Craig Gordon retirement would be ‘huge loss’

By COLLEEN STRACHAN
Published on 14/02/2013 12:00

STEVE BANKS admitted today that it would be a huge loss for football if injury brings Craig Gordon’s playing career to a premature end.

Gordon rose through Hearts’ youth ranks to establish himself as one of their greatest-ever keepers before moving to Sunderland for £9 million in 2007, becoming the most expensive shot-stopper in Britain.

Since then, however, his career has been hampered by chronic injury problems and this week Gordon, who has been helping out Dumbarton boss Ian Murray in a temporary coaching role, said he is unlikely to play again this season and that there is a chance his football career may be over.

Banks, who was Gordon’s understudy at Tynecastle, said: “I saw Craig a couple of weeks ago and everything just seems to be up in the air for him at the moment. He has got so much talent that it would be a huge loss and a huge waste for football if it turns out that he can’t play again. I hope everything is done to keep him in football.

“I thought he would go on to be Scotland’s number one keeper for the rest of his playing career and get a move to Manchester United or one of the other big clubs.

“For him to be cut short in the prime of his career would be really sad.”