Billy Gilmour on why 'it's a great feeling to be Scottish' as national side target 42 year first

Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour sees no reason why the country shouldn’t now be targeting top spot in their Euro 2024 section.

Steve Clarke’s men became the first team from the nation to win their first four games in a qualifying phase for a major final by defeating Georgia 2-0 in Tuesday’s rain-affected Hampden fixture.

And this has left the Brighton man believing that picking up the four points from their remaining four Group A assignments to guarantee participation in next summer’s Germany finals should not be the limit of their ambitions.

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Scotland haven’t finished at the summit of a regulation qualifying group since Jock Stein’s team did that in late 1981 to book their place in the World Cup finals the following year.

Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour at full-time following the 2-0 win over Georgia at Hampden. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour at full-time following the 2-0 win over Georgia at Hampden. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)
Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour at full-time following the 2-0 win over Georgia at Hampden. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

Having already beaten all four Group A rivals Spain, Norway, Georgia and Cyprus this time around, Clarke’s men could not be better placed to bring up a feat last witnessed 42 years ago.

“We have started really well. We have to take each game as it comes but we want to win every game. So why not?” said Gilmour, who maintains “it’s possible” to win their section.

“We have a lot of quality but there is pressure in every game. I think there is more pressure playing for Scotland playing in massive games. [These are the ones on which you] will be judged, but every game so far [in Group A] we have put on good shows for the fans, winning and sending them home happy.

“We have a real togetherness and we show that when we take to the park. It comes from the manager, through the staff and down to us as players. It is a great feeling to be Scottish.

"We want to be in Germany and we can’t lie about that. We hope we can finish strongly and make sure we are there. There is a confidence among the boys and we know what we want to do. Everyone knows the aim. We have a good enough team.

"We have great players throughout the squad and we want it, there are no two ways about it.”

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