Rangers Player of the Year James Tavernier has proven an Ibrox standard setter by his underperforming teammates just hours after netting a stunning free kick on his 400th Gers appearance.
The Ibrox captain has been a remarkable force to be reckoned with at right-back for Rangers, and he once again showed his value to the side by whipping the ball past David Marshall.
Potentially retiring the former Celtic stopper for good, James Tavernier whipped a stunning free-kick into the inside post with such pace and accuracy it sent Marshall to the chip shop.
The goal was indicative of Tavernier’s contribution over the years for Rangers; the captain routinely hauling his underperforming teammates up by the bootstraps. Once again this season, there have been times when the skipper has been head and shoulders above the rest.
While Tavernier has proven to be a defensive disaster at times in his Ibrox career, there can be no doubting the special contribution the right-back has delivered to Rangers as he enters his fifth century of appearances.
James Tavernier voted Rangers Player of the Year
It’s telling too that it’s Tavernier’s teammates who voted him Players’ Player of the Year this season; his role and contribution to the side invaluable even in a campaign of disappointment.
Even when things aren’t going right, it’s the captain the team look to and to have his contribution recognised like this gives an insight into the dressing room.
If anyone deserves recognition this season it’s Tavernier who, at times, has been waging a war on behalf of the side himself.
That our right-back is our captain, playmaker, winger and striker is telling in a side that has lacked responsibility and confidence in a devastating season which will probably serve up another treble to our greatest rivals.
Tav was even on a one-man mission to stop it at Parkhead a few weeks ago.
Even this campaign, Tavernier’s 18 goals make him the club’s top scorer; a damning indictment on the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent.
Also voted the outright Player of the Year, there was really no other choice for the award this season given the immense contribution of the skipper to the side.
It’s also recognition from the club for his efforts this campaign.
Let down by his teammates, we’re pretty sure the Rangers skipper would have sacrificed the award to anybody else in the team if it meant the Gers winning a trophy.
Going into next season, Rangers fans will be hoping to see an attacking player properly take up the mantle and responsibility to win matches because surely Tav, now 31, cannot sustain such numbers forever.
In 400 games, Rangers’ Player of the Year James Tavernier has scored 101 goals and laid on a remarkable 117 assists, meaning he is averaging more than a single goal contribution every two games.
But, perhaps the fact he is, shows an overreliance on the Ibrox skipper which we really need to move on from next season.