HEARTS' dressing-room rebels fear Scotland keeper Craig Gordon may be the next man chopped - for Sunday's crunch showdown with Rangers.

The Tynecastle club is still reeling from the latest disgraceful series of events which led to captain Steven Pressley refusing to play in Monday night's SPL showdown with Falkirk.

And now the players fear another crisis is on the horizon if Gordon is axed for Sunday's game against their rivals for a Champions League spot.

Record Sport understands Gordon is unsure of his position now that understudy Steve Banks is on his way back from injury. Banks had damaged his back and was not fit for the trip to face the Bairns but could be available this weekend.

Gordon sat shoulder to shoulder with Pressley when the defender spoke out against club owner Vladimir Romanov.

Pressley felt the full backlash of that statement when he uncovered a dressing-room plot to strip him of the captaincy.

It was that appalling act of treachery - with several Lithuanian team-mates asked to put forward a vote of no confidence in their captain - which led to Pressley's decision to withdraw himself from Monday night's squad.

While he stormed off, Scotland team-mates Paul Hartley and Robbie Neilson were being informed they would warm the bench at Falkirk.

This did not come as a surprise to either player who suspected Romanov was set to retaliate against the dressing - room uprising.

They didn't think they would even be subs until coach Eduard Malofeev was hit by an injury crisis.

Record Sport understands both Hartley and Neilson expect to be left out again this weekend as the split in the Hearts dressing room widens still further.

And Gordon fears he could be next to be dumped out of the team.

Should Romanov ditch Scotland's top shot-stopper for Sunday's match it will further infuriate the Tynecastle support.

They are already on the verge of full-scale revolt against the majority shareholder.

Pressley, meanwhile, is left to ponder his own future and whether or not to put himself back up for selection this weekend even though it seems certain he, too, will be overlooked.

Pressley has not been stripped of the armband but suspects his Tynecastle career has come to an end in the most Machiavellian of circumstances.

He reported back to the club's Riccarton training camp yesterday although most of the rest of the first-team squad had been given the day off.

Pressley trained with Neil McCann and Ibrahim Tall before leaving shortly after midday.

Pressley refused to speak to waiting reporters and is unlikely to make any further statement until his situation has become more clear.

The 33-year-old is, however, devastated by the underhand nature of the plot to turn his own teammates against him.

Pressley realised he risked Romanov's full wrath by making his public statement.

But he was prepared to do it, so strongly did he feel about the way the Russian banker was handling club affairs.

Pressley was prepared to risk his position as captain and, indeed, his job in a heartfelt bid to haul the club out of an ever-deepening crisis.

He did not, however, expect Romanov's camp to scheme against him with his fellow players and feels betrayed by the plot to stab him in the back.

Although Pressley will not make any comment at this stage it is believed he may still offer his services for the Rangers showdown.

But that could depend on what action Romanov takes over the next 48 hours.

Taken from the Daily Record