Hearts ‘gave Gordon blank cheque to reject Celtic’ – Details

As part of BBC Scotland’s Romanov: Czar of Hearts podcast series, former Heart of Midlothian

owner Vladimir Romanov has revealed that he gave Craig Gordon a blank check to turn down a

move to Celtic prior to the “psychologically weak” Scotland goalkeeper’s eventual record-breaking

£9 million transfer to Sunderland. In the special bonus edition, From Russia With Love, Romanov reiterates his belief that all Scottish referees support either Celtic or Rangers, claims that George

Burley left the team

He described the “revolution” that took place in the Hearts dressing room in October 2006 when Gordon, Paul Hartley, and captain Steven Pressley publicly expressed the team’s displeasure with

the tactics used by the Lithuanian-based owner.
Romanov asserts that the three, manager Burley, and two other players, Rudi Skacel and Roman

Bednar, had previously had offers from Celtic and desired to join the Glasgow team.

Though Romanov says he informed Gordon, “Your contract is running out and I know Celtic has

made you an offer, but you’ll end up being their second-choice custodian, not the first,” Pressley

and Hartley did eventually join Celtic.

“I guarantee you’ll play in the English league if you stick around and join with us. He didn’t take me seriously and chuckled. ‘If you don’t believe me, here’s a blank contract,’ I suggested. Put the desired quantity in writing.

“Gordon wrote down a huge amount, which was unprecedented in Scottish football and at Hearts.

After reviewing it, I signed it and returned it. We were able to retain him in this way.

At the end of the season, Romanov says he had a buyer lined up for Gordon, who was 24 at the time,

and he had “a rough valuation” in mind.

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