Hearts keeper opens up on what comes next after debut he wasn't expecting as his Gorgie privilege detailed

He’s not keen to be a training keeper- but Ryan Fulton insists he’s in a privileged position at Hearts after making his Gorgie bow.

The former Liverpool youngster joined the club last summer after time at Hamilton, knowing he was coming in to be understudy to both Craig Gordon and Zander Clark between the sticks. With Gordon a late call-off and Clark still getting back to full fitness after a recent injury, it was Fulton who started Saturday’s Premiership win against Motherwell.

It couldn’t have gone much better either. His long ball counted as an assist for Lawrence Shankland who put the team ahead in the 3-0 success as a clean sheet added to his memorable afternoon in the Gorgie sunshine.

Hearts player on future

A phone call from goalkeeper coach Paul Gallagher wasn’t one he was anticipating, but it was something he was more than happy to take up. Fulton said: “My morning didn't really change too much. Obviously I prepare the same way, whether I'm on the bench or going to play. Once I got here, I was by my phone, and Gal was trying to call me, and I had no idea he was trying to ring me. I got here, he said, ‘I’ve tried to ring you’, and then obviously it's like you're playing. It was a bit of a whirlwind from there, but obviously I prepare the same way, and that was that, I was ready to go.

“I don't think he would do that to me (a wind-up)! I've waited long enough, so I surely can't do that. But no, I was delighted with it. I wasn't expecting it, that was for sure. I thought I'd just come in to prepare as normal on the bench and go from there. The lads were solid in front of me. Obviously Frankie and Craig Halkett especially putting their bodies on the line. So yeah, it made it much easier for myself, but obviously I was delighted to get a clean sheet, that's for sure.”

Number one Gordon is out of contract in the summer and there is a selfish way of looking at it from Fulton’s point of view. There is another side though that he has to consider, as he admits his own future could go a couple of different directions.

He added: “There's two ways to think. Being honest, there's a selfish way and if he was to retire then maybe I would come up in the line. But I would miss working with him, I would miss watching him play out there every week, so that's the other side. I think he can still do it, he's shown that this season, so why would you retire? Especially Craig. I don’t know how he keeps going, but he does.

“I don't know what the circumstances are going to be next season. Maybe there's a chance to go on loan, or there's a chance to maybe stay here and push and fight. I'll need to speak to the club and see what, you know, the plans are for me.”

Tynecastle privilege

Fulton knew what he was signing up for when joining Hearts last summer, and insists he is honoured to have had the chance to represent the team, and believes there’s a better goalkeeper within him than 12 months ago. The shot-stopper added: “I wouldn't say an area, just all round and even a bit of confidence, being with the two of them, and keeping up with the two of them. That's been a big thing, because their two big names, especially up here in Scotland. So I feel my levels there with them every day, and obviously they're pushing me as much as I'm pushing them, so that's been good, because, when I came here I knew that I needed to hit the ground running. There's no second chances, there's no bedding your way in.

“It's like, I need to go, I need to be ready, especially because the eyes are on me. I’ve been privileged to work with them two guys. Obviously Craigie, what he's done in the game and stuff like that, and where Zander's at, obviously I can't ask for any two better people to be with as well as Gal. So I don't take it for granted, that's for sure. I come in here, I work hard, I try and keep the standards high, try and keep up with them and just see where it goes from there.

“I don't want to sit on the bench, I don't want to be a training keeper by any means, but I knew what I signed up for when I came here. I know the size of the club, I know what I was coming into, with the two boys in front of me. So, again, going forward, it may be different, but I don't know what the future holds. I knew what I came into, I knew I had to keep my head down, work hard, I might get a chance. It’s been a lengthy wait for me but today I finally got it and obviously it was nice to get a clean sheet.”