Scotland record-setter couldn't keep club shirt as he eyes another milestone against Rangers

October, 1999. Let’s just say it wasn’t a classic month for Hearts supporters.

Only one win - against East Fife in the League Cup. Otherwise, memories of losing to Dundee and drawing at home against Kilmarnock and St Johnstone might have been consigned to a dusty antechamber of the minds of those old enough.

Still, something of significance had occurred at the club. Craig Gordon, then aged just 16, signed his first full-time professional contract that month. Gilles Rousset was the incumbent first-team goalkeeper at the time with Henry Smith having left the club after a period of outstanding service.

Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon punches the ball clear against Heidenheim. | SNS Group

The redoubtable Smith along with Jim Cruickshank remain the benchmarks for Hearts goalkeepers in terms of games played, although Gordon can eclipse them both when Scotland is thrown into the equation. Remarkably, eight days after playing his 300th match for Hearts, Gordon is almost certain to pick up his 78th international cap against Croatia with the 79th likely to follow soon afterwards against Poland.

The first of these appearances will put him outright among the top five Scottish capped players of all-time, while the second will leave him just an appearance short of Darren Fletcher's total of 80.

Before then comes the possibility of yet another landmark.

Where better to earn a 100th clean sheet for Hearts than against Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday? It would guarantee earning a result that Hearts desperately need at present as they seek to push themselves clear of the relegation area.

Gordon had the chance to secure this milestone achievement in his 300th appearance on Thursday night against Heidenheim but was beaten by two excellent headers. “We’ve let this one slip,” he lamented afterwards. Hearts missed several good opportunities both before and after the Germans took the lead.

It shouldn't detract from the significance of the evening for Gordon personally. There are just 37 players above him in he all-time Hearts appearances list. Two of the top four are goalkeepers.

Now 41, Gordon concedes that they remain out of range, although he does still see Smith on occasion. Cruickshank passed away 14 years ago this month at the age of 69 having made 538 appearances. Smith left for Ayr United two matches short of 600. Gary Mackay is still way out in front on 640.

The next still-active player on the list after Gordon is Stephen Kingsley on 155.

Henry Smith has the most appearances for a Hearts goalkeeper. | SNS Group 0141 221 3602

Smith is still regularly in attendance at Tynecastle. “He comes with his grandson and I see him in the Main Stand sometimes when we are warming up,” said Gordon. “Every time we meet up or we’re at a function he still reminds me he has a few more records on me - I’m probably not going to catch his appearance one! He can have that one to keep!

“I know I’m not getting anywhere near the top of it,” he added, with reference to the all-time appearances list. “Time’s running out on reeling those guys in. It’s just great to be in that company.

“Guys like Gary Mackay and Henry were people I watched playing for Hearts towards the end of their career. I even managed to play a game against Henry before he finally hung up his gloves because he had played on so long as well. So there’s always more to look forward to. But I’m happy to have made 300. I will see how many more I can make.”

It’s possible he will reel in the likes of Jim Jefferies, on 310, and Neil Berry, on 316, before the season’s out.

“Three hundred appearances for one club is a lot, especially these days,” he added. “And more than I could ever have imagined when I first came through these doors in October 1999 on the ground staff. Twenty-five years later it’s a bit of a difference. But yes, it’ll be something I will cherish and look back on and will be immensely proud of.”

As for now, Gordon has been left without even the jersey on his back. It was handed to opposite number Kevin Muller on Thursday night. Interestingly, he explained that players all get two jerseys per game – one for swapping, and one for donating to an online fundraising platform that allows fans to purchase players’ shirts, with funds going to club or charity partners.

“You get two but one goes to MatchWornShirts,” revealed the ‘keeper. “Someone can bid on that. It will be a nice one for someone to bid for.

“The other one went to the other goalie so I have none! I might buy my own back on MatchWorn….! Nah, I’ll let that one go to whoever wants it.”

Gordon is set to add to his Scotland caps next week. | SNS Group

Already the oldest-ever player for both Hearts and Scotland, Gordon doesn’t so much need a goalie coach as an archivist to keep track of his records and landmarks as his career continues in a third distinct period.

The first chapter saw him eventually earn Hearts a lot of money when he headed south to Sunderland for £9 million. The second came after serious injury problems threatened to prematurely end his career before he made a remarkable comeback at Celtic. And the third is the current, bonus period. It is likely to form the epilogue, but what an epilogue.

It is now almost a year since he returned to the first-team squad for a game against Rangers after nearly a year out following a horrific double leg break against Dundee United. He has since displaced Zander Clark to re-assert himself as No.1. The international return is even more miraculous.

“I’ve probably been written off a few times with the injuries I’ve had,” said Gordon. “But keeping proving people wrong is big motivation in itself. I think everyone has to keep doing that in their career. That’s what it’s like. You have to keep coming back and proving yourself in every game. It’s something I enjoy trying to do.”