Films

I make films too, writing, producing and directing fantastic stories for my co-owned TV Production company, purpleTV.

Gothenburg ’83, broadcast on BBC ALBA, was nominated for an RTS Scotland Award. It followed Sir Alex Ferguson’s journey to European success in 1983 capturing the emotion and cultural significance of an historical moment in Scottish history.

Honeyballers tells the incredible story of the pioneering Scottish women who fought against adversity to develop women’s football. It was premiered on TV in September 2013.

Jock Stein, tells the story of a coalminer born in South Lanarkshire in 1922 who became one of the most revered figures in Scottish football and Scottish popular culture. The film won the RTS Scotland Award for Best Sport Film! The film was premiered at the GFT in June 2014 with it’s television broadcast coming shortly after. 

Tartan Pride is a film about the social, cultural and emotional impact of the Scotland v England football fixture first played in 1872. Tartan Pride was premiered at the Glasgow Film Theatre in December 2014 and broadcast on television in January 2015.

Jim Baxter is an intimate portrayal of the personal and professional life of the renowned Scottish football legend who died of pancreatic cancer following two liver transplants. The film was premiered at the Glasgow Film Theatre in September 2015 and won the Royal Television Scotland award for Best Sport Documentary in 2016.

The Famous Five is the remarkable story of Smith, Johnstone, Reilly, Turnbull and Ormond; Hibernian FC’s talented “Famous Five” forward line who dominated Scottish football in the post-war period. The premiere screening was held at the Dominion Cinema in Edinburgh on the 20th of January 2016. It was broadcast on BBC ALBA on the 24th of January.

Jimmy Johnstone is a feature length documentary film about a working-class former welder from a small town near Glasgow. A European Cup winner in 1967, voted the Greatest Ever Celtic player in 2002 and revered by football fans and peers the world over, he sadly lost his life ten years ago, on the 13th of March 2006, having being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2001. The film was premiered to much acclaim at the IMAX cinema in Glasgow and broadcast on BBC ALBA in autumn, 2016.

Tannadice 87, is an aspirational tale, rooted in popular culture, showcasing a snapshot of one of the most dynamic periods in the city of Dundee’s sporting history. The film, about Dundee United’s remarkable run to the UEFA Cup final in 1987, was premiered at the Dundee Contemporary Arts cinema, and broadcast on television on the 20th of May 2017.

Third Lanark is the inspirational and at times heartbreaking story of a club that, despite its previous successes, folded in 1967. Its narrative is deeply embedded in social and popular culture, as well as footballing history. The film was premiered at the GFT in early 2018 and was broadcast on BBC ALBA on the 27th January.

My feature-length documentary film about Tommy Burns was broadcast in autumn 2019 and went on to win the Royal Television Scotland award for best sport film. Produced ten years on from his death from cancer at just 51 years old, Tommy Burns’ daughters and sons looked back on the life and career of their beloved father, a much-revered player and manager of both Celtic and Kilmarnock.

My next film was also a feature-doc, this time about the brilliant Ukranian-Scottish tennis player Elena Baltacha. An empowering role model, talented Scottish tennis player Elena Baltacha was just 30 years old when she died from cancer in 2014. Her family, friends and coaches tell the story of her remarkable resilience to become British No.1 and achieve a top fifty world ranking, despite struggling with severe illness throughout her career. 

In spring 2020 my film, The Women Who Built Glasgow Citywas broadcast to wonderful reviews. It tells the story of Carol Anne Stewart and Laura Montgomery, the formidable duo who had a vision of creating opportunities for women and girls in Scotland. Denied opportunities in football as children they founded Glasgow City FC in 1998  with aspirations to become a dominant force in Scottish football and a strong contender in Europe. They delivered in spades!