BILLY'S WORLD CUPPY DREAM

Scotland star imagined feat during schoolboy kickabouts

- BY FRASER WILSON

HIS trademark touch and control were first mastered playing 'World Cuppy' on a public park in Ayrshire.

Doing it on the big stage of the real World Cup was always a figment of schoolboy Billy Gilmour's wild imagination.

But now, 15 years on from those days kicking around with his school pals 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 let himself 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?

Éspecially with Scotland positioned handily, level top of the qualifying group with Denmark, at the halfway stage.

The 24-year-old admits he was gutted to be left out of the starting XI 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 to impact the game 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.