Billy Gilmour left for Boston with his family to support Scotland at the World Cup. He had been dropped off at the airport and sat in the lounge eating breakfast before passing through security, a small detail that fit the bigger picture: Scotland were in Boston getting ready for the Haiti match while the squad dealt with fitness and illness concerns.
Kenny McLean and 17
Kenny McLean had told people Gilmour was “only 17,” a line that captured how young he still looked even as he moved into a more visible role around the group. The trip took him away from the team camp, but it kept him tied to the Scotland setup in the one place that mattered most for the tournament picture, Boston.
Scott McTominay’s stomach bug
The move came against a background of disruption. Scott McTominay had been unable to train because of a stomach bug and travelled on his own, while Steve Clarke had called off a bounce game with Norway a few days before it was due to happen in America. That combination left Scotland making smaller decisions around the squad rather than adding extra work.
Before leaving, Gilmour had also run his rule over the possible starting line-up for Scotland against Haiti. Scotland then beat Haiti 3 points to 0, and the schedule moved on to Morocco first and then Brazil, which kept the focus on getting bodies ready rather than looking far ahead.
Boston before Morocco
For supporters, the practical takeaway is simple: Gilmour went to Boston as part of the Scotland support group, not as a detached onlooker. Whether Billy Gilmour stayed in Boston or later returned to Scotland is not answered, but his departure came at the same moment the squad were managing load, illness, and the next World Cup step in front of them.
