He played for Motherwell, Chelsea and Celtic, and appeared 72 times for Scotland, which means he is a member of the Scottish FA International Roll of Honour.
The most notable of his achievements in his time at Fir Park was skippering the Well side that defeated Dundee United 4–3 in the 1991 Scottish Cup final, considered one of the most exciting in the competition's history.
Boyd was transferred to boyhood heroes Celtic in an exchange deal which saw Tony Cascarino going to Chelsea.
As Boyd's career moved on, he began playing more in the centre of defence, whilst continuing to operate at full back on either side of the pitch when required, making him a versatile defender.
He has also participated in several charity events such as the Tommy Burns Tribute match and climbing Ben Nevis.