The 5 best Hearts goalkeepers of the last 50 years

The first in a series we are running this week looking at the five best Hearts players of the last 50 years for each position
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We start the look back at the best Hearts players in each position – goalkeeper, defenders, midfielders, forwards – since 1970 with the men between the sticks:

Craig Gordon

A product of the club’s academy despite nearly being released when he was 15 due to his height. He grew into a towering presence and made his debut at just 19 in a draw with Livingston in 2002. The following season he would go on to win the No.1 jersey for himself with a string of impressive displays. He was a totemic figure in the 2005/2006 season to help Hearts finish second and win the Scottish Cup.

Craig Gordon went from academy graduate to £9m star. Picture: SNSCraig Gordon went from academy graduate to £9m star. Picture: SNS
Craig Gordon went from academy graduate to £9m star. Picture: SNS
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Fans will have their favourite Craig Gordon moment, whether it was the triple save against Sparta Prague in the Uefa Cup, the last-minute stop from David Clarkson against Motherwell in 2005 or a stupendous denial of Rob Jones late in an Edinburgh derby in 2006. Kicking has never been the strongest part of his game, but when it comes to actually saving shots there have been few better in Scotland in recent years or at Hearts for a long time.

His performances for the Tynecastle side deserved the massive move to Sunderland for a fee which could have reached £9million where he would go on to produce the best save of the English Premier League era.

Antti Niemi

Hearts have been blessed with two magnificent goalkeepers in the 21st century. That was seen in a poll run by the Evening News where the Finn and Craig Gordon garnered more than 90 per cent of the votes to find out the best Hearts stopper since 2000. It speaks volumes that Niemi edged out Gordon. He was that good.

Antti Niemi produced some wonderful saves during his time at Tynecastle Park. Picture: SNSAntti Niemi produced some wonderful saves during his time at Tynecastle Park. Picture: SNS
Antti Niemi produced some wonderful saves during his time at Tynecastle Park. Picture: SNS

He didn’t look like a big goalkeeper. He was well built but veered towards the small side for a goalkeeper. Yet, if there was a word to describe the 67-time Finland international it may well be ‘elastic’. Niemi had brilliant power and agility to be able to spring to either side of the goal and contort himself in ways which would allow him to save the most difficult of shots

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Niemi was a regular for producing jaw-dropping stops, whether it was at Parkhead or a point-blank save at Fir Park which had everyone scratching their heads in disbelief. His fingertips seemed to be some sort of Inspector Gadget device.

His departure in 2002 was a heartbreaking one for fans but in £2million and allowed the player to showcase his skills in the Premier League with Fulham and Southampton.

Gilles Rousset

Gilles Rousset was man of the match in the 1998 Scottish Cup final. Picture: SNSGilles Rousset was man of the match in the 1998 Scottish Cup final. Picture: SNS
Gilles Rousset was man of the match in the 1998 Scottish Cup final. Picture: SNS

For some in Scottish football the name Gilles Rousset is synonymous with the 1996 Scottish Cup final and the shot which trundled through his legs. But for Hearts fans he is a bona fide legend. A man who was pivotal in helping the club end their 36-year wait for a major trophy.

Rousset arrived at Tynecastle Park in 1995 a French international having played twice when Lyon No.1 and went to Euro 92 as back-up keeper. When he pitched up in EH11 he had some of France’s biggest names on his CV. He did not fail to deliver on such a glowing resume after the club went through a difficult period with goalkeepers. In came this giant with a real stature, both on paper and physically. The Frenchman made Hearts fans trust in goalkeepers again with his confidence at coming for crossed balls and generally being a fantastic stopper.

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So much can be said about his form around 1996 and then redemption in the 1998 Scottish Cup final as he picked up the man of the match award, but more than anything this was a player who developed a strong connection with the Hearts support, a hero and friend to many. A legend to all.

Henry Smith

No goalkeeper has made more appearances for Hearts than Henry Smith. Picture: SNSNo goalkeeper has made more appearances for Hearts than Henry Smith. Picture: SNS
No goalkeeper has made more appearances for Hearts than Henry Smith. Picture: SNS

£2,000. When you talk about money spent by Hearts, there can hardly be better value than the four figures the club parted with to sign Henry Smith from Leeds United in 1981. He spent 15 years at the club racking up just shy of 600 games. He holds the honour of being the goalkeeper to make the most appearances and keep most clean sheets.

It says something of his talent that he was able to enjoy such consistency for such a big team in Scotland for so long, picking up three international caps along the way.

Smith was a fun goalkeeper to watch. Not only did he produce cat-like reflexes - his save against Celtic when he was going the other way, anyone? - which left you both amazed and bamboozled, he was also proactive. He wanted to help the team, ease pressure and would be fond of coming off his line to collect crosses and try and command his area. Such eagerness did at times work against him, notably in the 1988 Scottish Cup semi-final. Then there was his ability to have fun with fans, whether it was his own or the opposition.

A Hearts stalwart.

Jim Cruickshank

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There is a generation of Hearts fans who can count themselves lucky they were able to witness the legendary goalkeeper in action at Tynecastle. The same generation regard him as equal to or better than his modern day peers.

Jim Cruickshank in seen as the best Hearts goalkeeper of all time by some. Picture: SNSJim Cruickshank in seen as the best Hearts goalkeeper of all time by some. Picture: SNS
Jim Cruickshank in seen as the best Hearts goalkeeper of all time by some. Picture: SNS

He amassed 529 competitive appearances over a 17-year spell for the Jam Tarts but only six full Scotland caps. It is a figure which is seen as far too low but they were earned over 11 years owing to his quality rarely diminishing.

Cruickshank was a player who had the physical attributes, the confidence and calm head which would have made him good at whatever he put his hand to. But there was no question he was best between the sticks, sprawling to either side, pace off his line, handling shots or springing to those more difficult efforts.

Following his death in 2010, a piece in The Scotsman read: “If a footballer's career can be measured by the esteem in which he was held by supporters, rather than simply through the accumulation of medals and caps, then Jim Cruickshank was undoubtedly one of the most successful players of his generation.”