SO HAPPY I DID NOT CALL TIME

CRAIG GORDON nearly hung up his gloves last summer.

- BY SCOTT BURNS

The Hearts star's return to national No.1 is even more remarkable as he was the keeper Clarke axed for the Euros back in 2024 and he has had to come back from career-threatening injuries.

The next one he hopes to be heading to the World Cup finals with Scotland.

The 42-year-old admitted he thought about calling time on his career. He had just finished the campaign with Hearts and was questioning whether he had another season in him.

It was national coach Steve Clarke who helped convince him to play on and they hit the jackpot together on Tuesday when Scotland beat Denmark to qualify for the World Cup finals for the first time in 28 years.

Gordon hasn't even been playing for Hearts' competitively, but answered Clarke's SOS in the last two camps to help the nation prepare for USA, Canada and Mexico.

The big keeper confirmed: "No, I nearly called it a day at the end of last summer. I spoke to Steve Clarke, he said, give it one more year, I might need you.