Writer: MrH 
Date:Tuesday August 7 2007
Time: 9:05PM
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Craig Gordon Signs For Sunderland
Craig Gordon has reportedly signed a five year deal with Sunderland tonight.
The Scotland goalkeeper has been attracting a fair bit of attention over the past few weeks and until tonight's announcement, it was thought that both Aston Villa and Manchester City were in the running for his signature.
However it would appear that Gordon was impressed enough by Roy Keane and his ambitious club from the North East of England to put pen to paper and end his association with Hearts, the club he has supported all his life.
The deal is subject to clearance being received, but assuming all goes well he looks likely to make his debut for the Black Cats at home to Spurs on Saturday, a match that, ironically enough, I actually have a ticket for!
Hearts will apparently receive £7 million just now for Gordon, with a further £2 million potentially being received in add-ons when various conditions are met. He therefore becomes the most expensive British goalkeeper of all time.
Good luck, Craig. You've been a fantastic player for Hearts over the years and you've earned the right to ply your trade at a higher level. I'm sure you'll let no-one down.
Your Comments
Bang on MrH. Hearts Legend. So long Craig, good luck, and thanks.
StockportJambo
So Craig, after meaning to speak to Villa tomorrow decided after a quick chat with Roy Keane that it wasn't worth it. Class...Lazybones will lose the fans soon enough down in Brum.
Ding Don Silver
Who's Lazybones?
MrH
Martin O'Neill, Mr Transfer Window himself ;-)
Ding Don Silver
Ostensibly Villa the better option. You'd expect the Sunderland defence to be under the kosh this season - and how long before the club implodes again?
At 24, a move was the right call for CG - worth a watching brief.
Craig Cain
He's probably worth 10 points a season for Sunderland. He'll do well
Genghis
The guy is worth the money because he's got a great attitude. He will only get better and has over 10 years left in him. Well done Craig, enjoy playing for a club that isn't run by a barmy dictator. Enjoy the amazing Sunderland support. And enjoy the money, of course!
christhejambo
chris: The support wasn't amazing during Mcarthy's relegation year - the exits were streaming before half-time on several occassions.
It can soon turn - I don't believe the Sunderland project is going anywhere.
Craig Cain
But the main thing is atleast you got a good price for him. I dont think he was worth 9 million. I would have payed 7 for him tops. I really dislike the arrogance of the english towards him so i really would love him to have a good season next year for sunderland.
rk1888
It is good money, but it doesn't go to Hearts unfortunately. I hope he does well down south. It would be great to see him becoming the top goalie in the league - it would be very interesting to see how the media report on that down there if that happened i.e. would they actually admit it?!
MrH
I think he would be worth more than 10 points for Sunderland. I really do rate him as a keeper. Now that you mentiond the English media, i saw something today at the back of the mirrior that anoyed me. Now i dont know if scottish people have a different verison of the mirrior, im from n.i so we get the english one. They are trying to advertise thier fantasty football etc, and one of the headlines was sunderland pay 9million for Gordon and then on over a bit it said "but would you trust a scottish goalkeeper in your team" referring to the fantasy football. Those may not have been the exact words but it was something very similar. Im not scottish, but it still did anoy me. Why shouldnt he be a good keeper? Does nationality matter. Not in my house anyway. I know that scottish gk's do have a bit of a reputation for errors in international games but to suggest the same about Gordon, thats just substandard journalism as far as im concerned.
rk1888
The English have always thought we had dodgy keepers. Even when we had two of our best ones in Leighton and Goram... neither of who'm ever really shone in England. Their memories of Alan Rough are from a few Scotland matches, when he had some shockers... and further back. So it's always been a kind of running joke... a good Scottish player should have grit, determination, skill, flair.. and a floppy pair of hands! :) I could give a monkeys, personally. Craig is the real deal for me, and he'll prove them all wrong I'm sure of it.
StockportJambo
All i have to say is it has been a while since our southern neighbours have had a keeper to shout about. Seaman, *****e, James, *****e, Robinson, *****e etc etc. Their last real top quality goalie was Shilton and they really would have been screwed if he'd not played 'til he was 73! I hope Craig Gordon, Garry O'Connor, Shaun Maloney, James McFadden and co have a great season, perhaps then the English media may be less patronising. Or perhaps it's all part of the English-Scottish banter, and things would be boring if it stopped!
christhejambo
craig - i don't think i would even have made it to the stadium if mick mccarthy was in charge! we've had some dodgy managers at hearts but that would be the end for me! you may be right about the sunderland project. they've done the hard bit already though by getting to the premiership. Is £9m even a third of the tv money they'll get, even if they're bottom 5? i hope for craig gordon's sake that it does succeed.
christhejambo
Get over it guys...the english football public will respect and welcome CG - forget the d!ckheads at the red tops.
chris: reckon the hard bit is staying in the EPL - CG should've gone to Villa or City
Craig Cain
Leighton was poor when he played in England so that didn't help the reputation of Scots keepers down there. As for Craig choosing Sunderland, perhaps he feels that they are a team on the up and that the likes of Villa are going nowhere. Who knows - personally I think it's to do with Roy Keane: a genuine winner and someone who will go places in management. If Gordon can impress him and he ends up stepping higher, he could well end up going with him - that must have been part of his decision.
MrH
Possibly...Keane will move on if successful that is clear. Jury is still out on him at the highest level (man management, leadership and diplomacy have to be issues?)
The keeper stuff is kick about, a pish take.
Craig Cain
It is, but so far he's done well and you can see why a young guy like Gordon would want to work for him. Face it, he should have plenty of opportunity to impress playing for a side likely to be fighting relegation, so it's an ideal place to put himself in the shop window for a move to one of the bigger clubs.
MrH
He'll be kept busy right enough - not sure I'd want to be around Keane
in that situation - but good luck to the fella.
Craig Cain
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