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HENRY SMITH'S wife can expect plenty of pampering between now and Ne'erday as the former Hearts keeper tries to earn the Brownie points that will allow him to see the showdown with Celtic.

The Jambos legend works with the club on matchdays, meeting and greeting hospitality guests, but is having to wriggle out of family commitments if he is to witness the crunch clash of the season so far.

Smith is desperate to be there - but the last thing he's expecting is a goal-fest when the SPL's top two clubs exchange first footing pleasantries.

That's because the ex-Tynecastle No.1 believes that Hearts and Celtic have in their possession the best two keepers in the country.

He knows Craig Gordon inside out, having helped nurture the young Hearts star since hewas 15.

And while he has yet to see Celtic's Artur Boruc in the flesh, he has heard so many good reports that he can't wait to see the Pole in action.

Gordon's development, in particular, has delighted Smith but it has in no way surprised the former Scotland keeper who won three caps and would have plenty more but for the brilliance of Andy Goram and Jim Leighton in his era.

He said: "I've known Craig for ages and right from the start I've had him earmarked for great things.

"To be fair, you didn't have to be a footballing genius to work it out.

"I took him on a goalkeeping coaching course to Largs when he was just 15"He worked with guys like Alan Hodgkinson, Jim Stewart, Billy Thomson, Jim Gallagher and Jim Moffat and everybody thought he was an absolute standout.

"He has progressed rapidly but nobody should be surprised by that because he has every attribute needed to be a top-class keeper.

"As a Hearts man I'm thrilled because Craig has carried on a great tradition over the past 30 years. Some clubs struggle for stability between the sticks but we've had the likes of John Brough, Jim Cruickshanks, myself, Gilles Rousset, Antti Niemi and now Craig - it's a great run.

"He has benefited from really good coaching from guys like Peter Latchford and Jim Stewart. But you can have the best coaches in the world and they will be useless if the player they are working with doesn't listen or want to learn.

"Believe me, this boy wants to learn. He wants to be the best and he is getting there. I'd love to think Craig can stay at Tynecastle for the next 10 years because he is the best in this country by some distance and at 23 he'll only get better.

"Whether that happens remains to be seen, of course, because a lot of big clubs in Britain and Europe will be looking at what this lad is doing.

"We all know he is being watched already. There are people in the stand from big clubs every week.

"But if Mr Romanov really wants to build Hearts into a force he has to hold on to players like Craig Gordon.

"I remember Walter Smith saying that Andy Goramwasworth15pointsa season to Rangers - if that's the case, how many points is Craig worth to Hearts Gordon has established himself as Scotland's No.1, winning 10 caps already. Smith had no doubts he would win the fight with Rab Douglas and David Marshall for the jersey and can't see anyone ripping it off his back for years to come.

He said: "To be fair, he's in a different league from Douglas and Marshall. They are both decent keepers but Craig is special.

"Put it this way - when did you last see him make a mistake? All keepers do, of course, but they are few and far between in great keepers.

"When I look around, the other keeper I see who compares to him is Petr Cech at Chelsea and even hemade an error the other day.

"The big test will come when Craig's form takes a wee dip as it must do one day. That's when his temperament will come to the fore. Nothing ruffles him. He's an intelligent, polite boy, who will go away, analyse his game and learn from any mistakes."

Smith is also looking forward to watching Boruc at work, having heard from Celtic-supporting friends that Gordon Strachan has at last unearthed a keeper to solve what has often been a problem position for the Parkhead club.

Hesaid:"Some of my mates are Celtic fans and can be hard to please but they love this guy.

"If GordonStrachan reckons he's one of the 10 best keepers playing in Britain he has to be pretty good.

"I've seen him on TV a couple of times and he looks a commanding, confident guy without any obvious weaknesses so I'm looking forward to seeing him."

That's if he gets there, of course. Smith added: "I do hospitality work for the club and go to most of the home games but I still have work to do on the missus if I can go on New Year's Day.

"I'll have to be extra nice to her and collect a few Brownie points that I can trade in.

"I hope to be there and I think it will be a cracking match, although with Gordon and Boruc at either end I don't see it being high scoring.

"It might take just one flash of brilliance from someone to settle it."

With that, Smith was off to make his wife a cup of tea. It's gonna be a long few days for the man

Taken from the Daily Record