Harry McNeil had been born in 1850 at the family home in Shandon by today's Faslane so was already twenty-two when the touch-paper of Scottish football was lit in 1872. He was therefore a deal older than many of his footballing contemporaries and a combination of natural ability and his maturity soon brought him to the fore. A forward with a reputation for his astute passing he was in the team that won the first Scottish Cup Final in 1874. And he was there again the following year and the one after that. Meantime still in 1874 he had won his cap, in Scotland's first international win and  he had married. His bride was Glasgow-girl, Mary Cribbes. They were to have two children, a boy and a girl. 

Harry would continue to turn out for Queen's Park until 1884, so almost thirty-four years of age. He had won a third Scottish Cup in 1880 and his last cap in 1881, when he would also have won a fifth cup but for injury. He had also go into business with his brother, Peter, in 1881 both officially recorded as Glovers and Hosiers with premisesn the the city centre but in reality perhaps the first Sports Outfitters.