Legendary sports commentator Archie Macpherson tells Caroline Lindsay why the Fife coast has been the inspiration for his new novel.
It’s hard to believe Archie Macpherson has been the voice of Scottish football for more than 45 years. Generations of football fans have grown up listening to his commentaries on BBC, STV, Eurosport, Setanta Sports, Radio Clyde and Talksport, and in recognition of his contribution to Scottish broadcasting he was presented with a BAFTA in 2005.
And now, at the age of 77, he has added a new string to his bow. Already the author of several best-selling books, he has just published his first novel: Silent Thunder. “The book is about two Glasgow teenagers whose humdrum lives are turned upside down by a series of unexpected events,” explains Archie. “The adventure takes them from the city to the Fife coast and the book is very much one of two parts. In a way the story encapsulates my own life brought up in the east end of Glasgow and then launched into a career with the BBC where I was fortunate enough to travel the world.”
Archie’s love of Fife began 14 years ago when his and his wife Jess’s lives were transformed by the purchase of a residential caravan in the village of Kilrenny, near Anstruther, where they spend every summer.
“As a boy, family holidays had always been to the west coast of Scotland Dunoon, Millport, Largs,” Archie continues. “It’s probably fair to say that I was more familiar with the banks of the Thames than the Forth! Nothing can beat that wonderful sense of liberation when we cross the Forth Road Bridge and travel into Fife through all the wee villages.
“As I sat one day looking at the Isle of May, ideas began floating round in my head, the characters started speaking to me and all the elements of the book started to fit together. I had decided on the climax of the story which takes places on the Isle of May before I even began writing.
“Without giving too much away, the characters’ travels have been forced on them by circumstance and they go to Fife in pursuit of something that captures their imagination. I’m using my 14 years of getting to know Fife as the background, plus I’ve been fascinated by islands all my life Treasure Island, The Swiss Family Robinson, Lord of the Flies.
“The Isle of May just looks like a clod of earth from a distance but when you get there it’s a wonderfully varied island and much bigger than you’d think.”
Archie is no stranger to writing fiction and in a roundabout way owes his career to it: “When I was an impoverished teacher many years ago I wrote short stories and tried to get them published. The rejection slips came fast and furious but they didn’t dishearten me. Then one day I opened The Evening Times and there was a story by me called The Law of Averages. That was one of the highlights of my life and nothing can beat the thrill of seeing your own work in print. Then the BBC accepted some of my short stories, and when they heard that I played football, that catapulted me into a career in sports commentating.”
Over the years he’s also dabbled with acting, appearing in Scotch and Wry, The World’s Strongest Man and re-voicing for Trainspotting his excitable commentary when Archie Gemmill scored his famous goal for Scotland against the Netherlands at the 1978 World Cup.
“Danny Boyle, the director of Trainspotting, made me do it 14 times till I got it right,” he recalls.
Archie and Jess have two grown-up sons, and two grandsons, one of whom is studying maths and physics at St Andrews University. “That gave me the background to a crucial part of the plot,” he says.
Critics have already responded favourably to Silent Thunder, describing it as Buchanesque and “an excellent tale told with pace and wit”. Archie found writing it enjoyable and refreshing. “It was good to try something different it’s a new experience for me and I’m dipping a toe in the water to see if it’s cauld or scaulding,” he jokes.
“When you write a novel you just have to get on with it and try to insulate yourself from the idea that it might make you a fortune and win prizes. It’s all about structure and so many elements have to be right to get the reader’s attention. You have to be extremely self-critical.
“There’s a dearth of stories about working-class boys and I’ve made the effort to make my characters interesting. Dostoevsky it is not, it’s story-led and all about the place we come from and our aspirations in life.
“One of the boys wants to be a physicist, while the height of the other boy’s ambition is to stack shelves in a supermarket.”
With the World Cup about to start, Archie will have to leave the tranquillity of his beloved Fife hideaway to put a Scottish perspective on England’s performances via STV’s internet forum. “This is my eighth World Cup participation but this year it’s slightly different for me, commentating on the internet.”
When I ask him for his predictions, he replies: “I just don’t know. Usually I have an idea but this is a funny tournament, and is going to be played in intense heat. I have a hunch that England could do better than some people are imagining they have some good young players who are keen to grab the opportunity.
“Overall, I think Spain are in with a good chance or one of the South American teams. I’ll keep it vague!” he laughs.
Silent Thunder is published by Ringwood Publishing, £9.99, and available as an eBook from Amazon at £7.20.