Frankie Kent in Craig Gordon Hearts UEFA drug test quip as veteran still amazes Jambos pals at 41

Frankie Kent joked that UEFA officials were right to drug test Craig Gordon after he broke Hearts’ European appearance record at the age of 41.

The defender paid tribute to the keeper as he made his 23rd Euro outing for the Jambos in Thursday night’s heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Viktoria Plzen. Gordon is now looking to extend his new record, with Hearts being guaranteed group-stage football this term. And they will be hoping it comes in the Europa League with the play-off second leg at Tynecastle on Thursday.

Kent, speaking about Gordon’s achievement, said: “Yeah, brilliant. We just said it in there. He was getting drug tested [after the game]. We were saying, ‘Yeah, I think he does need that because he’s 41 and still going’. But no, he’s done really well again on Thursday. Yeah, fair play to him. It’s all about him. His longevity is unbelievable, isn’t it? So I give credit to him.”

Kent knows stuttering Hearts need to get their season up and running at Motherwell. The Jambos are still looking for their first win of the campaign and recent blows have led to a feeling that everything’s going against them.

They got knocked out of the League Cup by Falkirk then put in a massively improved performance in Plzen only to lose to a 96th-minute own goal. Kent knows Hearts have the quality and if they can win at Fir Park it could help to turn their season around.

The defender said: “We appreciate the pressure that we’re under and the scrutiny that we’re probably under because of the start. But we know we’ve got more than enough to turn this around and get back in the right direction.

“That’s starting on Sunday and then following up with the game on Thursday. It’s a cliched thing to say but it’s all about Sunday now.

“We