Hearts v St Mirren: Preview

The uncapped right-back was in Walter Smith's squad for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against the Faroe Islands and Lithuania but missed out on a first cap.

The Scotland Future international took solace from the experiences of current and former Jambo stoppers, Steven Pressley and David Weir, both of whom were late developers on the international stage.

Tynecastle skipper Pressley did not make his debut until he was 26, but became Hearts' most-capped Scotland player with 30 appearances when he played in the 2-1 win in Kaunas.

Former Jambo defender Weir, who is 36, won a place in the Scottish Football Association Hall of Fame by winning his 50th cap against Lithuania, but the Everton stopper was 27 before he pulled on a dark blue jersey.

Neilson, 26, who returns from suspension to play against St Mirren at Tynecastle in the Bank of Scotland Premier League, said: ``It was good to get away for 10 days with the national team, although it was just disappointing not to play any part in it.

``It is different from being at Tynecastle. Walter Smith said boys who go into the squad have to play week-in, week-out for their club and then you go there and have to sit in the stand or on the bench.

``But it is an honour just to be involved and you have to take the positives from it.

``It is difficult to get into the national squad for a start so you cannot expect to go there and play straight away.

``Elvis (Pressley) was in a lot of squads before he actually got a game and now he is the most capped player Hearts have ever had.

``You also have David Weir, who did not start his international career until later on and he has managed to get 50 caps, so you have to take heart from that.

``I just need to keep playing well for Hearts and wait my turn.''

Hearts head coach Valdas Ivanauskas has mixed injury news ahead of the visit of St Mirren.

Midfielders Deividas Cesnauskis (virus) and Bruno Aguiar (hamstring) are out along with striker Edgaras Jankauskas (leg).

But strikers Roman Bednar and Michal Pospisil return to the squad after foot and dead leg problems respectively.

St Mirren striker John Sutton insists there is no burden on him to score the goals which could ensure Bank of Scotland Premier League survival this season.

The 22-year-old scored twice in the opening two games of the campaign to help his side to wins, but no further strikes - or SPL victories - have been forthcoming since.

But the Love Street player is adamant the goal tallies of the club's forwards are ultimately insignificant.

Sutton said: ``It is difficult to gauge my targets for the season in numbers.

``I want to play well and improve my game because every day you come to training, you want to become that little bit better.

``I am part of a team and, if we can stay in the league and play well, I will be pretty proud of that.

``I do not have any goal targets because I think you can get carried away with goals.

``If you are playing well and doing your job for the team, that is what matters because goals all depend on how many chances are created.

``If you are doing your bit, coming up with assists, being a nuisance up front and being unselfish at times, that is good play as well, so I do not set myself targets.

``Goals are a big factor of the game obviously, but we are looking to get them from all areas of the pitch because the more people you have scoring the better it is for the team and the less pressure there is on the strikers.''

St Mirren manager Gus MacPherson has no fresh injury concerns.

Strikers Brian McGinty (hamstring) and Alan Reid (calf) both remain sidelined.

Midfielder Iain Anderson (foot) and forward Alex Burke (calf) are also missing.