An early-season injury to Rangers vice-captain Connor Goldson derailed the club’s season, with many calling for the defender’s importance to the side to be recognised through song.
Up until the now 30-year-old centre-back was crocked on that fateful night against Liverpool, Rangers fans had been spoiled by his near ever-present presence on the Ibrox backline.
Whilst Connor isn’t perfect and has had his fair share of mistakes, over the piece the centre-back has been an extraordinary piece of business for Rangers since joining from Brighton for £3.5m in 2018.
In five seasons at Ibrox, the defender has made an astonishing 251 Rangers appearances with this campaign still having some to go and the player missing a vital chunk of it.
And it’s in the games where Connor Goldson hasn’t been involved that the player’s immense Ibrox presence has been exemplified as the club suffered Champions League humiliation and fell away in the Scottish Premiership without their commanding centre-back.
Goldson Rangers chasm cost club big this season
It’s no surprise Rangers’ patchwork defence succumbed to Liverpool when Connor Goldson went off injured that fateful night, the 7-1 defeat the worst of a woeful Champions League return.
It’s also no surprise that the defender was out of action for the woeful run of two Premiership wins in five games before the World Cup break which cost Giovanni van Bronckhorst his job.
As Rangers hobbled to November, the campaign was all but done and dusted and whilst it’s all supposition at this stage, something tells us the results wouldn’t have been so bad with Connor Goldson in the side and on song.
The player’s return to the side has – by no coincidence – coincided with a steady return to defensive stability which has seen Rangers keep a clean sheet in half of Michael Beale’s tenure to date (six matches).
It’s also no surprise the club are starting to pick up more points with their vocal defensive leader too.
Speaking recently to the Herald about signing that new deal, Goldson pointed to the arrangement being the best for not only his family, but for himself personally.
Winning trophies and being part of something bigger is more important for the Rangers defender, who turned down Premier League millions for the dream of Ibrox folklore.
Connor Goldson also fired a warning to those teammates who might be looking elsewhere.
“My wife said to me, ‘you could have more money but are you going to play?’”, said Connor Goldson.
“She knows what I’m like when I don’t play. She was settled in Glasgow, the kids are settled.
“I don’t think I could now play for a game that wins once every three, four or five games.
“I just don’t think I could mentally take it. Because I lose or draw a game here and it’s like the end of the world.”
Do Rangers fans owe Connor Goldson a song?
Alongside Connor Goldson, ex-Liverpool defender Ben Davies is beginning to quietly supplement the centre-back and the pair are in the early stages of a potentially formidable defensive partnership.
It means the best might yet be to come for the player, who committed the best years of his career to Ibrox last summer amid simmering discontent in the stands over a new contract.
But as Rangers finally begin to look more solid with Connor Goldson in the team, perhaps now the Ibrox support will pay greater tribute to his influence on the club and give the stalwart centre-back that terrace song he so richly deserves.
Speaking of Rangers songs, have you heard the Union Bears’ latest effort?