AND on and on it goes. Celtic’s latest domestic conquest over Motherwell in the Betfred Cup at the weekend maintained an unbeaten run on the home front that seems to have been going on so long now, you can only find evidence of a defeat in the archives of the British Pathe newsreels.
It’s now 64 and counting for Brendan Rodgers’ men in their own backyard of the Scottish scene and Craig Gordon is not for letting this record-busting run slip from his grasp.
His instinctively brilliant close range save from Louis Moult’s header in Sunday’s final at Hampden underlined Gordon’s shot-stopping qualities.
Gordon is well aware of that but that is merely driving him and his team-mates on to greater achievements.
Having won seven domestic trophies with his club and broken the 50 cap barrier for his country, Gordon is well on course to being one of Celtic’s most decorated custodians. At 34, there’s still plenty to more to come too.
“I’ve played almost all of my life and, now I’m getting towards the end, you start to look at these things,” said Gordon when asked about being placed in the pantheon of greats. “It does start to mean something.
“Being the third Scotland goalie to reach 50 caps was special. It’s now seven honours with Celtic and I want more. I’ve got two more years after this and I want to be playing in the team and getting as many as I can because it is so close now.
“I don’t have that long left. Hopefully, there will still be a few years and I can keep playing to the levels I reached at Hampden on Sunday and keep doing the job for the team.
“If I can do that and continue to help the team win, it’s going to be a good final few years of my career.
“There are a few who can go on and get to 40. You get ones who drop down and play second choice as they get older, but there are a few who can maintain their standards at that height.
“I’m not 35 until next month, so if someone like (Gianluigi) Buffon is one to aim for, I’ve still got nearly five years on him.
“I just want to keep playing as long as I can at the highest level and I want to keep playing in this team because this is a such a special time for the club and such a special group."
Gordon's reflex save from Moult was a crucial moment in the final and kept Cetic on course for a double treble.
“You never get tired of celebrating the lifting of a trophy," added Gordon.
“It stays with you. I’ll remember that when I finish my career and be able to look back and think of those finals I‘ve played in.
“It’s been a good run up until now and we want to try and stretch it as far as we can to try and leave the record at the highest possible point for anyone coming behind us to try and beat.
“That’s what keeps us motivated to keep winning. It’s football and we know that one day we will get beaten. That’s a certainty.
“But we want to try and make sure it is a long way away. We’ve done so well to get this far and we want to push it so no-one can get to it."
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