Craig Gordon. (Delete if Necessary)

[SuperstarSteve]

It may be a biased opinion as I grew up watching him.

I can’t say he’s the best having missed Gorman but he is the best Scottish goalkeeper of his generation no doubt about it, in his prime was leaps and bounds ahead of Marshall and McGregor before his injury problems. 

Walter smith was picking Gordon ahead of McGregor which for me speaks volumes. Also Buffon said he one of the best in the world 😂.

Personally I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves, in general not from us the hearts fans as majority love him. 
 

Anyway as recently appointed captain, lifelong fan and cup winning legend he will adore the maroon more than the filthy green of Celtic by the end of this season and I’m overjoyed at the thought. 
 

Would love for him to lift a trophy before he retires. I feel that deserves a thread and apologies if there already is one

Edited July 23, 2021 by SuperstarSteve

[graygo]

I reckon he won't need to wait till the end of the season to adore maroon more than green, that's never been an issue. 

By Gorman I take it you mean Goram, would probably be looked on as the better of the two if he wasn't such a wasteful arsehole, Gordon is a far better professional.

[jambostuart]

1 hour ago, SuperstarSteve said:

It may be a biased opinion as I grew up watching him.

I can’t say he’s the best having missed Gorman but he is the best Scottish goalkeeper of his generation no doubt about it, in his prime was leaps and bounds ahead of Marshall and McGregor before his injury problems. 

Walter smith was picking Gordon ahead of McGregor which for me speaks volumes. Also Buffon said he one of the best in the world 😂.

Personally I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves, in general not from us the hearts fans as majority love him. 
 

Anyway as recently appointed captain, lifelong fan and cup winning legend he will adore the maroon more than the filthy green of Celtic by the end of this season and I’m overjoyed at the thought. 
 

Would love for him to lift a trophy before he retires. I feel that deserves a thread and apologies if there already is one

 

Craig Gordon belongs alongside Robbo in terms of legendary status in terms of love for the club and ability. 

 

I would also love to see him win another trophy with us before he retires, but he is still a SC winning legend regardless

[superjack]

6 hours ago, SuperstarSteve said:

It may be a biased opinion as I grew up watching him.

I can’t say he’s the best having missed Gorman but he is the best Scottish goalkeeper of his generation no doubt about it, in his prime was leaps and bounds ahead of Marshall and McGregor before his injury problems. 

Walter smith was picking Gordon ahead of McGregor which for me speaks volumes. Also Buffon said he one of the best in the world 😂.

Personally I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves, in general not from us the hearts fans as majority love him. 
 

Anyway as recently appointed captain, lifelong fan and cup winning legend he will adore the maroon more than the filthy green of Celtic by the end of this season and I’m overjoyed at the thought. 
 

Would love for him to lift a trophy before he retires. I feel that deserves a thread and apologies if there already is one

Goram was an amazing shot stopper, but, IMO, that was it. Also, when at the huns, just look at the state of him, supposedly an athlete. 

I was talking about this last week with a mate, to me he is the beat scottish keeper produced in my time. My dad thinks he agrees, he cant remember who else he is thinking of though.

[rudiatemyhamster]

38 minutes ago, superjack said:

Goram was an amazing shot stopper, but, IMO, that was it. Also, when at the huns, just look at the state of him, supposedly an athlete. 

I was talking about this last week with a mate, to me he is the beat scottish keeper produced in my time. My dad thinks he agrees, he cant remember who else he is thinking of though.

On a related call optic never rated Leighton, always seemed ordinary.  

[gregzy2k7]

Best goalkeeper I have ever seen, in his prime at circa 22/23 years old I genuinely believed he could have gone on to play for a Man Utd or even a Barca or Real, I think it was reported that Fergie was trying to sign him for utd just before he had his fracture at sunderland. Anyway he is a top guy and jambo legend.

[Newton51]

9 minutes ago, rudiatemyhamster said:

On a related call optic never rated Leighton, always seemed ordinary.  

I always preferred Leighton to Goram. Think there was a west coast bias at the time when comparing them. They would always prefer a rangers keeper to an Aberdeen one

[John Findlay]

1 minute ago, Newton51 said:

I always preferred Leighton to Goram. Think there was a west coast bias at the time when comparing them. They would always prefer a rangers keeper to an Aberdeen one

The fact that both Alan Hunter and Stewart Kennedy played for Scotland ahead of Jim Cruikshank, tells you all you need to know about West Coast bias.

[alanjambo]

I think he would have been more highly regarded from people out with Hearts had he not gone to a piss poor Sunderland team. Their defence at that time was shocking and made him look ordinary. He still managed to pull off one of the premier league's greatest ever saves though. Had he gone to a stable, mid level EPL team, I think he'd have settled and gone on to greater heights.

 

For me, he's the best Hearts keeper I've seen. And, given how good Antti Niemi was, that's a high level.

[Aaron78]

Craig Gordon is a phenomenal keeper and if he hadn't had injury problems would have ended up at a top English Premier club. 

 

However, Goram in my opinion, was the best keeper in Britain at his peak, even better than Schmeichel I'd argue. Some of his performances were superhuman, he'd make saves you couldn't believe. He singlehandedly won Rangers a league title one season against a vastly superior Celtic team who were playing some brilliant football and had the likes of Van Hooijdonk firing on all cylinders. 

 

Obviously Goram has some poor personality traits so in term of who I'd rather see in a Hearts Jersey it's our Craig everytime, but if I'm being honest, Goram at his peak was the better keeper. 

Edited July 23, 2021 by Aaron78

[Penrices left boot]

McGregor, Goram and Klos were all / are all brilliant. 

Gordon is right up there. 

McGregor imo is slightly Better now than Gordon but I think Gordon was better than him earlier on. 

Goram defied the laws of physics at tines with saves. 

Niemi was also brilliant. 

 

I can't think of 5 better keepers in the UK in my lifetime. 

 

Edited July 23, 2021 by Smith's right boot

[vegas-voss]

11 minutes ago, Newton51 said:

I always preferred Leighton to Goram. Think there was a west coast bias at the time when comparing them. They would always prefer a rangers keeper to an Aberdeen one

Leighton was shot after his spell at Utd never recovered imo and should not have been chosen for the WC ahead of Goram where again big Jim ****ed up.

[Jim Panzee]

5 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

McGregor, Goram and Klos were all / are all brilliant. 

Gordon is right up there. 

McGregor imo is slightly Better now than Gordon but I think Gordon was better than him earlier on. 

Goram defied the laws of physics at tines with saves. 

Niemi was also brilliant. 

 

I can't think of 5 better keepers in the UK in my lifetime. 

 

Ray Clemence...?

[Penrices left boot]

3 minutes ago, Jim Panzee said:

Ray Clemence...?

Cannae remember him, never seen him play even on the box. 

But aye, why not? 🤷‍♂️

Edited July 23, 2021 by Smith's right boot

[blairdin]

Craig Gordon edges McGregor as the best keeper currently playing in Scotland. There's not much between them in terms of playing attributes - you could make a case for either - but Gordon's temperament is the big difference. 

 

We're lucky to have him back, and are lucky he's one of us. I'm slightly disappointed Harry Stone has been loaned out to Thistle, as I'd have preferred him to be Gordon's understudy and learn from the best every day in training and on matchdays.

 

As an aside, Andy Goram was and remains the only Hibs player I've ever seen get an ovation from all 4 sides of Tynecastle after putting in the most incredible goalkeeping display I've seen in any match in a derby. Goram was incredible.

Edited July 23, 2021 by blairdin

[DS98]

If it hadn’t been for the injuries at Sunderland then Craig would’ve went on to play for a top 10 European team and broke the national cap record. That’s not Hearts bias, it’s a simple fact. His highlight reel is quite astonishing. Usually throughout a goalies career there’s one or two saves that define them. Off the top of my head there’s

 

Clarkson volley

Rob Jones header

Sparta triple save

Nisbit in the semi

Livi when he was in the deck

V Bolton (best save in history of EPL)

 

His Celtic one will be just as good but we’re probably not aware of most of them. I remember his one against Whittaker, YouTube it if you haven’t seen it is incredible. 

 

[Savage Vince]

Goram was an unbelievable goalkeeper, especially when you consider his lifestyle. 

[Jim Panzee]

2 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

Cannae remember him, never seen him play even on the box. 

But aye, why not? 🤷‍♂️

wow. showing my age. saw him in the flesh a handful of times in the early 80's. Was a great keeper - and a gent to boot.

 

Thinking back - he had a similar lithe build as Craig Gordon.

[Jeff]

Think if Alan MacGregor wasn't such a knob he'd have been the best. 

[Boab]

6 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

Cannae remember him, never seen him play even on the box. 

But aye, why not? 🤷‍♂️

You’re younger than I thought you were, Tosh.

Huge figure in the game down south. 

[Penrices left boot]

4 minutes ago, blairdin said:

Craig Gordon edges McGregor as the best keeper currently playing in Scotland. There's not much between them in terms of playing attributes - you could make a case for either - but Gordon's temperament is the big difference. 

 

We're lucky to have him back, and are lucky he's one of us. I'm slightly disappointed Harry Stone has been loaned out to Thistle, as I'd have preferred him to be Gordon's understudy and learn from the best every day in training and on matchdays.

 

As an aside, Andy Goram was and remains the only Hibs player I've ever seen get an ovation from all 4 sides of Tynecastle after putting in the most incredible goalkeeping display I've seen in any match in a derby. Goram was incredible.

 

 

I'd grudgingly argue McGregor is the better atm. 

He's made some outstanding saves in Europe over the past few years. 

Basically doing the same as Gordon but at a higher level. 

 

As you say, could make the case for either tho. 

 

 

 

[Boab]

6 minutes ago, Jim Panzee said:

wow. showing my age. saw him in the flesh a handful of times in the early 80's. Was a great keeper - and a gent to boot.

 

Thinking back - he had a similar lithe build as Craig Gordon.

Very similar. Good point.

[Penrices left boot]

Just now, Boab said:

You’re younger than I thought you were, Tosh.

Huge figure in the game down south. 

 

Yeah some will say  him, Shilton and Peter S are up there. Even Seaman. 

Quite rightly too. 

 

Never seen much or any of Ray and Shilton and imo the 5 I mentioned were better than Big Pete who many will think is the best. 

 

I'm biased to who I seen a lot off. 

Klos was shit hot as well, the reason we got Niemi iirc. 

 

 

 

[Fitzroy Pointon]

Goram was world class and definitely the best I have seen in the flesh in my life (not lucky enough to have seen Buffon live). For his size and apparent lifestyle, he had the reactions of a cat. I met him last year and told him that and that I was a Hearts fan and he seemed genuinely touched that I would think that. That could have been his hangover though, he looked rough as arseholes. 

 

McGregor is a class keeper, no denying that. I really wanted us to get him when we were rumoured with signing him around the time Lafferty signed. 

 

But I am delighted to have oor Craig back. He is in the top two of my lifetime at Hearts. I always see Niemi as my no.1 but then I think of the unbelievable saves Gordon has made over his time with us and elsewhere. Had he not returned to us I wouldn't have had him above Niemi but he's just about cementing that no.1 spot. 

 

I don't want to drag the thread down, but I worry if he gets injured this season. From what I have seen, Stewart is no better than Zlamal. 

 

 

[otterjohn]

Brilliant keeper but im still finding it hard to forgive him for some of his crap in a Celtic jersey at Tynecastle.  Im sure another good season with Hearts will help.

[davemclaren]

How long can Craig go on for though, another couple of seasons at most?

[DS98]

2 minutes ago, otterjohn said:

Brilliant keeper but im still finding it hard to forgive him for some of his crap in a Celtic jersey at Tynecastle.  Im sure another good season with Hearts will help.

😂

[William H. Bonney]

3 minutes ago, otterjohn said:

Brilliant keeper but im still finding it hard to forgive him for some of his crap in a Celtic jersey at Tynecastle.  Im sure another good season with Hearts will help.

What did Gordon do wrong when playing for Celtic at tynecastle? 
 

[John Findlay]

27 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

McGregor, Goram and Klos were all / are all brilliant. 

Gordon is right up there. 

McGregor imo is slightly Better now than Gordon but I think Gordon was better than him earlier on. 

Goram defied the laws of physics at tines with saves. 

Niemi was also brilliant. 

 

I can't think of 5 better keepers in the UK in my lifetime. 

 

Some of us are fortunate enough to have seen Banks, Clemence, Shilton, Jennings, in the flesh. All superb goalkeepers. Along with Jimmy Rimmer, Joe Corrigan.

[William H. Bonney]

I think he’s a fantastic keeper and an excellent role model and ambassador for the club. We’ve been extraordinarily lucky down the years to have had some terrific keepers. 
In this current set up he’s the ideal choice for captain but I do feel if we sign someone more vocal they will become captain. 
 

[Fitzroy Pointon]

2 minutes ago, Furious Styles said:

What did Gordon do wrong when playing for Celtic at tynecastle? 
 

 

Hilariously brought down Callaghan in the box when he was going nowhere, leading to Milinkovic making it 4-0. 

 

Wrong for Celtic. Absolutely beautiful for us. 

[colinmaroon]

7 hours ago, Awbdy Oot said:

I reckon he won't need to wait till the end of the season to adore maroon more than green, that's never been an issue. 

By Gorman I take it you mean Goram, would probably be looked on as the better of the two if he wasn't such a wasteful arsehole, Gordon is a far better professional.

 

Goram is overrated!

 

Cup final, 2nd goal! Watch 22 in a row!

 

Great keeper but not the best!

 

 

 

 

[drumie jambo]

12 minutes ago, jonnothejambo said:

Lev Yashin and Gordon Banks. 

Cruickshank was better than Yashin....and Banks too.

I'm almost 59 now and best I've seen in my lifetime  is

1 Niemi

2 Gordon

3 Cruickshank

Edited July 23, 2021 by drumie jambo

[A_A wehatethehibs]

in a roundabout way, Hearts are fortunate that Gordon got injured when he did. I don't believe he'd have been back in Scotland were it not for that. I believe he would've been signed by one of the big boys in European football. But that's the way many careers go. He did well at Celtic despite being under appreciated there. He's certainly not under appreciated now, given what has happened with his poppadom-handed successors there. £5m for Barkas. If you ask a celtic fan, they'd probably say they'd rather have bought 38 year old Gordon back from Hearts for £5m just after he signed here,  rather than that clown  

 

Echo the sentiment, it would be a great way for him to round off his career by winning something at Hearts. But he won't spare much thought for that, big CG will just take it one game at a time as he always does. A top drawer professional and will always be a hero of mine.  

[Fitzroy Pointon]

3 minutes ago, colinmaroon said:

 

Goram is overrated!

 

Cup final, 2nd goal! Watch 22 in a row!

 

Great keeper but not the best!

 

 

 

 

 

Adam's goal? I thought he was unlucky with that. Amoruso absolutely sold the jerseys and it was a powerful volley. He got a hand to it and if it hadn't have been such a good shot he would have kept it out. 

[The Treasurer]

For me, the greatest I've ever seen is Cruickshank, but Craig Gordon is as close as I've seen

[sjh1874]

As good as Craig is and he is very good, Niemi was the best i've seen in a Hearts shirt

[graygo]

21 minutes ago, drumie jambo said:

Cruickshank was better than Yashin....and Banks too.

I'm almost 59 now and best I've seen in my lifetime  is

1 Niemi

2 Gordon

3 Cruickshank

 

You think the 3 best goalkeepers you've ever seen all played for Hearts? Do you only watch Hearts?

 

With apologies if you meant best ever at Hearts.

Edited July 23, 2021 by Awbdy Oot

[Penrices left boot]

29 minutes ago, Salad Fingers said:

 

Hilariously brought down Callaghan in the box when he was going nowhere, leading to Milinkovic making it 4-0. 

 

Wrong for Celtic. Absolutely beautiful for us. 

 

His touch was that bad it tricked everyone. 

That moment when a horrendous touch is that bad it ends up good. 

 

 

 

 

[Penrices left boot]

38 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

How long can Craig go on for though, another couple of seasons at most?

 

Step up young Stone. 

 

[Penrices left boot]

47 minutes ago, Boab said:

You’re younger than I thought you were, Tosh.

Huge figure in the game down south. 

 

Not a day past 25, 16 years I've been saying that. 

 

 

[blairdin]

3 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

Not a day past 25, 16 years I've been saying that. 

 

 

This I can almost relate to. Although I'm 16 + 2 now...

 

I'll tell you what, when you read back this thread at the names mentioned blokes in our early 40s seen play - Gordon, Niemi, Rousset for us alone - then consider Goram, Klos, Charbonnier, Boruc, Woods, Snelders, Schmeical junior - that's a selection of some of the very best in the business.

 

 

[cheetah]

I was always a big fan of Paul Cooper at Ipswich, early 80's, that boy could save a penalty too 🙂 

[drumie jambo]

24 minutes ago, Awbdy Oot said:

 

You think the 3 best goalkeepers you've ever seen all played for Hearts? Do you only watch Hearts?

 

With apologies if you meant best ever at Hearts.

I only watch Hearts and Fulham so not interested in other teams.

Yes there have been some very good keepers over the years but that doesn't mean I'm biased. 

Niemi,Gordon and Cruickshank are the best I've seen. 

PS. I don't even watch Scotland which was a decision made way back when various Hearts players didn't get picked because they didn't play for one of the Old Squirm despite being far better.

Edited July 23, 2021 by drumie jambo

[upgotheheads]

Of the goalies I have watched with Hearts since around 1962 I would put the ranking as Gordon, Cruickshank/Niemi (close call) and Henry Smith.

[davemclaren]

Just now, upgotheheads said:

Of the goalies I have watched with Hearts since around 1962 I would put the ranking as Gordon, Cruickshank/Niemi (close call) and Henry Smith.

Where would you rank Ray Dunlop? 😖

[upgotheheads]

3 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

Where would you rank Ray Dunlop? 😖

 

came from Arbroath or Montrose I think after Cruicky?

 

Less said the better.

[Pans Jambo]

Best keeper I have ever seen in Hearts or Scotland colours.

 

In his prime, as good as any in the world at that time.

 

Now, still the best keeper in Scotland and still top 10 in the UK.

 

And...he's one of ours!

[davemclaren]

4 minutes ago, upgotheheads said:

 

came from Arbroath or Montrose I think after Cruicky?

 

Less said the better.

I thought it was Stenhousemuir. He still gives me the jitters when I think about him. 😄

[Ribble]

1 hour ago, davemclaren said:

How long can Craig go on for though, another couple of seasons at most?

 

Buffon has a contract to 45, Craig potentially has extra time at the end of his career due to the time he's spent out of the game