Craig Gordon becomes first three-time winner of Scottish Football Writers’ award

Denmark v Scotland – FIFA World Cup 2022 – European Qualifying – Group F – Parken Stadium
(Image credit: Claus Bech)

Craig Gordon has become the first three-time winner of the Scottish Football Writers’ Player of the Year award.

The Hearts goalkeeper won the prize ahead of former Celtic team-mate Callum McGregor, Hoops defender Cameron Carter-Vickers and Rangers skipper James Tavernier.

The 39-year-old first won the award in 2006, the year he won the Scottish Cup with Hearts, and collected it as a Celtic player in 2015 after making a spectacular comeback from a career-threatening knee injury.

Craig Gordon saves

Craig Gordon (pictured) won the prize ahead of Callum McGregor, Cameron Carter-Vickers and James Tavernier (Jeff Holmes/PA)

Gordon has made a series of stunning saves to help Hearts secure European group-stage football next season.

Robbie Neilson’s side sealed third place in the cinch Premiership before the split and face Rangers in the Scottish Cup final on May 21.

The former Sunderland stopper has kept 14 clean sheets in 34 Premiership matches – second only to Celtic’s Joe Hart – and has made 124 saves, the most in the top flight.

He also kept five international clean sheets during Scotland’s six-match winning run this season.

Gordon was also shortlisted for the PFA Scotland award, which was won by Celtic captain McGregor.

Previous two-time winners of the SFWA award, which was first handed out in 1965, are John Greig, Sandy Jardine, Brian Laudrup, Henrik Larsson, Barry Ferguson and Leigh Griffiths.