It has been a funny season for Lewis Neilson. Having spent last campaign on loan at Partick Thistle he returned to Heart of Midlothian briefly in the summer before finding himself on loan at St Johnstone come the start of the Scottish Premiership campaign.
After featuring for Saints as they battled at the foot of the table he returned to Hearts in January. Another loan move was likely, that was until Craig Halkett went down early in a win over Kilmarnock in January.
With Neilson required from the bench, it meant the only move he could make was a return to St Johnstone. With a mixture of injuries and transfer outgoings, that was not going to happen.
The 21-year-old has now played five games since coming back to Tynecastle Park, the latest on Friday night, helping Hearts into the Scottish Cup quarter-final, alongside Michael Steinwender.
It was an inclusion few saw coming, including those inside the club with Jamie McCart taking part in training on Thursday ahead of the game. But Neilson was ready when his team-mate was deemed not fit enough to feature.
"I knew Jamie was struggling from the derby game," he revealed. "I was getting told to warm up at half-time at that game, so I was keeping a close eye on him.
"I know Jamie tried really hard to be fit for the game, but he just wasn't quite ready, so I got the call.
"I'm always ready to train to play, so I was ready when the chance came."
When everyone is fit, Hearts have six centre-back options. While happy to have the trust of Neil Critchley, Neilson is aware it is on him to generate that trust through his performances.
"We've had a lot of good centre-backs here in the last two or three years, so I wouldn't blame managers," he said. "Ultimately, it's up to me to perform on the pitch and keep a spot on the team.
"I think I do have the trust from the gaffer here that when I'm needed, he'll play me, and hopefully if I continue with my performances, then I can stay on the team.
"I try and just go play every game to the best level I can, no matter whether it's a quarter-final or a relegation battle game. I just go out with the same mindset of playing my best game.
"Before the game, you always hear this and that, but I try and put that aside once I'm on the pitch and just focus on the game."
On Friday, he found himself alongside Steinwender. Neilson revealed he has grown close to the Austrian, making it all the easier to slot in beside the January arrival.
"Michael's brilliant," he said. "We've actually struck up a really good relationship off the pitch. He became a good mate of mine so I think playing alongside him really helped. We managed to talk each other through the game and help each other along.
Lewis Neilson on match-winner Sander Kartum
He's brilliant, and I don't think he's quite been able to show in the last couple of games what he's really capable of. So I'm really chuffed for him because we've all seen, as soon as he's come in training every day, he's been brilliant, and he does stuff like that pretty much day in, day out. To see him do it on the pitch tonight was really good.
"He's just a really genuine, nice guy. To be honest, it's a really good group in there, so most of the boys are, but I just struck up a good conversation with him. He asks questions about the game, so if he feels he's maybe done something wrong, he'll come to me as a fellow centre-half and say, what do you think I could have done here? And we bounce off each other really well like that."
He added: "The group, we're all really good friends in there now, so it is a close-knit group, and I think that helps massively. You don't take it personally if someone's given you a bit of stick, and likewise, you can give it out. So, I think that helps the team."
That close-knit group was required following the defeat to Hibs last Sunday. Neilson confirmed there were talks in the aftermath with short-term goals, starting with a reaction against Dundee.
Beyond that, it is making sure the team produce what is required to finish in the top six.
"There needed to be a reaction from the team as a whole from a disappointing result at the weekend," Neilson said. "I thought it was a really good performance. The boys turned up, it was a big game, a quarter-final of the Scottish Cup, and managed to get the job done, so that's us through to Hampden.
"There's four games left of the split, and it's Heart of Midlothian, a massive club, we need to be, minimum, in the top six. Although we did have a bad start to the season, we're back in amongst it now, so by the end of those four games, we'll look to be in the top six."
