The search for leadership at Rangers has taken a fascinating twist following the departure of long-standing skipper James Tavernier.
With manager Derek McInnes actively orchestrating a massive summer engine room overhaul, including the ongoing chase for Partizan Belgrade’s Vanja Dragojevic and the potential exit of Nicolas Raskin, the question of who inherits the captain’s armband remains a massive talking point in Glasgow.
To gauge the mood of the support, an exclusive fan poll was launched on our innovative interactive fan platform, TalkingPoints, asking a direct question to the Ibrox faithful.
The response was immense, with the community generating an incredible 1,805 votes, and as seen in the verified data breakdown from the poll, the Rangers support have delivered a truly stunning, clear-cut verdict straight to the manager’s desk.
If Lewis Ferguson joins post the World Cup, who should Derek McInnes name the Rangers captain?
This is assuming Nicolas Raskin leaves Rangers…
Rangers demand transfer target be named captain
In a major show of unity, 49.03 per cent of voters (885 votes) selected Bologna star Lewis Ferguson as the man who should be named the next Rangers captain if he arrives this summer, assuming Raskin departs.
The sheer scale of the Ferguson vote is remarkable given the fact that the Scotland international is still contractually employed by the Italian Serie A side.
Rangers fans are fully aware that pry-away negotiations with Bologna will be an incredibly complex, premium finance puzzle.
| Player | Votes | Per cent |
| 1. Lewis Ferguson | 885 | 49.03% |
| 2. Lawrence Shankland | 576 | 31.91% |
| 3. Tuur Rommens | 151 | 8.37% |
| 4. John Souttar | 128 | 7.09% |
| 5. Other | 65 | 3.60% |
Yet, the supporters have completely bypassed established first-team leaders already inside the Ibrox dressing room – such as experienced defender John Souttar, who pulled in just 7.09 per cent of the vote – to demand that a player currently outside the club be given the ultimate leadership responsibility.
One fan, murrayjessiman0, wrote, “I would have Lewis Ferguson as captain. He’s young, been captain of Bologna, so has experience in Serie A, and obviously leave Lawrence Shankland up front, could make him vice-captain.”
Not everyone was so optimistic, though, with bigsandy1314 writing: “Let’s leave the fantasy football behind. We’re not getting Lewis Ferguson; we can’t afford him.
“The captaincy should go to a player already on the books, who commands respect in the dressing room. I can’t see past Nicolas Raskin, if he’s still with us, of course.”
Which pundit do Rangers fans dislike the most?
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Lawrence Shankland and leadership vacuum at Rangers
While Ferguson comfortably cleared the field, summer signing Lawrence Shankland secured a healthy second place with 31.91 per cent of the vote (576 votes).
The fact that the top two choices on the leaderboard are players who have not played a single competitive game for Rangers underscores a collective feeling within the fan base: the true leadership required to steer the new era at Ibrox needs or needed to be brought in fresh from the outside.
Recent recruit Tuur Rommens rounded out the podium with 8.37 per cent, demonstrating that fans are eager for a completely clean slate across the pitch.
With negotiations with Dragojevic moving on parallel tracks and the board keeping a close eye on Ferguson’s situation, McInnes has been handed an unambiguous directive from the stands.
The supporters do not just want a new midfield marquee; they want to see the club secure the definitive future captain of Rangers Football Club.
