Steve Paterson

During his professional playing career, Paterson played as a central defender and joined Manchester United from Highland League club Nairn County in July 1975. He made a total of six league appearances (and 10 overall in all competitions) for the Red Devils over five seasons. He signed for Sheffield United in a £60,000 deal but an ankle injury sustained in pre-season training forced Paterson to retire. Paterson made his comeback as a player in July 1981 with Highland League club Buckie Thistle. He turned down Dundee United to join Peterhead. He had a spell playing for Hong Kong Rangers before again returning to his roots with Highland League club Nairn County in August 1982. The following February, he rejoined former boss Tommy Docherty at Sydney Olympic and then moved on to become the first European to play in Japan in December 1983. He won cups and titles with Yomiuri before his playing career was again cut short by persistent injury problems. Paterson was a Scotland youth internationalist. He debuted for the under-18s against England at Old Trafford at 15 years old.

Elgin City

His management career began in 1988 in the Highland League with Elgin City. Primarily a player-manager in his first season, Paterson had a successful stint at Borough Briggs winning the Highland League, the North of Scotland Cup twice and the Northern version of the Scottish Qualifying Cup. He left the club in 1990 due to a contract disagreement with regards to wages.

Huntly

He immediately moved on to Highland League rivals Huntly and his managerial success continued over the next five years. He won the Highland League twice and a host of other silverware including the Aberdeenshire Cup, the Northern version of the Scottish Qualifying Cup and the Highland League Cup. He also masterminded a Scottish Cup upset at Scottish Third Division club Dumbarton.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle

In the summer of 1995 he joined Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who were playing in the Scottish Third Division at that time. Paterson spent seven and a half years at Caley Thistle, their longest-serving manager to date. During this time, he took the club from the Third Division to the First Division and presided over the team's famous victories against Celtic (resulting in the well-known newspaper headline "Super Caley Go Ballistic, Celtic Are Atrocious") and Hearts in the Scottish Cup. In November 2002, Paterson was strongly linked with the vacant manager's job at Dundee United, but he stayed at Caley Thistle for another month.

Aberdeen

He was offered…

In March 2003, Paterson revealed he had an alcohol problem, after missing Aberdeen's 3–3 home draw with Dundee due to being too hungover to attend. In October 2008 it was reported that Paterson had lost £1 million from betting. Paterson's biography "Confessions of a Highland Hero" co-written with former Grampian Television presenter Frank Gilfeather was published in November 2009, and was serialised in the Daily Record.

Player

Yomiuri

Japan Soccer League: 1984 Emperor's Cup: 1984 Xerox Super Cup: 1984

Manager

Elgin City

Highland League: 1989–90 Qualifying Cup North: 1989–90 North of Scotland Cup: 1989–90 Huntly

Highland League: 1993–94, 1994–95 Highland League Cup: 1992–93, 1993–94 Aberdeenshire Cup: 1993–94, 1994–95 Qualifying Cup North: 1992–93, 1994–95 Inverness CT

Scottish Second Division: Promoted 1998–99 Scottish Third Division: 1996–97 North of Scotland Cup: 1999–2000 Inverness Cup: 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2001–02 Forres Mechanics

North of Scotland Cup: 2004–05 Inverness Cup: 2005–06 Formartine United

Aberdeenshire Cup: 2013–14 Individual

SFL Third Division Manager of the Year: 1996–97