Craig Gordon must have a hidden Hearts time machine because science can't explain how good he still is - Ryan Stevenson

I'm 37 years old and there are some days I struggle to get off the couch.

Craig Gordon is two years older than me and he is throwing himself around a six-yard box making saves that don’t only defy belief but are holding back time.

It is mind-boggling the Hearts keeper is continuing to perform at his current level. What isn’t so hard to believe is the football writers have voted him as their player of the year for a third time.

I know a lot of the Celtic lads have had great seasons but, for me, Gordon has been the stand-out most consistent player in this campaign. Almost every week he has made saves that he has had no right to make and he is the biggest reason why Hearts have had the season they’ve enjoyed.

Craig’s influence stretches way beyond the 90 minutes on a Saturday at Tynecastle. He is the heart and soul of the place – the guy that sets the standards simply by the way he plays, trains and talks. He leads by example – not a shouter and bawler and every person at the club looks up to him.

I didn’t play with Craig but he came into train with us for a spell when he left Sunderland after being out for more than two years with the knee injury that would have killed most players’ careers.

At that point he didn’t know what the future held for him – he eventually signed for Celtic – but when he was in training with us I was in awe of the guy.

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