Billy Gilmour was always going to have to prove himself again at Chelsea. It was simply a matter of when. That's life for a player at a top club: there will always be pressure and expectation to live up to, doubters to convert into believers, and difficult periods to overcome.
That's certainly what the 2021/22 campaign was for Gilmour. He spent it on loan at Norwich City and struggled to have a major influence on performances as the Canaries became embroiled in yet another unsuccessful battle against relegation. That the 20-year-old became a scapegoat for the team's struggles was unfair, but it was character-forming.
"Yeah, it's been a tough season personally, but a lot of experience made," said the Chelsea academy graduate this week while on international duty with Scotland, who failed to secure their place at this year's World Cup after suffering a 3-1 defeat to Ukraine at Hampden Park.
