ALMOST five years ago he walked up the Hampden steps to collect his medal as Motherwell won the Tennents Scottish Cup. Last weekend, he played in the Scottish Junior Cup quarter-finals. If you were to suggest to Craig Paterson that he seems to have put the perceived football career structure into reverse, he might well agree.

On the other hand, he has a simple answer for the obvious question: at 36, why bother?

``I would pack it in if I had something to pack it in for,'' said Paterson, and when his situation is explained, you can see why this intelligent man who has been at the top in Scotland has no hang-ups about playing on a less-exalted platform.

He has been a full-time player virtually all his career, still has no other occupation and, until one comes along, he can see no reason for giving up what has done since he joined his first club, and first love, Hibs, 17 years ago.

``Part-time would suit me now. When you get to my advanced age days off are better for me than days on,'' he said, ``but football is all I have at present. I tell you, though, coming to Glenafton has been an eye-opener and I have played only one game.''

He realised this was not quite the tuppence ha'penny world people imagine when the club took the players for a short training session, then to a local hotel for a pre-match meal before the semi-final last week. ``I thought then: these guys are trying to be as professional as possible.''

It was his long-term acquaintance with Alan Rough, former Scottish international keeper, which resulted in his taking the step down after he left Hamilton. Rough, manager of the Ayrshire side, invited him to have a go and, despite offers from Alloa, a small senior club he believes is showing real ambition, he accepted. ``The game is fast, if last week is anything to go by, and I believe it would be pretty decent football if they calmed down. But the fans like it the way it is.''

Adding further evidence to the notion that he is going about things in reverse, Paterson confessed that he had never played Junior football until now. He did join Hibs from Bonnyrigg Rose, but had only just signed for them and did not take part in a game.

He had only spent a few months training with General Accident after collecting six Highers and studying maths in sixth year when Hibs offered him the chance to go full-time.

Since then his career has been packaged into four-and-half-year compartments. He spent that time with Hibs, a similar period with Rangers, before moving to Motherwell, where he also spent four or five seasons.

There were memorable highlights. With Hibs nothing that happened matched the thrill of signing for the club, although winning promotion from the first division was important: at Ibrox the two League Cup wins stick out, but so, too, does the painful injury period when he played on with a serious internal ankle injury which was not diagnosed for a long time.

He was captain of Rangers when they beat Dundee United in the League Cup. ``I just wish I could better remember going up those Hampden stairs. When you watch someone else doing it you think: that would be great. But when it came to my turn I was up, lifted the cup, and back again in a flash.''

At Motherwell, he helped stave off relegation for a couple of seasons and then Davie Cooper arrived. ``He made all the difference. Suddenly we were making chances, players were making runs, confident that he would lay the ball at their feet.''

He found the next move, to Kilmarnock, as fascinating as any that went before. ``I was invited into the boardroom for tea and biscuits. That was a new one on me and it showed how much of a family club it was.''

Eventually he moved to Hamilton, where he had an agreement with Iain Munro to leave if they found a replacement. And so to Glenafton. Rough might be pleased to know he follows a long line of famous managers who have dealt with this amiable, talented defender.

``They were all different. I was probably lucky that I started with Eddie Turnbull, who was as good a coach as you'll come across. You learned your trade and forgot afternoons off. You got a roasting, too, if you got on the wrong end of him.

``Willie Ormond was there, but for a very short time, and then it was Bertie Auld. If you were a defender he was great, because he made everybody work, including the front men. Nobody got a free ride when the wee man was in charge.

On to Rangers, where John Greig was ``straight as a die,'' just like Jock Wallace.

He also spent six months with Graeme Souness as leader and learned some new things. ``Jock liked the circuit training and running, then all of a sudden we had a man coming back from Italy with different ideas.

``It was all brand new. And you could forget going away to play golf or badminton. That was banned.'' That would have been bad news for Paterson the golfer, except that his ankle injury had long since ruled out the fairways, which was a waste, considering he had got down to a three handicap.

Paterson has an ambivolent attitude towards his next manager, Tommy McLean at Motherwell. ``He was the reason I went to Motherwell and he was the reason I left.'' Craig had known and admired the coaching talents of McLean at Ibrox when he was assistant to Greig, and it was that which enticed him to move to Fir Park. In the good days, before they fell out, there was the cup triumph and the forming a of a team that could take on any other premier side and hold its own.

The relationship went awry when negotiations for a new contract were required. ``We had a working relationship in the end. If he picked me I did my best. In negotiations we just butted heads.''

He confesses that at the time he felt bitter. ``I spent three months out of the game with no wages. Motherwell were asking for #175,000 and a lot of teams couldn't afford to take the chance as I was 32.''

At Kilmarnock, he came under the guidance of Tommy Burns. ``He is magnificent, a man who really knows how to run a club.''

Paterson has steadfastly stayed in Penicuik all through his career and reckons the time taken to travel to and from his various clubs has been a bit of a hindrance in seeking outside employment. ``But that was my choice.''

He is now receiving his football pension and has been wise enough to put aside savings from his career, but he will have to go into the real world some day.

In the meantime, he will be turning out for Glenafton today when another crowd in the 2500 region is anticipated for their replay with Auchinleck. If they reach the semi-finals and win, they may have a job getting him down the stairs.

The game is fast and I believe it would be pretty decent football if they calmed down. But the fans like it the way it is

Craig Paterson