I thought I’d pulled off the transfer coup of the century for Glenafton when Billy Gilmour messaged me this week saying: "Alright gaffer, it’s your new signing!"
He’d asked if he could come in and train with us. He’s on holiday and just wanted to try and do a bit and I was more than happy. I was running the boys anyway and he joined in, so I just made sure it was extra hard for him. It's good for the boys and good for the club to see someone of that stature. He’s an amazing lad. For someone who’s only 21, a Champions League winner and playing regularly for Scotland, he’s brand new.
For our young boys who are trying to get into the SPFL, he’s someone round about the same age and just the way he handles himself as a guy, he’s a credit to his family and himself. We’re the two biggest Scottish Chelsea legends of the 21st century! I fancied myself as the number one but I don’t think anyone else does.
But seriously, making a move to a club like that as a teenager is extremely difficult. I should know. Having the right people around is important and he speaks about how much his dad has helped him.
To be honest, I probably didn’t cope with it, whereas he’s got the temperament, attitude and ability as a footballer to cope, which I totally didn’t have.
But the head he’s got on his shoulders for someone at 21. I said to Mark Roberts, my assistant, when we were 21 compared to him. The way he conducts himself as a man is first class.
He came into the changing room and introduced himself. I hadn’t told the boys he was coming and you could see them thinking: ‘That boy looks like Billy Gilmour!’
He came in and said “Hi I’m Billy” with no airs and graces and was absolutely brilliant with the guys, pushing them on in training when they were doing the running. It will have been a tough week for the Hearts boys too out in Spain, but Alan Forrest is absolutely killing me just now!
He scored those two goals in their friendly and I was watching the highlights going: “That wee b*****d’s going to end up being the best Hearts player from Ayrshire and I had that one!” Billy’s thrown me out as the best young kid in Ayrshire and now Alan’s seen me aside as the best Hearts player!
I played with him at Ayr and know him really well. He’s a good kid and I thought it was a fantastic move for Hearts and Alan. It’s only a friendly, but every game counts and every goal counts. That's your mentality, especially when you're just into a club and they were too really good goals.
“So he’s done well, although I was going to message him the other night and tell him just not to get ahead of himself!”
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