Craig Sinclair Gordon (born 31 December 1982 in Edinburgh) is a Scottish professional footballer, currently a goalkeeper for both Sunderland and the Scotland national team. is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... , Edinburgh (() pronounced ; Scottish Gaelic: ) is the capital of Scotland and its second largest city. ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic) Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English (de facto)1; Gaelic[1]2 and Scots3 (recognised minority... A player (wearing the red kit) has penetrated the defence (in the white kit) and is taking a shot at goal. ... A football goalkeeper leaves the ground to parry a shot on goal In many team sports, a goalkeeper (termed goaltender, netminder, goalie, or keeper in some sports) is a designated player that is charged with directly preventing the opposite team from scoring by defending the goal. ... Sunderland Association Football Club (Sunderland AFC or SAFC) is a professional football club, based at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, North-East England. ... First international Scotland 0 - 0 England (Partick, Scotland; 30 November 1872) Biggest win Scotland 11 - 0 Ireland (Glasgow, Scotland; 23 February 1901) Biggest defeat Uruguay 7 - 0 Scotland (Basel, Switzerland; 19 June 1954) World Cup Appearances 8 (First in 1954) Best result Round 1, all European Championship Appearances 2 (First...

Career

Hearts

Gordon attended Balerno Community High School from 1994-2000, a well known Heart of Midlothian F.C. (Hearts) supporter since his time there. Gordon is a graduate of Hearts' youth development programme, which in recent years has also produced fellow Scottish Internationalists Gary Naysmith, Allan Johnston, Paul Ritchie and Robbie Neilson. Regarded by many as possessing great agility, shot-stopping reflexes and secure handling, he is also considered to be comfortable with the ball at feet in backpass situations. Criticism has been levelled at his decision-making, while detractors have also suggested that he does not command his penalty area as authoritatively as his tall stature suggests he should; however his relative youthfulness affords him ample time to improve in these areas as he matures. Heart of Midlothian F.C. (most commonly referred to as Hearts) is a professional football club from Edinburgh, Scotland which plays in the Scottish Premier League. ... Gary Andrew Naysmith (born November 16, 1978 in Edinburgh, Scotland) is a football defender, currently rated as one of the best Scottish left-backs. ... Allan Johnston (born 14 December 1973, in Glasgow) is a Scottish professional footballer currently playing for Scottish Premier League club Kilmarnock. ... Paul Simon Ritchie (born August 21, 1975 in Kirkcaldy, Fife) is a Scottish international footballer. ... Robbie Neilson (born 19 June 1980 in Glasgow) is a Scottish professional football player currently playing as a right-back for Hearts in the Scottish Premier League. ...

He made his debut for Hearts, his boyhood favourites, in a 1-1 draw with Livingston on October 6, 2002 and within 12 months had replaced Tepi Moilanen as the regular custodian of the Hearts goal. His performances during the 2003/04 season resulted in him being short-listed for the Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year award, which was won by former Celtic midfielder Stephen Pearson. Livingston Football Club is a Scottish football team based in Livingston, West Lothian. ... October 6 is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years). ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... At the end of every Scottish football season the members of the PFA, the players union, vote on which of its members has been the the best young football player in the previous year. ... Celtic Football Club (pronounced seltik in IPA; AIM: CCP)[1] is a Scottish football club, competing in the Scottish Premier League, the highest form of competition in Scotland. ... Stephen Paul Pearson (born October 2, 1982 in Lanark) is a Scottish footballer, currently playing in the English Championship play-off final for Derby County. ...

Rumours linked Gordon to clubs such as Rangers, Aston Villa, Arsenal and Manchester United. Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger recently observed Gordon in action in Scotland's 1-0 victory against France in a Euro 2008 qualifying match.^[1] He touted Gordon as having "presence and good handling and [he] looks a very good goalkeeper to me." Gordon confirmed his rising stock with a spectacular cross-goal save in the October 2006 Edinburgh Derby.^[1] He has been named as the new Hearts captain, replacing the departed Steven Pressley. Despite Hearts' claims that he was ill, he was 'dropped' to the bench for the game against Dundee United in December 2006 for what many believed to be a disiplinary measure by the club following his comments about how the club was being run^[2]. He was reinstated, however, for the Edinburgh derby match against Hibernian three days later. Rangers Football Club is a football club from Glasgow, Scotland, which plays in the Scottish Premier League. ... Aston Villa Football Club (also known as The Villa and The Villans)[3] are an English professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, who currently play in the Premier League. ... Arsenal Football Club (also known as Arsenal, The Arsenal or The Gunners) are an English professional football club based in Holloway, north London. ... Manchester Uniteds emblem Manchester United F.C. (often abbreviated to Man United or just Man U, pronounced man-yoo) is an English football club based at Old Trafford in Greater Manchester. ... Arsène Wenger OBE (born October 22, 1949 in Strasbourg) is a French football manager. ... The 2008 European Football Championship (EURO 2008) will take place in Austria and Switzerland. ... The Edinburgh derby is an informal title given to any football match played between the two biggest teams in Edinburgh, Scotland: Heart of Midlothian (Hearts) and Hibernian (Hibs). ... Steven John Pressley (born October 11, 1973 in Elgin, Moray) is a Scottish international footballer, currently playing for Scottish Premier League club Celtic. ... Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. ... December 2006 is the twelfth and final month of the year and will begin in 2 day(s). ... The Edinburgh derby is an informal title given to any football match played between the two biggest teams in Edinburgh, Scotland: Heart of Midlothian (Hearts) and Hibernian (Hibs). ... Hibernian Football Club (informally known as Hibs) are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, north Edinburgh. ...

He was not listed in the squad to face Rangers on 27 January 2007, just four days before the closure of the transfer window, and it was confirmed by the club that they were negotiating his transfer.^[3] Despite strong speculation, Gordon was still a Hearts player when the window closed. is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Transfer window is the term given to the period in football when a football club can transfer players either in or out of their playing staff. ...

In March 2007, Gordon expressed his interest in playing for Arsenal, after reports had cited that he was linked as a candidate to succeed Jens Lehmann as Arsenal's first-choice goalkeeper, stating "Arsenal is one of the top teams in Britain, in Europe, if not the world, so it is something that would definitely interest any player". ^[4] For other persons named Jens Lehmann, see Jens Lehmann (disambiguation). ...

Sunderland

On August 8, 2007, Sky Sports News announced that Gordon had signed for Sunderland AFC in a record £9 million deal, a new record fee for a British club on a goalkeeper, and a record fee for Sunderland. ^[5] Despite a late effort from Aston Villa Gordon has been be quoted that he would feel more at home in the North-east where the culture of the area is somewhat similar to his native Scotland, as well as just being a two hour drive home. is the 220th day of the year (221st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Sky Sports News (SSN) is a 24-hour sports news channel in the United Kingdom. ... Sunderland Association Football Club (Sunderland AFC or SAFC) is a professional football club, based at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, North-East England. ... Aston Villa Football Club play at Villa Park in Birmingham, England. ...

International

Gordon made his Scotland debut in a 4-1 victory over Trinidad and Tobago at Easter Road Stadium on May 30, 2004 during Berti Vogts' disastrous reign, latterly establishing himself as the undisputed number 1 under Vogts' replacement as national coach, Walter Smith. Shortcut: WP:-( Vandalism is indisputable bad-faith addition, deletion, or change to content, made in a deliberate attempt to compromise the integrity of the encyclopedia. ... Shortcut: WP:-( Vandalism is indisputable bad-faith addition, deletion, or change to content, made in a deliberate attempt to compromise the integrity of the encyclopedia. ... Easter Road is the football ground of Hibernian Football Club in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland. ... is the 150th day of the year (151st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hans Hubert (Berti) Vogts (born 30 December 1946 in Büttgen) is a former German international football player and manager. ... Walter Smith OBE (born February 24, 1948 in Lanark) is a Scottish former football player, but is better known as a football manager. ...

Many see him as a potential Scottish great with pundit Chick Young recently describing him as being likely to be Scotland's only "World class" player^{[citation needed]}. After a 1-1 draw with Italy he drew praise from his hero Gianluigi Buffon who claimed he could be one of the best goalkeepers in the world^{[citation needed]}. Christian Vieri also heaped praise on the young keeper^{[citation needed]}. Chick Young is a BBC Scotland football pundit, who regularly appears on Sportscene and Sportsound. ... Gianluigi Gigi Buffon, Cavaliere Ufficiale OMRI[1][2], (born January 28, 1978) is an Italian FIFA World Cup-winning goalkeeper. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

His consistent performances in 2005-06 saw him voted Scottish Football Writers' Association Player of the Year, the first Hearts player to win the award since Sandy Jardine in 1986 and also the first goalkeeper since Andy Goram in 1993. Competitive football has been played in Scotland since 1890 The 2005-06 season was the 109th season of competitive football in Scotland. ... The Scottish football writers association is an association of Scottish football journalists and correspondents writing for newspapers and agencies. ... Sandy Jardine (born 31 December 1948, in Edinburgh) is a Scottish former professional football player who played for Rangers and Hearts. ... Andrew Lewis Goram (b. ...

Notes

December 23 is the 357th day of the year (358th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of 9 channels. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 220th day of the year (221st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• Craig Gordon career stats at Soccerbase
• Profile at londonhearts.com

Soccerbase is a web-based database of football-related data. ...

External links

• Kingston begs Gordon to stay at Hearts stv interview, 26 June 2007.