Exclusive:Craig Gordon calls on Hearts to embrace 'new era' as he recalls Sunderland memories and famous save

Craig Gordon believes new Hearts head coach Derek McInnes will breathe new life into Tynecastle next season, heralding his arrival as an ‘exciting new era’ for the club.

The 42-year-old goalkeeper is entering his 20th year as a professional after he agreed a one year extension with at Tynecastle last month, but admits he won’t do much resting this summer as he gears up for the return of the competitive football, starting with a Premier Sports Cup tie against Dunfermline Athletic on July 12.

“I’m very proud and privileged to have had such a long career,” said Gordon. “So many highs along the way. Making my debut at Hearts, joining the club as a youngster. It was 1999 the first year I came in here, right through to winning the Scottish Cup to leaving to go to Sunderland and playing in the Premier League, and testing yourself against the best players, then coming back to - first of all Celtic - Hearts. It has been some journey.

Craig Gordon thwarts then-Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez during his time at Sunderland. | AFP via Getty Images

“I don’t think I’ll be relaxing too much on holiday. Next season is already on my mind. I’m still doing plenty of work during the summer to make sure I come back as ready as I can be, and to fight to get as many appearances as I can again. I’m really looking forward to pre-season, it’s an exciting period, we are right at the new era of Hearts.”

The veteran Scotland stopper has been awarded a testimonial at Tynecastle this season, with the club announcing that a pre-season friendly clash with Gordon’s former club Sunderland will kick-off a series of events aimed at celebrating the Hearts icon’s impressive career.

Once the most expensive goalkeeper in the history of British football, Gordon still remembers the time he first left Gorgie in order to complete a £9million transfer to Sunderland. Signing for the Black Cats in the summer of 2007, he still heralded on Wearside for a jaw-dropping reaction save against Bolton Wanderers that was voted the English Premier League’s greatest of all time.

His testimonial game against the Black Cats now just around the corner, Gordon admits his time his big money move to England was far from easy. Detailing the pressures that came with his record-breaking at the age of just 24, he admits his famous save against the Trotters is one he looks back on fondly.

“That was my first move,” said Gordon. “I’d been here [Hearts] since I was 12, I had came through the youth system. Seven or eight seasons on from going through the under-18s, the first-team, I’d always been at once place. Now I’m a couple of hours down the road, everything is different, the training ground is different. People are different.

“The travel to away grounds is much further. Everything changed in a matter of days, that is going to take some getting used to, whether you’re coming from the other side of the world or a couple of hours away. It probably took me a little while to get used to everything, and the club. Once I did though, it was somewhere I really felt at home.

“Yeah, it was a fantastic save [vs Bolton]. At the time, I’m probably not entirely sure how I’ve managed to make it. I remember the corner going to the back post - I’ve obviously watched it a few times since. It gets knocked back into the six yard line, my initial reaction was ‘oh, this is a goal’, but I need to make an effort and show that I am trying to keep this out.

“As I turned and made my dive, I’ve realised it is still within my reach. I’ve swung my left hand at it, and luckily for me it sort of rolled up my left thumb, I got some spin on the ball which managed to take it up and over the bar from almost on the goal line. I’m not entirely sure how I managed to do that, but sometimes you get a little bit of luck along with a great reaction. It is something I am still very proud of.”

Craig Gordon is entering his 20th season as a professional at Tynecastle this coming season. | SNS Group

The 42-year-old still holds affection for the Wearsiders, having spent five seasons at the Stadium of Light, and was delighted to see them win promotion back to the English Premier League last month. While it was Tommy Watson’s 95th minute goal that sealed their 2-1 win over Sheffield United in the EFL Championship playoff final, Gordon reserved his praise for Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson ahead his two crucial saves at Wembley.

“I was cheering them on,” said Gordon. “It didn’t look likely for a large part of the game, I was a little bit nervous for them. But they stayed in the game. Patterson made a couple of good saves, the one after 70 seconds - that’s the one that gets the headlines - but the one with his left foot in the second-half. If they go two goals down there, it is probably too difficult for them to get back into the game. From a goalkeeping point of view I though he was fantastic, keeping them in the game, and then they go on and win it.

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