CRAIG GORDON believes that a win for Hearts this afternoon would eclipse anything the 39-year-old has achieved in his career to date.

The Scotland internationalist has won 14 trophies and a host of individual awards over the years, with the majority of those arriving from his time at Celtic.

He has lifted the Scottish Cup with his boyhood club once previously, when the capital club defeated Gretna on penalties in 2006, but the goalkeeper insists that a victory over Rangers this afternoon would surpass that achievement – because this time he would be wearing the captain’s armband and his family will be in attendance.

“[I’ve lifted the cup before] but not as captain,” he said. “That would be something pretty special.

“My family are all Hearts fans so to have them there and see that would be the best moment for them in my entire career, I’ve no doubt. And for me as well.

“To actually lift the cup as the captain of a team – I really don’t think it gets much better than that. Hopefully everybody does the business and we manage to make that happen.

“I think that’s only natural [to let yourself dream]. There is no point trying to fight that. I would love to do that, everybody would.

“Of course you allow yourself to imagine that and you prepare for the game imagining that is the outcome. It might not be but that is certainly what we’re planning for.

“I think it would be [better than anything else]. I have achieved some pretty amazing things, especially since coming back into football, but to actually be that person that leads your team up the steps … I don’t think it gets any better.”