Spanish superstar Juan Mata has been in the headlines this week as he completed an over £37Million move from Chelsea to Manchester United and made his Old Trafford debut against Cardiff City.
Closer to home a former opponent of Mata’s, Ayr United’s Brian Gilmour is still chuckling at being asked if he meant to do something on the football pitch that Mata has still to emulate.
Gilmour said: “I played against Juan Mata back in 2006 with Scotland under-19’s in the Final of the European Championships. I came on as a substitute and that seems a very long time ago, and I suppose in a footballing sense it is, but it is a great memory especially when you consider who was all playing.”
“Gerard Pique, Pedro and Javi Garcia have all went on to do really well for Spain and a few of our boys have gone on to be full internationalists. Graham Dorrans, Robert Snodgrass, Steven Fletcher and Lee Wallace have all played for Scotland and Mark Reynolds is doing well with Aberdeen.”
Gilmour is not alone from that Scotland pool in playing in League 1 as he explained: “Other boys are still about the place and Greg Cameron is with Brechin City now however he was not playing against Ayr at Somerset Park the other weekend. It would have been good to see him again as well.”
The now 26-year-old took steps to ensure that he remained in the squad that played in the under-20 World Cup that was played the next year as he explained: “I was with Rangers at the time of the tournament and made it on to the bench with the first team a few times. I wanted to play and saw my Scotland team-mates playing at other clubs like Hearts and Hibs and I wanted some of that action.”
“I wanted to make sure I got to the under-20 World Cup Finals in Canada and to do that I had to get regular first team games. That was not going to happen at Rangers so I went on loan to Clyde.”
The move worked as Gilmour spent the summer in North America and he remains glad of his time at Broadwood as he explained: “I had not played first team football apart from friendlies when I went To Clyde so I enjoyed getting game time there. It was when Clyde were in the First Division and Joe Miller was the manager. It was a big change from sitting on the bench due to the under-21 rule and not really getting involved.”
“After my time at Clyde and the finals in Canada I moved on to Queen of the South and it was a good time to be there. I was part of the squad that reached the 2008 Scottish Cup Final against Rangers.”
“All in all I played over 20 games for Queen’s but I was not involved at Hampden and that was disappointing.
Gilmour left Palmerston after the Cup Final that Rangers won 3-2 and like the rest of the Doonhamers he headed for Europe as well.
“Right after the game I had an offer from a club in Finland to go and play there,” said Gilmour before adding: “It was a good offer and I could not turn it down. They were playing in the UEFA Cup and that was a big factor in going there.”
“I had a couple of seasons over there and after that I moved to England and signed for Lincoln City when Chris Sutton was the manager. I really enjoyed it however discussions over a second year stalled and I never got my contract extended for a second year which was disappointing.”
After a few months out of the game Gilmour had a brief stop at Ochilview as he explained: “I came back home and played for Stenhousemuir for a short period of time. I knew their assistant manager Kevin McGoldrick and he got me in there for a couple of months ahead of my next adventure in Iceland.”
“I went out there in May 2011 and to be honest I pretty much knew what to expect after my time in Finland. In Iceland it was a really good way of life and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. The football and the people were decent and I stayed for two seasons.”
Gilmour played with Knattspyrnufélag Akureyrar in Iceland’s second top division and that satisfied his wandering days as he explained: “At the end of that second season last autumn I decided it was time to come home and it give playing football here another crack. Apart from that short spell at Stenhousemuir I had been away from football in Scotland for over 5 years. I wanted to get back and get settled.”
Ayr was the perfect choice with Gilmour adding: “I am from Cumnock and I have a house in Ayr so it was an easy decision to make. I knew the manager Mark Roberts and his assistant David White and when they got in touch saying to come in and start training with them I was pleased to be involved again.”
“I was not totally sure how long I would be there but Ayr they gave me a 6 week contract until January with the promise at looking at things when the transfer window opened in January. A couple of weeks ago I was delighted when they asked me to stay for longer as I have loved being at the club.”
Gilmour will be at home for the next 18 months working and playing and he said: “I am now signed on until the end of next season and I am also working within the Ayr United Academy. Michael Donald and Michael Moffat are also working there and I am thoroughly enjoying coaching the kids that come in and play there.”
“It is the first ever time in my career that I have been part-time. I was wondering what I was going to do for a job and thankfully this turned up.”
Whilst three Honest Men may work at their Academy only one of them can tell the attendees that he has scored from his own half this season and that feat is the one that had Gilmour chuckling.
Gilmour said: “I get asked about that goal against Dunfermline a lot. I had a wee check to see if a goalkeeper is off his line. He was and I thought why not.”
“I have tried it a few times and whilst it does not always come off it came off in that game and it did once in Iceland as well. That one was a couple of years ago and just inside the opponents half – that was the 45 years out as opposed to about 55 yards out.”
Gilmour’s goal brought plenty of attention and of course question with the midfielder saying: “The best question I was asked was if I meant it. I not sure what they thought I was doing if I was not going for goal.”
Ayr have had mixed results this season however they have consistently been a top four side and Gilmour is hoping that will remain the case as he explained: “The target is the play-offs as it was when I started in October. Nothing has changed and whilst our form has been inconsistent we have always remained in a play-off place.”
“We have dropped points but you have to move on from that. We have a good squad and are a confident bunch and the minimum we are after is challenging for a play-off place but there are a lot of teams in this league saying that.”
The next challenge comes against Arbroath this weekend and the Somerset Park side are taking nothing for granted as Gilmour explained: “Arbroath despite being second bottom will be a tough game. They lost 3-2 at Ibrox last weekend and by all accounts were a bit unlucky.”
“We played Airdrie who are at the bottom just now a couple of weeks ago and won 3-0 but we had to be patient that days to get goals.”
So will Gayfield in early February bring back memories of playing in Iceland Gilmour was asked and he said: “To be honest the worst weather I have played in is in Scotland. It was in the game I scored in against Dunfermline and whilst I enjoyed my goal the game should not have been played due to the wind and the rain. What a welcome home that was.”
“It is a summer league in Finland and Iceland and that makes a difference. The pitches are heavy during pre-season but we don’t use them much them as all the training is indoors. There is only one artificial pitch as the grass ones all have undersoil heating.”
“You can play with snow surrounding the pitch in May but the pitch will be okay. I don’t mind the artificial pitches here they are a good way forward for part-time clubs.”
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