Young Hearts star reckons homegrown talent is way forward

The young defender came through the ranks himself, bursting onto the scene at the beginning of this season at right back, and has gone on to make 18 appearances for the first team since.

Fellow products of the youth system at Tynecastle, Gary Glen, Scott Robinson and Gordon Smith have also made their mark on the top team in recent months and Thomson reckons there are more just waiting for their chance to prove themselves. He said: "Young Scots can definitely be at the core of the team next season.

"It's happened before at Hearts. That's what they were always known for, that they were Scottish.

"We are getting Darren Barr in from Falkirk and there's a core of Scottish players coming through just now and, hopefully, we can keep them coming through. We've shown that, if we're given a chance, we can play."

Thomson has featured in Hearts' last three league games after a three-month spell on the sidelines with a knee injury sustained in the 2-1 win over Celtic back in December.

Surgery was required to resolve the problem and Thomson admits he was frustrated at the length of time it took to get back training with his team-mates.

Having been reined in by the club physio on several occasions, he's now just delighted to be back playing regular football again: "It's been a nightmare. Three months, it feels like it was a lot longer than that, having to sit about and watch everybody else enjoy their football.

"The physio did the right thing, really, and just kept me out.

"I was wanting to go back far too quickly, and I realise that now. He probably saved my knee.

"I have a lot of respect for him now. He's been really good for me. Every week he warned me, because every week I was saying I wanted to come back and I was fine. But he said: 'No this could end your career – it's a knee injury and if you do go out you could tear your whole miniscus and cartilage in your knee and that would be nine months'.

"So I'd rather take the three months properly than be out for nine months.

"It's completely healed now and I've not felt anything since I came back.

"Maybe the first game I came back it felt stiff, but that was expected. The physio said I'd feel stiff for the first couple of games and in training. But I only felt it in the first game and it feels fine now.

"You can't just walk back into the team after being out for three months and with the new manager as well it's made it harder.

"Jason Thomson has done really well since he went in. Hopefully, I'll just try and impress. I've been put on in different positions – in two of the games I was in central midfield. That was just due to injuries, really, but as long as I get a chance I'll be happy to play anywhere."

This afternoon's match against Kilmarnock at Tynecastle will decide whether Hearts play out their final five matches of the season in the top or the bottom half of the SPL table. A draw or a victory would see them pip St Johnstone to a top-six spot, while a defeat would allow Derek McInnes' side an opportunity to snatch it back for themselves with a victory over Aberdeen tomorrow.

Thomson concedes that this match will be one of the biggest that he has played because of what is at stake.

He said: "It's probably one of the biggest games of the season in the league. It's just trying to get a result. I know we only need a draw, obviously you want to win games.

"Hopefully, we'll get in the top six because it's always good to play against the bigger teams in the league. It'll be good to play at Ibrox and such places again, because we want to play at bigger stadiums in front of bigger crowds."

If Hearts do take a point or more from today's fixture and make sure of their spot in the top six, Thomson would love the chance to make up even more ground and push their way into the race for Europe too.

The youngster made his debut in the Europa League qualifier against Dinamo Zagreb at the beginning of this campaign and would love to experience that kind of occasion again: "Any European place is a good achievement in Scotland. If we can achieve that, then that's quite a big bonus for us, and I'm sure we can achieve it if we play how we've been playing recently. We've just been unlucky with results, I would say.

"This season, it was good to be involved against Dinamo Zagreb – where we were unlucky as well. It was just a great experience on the European stage."