Petrov reveals he earned just £300 a week at Celtic despite £2.8m transfer fee

Stiliyan Petrov has revealed he was paid just £300 a week during his early months at Celtic, despite the club spending £2.8million to sign him from CSKA Sofia in 1999 — a significant fee at the time.

The Bulgarian midfielder, speaking on the All Out Football podcast alongside Gabby Agbonlahor and Laura Kirk-Francis, described a miserable opening spell in Scotland marked by financial hardship, a language barrier, and a dressing room that made him feel unwelcome. “I could barely afford food,” the 47-year-old said, adding that a “dodgy agent” had left him on a contract that bore no relation to his transfer value.

Petrov’s situation was compounded by a difficult relationship with then-manager John Barnes, who he says made little effort to integrate him into the squad. “I had a really difficult time. John never really put in any effort to help,” Petrov recalled. “Go to training, get changed, train back home. That was me for six months. I was trying, I was thinking how can I fit in?”

The turning point came when Martin O’Neill replaced Barnes in the summer of 2000. O’Neill gave Petrov six weeks in pre-season to prove himself, during which the midfielder lost 10 kilograms through twice-daily training sessions and a strict diet. Satisfied with what he saw, O’Neill then took matters into his own hands over the contract situation.

“He called me and he went, ‘I’ve looked at your contract. I’m giving you more money,’” Petrov said. “He said, ‘Forget about the agent. This I will offer you, are you happy?’ So I went from £300-a-week to £2,500-a-week.”

The pay rise proved the start of a remarkable transformation. Petrov went on to become one of Celtic’s most celebrated players of the era, winning multiple Scottish Premier League titles under O’Neill before earning a move to Aston Villa. He remains candid, however, that money was never his primary motivation.

“I could have left Celtic, I could have left Villa for a lot more money in different destinations,” he said. “It was never about the money. It was about what you want to leave behind you. I’ve played for two great clubs. I’ve played with some incredible players and I won’t change it.”