Hearts ace Craig Gordon ready to bypass Aberdeen legend for place in Scotland all-time top 10

Craig Gordon insists he’s determined to gather up as many Scotland caps as possible as the Hearts goalkeeper is on the cusp of breaking into the country’s all-time top ten in appearances.

Gordon is just one cap behind Aberdeen legend Willie Miller and will have the chance to equal his total of 65 against Poland on Thursday and then bypass him next week against either Wales or Austria if selected.

Belying his age, the 39-year-old has been in terrific form for Hearts this season as the Jam Tarts have made an assault on a top-three spot and the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup after coming back from a season in the Scottish Championship.

Ex-Jambos favourite Colin Cameron said earlier on Tuesday he thought the custodian could play at the top level for another six years, which, if reports are to be believed, would take him up to a tournament on home soil with the 2028 Euros set to take place across the UK and Ireland.

Craig Gordon received his 50th cap medal from Willie Miller and SFA chairman Alan McRae at Pittodrie in 2017. Picture: SNS

Gordon isn’t getting too far ahead of himself, but does insist he’ll keep going as long as manager Steve Clarke wants to select him.

“It is quite a big one, really, when you think back to where I started back in 2004,” he said. “I now have the chance of getting into the top ten in the all-time list. It is great to be getting towards that.

“Hopefully I have a few more. I have not got a number in mind that I want to stop at. So I would like a few more than that. But we will see where it gets me. I will keep playing and keep doing as well as I can at Hearts and hopefully the manager keeps picking me.”

On Cameron’s comments, he added: “Hopefully we could get a home tournament by then as well. That is six years away, something to aim for! But I think I will take it one season at a time. That is still quite a long way away.”

Willie Miller pictured in 1981. The Aberdeen defender won 65 caps

Potentially passing someone of Miller’s stature is a huge honour to Gordon, who received some words of encouragement from the former league, cup and Cup-Winners’ Cup winner when he broke the 50-cap barrier in a friendly match against the Netherlands at Pittodrie in 2017.

“He presented me with my medal for my 50th cap. And now here I am another 15 caps later to join him on that figure. It is quite something,” said Gordon.

"He congratulated me on first of all reaching 50 caps but also on getting back into the Scotland squad after my first 39-40 caps the first time around and before the obvious break in the middle. He congratulated on getting to 50 and also on getting back to that level after injury.

“That was a nice moment to hear that from someone like him who had played so many times for Scotland. It was pretty special.

Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon will be going for his 65th Scotland cap against Poland on Thursday evening. Picture: SNS

“I am lucky to have had that moment and now join him on the same number of caps should I be selected on Thursday night.

“Once I am finished playing and actually look back and take stock of all these things it will sink in then, but at the moment I still have that drive to keep going for more and more.”

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