Every picture tells a story . . . Craig Paterson

MY father, John, played for the great Hibs side of the 1950s as a centre-half and won, with no little help from the legendary Famous Five forward line, a couple of league titles.

When I started playing, I was always referred to in newspaper reports as "the son of Hibs great John". It never bothered me.

My father never, ever came to watch me play. He, and his contemporaries, were always very critical of the modern game.

For example, whenever we were in conversation about football, I would chip in and say: "I think so-and-so is a good player." He would reply: "Son, he would not have got in our third team!"

I played for Cornbank Boys' Club in Penicuik as a kid. We won the British Under-16 Five-A-Side Championship at Wembley. Billy Kirkwood was in the same team as me. In the final we beat a Welsh side that had Neville Southall in goal.

Dundee United manager Jim McLean was keen to sign me after that. But when Hibs found out, they offered me a part-time contract when I was 17 in 1976. I had always been a fan and was delighted to sign on. This picture shows me early in my career.

Eddie Turnbull was the boss at that time. I was terrified of him. He was an intimidating, gruff character. You didn't dare get it wrong twice. But he was a great thinker on the game and a wonderful coach to start under. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

I made my first team debut on a pre-season tour of the Highlands. Joe Harper was on trial for the opposition. Before kick-off, I looked at him and thought: He doesn't look big, he doesn't look quick, this should be a doddle'. Little did I know! After half an hour, I hadn't touched the ball. 2 - George was Best

I COULD hardly believe my luck when George Best joined Hibs in 1979. There I was, aged just 19, going in every day to the club I had supported as a boy to train with one of the best players of all time. This picture shows us welcoming him on board.

After training, the kids used to go into the club's gym to play three-a-sides and George often used to come and join in. His pace had gone, but his close control, vision, balance and skill was incredible. Nobody could get the ball off him. He was a nice guy, too, very quiet.

I remember he used to have an aftershave that he told us cost about £100 an ounce. One day when he was in the shower some of the kids went into his toilet bag. We must have helped ourselves to about £60 of it. When he came out he just laughed, reeled off the names of a few Miss Worlds he had pulled and said: Boys, you need more than a nice smell to get to my level!' I became a regular in my second full season when George Stewart, the regular centre-half, got injured. I made my debut in a 2-1 win over Hearts at Easter Road. Sitting in the pub having a beer with my mates after that match was a brilliant feeling.

Hibs started to use a lot of younger players after that and we were relegated to the First Division the next season. But that was an invaluable experience. TIMESFILE 1959-Born in Edinburgh. 1975-Helps Penicuik win British Under-16 Five-A-Side Championship. 1976-Signs for boyhood heroes Hibs aged 17. 1977-Breaks into Easter Road first team aged 18. 1982-Joins Rangers for bumper £225,000 transfer fee. Suffers serious knee injury. 1984-Helps the Gers beat Celtic 3-2 in League Cup Final in March. Lifts the League Cup again in October as captain following 1-0 win over Dundee United. 1987-Moves to Motherwell after Graeme Souness takes over at Ibrox. 1991-Helps the Steelmen beat Dundee United 4-3 in classic Scottish Cup final. Joins Kilmarnock. 1993-Helps Killie win promotion to Premier League. 2006-Respected BBC Radio Scotland pundit.

We won promotion the next season and I was named as the Hibs Supporters' Association Player of the Year. Willie Ormond had taken over by that stage. After that, Bertie Auld, another great character and a very good coach, took over. 3 - Gers come calling

I SOON started to see stories linking me with moves away from Hibs. But there were no agents in those days. One day, I was called into the manager's office, told Rangers had made an offer that Hibs couldn't turn down. And that was that.

To be honest, I was quite sad to leave Hibs. I thought I would spend my entire career there.

John Greig signed me for £225,000 in 1982. I had watched him from the terraces as a kid and knew he was a do-or-die character as a player. I discovered he was a great coach, too. He was very under-rated.

This picture shows me meeting up with him at the airport before a pre-season tour. 4 - Winning battles

I STARTED well, helping Rangers beat Borussia Dortmund in the Uefa Cup and reach the League Cup Final. Everything was going along nicely. Then I injured an ankle.

I was keen to impress at my new club and help my manager, so I came back too early and took cortisone injections.

In those days, they were seen as the cure-all. But I did myself no favours. I finally got an operation. When they opened up my knee, a loose bit of bone was taken out. My problems set me back nearly two seasons.

But I came back and helped Rangers beat Celtic in the League Cup Final in March, 1984. We went 2-0 up thanks to a double from Ally McCoist and I thought: Yes, we're going to win'.

This picture shows me in a tussle in that match with Frank McGarvey and Charlie Nicholas.

They pulled one back through Brian McClair and then Mark Reid scored from the spot in the last minute to send the game into extra time. Fortunately, Super Ally popped up to score the winner. 5 - Super Ally rules

ALLY McCoist was the best striker I played with. He was so clinical. If you gave him even half a chance, he'd score. On the rare occasions he missed, he'd just get up, dust himself down and try again.

He was a real happy-go-lucky character, as well, always up for a carry-on. If you were the victim of a practical joke, the chances were he was behind it. That is what I miss about football now; all the nonsense.

The best player I worked alongside, though, was Davie Cooper. I played with him for four years at Rangers and three at Motherwell. He'd do things in training and matches you'd never think possible. He had natural ability in spades.

This picture shows Ally hugging me, and Coops coming in to congratulate me after I had scored the winner in a Uefa Cup clash with Osasuna of Spain in 1984. 6 - Cup collecting

WHEN John Greig was sacked as boss, it was horrible. I felt I could have done more for him. Of course, I had my injury problems. I played in games - strapped up and jagged up - I should really have sat out.

Jock Wallace took over from John. What you saw was what you got with Jock. If there was a problem, you got it both barrels between the eyes.

For instance, he thought I was too quiet on the park. So, in training, he'd stop proceedings and roast me for not talking enough. It got to the stage where I was talking constantly during matches. His actions, then, had the desired effect.

Jock made me captain and we won the League Cup again in October of 1984 with a 1-0 victory over Dundee United. They were a good team and reached the semi-finals of the European Cup that season.

Going up to collect the trophy at Hampden was a boyhood dream come true.

This picture shows (from left) myself, scorer Iain Ferguson, Robert Prytz, David Mitchell and Ian Redford enjoying our win. 7 - Well of success

WHEN Graeme Souness took over from Jock as boss in 1986, he soon brought in England internationals Graham Roberts and Terry Butcher. It was always going to be hard for me after that.

Graeme came from Sampdoria and brought new training methods. I enjoyed working under him. He was straight as a die. He told me: When my best XI is fit you won't be playing'.

At that age, I didn't want to play reserve team football. So I moved to Motherwell. Tommy McLean, who was assistant to John Greig at Rangers, was in charge and I enjoyed working under him. His training sessions were always lively and fun.

We had a useful team with a few fellow-Gers in it. Davie Cooper, Bobby Russell and Iain Ferguson were all there.

In my third and final year, we really came good. We beat Aberdeen at Pittodrie in the Scottish Cup in 1990. They were the defending champions and still a good side.

Then we beat Falkirk, Morton and Celtic to set up a final with Dundee United. That, of course, was a classic. We eventually ran out 4-3 winners.

This picture shows the team celebrating with the trophy afterwards. Thousands of people turned out to greet us on our return to the town.

I decided to move on after that. I was sold to Kilmarnock after a tribunal for £50,000. I helped the club win promotion to the Premier League in 1993 and stay there the next season.

By that stage, Tommy Burns had taken over from Jim Fleeting as manager. He was a great coach and person, and he built a good team with a wonderful spirit.

I had a short spell at Hamilton, followed by an eye-opening stint with Ayrshire Junior club Glenafton.

Now, I had played in many Old Firm derbies before, but nothing prepared me for the match against Auchinleck. In my debut in that fixture, a player got sent off.

As we went in to the dressing room at half-time, there was a full-scale rammy going on; players, officials, the ball boys, the tea lady, everybody was involved. The keeper had waited behind to exact retribution. 8 - My radio days

WHEN I was offered the chance to work with Radio Forth covering SPL games as a summariser a few years ago, I jumped at it. It is a role I now do for BBC Radio Scotland.

This picture shows me behind the mike at Tynecastle. It is fantastic to be involved in football seeing so many matches and meeting up with so many old friends.