Q & A with Archie Macpherson

WALTER STEPHEN was born in Thurso, Caithness and educated at schools and universities in Glasgow and Edinburgh, with degrees in Geography, Economic History and Education. He was Principal Teacher of Geography in distinguished schools in Fife and Edinburgh, then became the first Adviser in Social Studies in Edinburgh and Senior Adviser in Lothian Region. In schools shrunk by falling student numbers, he set up Castlehill Urban Studies Centre, the first successful Urban Studies Centre in Britain, and the History of Education Centre.
As an independent scholar he has been active in investigating Interesting Victorians and has been responsible for books on Patrick Geddes (planner and polymath), Willie Park Junior (‘The Man who took Golf to the World’), Frank Fraser Darling (born in 1903, but a Victorian in spirit who lived among the red deer and founded the environmental movement) and Charles Darwin (in The Evolution of Evolution: Darwin, Enlightenment and Scotland).
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.