Portrait of Chris Paterson

Birthday profile

Chris Paterson

Chris Paterson, Scottish rugby player and coach

Born
March 30, 1978
Age in 2026
48
Zodiac sign
Aries
Birth year
1978

About Chris Paterson

Christopher Douglas Paterson MBE (born 30 March 1978) is a Scottish former professional rugby union player. Today, he is an ambassador and specialist coach for the Scotland and Edinburgh rugby union teams; Paterson represented the latter for the vast majority of his career. He is Scotland's record points scorer with 809 points and second most-capped male player with 109 caps. He was capable of playing in a range of positions, including fullback, wing and fly-half. Paterson retired from international rugby in December 2011 and as a professional player in May 2012. == Early career == Paterson started his rugby career with hometown club Gala, the highlight being a solo try that won Gala the 1999 Scottish Cup at Murrayfield. Soon after Paterson turned professional by signing for Glasgow where he played only two games before signing for Edinburgh Rugby. In becoming a professional player he dropped out of the University of Edinburgh where he was studying to become a PE teacher. == Edinburgh == From 2000 until 2002 Paterson played in the Scottish/Welsh League, the predecessor to the competition now known as Pro14 (prior to the addition of Irish teams). He was part of the Edinburgh squad that reached the Heineken Cup quarter finals in 2003–04.

Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.

Career and life highlights

Chris Paterson timeline

  1. Paterson started his rugby career with hometown club Gala, the highlight being a solo try that won Gala the 1999 Scottish Cup at Murrayfield.
  2. Paterson earned his first cap for Scotland against Spain in the 1999 Rugby World Cup as a fullback.
  3. In Paterson's next appearance during the 2000 Six Nations Championship game versus France, Paterson scored his first points for Scotland converting two penalties and a conversion in the 16–28 loss.

The world when Chris Paterson was born

Chris Paterson was born in 1978. The year snapshot below places that birthday in its cultural and historical setting: the music and films people were following, the headlines shaping public life, and the everyday prices families encountered.

Culture in 1978

  • #1 song"Shadow Dancing" – Andy Gibb
  • Top movieThe Deer Hunter
  • Top TV showLaverne & Shirley
  • Best-selling bookThe World According to Garp – John Irving

Headlines and milestones

  • Major sports momentMuhammad Ali wins heavyweight title for the third time
  • Top headlineCamp David Accords — Egypt and Israel sign peace agreement
  • Technology milestoneFirst spam email sent
  • Defining fadDisco and Saturday Night Fever
  • Notable inventionGarfield comic strip debuts
  • World population4.30 billion

United States snapshot

  • U.S. leaderJimmy Carter
  • Sports championNew York Yankees (World Series)
  • Also wonWashington Bullets (NBA)
  • U.S. population222.6M

1978 versus 2026

These figures put everyday life in Chris Paterson's birth year beside the site's latest United States snapshot.

Measure19782026
Gas$0.63$3.45/gal
Average home$55,700$435,000
Average income$17,730$67,500
Minimum wage$2.65$7.25/hr (federal)
Movie ticket$2.34$11.95
Postage stamp$0.15$0.73
Population222.6M341 million

Sources and editorial standards

This profile combines a biographical source with structured birthday and historical context. Sources recorded for this profile: Wikipedia, It's Rugby, European Professional Club Rugby. See our editorial policy for sourcing, corrections, and review standards.

Read the source biography on Wikipedia. Wikipedia text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.