Celtic manager Jock Stein signed Wilson for the club in 1967 and immediately farmed him out to Junior club, Maryhill, to gain experience before returning to Celtic. Wilson was part of a group of young players named the Quality Street Gang by the Scottish media. He was one of many in that group who gradually replaced Celtic's Lisbon Lions team which had won the 1967 European Cup Final. Wilson's senior debut was in a European Cup 9–0 win at Celtic Park against KPV Kokkola in 1970 in which he scored twice.