Norwich fans don’t understand the game if they think Gilmour isn’t trying
FIRST weekend of the season, I sat in the directors’ box at Norwich City for the game with Liverpool. In the front row were a little family, Norwich all the way. The mum was even in a smart, canary yellow trouser suit. Her son, however, had Chelsea winning the Champions League as the screensaver on his phone. ‘Good luck making a Norwich fan out of him,’ I thought. And then I overheard them speak. They were rather obviously Scottish. And it dawned. Here was Billy Gilmour’s family. Explains the accent, explains the screensaver. They were guests of Delia Smith, for Billy’s Norwich debut. And, for a season at least, Norwich fans. There they are on Carrie Gilmour’s social media feed. Dad in a Norwich shirt, mum in a Norwich shirt, even the lad with the Chelsea screensaver wearing yellow and green. Away at Arsenal, away at Manchester City, away at Newcastle. Like proper supporters. I thought of that family when some
Norwich fans took to telling Billy to ‘f*** off back to Chelsea’ this season; I remembered how invested they were in following his temporary club and how much it must now hurt to hear their son blamed for what is plainly a failing team. For while the locals may think Gilmour has not lived up to his billing, anyone who believes he is not trying his absolute hardest for at least three people in the main stand does not know football, or footballers or, indeed, human nature.