Signed by Dave Bassett at the start of the 1985/86 season after playing over 100 games for Scunthorpe United, Paul had little opportunity to impress during his one campaign, making only 3 League appearance, and was loaned out to Stockport County, Chester City and back to Scunthorpe United.

After a spell as player / manager in New Zealand he returned to the UK and started work in a travel agents, the owner persuaded him to join Maltese Third division club Naxxir Lions - a round trip of 3,000 miles every weekend! Naxxir were promoted to the First division during Paul's stay and he signed for Premier division Sliema Wanderers, winning their way into the European Cup, but losing 0-6 on aggregate in the first round to Albanian's KS Vllaznia Shkodër.

This proved to be his last game but his connection with football wasn't over as he was persuaded to take a director's role at Horwich RMI and, when after only six weeks the Chairman resigned, he stepped up into that role.