Billy Gilmour sits at Lesser Hampden, a beaming smile bursting across his face. The topic of conversation is revolving around him missing the World Cup in the summer, something that could have been defined by harrowing disappointment and regret. Instead, the Napoli midfielder's face lights up when asked about a night at the baseball in Miami, where the injured Scotland ace was asked to hobble on to the field and hurl the ceremonial first pitch.
"I was nervous," Gilmour tells BBC Scotland, recollecting the evening at the Miami Marlins against the Texas Rangers. "I was just so happy it wasn't a crap throw, or it was bouncing. It was some experience." How Manzambi became one of Europe's best young talents Listen: Can Scotland shock the Swiss at Hampden?
Pocognoli has no concern over Scotland's lack of goals The maturity and level-headedness of the 25-year-old defies his years. Just days before he was due to jet off to the United States with the Scotland squad for the first men's World Cup the nation had experienced since before he was born, a crushing blow. In the farewell game at Hampden against Curacao, he suffered a knee injury that would mean he was left behind.
While a body blow to Steve Clarke, his squad and the country, it would have been devastating to a young man with the world stage at his feet. He admits those initial days were difficult as reality set in, but Gilmour seized the chance to become a supporter across Boston and Miami with his family around him. "The boys fell on top of me and I've heard something straight away," he said of the injury.
"Typical, try to run it off, make sure it was okay. You have to take yourself away for a couple of days and I did. "I got to go away for a bit, just kind of switch off and it happened, so I had to deal with it.
When you're there around the squad, you try to be as best as you can, as positive as you can. "When you think of it, how lucky you still are to get to go there and watch the games and be with family and family holiday also." Gilmour added: "I would be with the team some nights, but the squad and Robbo [captain Andy Robertson] and the gaffer, Steve Clarke, at the time, he basically said: 'Look, if it's too much to come in, don't come in. Stay as much time with the family.
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