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      Scotland star working on property empire after snapping up homes on Ayrshire street sharing his name

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      SCOTLAND star Billy Gilmour is laying the foundations for a property empire after snapping up homes on a street sharing his name.The Tartan Army favourite, 22, has bought neighbouring semis in a road called Gilmour Wynd just miles from where he grew up, we can reveal.
      Scotland hero Billy Gilmour bought two neighbouring properties.
      Gilmour Wynd
      We told how entrepreneurial Billy set up a company to do up homes and sell them on at a profit like on TV’s Homes Under The Hammer — and now it boasts homes bearing his surname in Stevenston, Ayrshire.
      Last night a source said: “Legendary footballers often have streets or places named after them but Billy has adopted homes in a street already bearing his famous moniker.
      “He’s often a step ahead of the game. Maybe they’ll officially name a street after him if he takes Scotland to European Championship glory in Germany next year.”
      Billy, of nearby Ardrossan, set up BGil Property with dad William, 43. Records show it now has assets of £345,100.

      His management consultancy company BGil Image Ltd, founded when he was just 16, has assets of £455,718.
      Billy and dad William are listed as directors.
      Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Billy was lauded for his display in Scotland’s 2-0 victory over Georgia last month.
      The lads are on the brink of reaching Euro 2024 after four qualifying group wins out of four.
      Most read in Football
      The former Rangers youth ace is not the only Scotland player past or present with property links.
      In 2019 Billy Bremner Way in Stirling was named after the legendary Leeds United hardman, who was born in the town.
      After Scotland qualified for Euro 2020, supporter David Little, from Glasgow, found a street matching the names of every player in the squad then travelled to each one to take selfies.
      Last year a new 4G football pitch at Our Lady’s High in Motherwell was dedicated to former pupil Billy McNeill, who captained Celtic to European Cup glory in 1967.
      We pay for your stories and videos! Do you have a story or video for The Scottish Sun? Email us at scoop@thesun.co.uk or call 0141 420 5200 More

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      We live in shadow of a Premier League stadium…it’s so noisy houses shake & we’re cut off from our homes on match days

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      RESIDENTS living in the shadow of a Premier League stadium say it’s so noisy that their houses shake.Home to newly-promoted Luton Town FC, Kenilworth Road is now buzzing with builders working to bring the 120-year-old ground up to Prem standards.
      Kenilworth Road is home to Luton Town FCCredit: Splash
      Builders are hastily bringing the ground up to Premier League standardCredit: Splash
      But locals in the area around the stadium said they are paying the price for the club’s success – and will be cut off from their home by police road closures on match days.
      Fuming resident Abdul, 50, lives yards away from the site of a new £10million stand.
      The street outside his home has already been closed to traffic for two full days this week so heavy construction lorries can access the football ground – and it is due to close again tomorrow.
      Abdul told how his whole kitchen shook when piledrivers were used to put in new foundations at the ground.
      Read More Football
      He said: “It made my cutlery drawer rattle. Sometimes they started work at 6am, but after we complained they’re not starting until 8.
      “We are treated as second class citizens.
      “They don’t even give us any notice that they’re closing the street.
      “They just stick up a sign up at teatime saying it will be closed the following day.
      Most read in Football
      “We pay between £60 and £100 for residents’ permits to park here. You can bet we won’t get a rebate.”
      Sacks of rubbish have been left festering on the pavement because binmen have been unable to drive down the street.
      Neighbour Jillur Rahman, 40, said: “The council don’t care. They disregard the need of residents and there’s no consultation.
      “They just come along about 5pm and stick up signs saying parking will be banned the following day. There’s no advance warning.
      “We buy permits so we can park outside our homes and then we find that we can’t. So what are we supposed to do?
      “My wife and I have already been fined more than £100 because we parked in the wrong place, and nobody seems to care.
      “This is the most deprived part of Luton so we get picked on. The council wouldn’t dream of doing this in other areas of the town.”
      PARKING MAD
      Mum-of-five Prvin Begum, who has lived in Beech Road for 42 years, said: “I don’t watch football, but I think it is brilliant that Luton have been promoted to the Premier League.
      “It’s bound to be good for the town. Of course, it’ll probably get a bit rowdy on match days.
      “But apart from the parking – which is always a problem – I think it will be fine.”
      Harry Hussain, 38, who runs a nearby grocery shop, said: “It’s exciting for the team to be back in the Premier League when 10 years ago they were in the National League.
       But I don’t know what fans from big clubs such as Manchester City and Liverpool will think when they see Kenilworth Road.
      “They’ll be like this must be a mistake!”
      Lifelong local Mohammed Ahmed said: “Despite living so near to the ground, I don’t really watch football.
      “But we can hear everything going on in the match from our living room. So maybe I’ll start supporting them next season.”
      Warehouse operative Shah Noor, 39, of Beech Road, said: “I work at night and it can be a bit difficult getting to sleep while the construction work.
       “The crowd noise at evening matches can be a bit of a problem too, especially as we have a 19-month-old baby.
      Read More on The Sun
      “But I’m a Luton supporter – so I’m very excited about their promotion.”
      Luton Borough Council has been contacted for comment.
      Parking permits around the ground cost up to £100Credit: Splash More

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      I live next to world’s oldest football stadium – there are crazy benefits but I often get soaked when I sit in my garden

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      IT is thought to be the oldest professional football ground in the world.And residents living next to Mansfield Town’s One Call Stadium are having a ball – even if it means one occasionally lands in their garden.
      Mandy Colley, 49, whose house is next to the away supporters stand of Mansfield Town’s football groundCredit: Raymonds Press
      One Call Stadium – known by fans as the Field Mill – is thought to be the oldest professional football ground in the world
      In the heart of the Nottinghamshire town’s former mining community, the historic ground – formerly known as the Field Mill and dating back as far as 1850 – is slapped bang in the middle of tightly-packed Victorian housing.
      It means that on match days, locals can hear 6,000 fans celebrating a goal from their back yard – and face the double threat of rogue balls and water from the pitch sprinklers ruining sunbathing sessions.

      But there are also unique benefits, including free match tickets in seasons past and the annual spectacle of a dazzling fireworks display.
      As part of our summer series, Life’s a Pitch, which looks at life next to Britain’s weirdest and most wonderful stadiums, we took a trip down to the League Two side’s home turf.
      Read More in Sport
      Tracey Anne Pepper, 56, lives on Lord Street, where houses back on to one side of the One Call.
      The resident of 30 years says: “I absolutely love living here. We are quite lucky because although we are right next to the ground, we don’t get big crowds of people walking up here.
      “But on most match days you will get a handful of away fans wandering around looking a bit lost as they think they will be able to get in.
      “It’s also fun when balls come over during a match. They bounce down the road and people have been known to grab them before anyone comes around to collect them then pretend they didn’t see anything.
      Most read in Football
      Tracey Anne Pepper, 56, says you used to get a free match ticket if a ball landed in your gardenCredit: Raymonds Press
      The 6,000 seater ground overlooks Victorian terracesCredit: Raymonds Press
      “In the past you used to get a free match ticket if you handed back a match ball, but that ended a while ago.
      “But the best thing is probably the atmosphere. If you are a Mansfield fan like me it’s great when you hear a goal go in. The roar is so loud and it really lifts you. You don’t even need to check on your phone or the radio if there has been a goal.”
      Last season Mansfield Town finished eighth in League Two, narrowly missing the play-offs, which would have given them the chance of getting promoted.
      The Stags’ only cup win came when they lifted the English Football League trophy back in 1987, but their loyal fanbase has stuck with them through thick and thin, with a record 5,000 season tickets sold ahead of the upcoming season.
      ‘Like it’s raining’
      Mandy Connolly, 49, lives right next to the ground, and her back garden is just 30 yards from the away stand, with just a fence separating them.
      She’s so close that the pitch sprinklers reach her garden – ruining sunbathing sessions.
      Mandy said: “If you’re not into football, I can see that it might be a bit annoying. But I like it – although I am a Leicester City fan, not Mansfield – so I find living here really interesting.
      “There are loads of funny little things you get when your house is next to a football ground. I can sit in my garden and see the fans in the away end leaping up and down if they score.
      “I have been here six years and had four balls in my garden in that time. Any that aren’t collected I give to local kids, which absolutely delights them.
      “When they water the pitch with the sprinklers it comes into my garden – sometimes it’s like it’s raining, and I have to get my washing in off the line.
      “The pitch is also used as a helipad at times, which must be the owner flying in and out. It’s fascinating to watch the helicopters as they land and take off.
      “And we get a free firework display every bonfire night as the club always hosts a really spectacular one.”
      The cul-de-sac means fans don’t crowd the roads on match days, although you still see the floodlightsCredit: Raymonds Press
      An annual fireworks display divides residentsCredit: mansfieldtownfc/twitter
      While parking can be an issue for those living close to other stadiums on match days, Mansfield locals insist it’s not a problem.
      Lord Street is a cul-de-sac, meaning there is no entrance to the stadium, and since it is so close to the town centre, the council has imposed a residents-only permit system.
      Hotel worker Lesleigh Butler, 36, said: “I’ve been here seven years and have never had a problem.
      When they water the pitch with the sprinklers it comes into my garden – sometimes it’s like it’s raining, and I have to get my washing in off the lineMandy Connolly, local resident
      “The only thing I actually don’t like is the firework display, because the street is left covered in firework casings.
      “Other than that the atmosphere is good and if Mansfield are doing well in the league or cup there is a good feeling on the street because you all feel part of it, living so close.
      “So really we have a lot of the benefits of living next to a stadium, without the negatives like traffic, crowds or litter.
      “A few years ago they were talking about buying up all the houses at the top end of the street so they could redevelop the Bishop Street Stand – but that seems to have gone quiet.
      “A lot of them are owned by people who have been here for years though – which shows it is a nice place to live.”
      Mandy Tolley, 52, works in the Sandy Pate sports bar at the ground.
      Read More on The Sun
      She said: “It’s perfect for me because I can roll out of bed and get straight to work.
      “I’m not a Mansfield fan – you have supporters of all different teams living on this street. But everyone gets on, and overall it’s a pretty happy place.” More

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      Football star, 20, found dead at home as tributes pour in for ‘amazing’ player who ‘had a bright future’

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      A STAR football player has been found dead in her home with tributes pouring in for the “amazing” player.Thalia Chaverria was a junior at New Mexico State University when she was found in her Bakersfield, California home on Monday.
      She helped lead her team to their first conference win in historyCredit: nmstatewsoc instagram
      She had just turned 20 when she diedCredit: nmstatewsoc instagram
      The Las Cruces Police Department have said the death is not thought to be suspicious at this time.
      Tributes have poured in for the gifted young woman.
      Mario Moccia, the director of athletics at NMS, said: “Yesterday, we lost an amazing young woman, and we are deeply saddened by the untimely passing of a member of our Aggie family.
      “Thalia had a vibrant personality and those who were fortunate enough to spend time with her knew she had a bright future ahead of her.”
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      Thalia helped the football team earn its first conference title in history, friends said.
      She starred in 20 games and was entering her third season as a defender for the Aggies.
      Head coach Rob Baarts said: “The sudden loss of Thalia has completely rocked our Aggie soccer families’ world.
      “She was an inspiration and rock to this team. She will be missed but not forgotten.
      Most read in Football
      “Her spirit will be with us everyday, on and off the pitch. I will always love you T!”
      The star football player was found in her homeCredit: nmstatewsoc instagram More

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      We live in shadow of major stadium – we were promised a dream but it’s one of UK’s poorest areas & is covered in dust

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      PEOPLE living in the shadow of a major stadium say they were promised a dream but received a nightmare in one of the UK’s poorest areas.Residents of Newham, East London, around the Olympic Park say the whole place is covered in dust from disruptive building works while crime and poverty run rampant.
      Residents around the Olympic Park in Newham, East London, say they were sold a dream that never materialised.Credit: Getty
      After the London Olympics, there were plans for the area around the park, which hosts West Ham, would be redeveloped into affordable housing and a thriving community hub.
      But only 11% of the 13,000 homes since the area won the bid to host the 2012 games are within the price range of those earning the local average.
      Local resident Muni told MyLondon: “I’m sure there would be more young adults living around here but it is difficult.
      “Even affordable housing is not affordable which is a shame for younger people.”
      READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
      She added that she still struggles with dust from the construction site in her home.
      Muni fumed: “I hoover up and sweep up but two days later it’s back, it’s scary and very frightening.
      “You spend your days trying to keep your place clean.
      “For children who have asthma and allergies, it’s a nightmare.”
      Most read in Football
      Others point to issues with crime, while claiming that the nearby Westfield shopping centre has hurt local businesses.
      Perfume seller Hisam Shaikh said: “Those who can’t afford to go to Westfield come here.
      “Security has gone worse. The crime rate has gone up.
      “People just walk out of Poundland with stuff.”
      For binman David Powell, the borough’s story is one of missed potential.
      The summer of 2012 may have been an “encouraging time” for the area, but, according to David, the promised Olympic legacy never materialised.
      He said: “There were a lot of promises but nothing seems to have happened.
      “Before this it was local housing for local people, then all of a sudden everything spiralled out of control – it’s not for normal working people.
      “I work here but my wages have gone down. I have no chance of owning a flat.”
      A spokesperson for the London Legacy Development Corporation, which runs the park, said: “This is a long-term project that will take many years to complete but thousands of new homes have already been built with thousands more still to come – many of them affordable.
      “The Park is now firmly established as a favourite with locals and as an international visitor destination.
      “The Park is delivering on the promises for local people and there is still much more to come.”
      Read More On The Sun
      It comes after it was revealed that a stadium that rivalled Premier League ground’s before it was abandoned is now used as a rugby pitch.
      Meanwhile, residents of the area around another major stadium said they were “sickened” by the council declaring war on fans and turning it into a ghost town. More

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      We live next to Cristiano Ronaldo’s £28m mega-mansion and we HATE it – it looks like a hospital & is a total eyesore

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      CRISTIANO Ronaldo’s neighbours have hit out at the football star over his “hospital-sized” eyesore mansion.The construction of the £28million palace near Lisbon is reportedly wildly unpopular with local residents after its construction fell a year behind schedule.
      Locals have been left infuriated by Cristiano Ronaldo’s mega-mansion constructionCredit: Twitter/@lilicanecas
      Neighbours have said that the building looks like a ‘hospital’Credit: Twitter/@lilicanecas
      The CGI impression shows what the completed property would look like
      A report from Look magazine stated that the football ace and his partner Georgina Rodriguez have infuriated their neighbours to-be by carrying out extensive work on the property – which was meant to be completed by July.
      The construction on the mega-mansion has been ongoing for more than three years and is reportedly set to continue for another 12 months at least.
      A video posted to Instagram last month by Portuguese socialite, Lili Canecas, showed that there was still a great deal of work to be done on the home – which locals are calling Pharaoh Ronaldo’s Pyramid.
      The mansion resembled a construction site at the time, leaving nearby residents frustrated with the spoilt view.
      READ MORE ON RONALDO
      One neighbour said: “They’ve been building for three years. The house is so big it looks like a hospital. 
      “My street has been closed for months, my garden is full of dust. My street has been closed for months, my garden full of dust. All because of Pharaoh Ronaldo’s “pyramid”.
      According to the publication, the project was originally expected to cost £10million, before the price shot up to £17million and has now reached a whopping £28million.
      But not only are neighbours furious about the allegedly shabby-looking mansion, they also reportedly have concerns surrounding their privacy.
      Most read in Football
      “It is impossible to have privacy in that house. It’s too exposed. From any point of the ‘Quinta’ you can see his house, fully glazed,” said a neighbour.
      “It is so high that you can see the gardens of many of us, it is surrounded by a golf course that you have tried to buy at all costs and it has not worked out”.
      Ronaldo’s mansion is set to include a giant glass swimming pool with an underwater walkway. 
      The 38-year-old football legend also reportedly wants a master bedroom measuring 1,000 square feet as part of what is believed to be Portugal’s most expensive property development.
      The Sun has approached Ronaldo’s representatives for comment.
      The Portuguese star also owns a luxury villa in Turin, Italy from his time at Juventus, as well as a £4.8million mansion on a gated fortress estate called La Finca close to Madrid. 
      As well as that, Ronaldo boasts a seven-storey apartment block in Funchal on the island of his birth, Madeira.
      The football legend’s former Cheshire home was also up for grabs for more than £5million in February.
      The stunning pad, owned by the Portuguese sporting icon, is located in millionaire’s playground Alderley Edge and boasts a whopping seven bedrooms and six bathrooms.
      Read More On The Sun
      It also features its own tennis court, pool and cinema room.
      Listed for £5,500,000, the estate agent Jackson-Stops described the magnificent home as a “masterpiece in modern design set in 23 acres – an ultra stylish main residence with superb leisure suite, two bedroom guest barn and padel court”.
      The property was meant to be completed by July but has been under construction for the last three years
      The football legend’s neighbours to-be have slammed the construction and named it ‘Pharaoh Ronaldo’s Pyramid’Credit: Instagram / @cristiano More

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      We live in the shadow of a top UK stadium – we love being close to the action but major issue needs to change

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      RESIDENTS living in the shadow of a top UK stadium say that they love being close to the action – but a major issue needs to change.The area around Wembley Stadium is home to a 70-store shopping centre, a Boxpark and a building site for 5,000 apartments.
      Residents said life near Wembley has a big downsideCredit: Alamy
      Parking is a massive issue for residentsCredit: Alamy
      More than £2.5billion is being pumped into the area under the famous 133-metre arch.
      But residents say parking remains a massive problem in the area – even when there isn’t a Three Lions game or Harry Styles concert on.
      Enrique, 37, told MyLondon: “All of the roads are closed on event days too – so if you drive you can’t even get out of the car park.
      “I don’t have any access by car to my building and I have to wait until they remove all of the security barriers. It’s pretty inconvenient.”
      Read More Football
      Ridvan, 39, said: “I have to park mine a 15-minute walk away. That’s the downside.
      “They have an underground parking lot but it’s only for bikes as it’s a green area, but I need my car.”
      Georgie 33, who lives on Wembley Park Boulevard on the approach to the stadium, was more enthusiastic about the area.
      She said: “I really love it. You’ve probably seen all the feathers everywhere!
      Most read in Football
      “That’s the Harry Styles fans, everyone wears feather boas and cowboy hats.
      “We get to see the fireworks and hear some of the music.
      “There’s not really any downsides – just that none of my friends live around here.”
      A Brent Council spokesman said surrounding developments were “car free” to “help ease traffic congestion”.
      They added: “Residents living in car-free properties are not eligible to apply for on-street parking permits and this is agreed to before moving in.
      “Wembley Park has fantastic transport connections and we are supporting residents to embrace other sustainable travel options, such as walking and cycling.”
      A spokesman for local developer Quintain said: “The National Stadium is a public transport destination.
      “The nature of events at the venue means that some parking restrictions and road closures are crucial to ensure the safety of our residents and the public.
      “Quintain are not in control of these restrictions – but we notify our residents of them when they move in, ahead of event days, through signage, resident apps and notices on electronic screens in reception.”
      Read More On The Sun
      It comes after residents living inside a major football ground say they can watch games from their attics – but life in the stadium has a downside.
      Locals near a huge Premier League ground say that parking is a nightmare and that fans keep damaging their cars – but cops won’t help.
      Residents cannot drive out of their buildings on match daysCredit: Alamy More

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      Ex-Premier League star who went from millions to Universal Credit & bankruptcy wins row over house ownership

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      A FOOTBALL star who went from earning millions to going bankrupt and claiming benefits has won a court battle over a home.Ex-Premier League striker Marcus Bent has fought off bankruptcy trustees who tried for four years to seize a London property.
      Ex-Premier League footballer Marcus Bent has been battling bankruptcy officialsCredit: Simon Jones – The Sun
      They said the former striker – who played for top-flight sides Everton, Brentford, Crystal Palace and Wolves – owned the house and should hand it over to help pay off debts.
      Yet 45-year-old Bent, who went bankrupt in January 2019, insisted it belonged to his 19-year-old daughter.
      He bought it for her in 2006 and meant it to be held in trust for her until she turned 18, he told London’s specialist Insolvency and Companies Court.
      Now judge Clive Jones has ruled in his favour, London’s Evening Standard newspaper reported.
      Read More On Premier League
      He said Bent’s estimated debt following bankrutpcy proceedings brought by tax officials was “a couple of million”.
      But Mr Jones said the house “fell outside the bankruptcy estate” and that trustees administering the estate, had “no interest” in it.
      Former England Under-21 international Bent, watching via videolink, told the judge after hearing the verdict: “We are very happy.”
      His daughter is from a former relationship with ex-fiancee Kelly Clark which ended in 2006, the same year he got together with Hollyoaks actress and future Strictly Come Dancing star Gemma Atkinson.
      Most read in Football
      After they too split he later dated model and Celebrity Big Brother contestant Danielle Lloyd.
      Bent earned up to £20,000 a week during his football career but endured a miserable fall from grace after retiring.
      He turned to drugs and alcohol and also found himself with a criminal record after a police raid which saw him Tasered.
      And despite earning an estimated £10m during his playing days, he struggled with his finances – culminating in bankruptcy in 2019.
      He later told of being forced to claim Universal Credit benefits.
      Bent, born in Hammersmith in west London, was banned from the roads for 32 months in March last year after being found four times over the drink-drive limit.
      He pleaded guilty to driving his grey BMW X5 three-litre diesel on the A3 at Tibbet’s Corner in south-west London on February 27 last year.
      Magistrates in Wimbledon rejected his excuse he had only had two glasses of wine the night before, describing his reading as one of the highest they had seen.
      He was recorded at 134 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, whereas the the legal limit is 35.
      Bent’s lawyer Scott Ewing told the court the ex-footballer was “remorseful” while outlining his financial woes.
      Mr Ewing said: “He is not working at the moment, but does some football match commentary and recently was on Universal Credit.
      “He has no income, save for a £20,000 return on an investment, and says he had depression that led to drug and alcohol issues in the past.”
      Mr Ewing also described football as a “comfort blanket” for Bent, who struggled to cope after retiring and “went from having a high-profile, successful career to nothing”.
      The lawyer added: “Unfortunately sycophants and leeches provided unregulated investment advice.
      “He has now hit rock bottom, from where he’s looking up and there’s only one direction to go and that’s to give advice to others so they don’t fall into the same traps.
      “It is a pity it has taken something like this for Mr Bent to get the assistance he needs.”
      Bent had appeared in the same courthouse in 2016, being fined £385 for possessing cocaine at Chessington World of Adventures.
      Earlier that year he received a suspended prison sentence for possessing cocaine and affray, after being Tasered by police arresting him at his home in Esher, Surrey.
      His affray trial heard how he was high on cocaine when he ran at officers while wielding a meat cleaver and a kitchen knife.
      He later insisted: “At no point was I ever going to take someone’s life. I called them because I was hallucinating, paranoid, terrified.”
      Read More On The Sun
      But he revealed it prompted him to go into rehab, including a spell helped by former England and Arsenal captain Tony Adams’ Sporting Chance clinic.
      Bent’s other clubs during a 573-game, 113-goal career included Sheffield United – also now in the Premier League – as well as current Championship sides Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Ipswich Town, Leicester City, Middlesbrough and Queens Park Rangers.
      Bent’s 14 English league clubs included Championship side Birmingham CityCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      The former striker was banned for drink-driving by Wimbledon magistrates last yearCredit: Square Mile News More