Hearts’ James Wilson on his meteoric 12-month rise

Though Wilson already seems to have a knack for it, scoring goals doesn’t come without a whack of pressure.

But Critchley has assured there is no duress in that department from the dugout.

“There is no pressure from us, he’s just got to go out and play his game,” the former Blackpool boss said. “He’s been fantastic in the last few weeks.

“He’s a willing learner with a thirst for information and he wants to improve. We can help him with that, while James has just got to be himself.”

Something which is easier said than done sometimes, but Wilson has a wise head on young shoulders.

He’s supportive of his fellow academy players Adam Forrester and Macaulay Tait, who are also trying to make the step up to the first-team, while he enjoys going away with the youth national teams to play with his pals.

Unsurprisingly, he watches Lawrence Shankland like a hawk in training, “trying to feed off him,” while he’s constantly questioning his “mentor” Craig Gordon, who lifted the Scottish Cup with Hearts in 2006 long before he was born.

“He’s obviously got invaluable experience,” he said of the Scotland international.

“He asks me questions, I ask him questions. We’re just feeding information off each other; he’s really important to me.”

Perhaps they share selfie-taking techniques. A part of the role no amount of years in the academy can prepare you for. But Wilson takes it all in his stride.

“In school, the little young ones come up asking for pictures which is quite cool, and a bit weird,” he added, “It’s just different now, I guess.”

Different for now, but if the pace of his progress continues, folk asking for selfies on every corner will only continue.