BONNIE PRINCE BILLY

Gilmour's Finals ambition has been 15 years in the making

- BY FRASER WILSON

THE trademark touch and control of a football was first mastered playing ‘World Cuppy’ on a public park in Ayrshire.

Doing it on the big stage of a real World Cup was always a figment of schoolboys’ wild imaginations for Billy Gilmour and his mates.

But now, 15 years on from those early days kicking around in Stevenston and having swapped North Ayrshire for Naples, the midfielder senses that dream might just be about to become a reality.

Gilmour won't allow himself to get too carried away, of course. But having already pocketed a Serie A winner's medal with Napoli this year, who could blame him for believing anything is possible?

Especially with Scotland positioned neatly level top of the qualifying group at the halfway stage.

The 24-year-old admits he was gutted to be left out of the starting side for Thursday's 3-1 win over Greece.

It’s not the first time he’s not started a game of huge significance.

But having taken time to digest the news and get his head back in the game, Gilmour took his place on the bench and made sure he was primed when the call came.

When it did, with Scotland severely on the back foot after an hour, he proved exactly why he is the go-to man when Scotland need to wrestle control of a match.