Lewis Neilson
{{short description|Scottish footballer}}
{{distinguish|Lewis Nielson}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Lewis Neilson
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|5|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = Dundee, Scotland
| height = {{convert|1.91|m|order=flip}}{{Cite web |title=Lewis Neilson |url=https://www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk/team/first-team/lewis-neilson |access-date=5 December 2020 |website=dundeeunitedfc.co.uk |publisher=Dundee United F.C. |language=en}}
| position = Centre back
| currentclub = Heart of Midlothian
| clubnumber = 23
| youthyears1 = 2013–2020
| youthclubs1 = Dundee United
| years1 = 2020–2022
| clubs1 = Dundee United
| caps1 = 15
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2021
| clubs2 = → Falkirk (loan)
| caps2 = 8
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2022–
| clubs3 = Heart of Midlothian
| caps3 = 15
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2023–2024
| clubs4 = → Partick Thistle (loan)
| caps4 = 36
| goals4 = 1
| years5 = 2024–2025
| clubs5 = → St Johnstone (loan)
| caps5 = 17
| goals5 = 0
| club-update = 11:39, 30 March 2025 (UTC)
| nationalyears1 = 2018–2019
| nationalteam1 = Scotland U16
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2020
| nationalteam2 = Scotland U17
| nationalcaps2 = 1
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2022–
| nationalteam3 = Scotland U21
| nationalcaps3 = 12
| nationalgoals3 = 1
| ntupdate = 17 February 2025 (UTC)
}}
Lewis Neilson (born 15 May 2003) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for for {{Scottish football updater|StJohnst}} club Heart of Midlothian, primarily as a centre back or defensive midfielder.
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.{{cite web|url=https://www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk/news/6454/LEWIS-NEILSON-SIGNS-A-NEW-CONTRACT.html|title=LEWIS NEILSON SIGNS A NEW CONTRACT|publisher=Dundee United F.C.|date=10 March 2020|accessdate=26 August 2020}} After graduating from the club's academy, he made his professional debut in a 1–1 draw against St Johnstone on the opening day of the 2020–21 Scottish Premiership season.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53535018|title=Dundee Utd 1-1 St Johnstone: Liam Craig earns a point for 10-man visitors|work=BBC Sport|date=August 1, 2020}} Neilson was loaned to Falkirk in March 2021.{{cite news |url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/2040094/dundee-united-youngsters-kai-fotheringham-and-lewis-neilson-join-falkirk-on-loan-until-the-end-of-the-season/ |title=Dundee United youngsters Kai Fotheringham and Lewis Neilson join Falkirk on loan until the end of the season |first=Calum |last=Woodger |date=12 March 2021 |accessdate=15 March 2021}}
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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/2867754/lewis-neilson-targets-big-year-2022-dundee-united/|title = Lewis Neilson targets 'big year' in 2022 after making first Dundee United start in five months| date=30 December 2021 }} Neilson departed United in June 2022 after turning down a new contract offer.{{cite web | url=https://www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk/news/7333/LEWIS-NEILSON-TO-LEAVE-DUNDEE-UNITED.html | title=Lewis Neilson to Leave Dundee United }}
=Hearts=
After leaving Dundee United, Neilson signed a three-year contract with Hearts.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61745096 |title=Hearts sign Australia defender Kye Rowles & Lewis Neilson from Dundee Utd |website=BBC Sport |date=9 June 2022 |accessdate=9 June 2022}}{{cite web | url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/lewis-neilson-completes-hearts-transfer-27189830 | title=Lewis Neilson seals Hearts transfer as Dundee United defender pens 3-year deal | date=9 June 2022 }} 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.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 inline|date=August 2024}}
== Partick Thistle (loan) ==
On 3 August 2023, Neilson joined Scottish Championship club Partick Thistle on a season-long loan.{{Cite web |title=Lewis Neilson signs on loan for the season |url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/lewis-neilson-signs-on-loan-for-the-season/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Partick Thistle FC |language=en}}
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.{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67821091 | title=Partick Thistle 3-2 Queen's Park: Visitors remain three points adrift | work=BBC Sport | date=2 January 2024 }}
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.https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/premiership-club-make-their-move-for-versatile-hearts-defender-lewis-neilson-4716171
== St Johnstone (loan) ==
On 30 July 2024, Neilson joined {{Scottish football updater|StJohnst}} club St Johnstone on loan for the 2024–25 season.{{Cite web |title=Lewis Neilson signs for Saints |url=https://www.perthstjohnstonefc.co.uk/news/article/lewis-neilson-signs-for-saints |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=St Johnstone Football Club |language=en}} Neilson was recalled early from his loan at St Johnstone, by his parent club Hearts on 1 January 2025.https://www.heartsfc.co.uk/blogs/news/lewis-neilson-returns-to-hearts
International career
Neilson has represented Scotland at under-16 and under-17 level.{{cite web|url=https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/players/?pid=283917&lid=17|title=Lewis Neilson Scotland Scottish FA|website=scottishfa.co.uk|accessdate=26 August 2020}}
In September 2022, Neilson was called up to the Scotland under-21 for friendlies against Northern Ireland under-21.{{cite web | url=https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news/scot-gemmill-names-squad-for-northern-ireland-double-header/ | title=Scot Gemmill names squad for Northern Ireland double header }}
Career statistics
{{updated|31 March 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan=3|Dundee United
|2020–21{{soccerbase season|129038|2020|accessdate=17 August 2020}} |9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2021–22{{soccerbase season|129038|2021|access-date=11 July 2021}}
|Scottish Premiership |6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total
!15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
| Dundee United U21
| — |colspan=6|— | 1{{efn|name=SCC|Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup, in which age-restricted teams from the Scottish Premiership clubs compete against senior clubs}} | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Falkirk (loan)
|8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| rowspan="4" |Heart of Midlothian
|2022–23{{soccerbase season|129038|2022|access-date=29 August 2022}} |10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| 2023–24{{soccerbase season|129038|2023|access-date=29 August 2022}}
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024–25{{soccerbase season|129038|2024|access-date=29 August 2022}}
|5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Total
!15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 23 | 0 | |
| Partick Thistle (loan)
|18 |1 |1 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |19 |1 | ||||||||||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!57 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 72 | 0 |
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase|129038}}
- {{Soccerway|649919}}
{{Heart of Midlothian F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neilson, Lewis}}
Category:Scottish men's footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Dundee United F.C. players
Category:Scottish Professional Football League players
Category:Scotland men's youth international footballers
Category:Heart of Midlothian F.C. players
Category:Scotland men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Partick Thistle F.C. players
Category:St Johnstone F.C. players