Q & A with Archie Macpherson

PAULINE BRYAN, Baroness Bryan of Partick, is a Scottish writer and socialist campaigner. She was nominated for a life peerage by the Leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, in May 2018. Bryan is part of the Red Paper Collective, a group of Labour activists who aim to provide an alternative from the perspective of the Labour movement to the ‘sterile nationalist vs. unionist debate’ around the Scottish independence referendums. In a review of Neil Findlay’s book, Socialism & Hope: A Journey Through Turbulent Times, Bryan wrote that the election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party ‘was a lifeline for the left. It rebuilt friendships and enthusiasm... By the 2017 election, we saw the beginnings of a renewed Scottish Labour Party and a renewed activist base who, regardless of what their MPs and MSPs thought, were committing themselves to a radical Labour Party’. Bryan is a founding member of the Keir Hardie Society, and was the editor of the 2015 book What Would Keir Hardie Say?. She is also a founding member of the Campaign for Socialism.
Countdown to Scotland's first game against Haiti in the 2026 FIFA World Cup (UK time).
00
Days
:00
Hours
:00
Mins
:00
Secs
Here’s to the players who wear the shirt, thank you for giving us something worth rallying behind, and here’s to the supporters who kept believing even when we were out in the wilderness.
28 years of heartbreak are over, Scotland are back in the World Cup. With a pen dipped in passion, McNeill explores the emotional landscape of football, bringing to life the highs and lows, triumphs and tribulations that define the beautiful game in Scotland.
Praise for We Are Scottish Football:
In this unique and vivid collection of poems and photographs Julie McNeill makes sure we don’t forget the impact our footballing history has had on the world. STUART COSGROVE, author & presenter
A must read for any fan of football, history, poetry and Scotland. IAN MAXWELL, CEO SFA
In this wonderful book of poems and photographs Julie McNeill ties together the past and present of the game and highlights some of its outstanding moments, personalities and controversies. ROSE REILLY MBE, World Cup Winning Footballer
A poetic tribute, capturing the soul-stirring drama and devotion that make Scottish football an enduring and enchanting spectacle. PAUL ENGLISH, The Herald
Timely and well-written by a fine poet [who] acknowledges the popular roots of the male game while inflecting these through a modern female gaze. ALISTAIR FINDLAY, Morning Star
JULIE McNEILL, poet, author and workshop facilitator, specialises in creative writing workshops and talks, focusing on mental
health and supporting individuals with additional needs. Author of Mission Dyslexia and two poetry collections, she’s the Poet in Residence for St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation and the Makar for The Scottish Women’s National Football Team Poets Society. Her performances include notable events like Wigtown Book Festival and StAnza International Poetry Festival.