Hearts have announced the return of goalkeeper Craig Gordon to Tynecastle.
The 37-year-old became an outstanding young keeper during his first spell in Gorgie after making his first team debut in 2002 and his talent meant he was soon the number one choice in that position at Tynecastle.
He won the first of his 54 Scotland caps in 2004 and is a member of both the SFA’s International Hall of Fame and the Hearts Hall of Fame.
Gordon, of course, was a key part of Hearts 2006 Scottish Cup winning team alongside Robbie Neilson – who has also returned to Gorgie for a second stint as manager.
In 2007 Gordon was transferred to English Premier League side Sunderland for what was then a British record transfer fee for a goalkeeper – an eye watering £9m.
Celtic took Gordon back to Scotland in 2014 and he helped the Glasgow team win a stream of domestic honours. With his contract at Celtic Park now at an end, Gordon jumped at the chance to return to Gorgie. He told the official Hearts website:
“I’m very happy to be back,”
“It was always something I wanted to do – to come back. To have this opportunity now, at the start of something where we really feel as if we have a project to move on with, is fantastic. Everybody is united to try and get us back to where we should be and I wanted to be part of that and I absolutely can’t wait.
“I’ve still got a good few years in me yet and hopefully I can get back out there and show everybody what I’m still capable of. The big is aim is to play as many games as I possibly can for Hearts over the next few years and I’m absolutely delighted to be back.
“I’m absolutely ready to go, I’ve been working hard in the months we’ve been off and I feel as good as I have done in the last five or six years.”
“I’ve seen many familiar faces already today, it’s great to be back and get to know everybody else again. It’s a special place, it’s where I grew up. I came to support them as a boy and to play out here, it was a good few years ago now but to come back and feel the supporters behind me again, when they’re allowed back, is going to be really special.”
Gordon did admit to finding one element of his homecoming a bit difficult to adjust to – his relationship with returning Hearts manager and good friend Robbie Neilson.
“I’m going to have to get used to calling him gaffer now, that’ll be the strangest part! I know how organised he is and how he likes his team to play, I’m really looking forward to it. He did very well in his time here previously and I can’t wait to get onto the training field and see how he puts the team together.”
Photo: www.heartsfc.co.uk
Author of The Team for Me - 50 Years of Following Hearts. Runs Mind Generating Success, a successful therapy practice in Edinburgh. Contact me if you want rid of any unwanted habits. Twitter @Mike1874
