Lewis Neilson

Lewis Neilson
Personal information
Date of birth	15 May 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth	Dundee, Scotland
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Position(s)	Centre back, defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team	Heart of Midlothian
Number	23
Youth career
2013–2020	Dundee United
Senior career*
Years	Team
2020–2022	Dundee United
2021	→ Falkirk (loan)
2022–	Heart of Midlothian
2023–2024	→ Partick Thistle (loan)
2024–2025	→ St Johnstone (loan)
International career‡
2018–2019	Scotland U16
2020	Scotland U17
2022–	Scotland U21
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 7 January 2025 (UTC); ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 January 2025 (UTC)

Lewis Neilson (born 15 May 2003) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays primarily as a centre back or defensive midfielder for Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian.

Neilson has previously played for Dundee United, as well as on loan for Falkirk, Partick Thistle and St Johnstone.

Club career

Dundee United

Neilson joined Dundee United at the age of 10 and signed his first professional contract with the club in the summer of 2019, before extending the contract until 2022 the following March.^[2] After graduating from the club's academy,^[2] he made his professional debut in a 1–1 draw against St Johnstone on the opening day of the 2020–21 Scottish Premiership season.^[3] Neilson was loaned to Falkirk in March 2021.^[4]

Following his return from loan, Neilson sustained an ankle injury, for which he required surgery. He did not appear in the United first team again until December 2021 when he started against Hibernian.^[5] Neilson departed United in June 2022 after turning down a new contract offer.^[6]

Hearts

After leaving Dundee United, Neilson signed a three-year contract with Hearts.^[7]^[8] In his first season with Hearts, he made 16 first-team appearances. But he did not feature in the final months and spent time involved with the club's B team.^[9]

Partick Thistle (loan)

On 3 August 2023, Neilson joined Scottish Championship club Partick Thistle on a season-long loan.^[10]

Neilson scored the first goal of his professional career on 2 January 2024, scoring the winner for Thistle with a header from a corner, in a 3–2 home win over Queens Park.^[11]

Neilson played the first half of the season as a centre back for Thistle, before moving into a defensive midfielder role for the second half of the campaign.^[12]

St Johnstone (loan)

On 30 July 2024, Neilson joined Scottish Premiership club St Johnstone on loan for the 2024–25 season.^[13] Neilson was recalled early from his loan at St Johnstone, by his parent club Hearts on the 1st of January 2025.^[14]

International career

Neilson has represented Scotland at under-16 and under-17 level.^[15]

In September 2022, Neilson was called up to the Scotland under-21 for friendlies against Northern Ireland under-21.^[16]

Career statistics

As of 26 January 2025

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Dundee United	2020–21^[17]	Scottish Premiership	9	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	10	0
	2021–22^[18]	Scottish Premiership	6	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	9	0
	Total		15	0	0	0	4	0	0	0	19	0
Dundee United U21	2021–22^[18]	—	—						1^[a]	0	1	0
Falkirk (loan)	2020–21^[17]	Scottish League One	8	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	10	0
Heart of Midlothian	2022–23^[19]	Scottish Premiership	10	0	0	0	1	0	5	0	16	0
	2023–24^[19]	Scottish Premiership	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2024–25^[19]	Scottish Premiership	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	Total		11	0	0	0	1	0	5	0	17	0
Partick Thistle (loan)	2023–24	Scottish Championship	18	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	19	1
Career total			53	1	3	0	5	0	6	0	66	0

^ Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup, in which age-restricted teams from the Scottish Premiership clubs compete against senior clubs

References

^ "Lewis Neilson". dundeeunitedfc.co.uk. Dundee United F.C. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
^ ^a ^b "LEWIS NEILSON SIGNS A NEW CONTRACT". Dundee United F.C. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
^ "Dundee Utd 1-1 St Johnstone: Liam Craig earns a point for 10-man visitors". BBC Sport. 1 August 2020.
^ Woodger, Calum (12 March 2021). "Dundee United youngsters Kai Fotheringham and Lewis Neilson join Falkirk on loan until the end of the season". Retrieved 15 March 2021.
^ "Lewis Neilson targets 'big year' in 2022 after making first Dundee United start in five months". 30 December 2021.
^ "Lewis Neilson to Leave Dundee United".
^ "Hearts sign Australia defender Kye Rowles & Lewis Neilson from Dundee Utd". BBC Sport. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
^ "Lewis Neilson seals Hearts transfer as Dundee United defender pens 3-year deal". 9 June 2022.
^ https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/lewis-neilsons-future-is-made-clear-as-the-hearts-defender-looks-to-further-his-career-4161675 ^{[bare URL]}
^ "Lewis Neilson signs on loan for the season". Partick Thistle FC. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
^ "Partick Thistle 3-2 Queen's Park: Visitors remain three points adrift". BBC Sport. 2 January 2024.
^ https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/premiership-club-make-their-move-for-versatile-hearts-defender-lewis-neilson-4716171
^ "Lewis Neilson signs for Saints". St Johnstone Football Club. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
^ https://www.heartsfc.co.uk/blogs/news/lewis-neilson-returns-to-hearts
^ "Lewis Neilson Scotland Scottish FA". scottishfa.co.uk. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
^ "Scot Gemmill names squad for Northern Ireland double header".
^ ^a ^b "Games played by Lewis Neilson in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
^ ^a ^b "Games played by Lewis Neilson in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Games played by Lewis Neilson in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 August 2022. Cite error: The named reference "LN22" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).

External links

Lewis Neilson at Soccerbase
Lewis Neilson at Soccerway

[SCC-19] Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup, in which age-restricted teams from the Scottish Premiership clubs compete against senior clubs

[1] "Lewis Neilson". dundeeunitedfc.co.uk. Dundee United F.C. Retrieved 5 December 2020.

[new-contract-2] "LEWIS NEILSON SIGNS A NEW CONTRACT". Dundee United F.C. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.

[3] "Dundee Utd 1-1 St Johnstone: Liam Craig earns a point for 10-man visitors". BBC Sport. 1 August 2020.

[4] Woodger, Calum (12 March 2021). "Dundee United youngsters Kai Fotheringham and Lewis Neilson join Falkirk on loan until the end of the season". Retrieved 15 March 2021.

[5] "Lewis Neilson targets 'big year' in 2022 after making first Dundee United start in five months". 30 December 2021.

[6] "Lewis Neilson to Leave Dundee United".

[7] "Hearts sign Australia defender Kye Rowles & Lewis Neilson from Dundee Utd". BBC Sport. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.

[8] "Lewis Neilson seals Hearts transfer as Dundee United defender pens 3-year deal". 9 June 2022.

[9] ttps://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/lewis-neilsons-future-is-made-clear-as-the-hearts-defender-looks-to-further-his-career-4161675 ^{[bare URL]}

[10] "Lewis Neilson signs on loan for the season". Partick Thistle FC. Retrieved 4 August 2023.

[11] "Partick Thistle 3-2 Queen's Park: Visitors remain three points adrift". BBC Sport. 2 January 2024.

[12] ttps://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/premiership-club-make-their-move-for-versatile-hearts-defender-lewis-neilson-4716171

[13] "Lewis Neilson signs for Saints". St Johnstone Football Club. Retrieved 31 July 2024.

[14] ttps://www.heartsfc.co.uk/blogs/news/lewis-neilson-returns-to-hearts

[15] "Lewis Neilson Scotland Scottish FA". scottishfa.co.uk. Retrieved 26 August 2020.

[16] "Scot Gemmill names squad for Northern Ireland double header".

[LN20-17] "Games played by Lewis Neilson in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 August 2020.

[LN21-18] "Games played by Lewis Neilson in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 July 2021.

[LN22-20] "Games played by Lewis Neilson in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 August 2022. Cite error: The named reference "LN22" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).

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