Footballers are often said to play through the pain barrier- in Craig Gordon’s case he lived through it.
The Celtic keeper spent three years out of the game but has barely missed a match since signing for the hoops in 2014.
Being struck down in his prime could have sent his life into a downward spiral but the former Hearts keeper studied has injury, identified a remedy then set about the long painful road to rehabilitation.
Looking back on those days he told the Graham Hunter podcast: “I had four PRP [platelet-rich plasma] injections in Barcelona and had high-volume injections in London.
“That is basically when they blow up the area round about the tendon to squeeze it. That kills the blood vessels which are growing into and causing the pain.
“They all worked to some degree and I began steadily to improve. It took a whole season but I was able to start doing some exercise again.”
After another season spent training at Murray Park Gordon was offered a deal with Celtic and suddenly stepped into the gloves of Fraser Forster.
It was either an incredible act of faith by Celtic or a massive gamble, after 150 appearances it has paid off brilliantly with the keeper less than a dozen matches away from completing the domestic treble.