Craig Gordon wins Player of the Year award and explains how his Hearts plan came together

Gordon is the Scottish Football Writers’ Player of the Year for 2021/22 having captained his team back into European competition, reached the Scottish Cup final and reclaimed his international place. He is the first man to win the award three times.

You won’t find him perched on a Riccarton chair declaring “I love it when a plan comes together” through a cigar. Colonel Hannibal Smith and his A-Team would nonetheless be chuffed with Gordon and Hearts’ execution of this particular project.

In two seasons, they have climbed out of the Championship and finished third in the Premiership as a newly-promoted side. Gordon left Celtic and returned to his formative club anticipating a rejuvenation under manager Robbie Neilson. Even he couldn’t have expected to carry it all off so seamlessly.

“The motivation was to come back and show everybody I could still do it. I had spent a year on the bench [at Celtic], I didn't particularly enjoy it and wanted to finish my career playing games,” explained the 39-year-old goalkeeper.

"You never know if you will get the chance to come back here. Somebody could have been in possession of the jersey and doing well. It just so happened I was coming out of contract so it was a great opportunity for me to come back and get playing.

“At the back of my mind, what I wanted to do was get back playing for Scotland and put pressure on that No.1 position, also get promoted and try to get Hearts into Europe. That was everything that was discussed when I came back. That was the plan.

“Things don't always go to plan but that was the best-case scenario we wanted. It has worked out very well. I feel very much at home here at Hearts. That contributes to the performances, the feeling I get around here.

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