Billy Gilmour – His Rise To The Top

@billygilmourrr, born 11/06/01, started his football journey playing for junior side Ardrossan Winton Rovers, a team founded in 1900 from Ardrossan, North Ayrshire. He attended Grange Academy in Kilmarnock - part of the SFA

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In 2009, Billy joined Scottish powerhouse, Rangers. He developed his career being a part of the Academy. Andy Goldie, the clubs Academy Director, described Billy as “brave, determined and had a real presence about him for a 10-year-old kid.

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Andy said “I remember the first game I watched him in was Rangers-Celtic at Lennoxtown and he scored a hat-trick of headers despite being the smallest on the pitch. I just thought ‘wow, we need to get him involved’ so he was part of the programme a year early”.

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Billy didn’t stop there. At 15 years old he made his debut with the u20 development squad in December 2016. Following that, Mark Warburton -the Rangers manager at the time - invited Billy to train and be involved with the First Team Squad a month later.

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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.

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Pedro Caixinha was announced as Rangers new manager following the sacking of Warburton. Caixinha was a big fan of Gilmour and described him as a player with a “bright future”. There was speculation that Chelsea were interested in signing Billy. 

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Former Manager Warburton warned Gilmour saying “Leave Rangers and you could be lost for six years”. Warburton’s words and Caixinha’s attempts in getting Billy to sign a new deal didn’t work. In May 2017, it was announced that 16 yr old Gilmour had signed for Chelsea.

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In September 2017, Billy made his debut for Chelsea’s under-18 squad against Arsenal in the Under-18 Premier League. A day to remember as he scored his first Chelsea goal. After turning 17 in July 2018, Billy signed his first professional contract with Chelsea.

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Former player now manager, Frank Lampard, handed the Scot his first senior debut on the 10th July 2019, making an appearance in a pre-season again Bohemians. A busy month for Billy as he made his Premier League debut on the 31st August against Sheffield United. 

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Gilmour continued to impress Lampard and was given his first start in a 7-1 win against Grimsby Town in the EFL Cup. Billy’s best performance to date came against Liverpool in the FA Cup tie on the 3rd March 2020, which earned him winning the Man Of The Match award. 

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Just one week later he did the exact same, helping Chelsea dispose of Everton in the Premier League - and again received the Man Of The Match award!

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Lampard has been so impressed with Gilmour that he admitted he “should have started Gilmour much sooner” and he was “too conservative”. Billy has even received praise from Roy Keane! Something the £89 million Paul Pogba hasn’t been able to achieve.

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