CRAIG Gordon has already lost count of the number of Scottish goalkeeper jokes he has heard since signing for Sunderland.

But as he prepares to make his Black Cats debut in tomorrow's Premier League curtain-raiser with Tottenham, British football's most expensive shot-stopper is determined to ensure that he has the last laugh.

Gordon took part in his first training session as a Sunderland player yesterday after successfully shaking off a slight shoulder problem, but before he has even made his debut in the English game, the 24-year-old is already having to fend off stereotyped criticism of the Scottish goalkeeper's art.

Scottish goalkeepers - Jim Leighton, Andy Goram and Alan Rough among them - have been the butt of jokes ever since Frank Haffey conceded nine goals to England at Wembley in 1961, giving birth to the gag, 'What's the time? Nearly ten past Haffey'.

While some observers have questioned the wisdom of paying £9m for any goalkeeper, most of the eyebrows raised at this week's events have evinced an enduring mistrust in number ones from north of the border.

Gordon is all too aware of the history. But after finally completing a move that was first mooted almost two months ago, he is determined to prove the doubters wrong.

"There are not a lot of Scottish lads playing in England, but the national team has started to pick up," he said. "The better the national team, the more likely English clubs will look at Scottish players - maybe even goalkeepers - and give them a go.

"I've done loads and loads of interviews since I signed, and everyone has said the same thing about Scottish goalkeepers. It has been about for ages, but hopefully I can change that."

Gordon made footballing history when he completed his £9m move from Hearts on Tuesday, with his fee representing a £1.2m increase on Fabien Barthez's £7.8m move to Manchester United, the previous British record for a transfer involving a goalkeeper.

He has never played a game in the Premier League, and boasts just 24 international caps for Scotland, yet he will still kick off the new campaign as a more expensive shot-stopper than the likes of Petr Cech, Jose Reina and Edwin van der Sar.

He will also take on Tottenham as Sunderland's record signing, but Gordon insists that his record-breaking fee will not faze him as he attempts to adapt to life in English football.

And with Niall Quinn's Drumaville consortium determined to continue backing the club to the hilt, he expects his own Black Cats' record to be broken sooner rather than later anyway.

"The way Roy sold the club to me, I get the impression I won't be the record signing for very long," said Gordon, who cites Peter Schmeichel as his goalkeeping hero. "But the fee doesn't worry me anyway.

"They are going up all the time and people are making a lot out of it just because it's for a keeper. It if had been for a striker, it wouldn't have made any difference, and it won't be long before there will be signings which are bigger than this.

"It's taken a while to finally happen because I've known about the interest for about five weeks now and I've had to be patient.

"Sunderland have been interested for a while, and that was one of the reasons I came. It took a long time and there was a period when I was worried it wouldn't happen, but credit to Sunderland and the people behind the scenes who finally made it happen."

Hearts turned down three separate bids before the Black Cats finally put together a financial package that was acceptable to them, but while Roy Keane had pulled out of a previous attempt to sign David Nugent when he was unable to make the progress he had wanted, Gordon's quality meant he was willing to bide his time.

"Craig is a very talented player and I'm sure he'll be a good signing for us," said Keane, who is hoping to celebrate his 36th birthday today by completing the capture of Tottenham striker Mido despite competition from Middlesbrough.

"I believe this is the perfect club for him and I just hope we can take him onto the next level because there's room for improvement in him, just like there is in any player. He's a good age, but he's already got good experience."

That experience includes taking over the Hearts captaincy during a period of turmoil that included the appointment of eight managers in a little over three years and the acrimonious departure of former skipper, Steven Pressley, after he criticised the club's Lithuanian owner, Vladimir Romanov.

"For a while it seemed like I was a bit of a shop steward," admitted Gordon.

"There was an awful lot of things to deal with, but that was part of my job. There were things going on that you wouldn't believe would go on at a football club.

"I had to deal with that, but I think it's made me tougher as a footballer. I performed to the best of my ability right up until the final day, and I gave my best for the club whatever the situation."

Sunderland yesterday completed the £640,000 signing of striker Roy O'Donovan from Cork City.

The 21-year-old, who is this season's leading scorer in the League of Ireland, has signed a three-year deal at the Stadium of Light.

"I had a choice between Fulham and Sunderland but, when I spoke to the gaffer (Keane) my mind was made up," said O'Donovan.

"I had a knack for scoring goals in Ireland, and I have to continue that here at Sunderland."