By Josh Thomas
The last couple of weeks have been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride for Callum Paterson.
The Cardiff City player made his first start for the club in their 3-1 victory over Ipswich last Saturday, which showed the home fans what they have been missing.
Paterson was also recently called into the Scotland squad where he hopes to gain his sixth cap this month, having made his debut for the Bluebirds in their victory over Middlesbrough at the Riverside on the 21st October and his home debut against Millwall a week later.
But these upturns have come after a gut-wrenching low. After injuring his left knee in Hearts’ 4-0 win over Kilmarnock – where he scored the opening goal – in December of last year, Paterson did not play for 10 months. Now, he is aiming to make up for lost time and Tweeted after the Boro game, “buzzing to have made my first team debut today. Been a long and testing 10 months but finally all the hard work is paying off.”
It has been a long time coming, but the 22-year-old is just happy to be playing again and in his favourite position.
He says: “I’m happy to play anywhere, but right-back is my favourite position, because I get to see more of the game from there. I feel like I’ve got a good attacking threat about me from anywhere.”
With the Bluebirds striving for promotion back to the Premier League, the talents Paterson possesses will add quality and strength to an improving squad. But who is he? And where did he come from?
Paterson was born on the 13th October 1994 in London, but moved to Scotland when he was three. Talking to the Edinburgh News in December 2014, when he announced his full allegiance to Scotland, he revealed he had a number of options, but choose Scotland, the country he feels closest to.
“My dad is Scottish, my mum is from Zimbabwe, and my granddad is South African. But Scotland is my country. I could play for all of those. But this is my home and who I would rather play for.”
Paterson who made his League debut for Hearts as a 17-year-old against St Johnstone on the 4th August 2012, told the Daily Record later that month ,“I was at Tynecastle Boys Club for about eight years and signed for Hearts around two-and-a-half years ago.”
He went on to have a successful season, helping them reach the final of the Scottish League Cup where they lost 3-2 to St Mirren, a game Peterson missed out through injury.
However, four goals in 27 games showed the fans his promise and glimpses of talent that would serve him for the rest of his time with the club.
The high-scoring right-back, who scored 11 goals the next season, was then the subject of a proposed move away from Scotland, to England and into the EFL Championship with Wigan. Two bids were tabled, but rejected with one offer worth £700,000.
But a move was imminent for Peterson, who had become a full international by last season after making his debut in May 2016 against Italy. He ran down his contract during his time out injured and signed for Cardiff on the 7th June 2017.
His showed an impressive attitude in gaining match fitness with the development team, putting in impressive displays and scoring a hat-trick away at Blackburn Rovers.
He added: “I’m more than happy to play in the Under-23 games, get some game time and help them,” he told Wales Online. “I’m absolutely delighted and buzzing to be part of this big club.”
Paterson has also praised the influence and patience shown by manager Neil Warnock during his long road back to full fitness.
“With just the name of Neil Warnock, everyone wants to play for him.
“Even when I was out injured and nowhere near the first team, he knew what was happening with my recovery and when I’d be back.
“It was amazing and when I came down he showed faith in me to offer me a contract. Hopefully, I can pay him back as much as I can.”
Full repayment, and more, would be for Paterson to help Warnock win yet another promotion back to the Premier League at the end of this season.