Billy Gilmour (footballer)

Billy Gilmour
Personal information
Full name Billy Clifford Gilmour[1]
Date of birth (2001-06-11) 11 June 2001
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Chelsea
Number 60
Youth career
Years Team
2009–2017 Rangers
2017– Chelsea
National team‡
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017 Scotland U16
2017–2018 Scotland U17 7 (2)
2018– Scotland U21 6 (1)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 10 October 2018 (UTC)

Billy Clifford Gilmour (born 11 June 2001) is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Chelsea, where he is a member of the under-18 squad. He was previously with Rangers, where he developed through the club's academy and trained with the first team squad at the age of 15. He joined Chelsea in 2017 after turning down a professional contract with Rangers. He has represented Scotland at under-16, under-17 and under-21 levels.

Early life

Gilmour was born on 11 June 2001 in Glasgow and grew up in Ardrossan, North Ayrshire. His father served in the Royal Navy and played junior football for Ardrossan Winton Rovers. Gilmour attended Stanley Primary School in Ardrossan and Grange Academy in Kilmarnock, where he was part of the Scottish Football Association (SFA) Performance School programme.[2]

Playing career

Club

Gilmour developed his career as part of the Rangers Academy. His progress saw him fast-tracked towards the first team, making his debut for the under-20 development team in December 2016 at the age of 15 and being invited to train with the first team squad the following month by manager Mark Warburton.[3][4] Gilmour was given a squad number and, following Warburton's departure from the club, was twice included in the provisional squad for Scottish Cup matches by Rangers caretaker manager Graeme Murty, who said the player had been "very, very close" to becoming the club's youngest debutant.[5]

The next Rangers manager, Pedro Caixinha, described Gilmour as a player with a "bright future" and held talks with the player's family in an attempt to persuade him to stay with the club.[6][7] Rangers, however, announced in May 2017 that they had reached an agreement for Gilmour to join Chelsea for a "significant fee".[8] Reports suggested that Chelsea would pay an initial development fee of around £500,000, with potential further payments dependent on his progress.[9] SFA Performance Director Malky Mackay had advised Gilmour and his family that he should stay at Rangers, as he would have had more chance of gaining first team experience. Mackay said, "I really hope he goes out on loan quickly to someone and keeps progressing".[10]

Gilmour became officially contracted to Chelsea in July 2017, following his 16th birthday.[11] He joined the club's under-18 squad, making a goalscoring debut in an Under-18 Premier League match against Arsenal during September 2017,[12] and going on to score in each of his first three appearances.[13] In July 2018, after turning 17, Gilmour signed his first professional contract with Chelsea.[14]

International

Gilmour was selected in the Scotland under-16 squad for the 2016 Victory Shield tournament.[15] He made his Scotland under-17 debut against Italy in August 2017, and scored his first international goal in a 2–1 defeat against England two days later.[16][17]

He made his under-21 debut in the 2018 Toulon Tournament, in a 1–0 win against France,[18] going on to win the "Revelation of the Tournament" after helping Scotland to a fourth-placed finish.[19]

References

  1. ↑ "Updated squads for 2017/18 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  2. ↑ Rowland, Andrew (17 August 2017). "Chelsea Dreams". Ayrshire Magazine. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  3. ↑ Bairner, Robin (9 May 2017). "Meet Rangers wonderkid Billy Gilmour: The starlet Chelsea have beaten Arsenal and Manchester United to". Goal.com. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  4. ↑ "Billy Gilmour shares his delight after training with Rangers first team squad". Daily Record. Glasgow. 25 January 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  5. ↑ Nathan, Fred (9 May 2017). "Who is Billy Gilmour? 15-year-old midfielder signed by Chelsea from Rangers - all you need to know". The Sun. London. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  6. ↑ Newport, Andy (30 March 2017). "Caixinha reveals he's met Billy Gilmour's parents in bid to keep ace at Rangers". Daily Record. Glasgow. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  7. ↑ "Gilmour set for Chelsea move - unless Gers succeed in last-ditch talks". The Independent. London. 30 March 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  8. ↑ "Rangers: Youth prospect Billy Gilmour opts for summer switch to Chelsea". BBC Sport. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  9. ↑ Yew, Oliver (10 May 2017). "Who is Chelsea new-boy Billy Gilmour?". Sky Sports. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  10. ↑ "Malky Mackay: 'Billy Gilmour could have emulated Barry Ferguson at Rangers'". BBC Sport. 14 August 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  11. ↑ Amako, Uche (4 July 2017). "Billy Gilmour signs Chelsea contract two months after agreeing to leave Rangers". Daily Express. London. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  12. ↑ Forbes, Craig (11 September 2017). "Billy Gilmour impresses in goalscoring Chelsea debut". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  13. ↑ McDougall, Mark (30 September 2017). "Former Rangers kid Billy Gilmour scores third goal in three games for Chelsea". Daily Record. Glasgow. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  14. ↑ "Billy Gilmour: Former Rangers youth signs first professional contract at Chelsea". BBC Sport. 5 July 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  15. ↑ "Under-16 Victory Shield squad announced". Scottish FA. 20 October 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  16. ↑ "Billy Gilmour - U17 squad matches". Scottish FA. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  17. ↑ "Ex-Rangers wonderkid Billy Gilmour scores as Scotland U17s are beaten by England". Daily Record. Glasgow. 20 August 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  18. ↑ "Scotland stun hosts France to record Toulon win". Scottish Football Association. 30 May 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  19. ↑ "Individual awards for Billy Gilmour and Michael Johnston seal successful Toulon trip". Scottish Football Association. 10 June 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
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