T | Player Pics | A-Z of Players

Personal

Fullname: Paul Telfer
Height: 5.09
Weight: 11.06
Born: 21 Oct 1971
Birthplace: Edinburgh
Signed: 2005
Position: Defender
Internationals: Scotland
International Caps: 1 (0 goals)

Summary

Born 21 October 1971 in Edinburgh

The 33-year-old signed a two-year contract and becoming Strachan's sixth summer signing of 2005. [BBC]

Strachan previously signed Telfer on a Bosman from Coventry in 2000 for Southampton. [BBC]

He has 1 cap for Scotland.

Paul Telfer left Celtic on 2nd April 2004 (BBC)Played his last game in the Champions League v AC Milan. A great way to end a good career.

He made a total of 73 appearances for the club, scoring one goal.

Retired from all football in December 2007 due to injury (link).

Biog

Few other players, that this writer can think of, in their careers can surely have had as a dramatic a turnaround with the respect given to them by the fans as that with Paul Telfer. Admittedly bought as a stop-gap player (i.e. he was over 35/experienced/old), he did end up playing a much greater role for the club than even I’m sure the manager (WGS) or he himself believed he would.

Having come from one of WGS’ prior clubs (Southampton), ridiculous rumours flew about as to just why Telfer was at Celtic (e.g. he was WGS’s brother-in-law etc). Although, yes it is true he was relatively slow (he was in his 30s), he wasn’t as immobile as many made out. His performances were genuinely workman-like and never amazing, but his ability was never up their with the best and after the Artmedia debacle (we were knocked out of the Champs Lge in the qualifiers) he was too an easy target for many. The financial fall-out from the Artmedia defeat meant we couldn’t replace him and he ended up having to play a far bigger regular role than anticipated, giving extra ammunition to the boo boys against WGS as well as himself.

Replaced by Mark Wilson in his second season in the defence, he ended up in a "squad" role, as anticipated by many for him. However, an injury to Wilson later on meant he was back in the first team, and excusing the first game v Man U away in the Champs lge (where he was poor), he was solid and dependable and he seemed to grow on the fans with most getting off his back. Dependable is the appropriate word to describe him, and to everyone’s surprise he ended up securing the rightback role for himself even once Wilson was fit again (a rare occurrence).

In many ways, playing for Celtic was something that he probably never expected in his career, having only ever played for uninspiring clubs. An article with him noted a conversation between Telfer and WGS:

An old man, it should be emphasised, that the Champions League has made very happy. Strachan also related a recent talk between the pair in a sauna. “He was feeling his hip,” says the manager, “and I said, ‘When did you do that?’ and he replied, ‘Away to Benfica in the Champions League’, then he paused and said, ‘I never thought I’d utter that sentence in my life’. It wasn’t easy for him last summer with his family, but he didn’t want this chance to go away. I think his wife will realise now that this was a chance he couldn’t let go.”

The crowning achievement (for his career) was starting against AC Milan in the Champs Lge, and even though we lost in extra time 1-0 after 180 mins of no goals in two legs, he gave a very good account of himself. The game was his last for Celtic, and he was at the age when his family was more of a concern than anything else and he decided to leave 2 months before the end of the season to be with them (his family didn’t settle in Glasgow).

When we won the league at the end of the season it was disappointing that he didn't return up north to join in the celebrations, but he likely wanted away to be with his family (plus he could be quite a grouch).

Not everyone’s favourite, but at the end of it all he gave a very good account of himself. Should have been better appreciated in his first season, but hope we made up for it in the second. We wish him all the best for the future.

Career

	From	To	Fee	League		FA/Scottish Cup		League cup		Other
Celtic	22-07-2005	02-04-2007	£ 200,000	56 (1)	1	3 (0)	0	5 (0)	0	7 (1)	0
Southampton	31-10-2001	22-07-2005	Free	112 (15)	1	12 (0)	0	5 (2)	0	1 (1)	0
Coventry	11-07-1995	31-10-2001	£ 1,150,000	178 (13)	6	15 (4)	4	15 (0)	2	0 (0)	0
Luton	07-11-1988	11-07-1995	Trainee	136 (8)	19	14 (0)	2	5 (0)	0	2 (0)	1
	____________	____________	____________	Apps ____________	Goals	Apps ____________	Goals	Apps ____________	Goals	Apps ____________	Goals

Honours with Celtic

Scottish League Champions

• 2005-06
• 2006-07

Scottish League Cup

• 2005-06

KDS Honours
MOTM Winners 2006-07
29-Oct-06	Killie 1 v 2 Celtic	SPL

Pictures

• Player Pictures

Articles

• Interview - "Willing to take the Flak" 2006-10-01 (S Times)
• Interview - "Fond Farewell" 2006-12-03