Rangers had to dig deep in order to leave Dens Park with all three points as Dundee threatened to heap the pressure on Barry Ferguson.
Ferguson sounded like Philippe Clement at full-time as he admitted he didn’t see his side’s early collapse at Dens Park coming.
The interim Rangers manager might have recorded huge wins over Fenerbahce and Celtic, but the Ibrox side continue to stutter through the Scottish Premiership.
Motherwell sucker-punched Rangers at Ibrox, whilst it took a remarkable comeback for the Gers to overcome Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
But with the Rangers producing similar heroics against Dundee, and Cyriel Dessers stealing the headlines, one unsung hero has once again slipped under the radar.
James Tavernier has hand in three Rangers goals v Dundee
James Tavernier is so used to heavy criticism at Rangers we’re pretty sure at this stage the long-serving Ibrox captain has learned to drown it out.
The marauding right-back, 33, has been asked to deputise at centre-half and even right-wing this season as the Gers deal with injuries and try to be adaptable.
But whilst the armband weighs heavy whenever things aren’t going right, James Tavernier cannot be accused of failing to stand up and be counted when it really matters.
It was the Rangers captain’s swirling cross that had Dundee captain Joe Shaughnessy knocking the ball into the back of the net to make it 2-1 before half-time.
This was a crucial moment in the match, with Rangers dead on their feet and Dundee piling on the pressure.
It was the Rangers skipper too who would haul the Gers back into the game whilst 3-1 down, the Rangers captain rifling in a stunning long-range effort from 25 yards to spark a comeback.
It’s a moment of magic which sparked Rangers into life, with Tom Lawrence going on to equalise with a long-range effort of his own just minutes later.
It was Tavernier who would then turn provider for the winner, the Rangers captain’s raking long-field pass being flicked on into the path of Cyriel Dessers who finished with aplomb.
Rangers fans owe Tavernier touching testimonial
James Tavernier is hoping for a testimonial come the end of what will be his 10th season at Rangers Football Club.
The former Newcastle United and Wigan Athletic defender joined Rangers under Mark Warburton in 2015 and has had a remarkable decade-long stint in Glasgow.
“It’s something you don’t really see in football these days,” Tavernier explained back in May 2024.
“It’s a rarity that you get a testimonial for players, and it’s another landmark. Ten years at a club is a benchmark, and it’s something that I’d like to see.”
Whilst Tavernier is often maligned as Gers captain – a by-product of the club’s lack of success in recent seasons – the defender’s contribution to the club is undeniable.
Tavernier has stuck with Rangers all the way back to the Scottish Championship, guiding the club to 55, each domestic trophy and a Europa League Final in 2022.
A bonafide club legend and Hall of Famer, Tavernier’s performance against Dundee is evidence that the right-back will stand up and be counted when it matters most.
A remarkable return of 130 goals from the position in 504 games is worth celebrating but Tavernier rarely gets nor demands the praise.
Tavernier is so often the unsung hero in Glasgow and if anyone deserves the adulation of 50k Ibrox fans in the modern era, it’s Rangers’ iconic Yorkshireman.
It might not be Tavernier’s final season at Rangers – the defender contracted to 2026 – but Gers fans must deliver on the right-back’s final wish in Glasgow.
