Neilson believes there was no point in appealing his touchline ban

Hearts boss Robbie Neilson has revealed that he didn’t contest his touchline ban after seeing it increased the last time he went to disciplinary hearing.

Neilson was sent off for his comments to the fourth official during his side’s 1-1 draw with Rangers at Ibrox last weekend.

The coach was given the offer of a one-match ban, which he accepted, though eh will sit out three matches after the remainder of a suspension from last season kicked in.

“I’m disappointed with it to be honest but I would rather it was me that got sent off than one of the players,” Neilson said. “Generally when you go to Ibrox or Parkhead something like that is going to happen.

“We have just got to move on from it, there is not much point appealing it. I appealed the last one and it went to a two (match ban) plus two (suspended). Sometimes you just need to take it.

“It’s a home game so will have a big crowd behind us and the players will be fine. Lee McCulloch and Gordon Forrest can deal with it. You can communicate, you just can’t be within two metres of the pitch.”

Hearts now go into Saturday’s match against Dundee knowing that a win would put them top of the table for a day at least, with league leaders Rangers not playing until Sunday.

The Tynecastle side have continued their strong start to the season and Neilson puts that in part down to having strength in depth in his squad.

“It’s probably the most important thing as a manager,” he said. “At the start of the season we didn’t have that on the bench.

“We probably had two players that could come on and maybe influence it, now we’ve got six outfield and another two that don’t make the squad. And sitting here just now we don’t have any injuries which is pretty incredible after 14 league and cup games.

“We will need the squad through the season.”