Robbie Neilson
Manager Profile

Biography

Having spent his youth career with Rangers and Hearts, he made his professional debut for the latter in 1999 and went on to spend ten years with the Tynecastle club, including loan spells at Cowdenbeath and Queen of the South during his earlier years. His honours while with Hearts include a Scottish Cup medal, a full Scotland international cap and he was named captain of the club in his final season under the management of Csaba Laszlo. He left the club at the end of the 2008-09 season after failing to agree on new contract terms and then joined Leicester City on a three year contract.

After two seasons and a spell on loan at Brentford, Robbie joined United on a short term deal in November 2011. He featured regularly under manager Peter Houston, but despite the offer of a new deal at the end of the campaign, he opted to leave the club. Following short spells with Falkirk and East Fife (as player/coach), Robbie retired as a player to take up the role of Development Team manager at Hearts. In 2014, he was appointed Head Coach at Tynecastle and in his first season he secured promotion to the Premiership for the Edinburgh club. His achievements attracted the attention of clubs down south and in November 2016 he moved to MK Dons, where he spent two years as manager.

After a run of only one win in eleven league games, Robbie left MK Dons by mutual consent in January 2018, and nine months later took up the head coach role at Tannadice. Keeping his position after the takeover at board level, Neilson took United to the Premiership play-off final, losing on penalties to St Mirren. The following year he guided the team to the top of the Championship, where the club sat 14 points clear when the COVID-19 virus break-out brought the season to an early close, with United announced as champions. As the team returned to training after lockdown, his former club Hearts made an approach, and Neilson was allowed to leave Tannadice.