Craig Gordon

[csinclair]

has confirmed he's retiring. Some career he's had with the amount of injury setbacks

Edited July 16 by csinclair

[Malcolm]

End of a long era of decent keepers 

[scotlad]

Sad news but not surprising. He's had a great career - it could have been an excellent career but for his injuries.

[csinclair]

2 minutes ago, scotlad said:

Sad news but not surprising. He's had a great career - it could have been an excellent career but for his injuries.

Thought the documentary about him on iPlayer was really interesting and definitely an insight into how much all those injuries took a toll on him. 

[Toepoke]

Fabulous keeper, great career, wish him all the best 👏

[Caledonian Craig]

A great career and in amongst our top five goalkeepers of all-time. Many years of dedicated service in a career blighted by injuries.

All the best to Craig in his retirement.

[kumnio]

Good luck to him in his retirement.

Had he not had the injuries that he had, he would have been our most capped player by a country mile IMO. The best Scotland keeper that Ive ever seen, better than Leighton, Goram & laterly McGregor & Marshall.

Shame that he never got a game in the finals, for me, he deserved to start in Euro 2020.

[daviebee]

Fantastic keeper and professional. There's got to be a place for him in the backroom somewhere. The guy's mindset must be unbelievable considering all the things he's come back from.

Good luck to him in whatever he chooses to do.

[Malcolm]

51 minutes ago, Caledonian Craig said:

A great career and in amongst our top five goalkeepers of all-time. Many years of dedicated service in a career blighted by injuries.

All the best to Craig in his retirement.

that’s an interesting one… difficult to choose.  In my lifetime I would go - 

1. goram

2. leighton

3.mcgregor

4. gordon

 

not sure about the rest 😂

[Caledonian Craig]

44 minutes ago, Malcolm said:

that’s an interesting one… difficult to choose.  In my lifetime I would go - 

1. goram

2. leighton

3.mcgregor

4. gordon

 

not sure about the rest 😂

Yes that's about how I would call it. Perhaps David Marshall in fifth.

[Grim Jim]

To think that his first cap was in 2004.   I only joined the SSC in 2006, so he's my favourite keeper.

Thank-you Craig, and the best of luck to you!

[Clyde1998]

Tremendous player for us over the years and couldn't thank him enough for his service over the years, especially after coming back from multiple horrific injuries. Hopefully he's kept around the squad as a goalkeeping coach or something.

My only 'what if' with him is where would he have ended up without his injuries, as I think he could've become one of the best goalkeepers of his generation otherwise.

[Skyline Drifter]

4 hours ago, Malcolm said:

that’s an interesting one… difficult to choose.  In my lifetime I would go - 

1. goram

2. leighton

3.mcgregor

4. gordon

 

not sure about the rest 😂

I'd definitely have Gordon above McGregor and probably above Leighton. Goram was better at his best but Gordon did it for so much longer. 

[Burj_Alba]

Some magical moments, France home and away ( 2008 qualification) Italy ( 1-1 home the one before, he was superb that day) all the way through to Greece away in 2025, kept the score down, gave us a chance.)

Brilliant goalkeeper, even better person, hope he is not lost to the game .

 

[Malcolm]

37 minutes ago, Skyline Drifter said:

I'd definitely have Gordon above McGregor and probably above Leighton. Goram was better at his best but Gordon did it for so much longer. 

i would argue that at his peak mcgregor was better than Gordon but Gordon played for longer.

to be honest any of them would do right now.

[BookhouseBoys]

He’s the best goalie that I can remember playing for Scotland.

There was a period during the 2000s and 2010s where we were achieving far less than we are now and it seemed that almost every game that he was fit, he’d come out with at least one top, if not world class, save to keep our heads above the water. I’m sad that he never got to play at one of these tournaments that we’ve made but I remember clocking the smile on his face during the anthem against Haiti and was chuffed for him at least being part of it.

Him being the keeper on the night that we finally qualified for a World Cup, when his entire career basically covers the time that we’d been in the wilderness, seems fitting. 

[Skyline Drifter]

18 hours ago, BookhouseBoys said:

He’s the best goalie that I can remember playing for Scotland.

There was a period during the 2000s and 2010s where we were achieving far less than we are now and it seemed that almost every game that he was fit, he’d come out with at least one top, if not world class, save to keep our heads above the water. I’m sad that he never got to play at one of these tournaments that we’ve made but I remember clocking the smile on his face during the anthem against Haiti and was chuffed for him at least being part of it.

Him being the keeper on the night that we finally qualified for a World Cup, when his entire career basically covers the time that we’d been in the wilderness, seems fitting. 

Gordon made some wonderful saves and contributions for Scotland but my abiding memory of him will always now be of him at 42 years old sprinting well over 100 yards to jump on Kenny McLean in the 98th minute at Hampden that night. 

Thankfully that eclipses the previous memory of him coming on for his "retirement" game in 2024 v Finland at 2-0 up and picking the ball out of the net twice in 15 mins for a 2-2 having given away the equaliser with a clumsy challenge for a penalty! 

People would have laughed that night if you'd said he'd still be playing a crucial part of things in the World Cup two years later! 

[scotlad]

I had hoped we'd have made the second phase of the World Cup with a game to spare (don't laugh!) to have given Gordon the opportunity to play at least one game at a major tournament. Ach, well.

[Bzzzz]

Easily the best keeper I've ever seen in a Scotland jersey. Bar none. Gutted we didn't play him in the WC, would have been a fitting way to see him go. Absolute Legend. 

[Diamond Scot]

My favourite Scotland GK.

Really enjoyed the documentary on Iplayer aswell.

Looks like it may be a while before we see a GK anywhere near his levels for Scotland again.

[Ally Bongo]

35 minutes ago, Diamond Scot said:

My favourite Scotland GK.

 

Looks like it may be a while before we see a GK anywhere near his levels for Scotland again.

Agreed 

[exile]

A legend.

I wonder if it's possible to guess at how many points he helped gain or salvage over his many years' service?

Difficult, as several players could be said to help build up to a goal or help to defend. But there must be a number of cases where a top class save kept us in the game, saved us losing two points or one point, or helped keep goal difference respectable. 

I mean if you could count those points over his many years, he must be as influential as some of our strikers whose goals more directly credited with getting us the points...

[drew]

On 7/16/2026 at 12:58 PM, Malcolm said:

that’s an interesting one… difficult to choose.  In my lifetime I would go - 

1. goram

2. leighton

3.mcgregor

4. gordon

 

not sure about the rest 😂

Must be similar lifetime

I agree with the Goram and Leighton being the top 2 although not sure which order I'd stick them.

Gordan is 3rd. McGregor is 4th, Marshall 5th.

Then its a big distance to whoever we put in 6th.

If he had avoided injuries and played in one of the recent tournaments, or we had qualified for Euro 2008 (or continued that form into World 2010 qualifiers and made it) Gordon would go down as number 1

Edited July 17 by drew

[Malcolm]

15 minutes ago, drew said:

Must be similar lifetime

I agree with the Goram and Leighton being the top 2 although not sure which order I'd stick them.

Gordan is 3rd. McGregor is 4th, Marshall 5th.

Then its a big distance to whoever we put in 6th.

If he had avoided injuries and played in one of the recent tournaments, or we had qualified for Euro 2008 (or continued that form into World 2010 qualifiers and made it) Gordon would go down as number 1

Gordon should have played at the euros.

[drew]

17 minutes ago, Malcolm said:

Gordon should have played at the euros.

Euro 2020/21? I'd agree with that.

People will go on about Marshall got picked ahead because he played in the playoff match and the penalty shoot out to get us there. But I think Gordon playing in the Scottish Championship that season (having barely played for Celtic the season before) was the bigger issue. If Hearts were in the Scottish Premiership Gordon starts in that Euros.

Edited July 17 by drew