Craig Gordon admits he’s been bowled over by the backing he’s received on the road to recovery – with even Hibs fans wishing him the best.
The Hearts hero is facing a huge battle to get back from a double leg break suffered against Dundee United on Christmas Eve. But the Scotland no.1 admitted he his fightback is being fuelled by the goodwill from all sides. Gordon said: "It has been absolutely incredible, I have tried to get back to some but there's no way I could get back to them all.
"There have been hundreds, probably over a thousand messages on my phone, through Instagram, texts and WhatsApp. Just to feel the warmth from everybody willing me to get better and to try and have a go at coming back. It has been really great from teams all over Scotland. Hibs fans, everything, Rangers fans, all the ones who have probably been against me at other points – to just feel the football community, the guys that respect what we go out and do every week it has been phenomenal to feel that.”
Gordon is using the support as inspiration. He said: "Absolutely. I'm going to give this everything I've got.I've done it before, I can't make any promises. I am going to try and do the best I can and hopefully that is good enough. I know that if I fight my hardest then I usually manage to get what I want.”
Gordon can’t put a timescale on any return but he insisted the early signs are positive. The keeper – speaking to BBC Scotland – said: “I'm actually alright considering. It has been a good first few weeks of rehab.
"That's all I can concentrate on now is doing everything I can to make sure I get better – and it's been a good start. I'm in a good place and just looking forward to the challenge ahead.
"It's just one step at a time. My next x-ray is at six weeks just to see how everything is settling down and how the metalwork is in place and everything is in alignment.
"That's the next stage and all I can look forward to. In the meantime, it's just working on the knee and ankle joints and making sure they are moving well and getting my range of movement back.
“So far that has went really well and I've got most of the movement back and I can take a few steps unaided without the crutches or the boot and can get around the house okay. For starters it has went really well.”
Gordon was back in the Tynecastle stands for last night’s clash against St Mirren and he revealed boss Robbie Neilson wants the shot stopper to remain involved on the sidelines. He said: “I've watched a couple and it's not nice to watch. I'd much rather be here even though I can't do much to influence it.
"I'd rather be here and be able to speak to the boys in the dressing room and feel part of it again. The manager wants me to be around the dressing room and help him in any way I can if I see anything to use my voice and speak up.
"He still wants me to be a big part of it and make sure I'm still doing a lot of my roles as I would when I am the captain. I will try to do them the best I can with the injury that I've got.”
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