We Are Scottish Football: World Cup Edition

Publishing April 2026

About the Book: 

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.

Reviews: 

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

About the Author:

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.