Q & A with Archie Macpherson

RODERICK WATSON was born and educated in Aberdeen. He graduated in 1965 and taught at the University of Victoria in Canada, before going to Cambridge to do research on the poetry of Hugh MacDiarmid. His books include Hugh MacDiarmid, The Literature of Scotland, The Poetry of Scotland and (with Martin Gray) The Penguin Book of the Bicycle. He teaches at the University of Stirling where he specialises in Scottish literature and has written and lectured widely in this field. Roderick Watson was awarded a Scottish Arts Council Writer's Bursary and was one of the 'Heretics' performers in Edinburgh in the 1970s. Previous collections include Trio (New York, 1971) and True History on the Walls (Edinburgh, 1977) and his poetry has since appeared in numerous magazines and many anthologies. He has read his own work in Scotland and Europe and works with creative writing classes, schools and writers' groups. His other interests include cycling, motorcycling and modern jazz.
Countdown to Scotland's first game against Haiti in the 2026 FIFA World Cup (UK time).
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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.