Hearts starlet won't be emulating Platini, Lineker or Benzema but is backed to recover from 'little setback'

The World Cup-winning Germany captain made it through 498 appearances for club and country without ever being ordered off. Michel Platini, Karin Benzema and Andres Iniesta are also included on the roll of honour which is topped by Gary Lineker, who avoided receiving a single card - yellow or red - in a record spanning over 600 club and international games.

Hearts striker James Wilson won't be able to join that exclusive club after receiving the first red card of his fledgling career in the 1-0 William Hill Premiership defeat by Dundee United at Tynecastle on Sunday.

But team-mate and dressing room mentor Craig Gordon has backed the 18-year-old to recover from the blow in what has been a fairytale breakthrough campaign, culminating in him becoming the youngest ever Scotland debutant against Greece last month.

“That's football and that will happen to every player," the veteran goalkeeper emphasised. “Every young player coming through is going to have a setback, whether it's a red card, a loss of form, missing a big chance as a striker or as a defender making an error that costs a goal.

“These are things that are going to happen to every single player. This is the first little setback, it is just a little one for him.

“The trajectory of his career I still think is going to go from strength to strength. I have no problem that he will deal with it absolutely fine and come back."

The decision to send Wilson for an early shower caused considerable seethe inside Tynecastle at the time of the incident, with referee Nick Walsh berated by supporters and the Hearts bench.

Head coach Neil Critchley effectively performed a climbdown afterwards having reviewed the footage and he would not have been the only one to do so once maroon spectacles were removed.

While there was an honesty to the way Wilson attempted to win the ball, his foot was inadvertently raised into the shin of United player Luca Stephenson and VAR was left with no choice but to uphold the decision.

“He was eager to try and win the ball back," explained Gordon. "I thought on the pitch he was a bit unlucky. He was trying to retrieve the ball.

“It didn't look or feel particularly out of control or too quick. The speed didn't feel that quick on the pitch. I've not seen it back. I don't know how it looked. I don't know how the still image looked. So I'm not saying it was or it wasn't.

“But on the pitch, it felt unlucky as a player. These types of challenges are under the microscope at the moment. So we have to deal with that. I thought we did deal with it. We still created chances. We still could have won the game."

Gordon recalled his own first sending off which came on his 99th appearance for Hearts in a match away to Falkirk.

"I didn't manage to make 100 appearances in a row," he said. "The team dug me out a hole, got a 2-2 draw and kept the unbeaten run going."

Hearts were unable to bail Wilson out with Sam Dalby glancing home a second half header to ensure the Jambos’ bid to secure a top six place in the Scottish Premiership now rests on the outcome of their visit to Motherwell on Saturday in the final round of fixtures before the split.

“He's just trying to do as well as he can," Gordon added. "Trying to win the ball back. He's just a young player trying to progress in the game and try to do it as well as he possibly can.

“So no, I don't think there's too much you can say to him. I'm sure, looking back, he maybe wishes he hadn't gone in for the challenge and just left it. But he's trying to win the ball back for the team and do the job for the team.

“This time it's resulted in him getting a red card. It's the first time he's been red carded. It's something he'll have to deal with and come back stronger.

“From what I've seen from him, training here, around the dressing room, away with the national team, I know he can deal with that and come back stronger. I'm sure he'll still have a big part to play for the rest of the season."