Craig Gordon, the 43-year-old Scottish goalkeeper, has confirmed that he is not actively seeking a loan move away from Heart of Midlothian this January, despite limited playing time this season. Gordon, who returned to Hearts in 2020, has yet to make a league appearance for the Scottish Premiership leaders, with his only competitive outings coming in Scotland’s World Cup qualification double-header against Greece and Denmark last November.
Gordon Motivated by Support from Club and National Team
Gordon revealed that discussions over the summer with both Hearts manager Derek McInnes and Scotland national team manager Steve Clarke played a key role in his decision to continue playing.
“Both of them wanted me to continue, so that certainly helped the situation,” Gordon told BBC Scotland.
“That made it a little bit easier to know that there was the club and the national manager still wanting me available for selection for another year. So, yes, that definitely made it a little bit easier.”
The veteran keeper admitted that retirement had been “definitely under discussion” with his family, but helping Scotland secure a spot at the World Cup made the effort to maintain fitness and continue playing worthwhile.
Back-Up Role at Hearts
Currently, Gordon serves as back-up to Alexander Schwolow, 33, after missing the start of the season due to injury. This has sparked speculation that he could seek a loan move in January to gain match time ahead of the World Cup. However, Gordon says he is content with his role at Tynecastle and is committed to staying at Hearts for the remainder of the season.
“I’m not going to be pushing for it,” he said regarding a potential loan departure.
“There’s still a lot of time left in the season. I feel that I’m just one step away from getting an opportunity to play here, and then it’ll be up to me to try and take that. We’ve got a chance to really push on in the second half of the season and see where it can take us. So it’s kind of in the balance.”
Committed to Contributing at Hearts
Gordon emphasized that he remains an important member of the squad, ready to seize opportunities as they arise.
“I need to be ready and show [McInnes] in training that if he does want to make that switch that I’m ready to play. That’s where we’re at. There’s no discussions on anything more than that. He doesn’t want me to leave on loan. It’s up to me to make sure that I’m doing everything that I can to get the opportunity when it comes about.”
The goalkeeper’s focus now is on helping Hearts push for success in the second half of the 2025-26 Scottish Premiership season, while remaining fit and ready for Scotland duty.
Craig Gordon’s Career and Legacy
Craig Gordon, who began his career at Tynecastle, has enjoyed a distinguished career in Scottish football, including stints at Sunderland, Celtic, and Hearts. He has been capped over 50 times for Scotland, and his experience and leadership continue to make him a vital presence in the Hearts dressing room.
At 43, Gordon remains one of the oldest active professional footballers in the Scottish Premiership, demonstrating longevity and commitment that younger goalkeepers often look up to.
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