Robbie Neilson

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Robbie Neilson bigraphy, stories - Scottish footballer

Robbie Neilson : biography

19 June 1980 –

Robbie Neilson (born 19 June 1980) is a Scottish international footballer, who plays as a right back or centre back.

Neilson started his league career with Heart of Midlothian, for whom he made 200 Scottish Premier League appearances and he won the Scottish Cup in 2006. Early in his Hearts career, Neilson was loaned to Scottish Football League clubs Cowdenbeath and Queen of the South. He left Hearts in 2009 and signed for English Championship club Leicester City. After about a year he was dropped from the King Power Stadium’s first team, was loaned to Brentford, and was then given a free transfer in the summer of 2011. Neilson played for Dundee United during the 2011–12 season.

International career

Neilson was capped 10 times by Scotland under-21. He won his first full Scotland cap in a 2-0 Euro 2008 qualifying defeat to Ukraine in Kiev on 11 October 2006.

Club career

Born in Paisley, Scotland, Neilson was originally attached to Rangers, the team he supported, through their Boys Club system. He joined Hearts Youth Academy at 16 as he felt it offered him a better chance of eventual first-team football and career progression.

He had time on loan at Cowdenbeath in 1999. In August 2002 Neilson joined Dumfries club Queen of the South on loan. Neilson helped the club consolidate their Scottish First Division status and win the 2002 Scottish Challenge Cup Final, beating Brechin City 2-0. Neilson made 17 appearances for Queens including a man of the match performance at Clyde. He returned to Tynecastle in January 2003.

A high point in his career came in 2004 with his match-winning goal in Hearts’ 2-1 away win over FC Basel in the 2004-05 UEFA Cup, his first in any competition for the club. He scored his first league goal for Hearts in a 3-1 win over Livingston later that season.

On 4 February 2009 he was given the role of Hearts’ captain after the departure of Christophe Berra. Manager Csaba Laszlo did not start contract talks with Neilson until the season drew to a close. As a result of the new wage structure at Hearts, Neilson and the club could not reach an agreement for a new contract.

In search of a new challenge, Neilson agreed terms with English Championship club Leicester City on 21 May 2009. The next day the club confirmed that he had signed a pre-contractual agreement and would join them in July. Signing a three-year contract, Neilson set his sights on helping the club win promotion to the Premier League. He made his debut in a 0-0 draw against Ipswich Town at Portman Road on 15 August, becoming the 1000th player to debut for the club in a competitive match. Neilson finished the season with 19 league games for Leicester. He scored his first goal for the club in a 4-3 League Cup win over Macclesfield Town on 10 August 2010.

On 17 February 2011, Neilson joined Brentford on loan for a month, which was extended until the end of the season on 23 March 2011. On 3 April 2011 Neilson started in the 2011 Football League Trophy Final playing the full 90 minutes. Carlisle United won the match 1-0 On 27 May 2011, manager Sven Goran Eriksson allowed Neilson along with Michael Lamey to speak to other clubs in search of more regular first team opportunities.

After training briefly with Falkirk and Burton Albion, Neilson agreed to sign a contract with Dundee United on 15 November 2011 until the end of the 2011–12 season. His debut for the Tannadice Park club was against his former club Hearts on 19 November 2011. Neilson soon became a regular in the first team and manager Peter Houston said he was keen to keep Neilson at the club. At the end of the season, Neilson was offered a new contract but he turned the offer down and was released by the club.

After his release, Neilson was linked with Scottish First Division side Falkirk. Neilson played as a trialist for Falkirk in a league match against Dunfermline Athletic on 6 October 2012 that ended in a 2-2 draw. Neilson unfortunately suffered a cheekbone injury during the match. Neilson recovered from this injury to sign for the club and play in a further two league matches. These were both 2-1 defeats, at Raith Rovers on 10 November 2012 and at Livingston on 17 November 2012.

After recovering from a knee operation, and having done some coaching work, he signed a short-term deal with Falkirk until the Summer of 2013.

Honours

Brentford

  • Football League Trophy
    • Runner Up (1): 2010-11

Hearts of Midlothian

  • Scottish Premier League
    • Runner Up (1): 2005-06
  • Scottish Cup
    • Winner (1): 2005-06

Queen of the South

  • Scottish Challenge Cup
    • Winner (1): 2002-03