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Robbie Neilson (born 19 June 1980) is a Scottish professional football manager and former player who is currently Assistant Head Coach of Lommel SK, part of the City Football Group network, in the Belgian Challenger Pro League
Neilson, who played as a right-back, started his senior career with Heart of Midlothian, making 200 Scottish Premier League (SPL) appearances and winning the Scottish Cup in 2006 with the club. Earlier on in his career, Neilson was loaned to Scottish Football League (SFL) clubs Cowdenbeath and Queen of the South. After failing to agree a new contract with Hearts, Neilson left and signed for English Championship club Leicester City in 2009. After about a year he was dropped from the Leicester first team, and 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, and later played for Falkirk and East Fife.
He became Hearts' head coach in 2014, winning the 2014–15 Scottish Championship title in his first season. Neilson moved to Milton Keynes Dons during the 2016–17 season, leaving by mutual consent in January 2018. He was appointed manager of Dundee United in October 2018, and guided them to promotion in the curtailed 2019–20 season. He then returned to Hearts, leading them to the 2020–21 Scottish Championship title as champions.
He had time on loan at Cowdenbeath in 1999. In August 2002, Neilson joined Dumfries club Queen of the South on loan. He helped the club consolidate their Scottish First Division status and win the 2002 Scottish Challenge Cup Final after winning 2–0 over Brechin City. Neilson made 17 appearances for Queens including a man of the match performance at Clyde. He returned to Tynecastle Stadium 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 UEFA Cup, his first in any competition for the club. He scored his first and only league goal for Hearts in a 3–1 win over Livingston later that season. He played all 120 minutes of the 2006 Scottish Cup Final, which Hearts won on penalties against Gretna.
Neilson was awarded a testimonial match by Hearts in 2008.
On 4 February 2009, he was given the role of Hearts' captain after the departure of Christophe Berra. Manager Csaba László 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.
New club owner Ann Budge promoted Neilson to the head coach position, working for director of football Craig Levein in May 2014. Neilson's first official match in charge was a 3–1 home defeat of Annan Athletic in the Scottish Challenge Cup on 26 July. Hearts began the 2014–15 Scottish Championship with five straight wins, including victories against Rangers and Hibernian. His team remained undefeated for their first 20 leagues matches until a 3–2 home defeat to Falkirk ended their run on 24 January 2015.
Neilson won the Championship manager of the month awards for August, October, November and March. Hearts clinched the league championship and promotion to the Scottish Premiership, at the first attempt, on 22 March. They finished the season 21 points ahead of nearest challengers, city rivals Hibernian, and 24 points ahead of third-placed Rangers. Neilson was shortlisted for PFA Scotland Manager of the Year, PFA Scotland Manager of the Year 2014–15 nominees PFA Scotland, 30 April 2015; Retrieved 19 May 2015 but lost out to John Hughes of Inverness Caledonian Thistle. PFA Scotland Awards 2014–15 winners PFA Scotland, 4 May 2015; Retrieved 19 May 2015
Hearts finished third in the 2015–16 Scottish Premiership, qualifying for the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League. In November 2016, it was reported that Neilson had agreed to move to Football League One club Milton Keynes Dons, subject to a compensation agreement between the clubs.
After a run of one win in 11 league games, Neilson left Milton Keynes Dons by mutual consent on 20 January 2018. The team had fallen into 21st place, inside the relegation zone.
Neilson's team secured the Championship title with three games remaining on 10 April 2021 after contenders Raith Rovers and Dundee drew. He was the division's Manager of the Month in December and April.
Neilson led Hearts to an opening day victory over Celtic in the 2021-22 Scottish premiership. Hearts would follow this up with a 2–1 away win over St Mirren, their first win at St Mirren Stadium in the league for over a decade. Hearts early season league form would continue with a 2–0 victory over Dundee United at Tannadice on matchday 4 seeing Neilson named Scottish Premiership manager of the month for August. A last gasp equaliser at Ibrox against Rangers would see Hearts stretch their unbeaten run in top flight games to 9 games. Neilson's Hearts were eventually beaten 2–1 away from home by Aberdeen on Saturday 30 October having managed to go unbeaten for the full first round of fixtures for the first time since the 2005–06 season.
Neilson would once again lead Hearts to a Scottish Cup Semi-Final against rivals Hibernian for the 2nd time in 3 seasons following a 4–2 win over St Mirren at Tynecastle in the Quarter Finals. Hearts would defeat Hibernian 3–1 at Tynecastle in the final League game before the split, cementing 3rd place in the league. Just 7 days later, Hearts would once again defeat Hibernian 2–1 in the Scottish Cup Semi-Final at Hampden Park for the 2nd time in 18 months, setting up a second Scottish Cup final appearance since Neilson's return, this coupled with their league position guaranteeing a return to European group stage football for the first time since the 2004-05 season, a campaign in which Neilson played. Hearts lost the Scottish Cup final to Rangers 2–0 after extra time.
Neilson signed a new three-year contract with Hearts in July 2022. After losing a Europa League playoff to FC Zurich, Hearts entered the group stage of the Conference League. They finished in third place, winning six points from two wins against Latvian side FK Riga. Domestically, in January Hearts were well clear of their rivals for third place after a 3–0 win against Hibernian and a 5–0 win against Aberdeen. There was then an 11-point swing against Hearts, and the club sacked Neilson after a 2–0 home defeat by St Mirren meant that Aberdeen leapfrogged them into third place.
In September 2024, the devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton on the Tampa Bay Area forced the club to evacuate the area and play their remaining 10 games of the 2024 season away from home. The team secured a play-off place, progressing to the semi-final, where Charleston Battery defeated them 2-1. On 11 April 2025, only four games into the 2025 season and with the team remaining unable to play in the Tampa Bay Area, Neilson departed as Head Coach of Tampa Bay Rowdies.
Heart of Midlothian
Brentford
Dundee United
Individual
Tampa Bay Rowdies
The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced on 9 November 2023 that Neilson had signed a multi-year contract to become head coach of the USL Championship club. A strong start to the 2024 season saw Tampa Bay Rowdies defeat CF Montreal of the MLS 4-1 and go through the first 7 USL games undefeated. Memorable victories over Louisville and Charleston followed as the team showed their attacking profile, creating both the highest shot based xG and highest offensive touches in the opposition penalty area in the league throughout the season.
Lommel SK
On August 15, 2025, Neilson became the Assistant Head Coach of Lommel SK, part of the City Football Group network, in the Belgian Challenger Pro League,
Managerial statistics
+ Managerial record by team and tenure Heart of Midlothian 12 May 2014 3 December 2016
Milton Keynes Dons 3 December 2016 20 January 2018
Individual seasons accessed via dropdown menu. Dundee United 8 October 2018 21 June 2020
Heart of Midlothian 21 June 2020 9 April 2023
Tampa Bay Rowdies 9 November 2023 11 April 2025
Honours
Player
Queen of the South
Manager
Heart of Midlothian
External links
Categories: 1980 Births, Living People, Footballers From Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scottish Men's Footballers, Scotland Men's Under-21 International Footballers, Scotland Men's B International Footballers, Scotland Men's International Footballers, Men's Association Football Defenders, Heart Of Midlothian F.c. Players, Cowdenbeath F.c. Players, Queen Of The South F.c. Players, Leicester City F.c. Players, Brentford F.c. Players, Dundee United F.c. Players, Falkirk F.c. Players, East Fife F.c. Players, Scottish Football League Players, Scottish Premier League Players, English Football League Players, Scottish Professional Football League Players, Scottish Football Managers, Heart Of Midlothian F.c. Managers, Scottish Professional Football League Managers, Milton Keynes Dons F.c. Managers, English Football League Managers, Dundee United F.c. Managers, Scottish Expatriate Football Managers, Expatriate Soccer Coaches In The United States, Scottish Expatriate Sportspeople In The United States, Tampa Bay Rowdies Coaches, Usl Championship Coaches, 21st-century Scottish Sportsmen
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