Despite this and problems as well as a long-term gambling and alcohol addiction, he did have a footballing career with spells in Hong Kong, Australia and Japan where in 1983 he was the first overseas player to play there.
He has also published an autobiography "Confessions of a Highland Hero" ghost-written by Frank Gilfeather which documents his career and battles with gambling and alcohol addictions which were brought to media attention during his ill-fated spell at Aberdeen.
He had a spell playing for Hong Kong Rangers before again returning to his roots with Highland League club Nairn County in August 1982.
In November 2002, Paterson was strongly linked with the vacant manager's job at Dundee United,[6] but he stayed at Caley Thistle for another month.
[7] This move was not without controversy, as Paterson and his assistant Duncan Shearer were each supposed to have agreed a five-year contract with Caley Thistle not long before their departure to the Dons.
[11] They dispatched two SPFL teams East Stirling and Elgin City to reach the quarter finals [12] Paterson left Formartine United in summer 2015.
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.
[14] 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.