Sunderland face Hearts at Tynecastle later this month.
Former Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon has admitted that he is facing a race against time to be fit for his own testimonial when the Black Cats travel to Edinburgh to face Hearts on July 26th.
The 42-year-old will be honoured with a pre-season friendly in his name at Tynecastle later this month to celebrate his long a storied career, during which he spent a five-year stint on Wearside between 2007 and 2012. Over the course of his time in the North East, he registered 94 appearances, keeping 21 clean sheets in the process.
But Gordon has been unable to feature in either of Hearts’ Premier Sports Cup group stage matches against Dunfermline Athletic and Hamilton Academical in recent weeks due to a shoulder injury which also kept him sidelined for the final three matches of last season. Head coach Derek McInnes has previously suggested that he was not expecting the veteran stopper to be fit in time to play any part in those opening League Cup matches, with next Saturday’s testimonial always regarded as a more realistic goal.
What has Craig Gordon said about his fitness ahead of his testimonial against Sunderland?
And to that end, Gordon has provided an update on his availability, suggesting that it could be a close call, while also outlining his hope that he will be able play some part.
Speaking to Roker Report, he said: "It's going to be tight, it's going to be close. I think I'll be okay to play some part in the match. I don't think I'll play 90 minutes but I'm definitely looking to try and get on the pitch at some point.
“Hopefully I'll get on, potentially in the second half, but I'll need to see closer to the time how things are going. I'm stepping up the rehab day by day at the moment so I'll just wait and see where I am when the game comes around."
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Gordon added: “It’s probably only now, looking back, having this testimonial and starting to look back with people putting footage together and old photos. When you’re young and making your way in your career it’s always about the next things. It’s about striving to get better, to improve, to get the next move or the next contract and you’re always looking to get something in the future.
“It’s something I’ve not really done till now, to look back and think of the past, until it all got displayed in front of me and I sat down and looked at it and thought, ‘Wow, how did that all happen?’”
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