Billy Gilmour finds joy after World Cup heartbreak and baseball adventure

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Image caption, Billy Gilmour was Scotland’s star player against Slovenia

• Published1 hour ago

Billy Gilmour sits at Lesser Hampden, a beaming smile bursting across his face.

The topic of conversation is revolving around him missing the World Cup in the summer, something that could have been defined by harrowing disappointment and regret.

Instead, the Napoli midfielder’s face lights up when asked about a night at the baseball in Miami, where the injured Scotland ace was asked to hobble on to the field and hurl the ceremonial first pitch.

“I was nervous,” Gilmour tells BBC Scotland, recollecting the evening at the Miami Marlins against the Texas Rangers.

“I was just so happy it wasn’t a crap throw, or it was bouncing. It was some experience.”

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The maturity and level-headedness of the 25-year-old defies his years.

Just days before he was due to jet off to the United States with the Scotland squad for the first men’s World Cup the nation had experienced since before he was born, a crushing blow.

In the farewell game at Hampden against Curacao, he suffered a knee injury that would mean he was left behind. While a body blow to Steve Clarke, his squad and the country, it would have been devastating to a young man with the world stage at his feet.

He admits those initial days were difficult as reality set in, but Gilmour seized the chance to become a supporter across Boston and Miami with his family around him.

“The boys fell on top of me and I’ve heard something straight away,” he said of the injury. “Typical, try to run it off, make sure it was okay.

“It was tough. You have to take yourself away for a couple of days and I did.

“I got to go away for a bit, just kind of switch off and it happened, so I had to deal with it. When you’re there around the squad, you try to be as best as you can, as positive as you can.

“When you think of it, how lucky you still are to get to go there and watch the games and be with family and family holiday also.”

Gilmour added: “I would be with the team some nights, but the squad and Robbo [captain Andy Robertson] and the gaffer, Steve Clarke, at the time, he basically said: ‘Look, if it’s too much to come in, don’t come in. Stay as much time with the family. Go and experience it with the fans’.”

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Image caption,

Billy Gilmour made a guest appearance with Miami Marlins

Senior figure and future Scotland captain?

Gilmour was still in Miami when news broke of Clarke’s resignation as Scotland head coach. He’s a man the Napoli midfielder acknowledges he owes so much to after giving him his debut in 2001.

Now, however, it’s the Sebastien Pocognoli era and the former Rangers, Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion man seems central to it.

In the 0-0 draw in Slovenia on Saturday, it was Gilmour who caught the attention during a resurgent second half for the Scots.

He is often seen as more of a deep-lying central midfielder, but there was a different dynamic to his game with the absence of club-mate Scott McTominay, who is recovering from a heart procedure.

“When I was younger, I really liked playing higher up, trying to be among it,” Gilmour, who is set to feature at Hampden on Tuesday against Switzerland – live on the BBC, said.

“Whenever I get asked to play on the pitch, as long as I’m on the pitch, I’m happy. I just want to play football and enjoy it.”

Now 25, there is plenty time to make new memories in a Scotland shirt. Yet, with so many young faces coming into the squad, the Ayrshire man is probably now a senior figure in the group.

It’s something he says he embraces, although Gilmour is coy about the prospect of maybe taking on the armband whenever current captain Robertson decides to pass it on.

“For me, it’s everyone’s dream to be a captain at a club or a country,” he said.

“Of course I’d be really proud to, but Robbo’s my captain and he’s a really good captain as well.

“What he’s done for Scotland is incredible and he’s very close on the record [most caps held by Kenny Dalglish] and I’m sure he’ll get it.”

You can watch the full interview with Billy Gilmour on the BBC Scottish Football YouTube channel HERE, external