CRAIG’S IN FOR THE GONG HAUL
Veteran Gordon picks up writers’ PoY award and vows to continue playing
CHAPTER and verse of Craig Gordon’s career has been story after story of triumphs over adversity.
For a man who continues to rewrite the script of a remarkable career, it’s fitting he was rewarded by Scotland’s newspaper scribblers at their annual awards night on Sunday.
After claiming an historic hat-trick of SFWA Player of the Year awards, the Hearts keeper has one eye on making it a quadruple – in 2030!
The Jambos keeper was only half joking that he’ll still be producing shut-outs into the next decade despite hitting his 40th birthday this December.
After being named as the best in the business once again, having won it in the 2005-06 and 2014-15 seasons, Gordon admits immediate ambitions for both club and country are his priority as he found time to praise his team-mates for their part in landing him some personal glory.
He said: “I am immensely proud. I can’t quite believe that I’ve managed to win this award three times.
“It is not something you set out to do at the start of your career but certainly the closer I get to the end and the more I look at what I am going to leave behind – in terms of the records that I have managed to gain– it is an incredible achievement.
“You go along taking one game at a time and trying your best. I am so happy to have won this again. I have won it every eight years or so... so I might get it again in 2030.
“It was always going to be difficult. There were probably a few fans who thought I was a bit old to come back and might not make the same impact as the first time round. I still had to come and prove people wrong by performing well. That’s what drives me to come back again and prove I can still play. I’ve got a few more years left.” A Scottish Cup Final against
Rangers looms later this month. And the guarantee of a third place Premiership finish which lines up European group stage football next season for Hearts has surpassed many expectations for a side promoted into the top flight last summer. But Gordon is adamant this campaign can still deliver more if they make it a glory day out at Hampden with World Cup play-off action for Scotland also on the horizon for him. He said: “It’s going to be busy – and let’s hope it’s busy because that means we’re achieving, both here at Hearts and at international level.
“Firstly, we’ve got a few more games to finish off this season and get as many points as we can. Our record after the split hasn’t been great over the last few seasons, so we want to make sure we get a good points total after the split and go into the final in form.
“If we can do that, we give ourselves a chance. We know we’re going to be underdogs for that one (Cup Final) but we’ll go in and give it our best shot.
“With the togetherness we do have, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing and what the venue is, we know we’ve got a chance of winning the game.
“It’s going to be by no means easy but we have to try to do that on both fronts. Hearts have had a good season but it could be really special.”
Gordon will make a return to Celtic this weekend with the aim of preventing his old club from all but putting the seal on a title triumph and he’s adamant he’ll be all out to spoil the party.
He said: “We are all aware of the situation with goal difference and points. We want to continue our momentum.
“We’re 10 games unbeaten. It makes no difference what the scenario is for them.”