Summer 2021, Billy Gilmour says, was a dream come true. At the age of just 20, and in his first Scotland start, our June cover star – pick up the issue Tuesday or get early access by signing up to the MH Squad – helped his team claim a goalless draw against England at Wembley, a score that belies what was a special – and spirited – performance. In the years since, however, Gilmour’s had a trying time of it… to say the least.
After finding himself on loan at Norwich in a struggling team, he returned to a Chelsea in turmoil, before a move to Brighton & Hove Albion under manager Graham Potter, who then departed suddenly to take over at Chelsea… where Billy had just cleared his locker. It was unsettling for the young player, to say the least.
‘Things had been going so well and then I went on loan to Norwich, which I thought would be good for me,’ says Gilmour. ‘It turned out to be a fight, a battle. I learned a lot. At the time, I didn’t enjoy it on the pitch. It didn’t look like I was going back to play at Chelsea – when I was getting picked for Scotland, I wasn’t playing either – so I was just a young kid and it was a low time for me.’
But, proving that adversity can well and truly build resilience, Gilmour drew on his own mental reserves – as well as on those around him.
‘I had great people around me like Kenny McLean and Grant Hanley, who really helped me through. I learned how strong I was. I put a smile on my face, even though I was hurting, especially when I was living on my own in Norwich. Some nights I’d be sitting there thinking “this is crap”, but that’s where my family helped me. You can only learn from that.’
His more recent performances are testament to this mental strength: his career is back on track with an outstanding season at Brighton & Hove Albion and strong performances in Europe, earning plenty of praise for his efforts. He’s all set for a career-defining summer in Germany – and he’s still only 22.
