He returned from the World Cup pleased to see new faces working hard to gel with the new coaches Hugh Campbell, Sean Lineen and Shade Munro, and believes that has brought the club a new-found optimism.
"It has been good to see the guys fitting in well, and the coaches are really pushing things forward," he said.
"It will take time, and we're well behind Edinburgh in terms of development, but they have provided the yardstick for us and the Borders. So, this is a big game for us. Obviously, with the European Cup taking a lot of the limelight with the Borders and Edinburgh in it and then Edinburgh in the Celtic Cup Final last weekend, we've not had much attention lately, but that's been fine.
"Edinburgh have done very well and come away with some great form. They were unfortunate not to win the cup, but they shot themselves in the foot really with their first-half performance.
"I'm not surprised by Edinburgh's form because that is what should be coming when you’ve worked hard together as a squad for as long as they have. Their pack is exceptionally experienced and they have key figures in a lot of the decision-making roles - stand-off, No8, captain, second row, centre - and have had few changes to last year's team so it's no wonder they have started to improve and beat sides away from home, and convincingly.
"But the standards and results they have shown in the European Cup, where other Scottish sides haven't really got to grips with it yet, is not something to be jealous of - it's something to be admired, that we can aim for ourselves. Obviously, we're not in the cup this year, but if we can get through to the next round then that will be good for us.
"We've been gradually gaining momentum ourselves with a couple of good results and qualifying for the next round of the Parker Pen.
Turning his attention to Matt Williams first squad session Gordon said: "I enjoyed the work at Stirling at the start of the week," he said, "It's all new to us obviously - a lot of new coaches, new faces, new ideas - but it's a great new start. Everyone was really looking forward to getting out onto the field with them, which we couldn’t do with the frozen ground, but the facilities at Stirling are excellent. I did have to tell Matt Williams he has made me feel old and small this week to be honest, putting me in with young Borders hooker Ross Ford.
"He is a few years younger and a big guy, but it's good fun for him to come in and get a feel for it, and it makes sure I keep my eyes in the rear-view mirror!
"We're at the stage now where a lot of the boys in the squad have been professional from the age of 17 or 18 and that is showing in the way they have all come through knowing how to lift weights properly. Most of them have come through the Scottish Institute of Sport system under Bob Easson and so there is a lot less of the re-training which we’ve had to do in the past.
"We can now pick up and move on at a good pace, whereas before we had to keep re-training players on weights or fitness, and I think we will see the benefits of that in the next couple of years."
"People used to expect you to go away to become a better player, but now, when you see how Wales and Ireland are performing with the vast majority of their players playing within their borders, I think it could be a good thing for us.
"I'm Glasgow through and through. However, you do wonder whether you should go when good offers come in from England or abroad. But I love the side and love the city and that is what has kept me here.
"I think it’s great that we can bring some of the leading players like Stuart Grimes and Tom Smith back up here and make these clubs a real force in Europe. I believe that the Celtic League, the way it is now going from strength to strength every year, will become a championship to rival the Zurich Premiership."