Scotland may not be the first place that comes to mind when picturing a place with warm weather, and that perception prevented Celtic from signing an England international.
Striker Steve Bull, a Wolverhampton Wanderers star and 13-time England international, acknowledged that he turned down Celtic’s offer because it was “too wet for him.” Bull led Wolves up the Football League while scoring 306 goals in 561 games for the Old Gold between 1986 and 1999.
When Bull made his England debut in 1989, he joined a select group of players from the third division, and the best clubs in the UK and Europe took notice of his eye for goal. Bull, though, was never persuaded to leave Molineux.
In an interview with Ladbrokes Fanzone, Bull said: “I am aware of four clubs I could have joined during my career. Growing up, I always believed that Liverpool was one of the best teams to watch since they wore red, and if I ever had the chance to join them as a player, I probably would have. It’s only that they were my boyhood club, though. Although I am wholly gold and black, choosing to leave my boyhood club would have been quite difficult, in my opinion.
Torino was the first of the four clubs the manager informed me about throughout the years. After the World Cup in 1990, Torino acquired me for around £1.75 million. I’d
Newcastle was the next team. Before Andy Cole joined Newcastle, I knew I could have traveled there. At the time, I had just had my first boy, so the main thing that discouraged me from making that move was the possible disturbance to my family’s way of life.
“Coventry City and Big Ron Atkinson was the third club to come in for me. They came in and made me an offer for a five-year contract, but I was already earning that much at Wolves in three years, so it made no sense to me to continue at the moment. It was easy.
The last club I’m aware of to have expressed interest in me was Celtic. It was a huge club, but I simply figured it would be too drenched for me since it was always raining! They are the four that I am aware of. I had no knowledge of any other rumors or anything else you had ever read.
“Are you sorry? None at all, not even close. There isn’t a single part of me that wishes I had joined one of those teams. From the first time I booted a ball at Tipton Town, through West Brom, Wolves, to the end of my career, I have no regrets. I didn’t have an agent, and if I had, he might have pushed for me to move elsewhere. But I’d have dug in, I can assure you of that!
Bull said, “When I originally got to Wolves, I think my contract was about £125-a-week. I remember asking Graham Turner for a wage boost off the back of a great season. That season, I think I scored between 17 and 19 goals. But because I was feeling so embarrassed, I distinctly recall knocking on the manager’s door to request additional cash. I was merely trembling.
“Alright, gaffer, how you doing?” “Alright, Steve?” He answered. He wouldn’t give you a direct stare. He had the most prominent brows. Please give me a rise. I recently scored 19 goals for the team. In response, Turner said, “I’ll have to ask Jack Harris; I’ll get back to you.”
He returns to me five days later and says, “I’ve got you another fifty quid a week. Is that acceptable? I simply exclaimed, “Oh my word!” These days, that would be an additional $5,000 or $10,000. To put things in perspective, I would’ve assumed that the highest earners at the time would’ve been on a few grand a week.
