Hull City v Sheffield Wednesday: “I just play football and go fishing” - the story of Owls, Scotland and ex-Heart of Midlothian and Cardiff City utility player Callum Paterson

Callum Paterson, uncomplicated, low-maintenance, what-you-see-is-what-you-get is cut from the same cloth as a true Sheffield Wednesday icon - the late, great Jack Charlton.

Like Charlton, Paterson is a fishing fanatic. One old tale had it that Charlton would not bother taking training if he heard there were salmon on the Tweed during his time in charge at Newcastle United and Middlesbrough.

If he had been playing back in the day and part of one of those teams, Paterson would have probably gone with him.

For the Scot in today’s world, just like it was for Charlton during his momentous time in management at Wednesday, Boro and Ireland and his storied playing career at Leeds United, angling represents a release valve and a form of escapism from the pressures of working life.

It keeps him balanced, normal and grounded. The most welcome of distractions. Sat on a river bank and away from the goldfish bowl of football.

Paterson, speaking ahead of Saturday’s derby trip to Hull City, told The Yorkshire Post: “It is more than just a release. It’s getting out of the environment and being away from people and being on my own.

“People look at football as a hobby, but for me, the hobby has gone and it’s more of a proper job now.

“I like to do it (fishing) to be fair and have that fun and relaxing and it is a bit more chilled and that’s why I like to fish.

“No stress, no phone, no people shouting at me. I can just sit under the water.

“I have fished with my dad since I was three or four years old. Me and my brother used to go all the time. It’s something I have kept on and I’ll pass it onto my kids.

“The schedule is a bit intense and there’s not many full days off, so it’s more (a case of) going in the afternoon for a couple of hours and getting back before the wife shouts at me..

“I’ve always done it. I just go into the local tackle shop and ask if anyone has a few tips and you make some friends and end up forming a little team of people that enjoy fishing. You go out and just text them to go for a fish.”

A straight-forward, uncomplaining type who will play anywhere if asked and invariably do a job, Paterson is a manager’s dream.

He’s known it tough. Like the time he was part of a Hearts squad who were relegated from the SPL in 2013-14 – a season which started with the Jambos being deducted 15 points after entering administration in June 2013.

He’s experienced off-the-field club issues during his time at Hillsborough as well, culminating in relegation in 2020-21.

The Scottish international has also sampled his fair share of injury adversity and got on with it. Right from the time when he damaged knee ligaments at Hearts when he was on the verge of moving to top-flight West Ham.

Paterson cracks on.

He added: “It’s just about dealing with adversity in different ways. There’s things you can control and cannot.

"You can’t control getting deducted points and getting relegated or anything like that.

“But the things you can on the pitch help in any way you can. The way I have been brought up is to always give your best and hopefully rewards will come.

“It was a points deduction which sent us down last time, but we almost made it. This year, we have got to rectify what we did in the past and get higher up the table.”

The phrase ‘jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none’ might be a stick used to beat Paterson with to some some degree. But he views things differently.

His playing journey has turned him into a ‘utility player’, by default and not design. Typically, he is not complaining and sees the advantages. Managers trust him.

Paterson, 28, who signed a new Owls deal in the summer, continued: “I have played a lot of games, but missed a lot through injury. I am a couple away from 400 or 450 or something like that, I am actually not sure.

“At the start of my career, it wasn’t a hindrance at all to be selected in any position.

“Hearts went into administration and we literally had 15 players. I’d play wherever and I played a lot of games in different positions and then went to Cardiff as a right-back. (Neil) Warnock was not having absolutely none of me there, so I ended up everywhere else but right-back.

“Different managers put me in different positions and I am just glad to be on the pitch.

“It is getting to the point where it is (now) difficult to ‘lock down’ a position where I want to play. It’s just about a manager trusting me in one position and then that will be it.”