"I feel like I've grown in confidence game-by-game" - Midfielder Gilmour on his role, Town's season and his future

The 24-year-old feature predominantly as a winger for Town in his first year at the club last term, starting regularly over the first-half of the campaign but finding it tougher to hold down a regular spot later in the season.

But Gilmour's importance to the team has grown this season, with the midfielder improving as the campaign has progressed.

And he says he is relishing his role in central midfield.

"I've really enjoyed it, at the start of the year I didn't think that was the idea, I think I was going to play more as a 10 or in the position I played last year," he told the Courier.

"But I've moved back into centre mid, which is where I played when I was younger and played for the under 18s, and I've found it a lot better and I feel like I've grow in confidence game-by-game."

Comparing the two roles, Gilmour said: "On the wing, I'm not really a quick player as it is, I can only be as good as the team, especially in that position.

"When we're getting penned in I think it's hard for me in that position, but in centre mid I feel like I can do a lot more for the team.

"Playing on the wing, you're playing in small spaces, coming into the pockets last year, the way we were playing.

"But in centre mid you get a bit more licence to go more, but there's obviously more defensive work than what I was doing as a winger.

"I've enjoyed it, I think I enjoy it more playing centre mid than on the wing, even though I did really enjoy my time there last year with Billy, Slewy and Warby up there with me.

"This year, I feel a lot more comfortable."

So much so that Gilmour's days as a winger seem to be behind him for good.

"The gaffer's put that to me very directly that he's looking at me as a centre midfielder now, I don't think I'll be playing on the wing again!," he said.

"Or in the 10 either, with the likes of Warby back in now I think we're very strong in that position, and with Cookie as well."

Gilmour has helped plug the gap left in recent weeks by the absence of Luke Summerfield, usually Town's creative director in the centre of the pitch.

"I feel like I thrive off that," said Gilmour on the responsibility of playing in central midfield.

"With how we play, a lot of it comes through central midfield.

"I saw Summers and Woodsy do it last year and with how much of an impact Summers has had this year, I wanted to try and do the same.

"He's been there for a few years now, he's had a great career and I think he's the best one to go to for advice, especially playing the same position as him.

"He's very easy to talk to and I can ask questions about how we play and how we feel we should be playing."

Gilmour's central role is not just positional, but also highlighted by the fact he has started more league games than any other outfield player at the club this season.

"Last year I didn't feel as much of a part of the team," he said, "I was coming in and out throughout the year and I didn't feel as important a part of the team.

"But this year, I think I've played every game but I've not started four, and I feel like that's a big complement to me and thanks to the gaffer for letting me have all those opportunities.

"I feel like a lot stronger this year than I was last year."

When asked where he feels he has developed most in his time at The Shay, Gilmour said: "Probably leadership. I'm only 24, but I feel like I'm quite a big leader on the pitch.

"Because we've got such a young team, I feel like there's quite a lt of us that need to step up to being a leader.

"Jesse's been skipper, although he's young. On Saturday, I think there was only Mani and Sam Johnson who were older than me, so it's a big thing, especially playing centre midfield as well.

"But I've adapted to that well."

Gilmour described Town's season as "inconsistent" but he feels more positive about the team's mini upturn in form.

"The first part of the season, terrible, I feel like we weren't gelling as a group, we weren't playing the football we wanted to play, especially looking at last year," he said.

"Then we went on that spell when I don't think we lost in about eight or something, so it picked up in the middle of the season, and then around Christmas time we were getting folded by teams, especially teams who, from last year, you wouldn't think would do that.

"But in the past couple of weeks it's been a lot better, a lot more structure to the team, we're grinding out results.

"I think the momentum's with us at the minute.

"I feel like us doing well in the FA Trophy has been a big thing for us, helped us get that confidence going into league games.

"We had a tough game away at Gateshead, and I feel like if that was played at the start of the season, we'd probably lose that game.

"The first-half was poor but the second-half was a lot better, we had a lot of chances and probably deserved to win in the end.

"I think we needed the Wealdstone win, where we took our chances really well and looked very brutal in-front of goal.

"But the last nine or ten games left will be massive, we need to finish this season well."

When asked what finishing the season well would look like for Town, Gilmour said: "It would be getting into that FA Trophy final, performing well and getting into a good position in the league.

"We're 16th at the minute but I don't think we're a 16th team, I think we should definitely be in the top-half.

"Just try to play well these last 10 games and give a really good account of ourselves."

Gilmour insists the Town squad should take their share of the blame for Town's underwhelming season and it shouldn't all be piled on manager Chris Millington's shoulders.

"He's great, he was the reason I stayed really," Gilmour said of the Halifax boss.

"When he rang me in the summer and I found out he was going to be the gaffer, I thought it was a no-brainer for me.

"He's really easy to get on with, for me he's first of all just a friend more than a coach.

"We've had some tough times but he can't take all the responsibility, it's us out on the pitch and we haven't been performing, but I feel like we've picked up recently."

Gilmour is out-of-contract at the end of the season, but would like to extend his stay at the club.

"I hope so, yeah," he said.

"It's a long summer so I'll have to speak to the gaffer and see what he wants for next year.

"But it's a great group of lads that I've enjoyed my last two years with."