a quiet guy but he did have a good sense of humour as well. He was pally with the likes of Kenny and Victor (Davidson) as they were the same age as him so he might have been closer to them off the park. Having said that, we all liked one another.