Despite his chubby build, Paul was a Norwich City first team regular from 1981 through to October 1985 and the arrival of Ian Culverhouse. Always committed to the Norwich cause, he was ever present in the promotion winning side of 1982/83 and played in the victorious 1985 Milk Cup team. A product of the Norwich youth system, this Lowestoft born defender made 193 appearances for Norwich, three as substitute and scored 4 goals.

He was sold to Gillingham in August 1986 for £20,000 and would spend most of his career in Kent. 152 games for Gillingham was followed with a transfer to Maidstone for whom he made 48 appearances before they went bankrupt. A brief foray to Shropshire with Shrewsbury under John Bond's management brought another 18 league appearances. Returning to Kent in September 1993, he joined non-league Sittingbourne. A return to league football with Barnet came in September 1993 as a non-contract player. After spells with Colchester, Woking and Braintree, Paul rejoined Sittingbourne as their Assistant Manager.

According to the July 1999 edition of Team Talk Paul has bean released by Sittingbourne. He joined non-leaguers Maidstone United, now playing in the Bass Brewers Kent League, when they reformed. According to conversations we had at the Norwich City centenary, Paul has since retired and is working for the Royal Bank of Scotland as a maintenance engineer.

In June 2004, Kent non-league side Herne Bay announced that a new management team of former Maidstone United Football League striker Jason Lillis and ex-Norwich City man Paul Haylock had replaced last season's incumbent Simon Bryant. However work commitments forced Paul to step down from this role in August 2004.