Departing Rangers captain James Tavernier says he feels ‘deeply hurt’ after missing out on a final appearance at Ibrox, as he issued a statement explaining why he had made himself unavailable to face Hibernian.
Tavernier was expected to bid farewell to the Rangers supporters on Wednesday night, but did not feature in Danny Rohl’s squad.
The 34-year-old instead appeared just before kick off, with Rangers legend John Greig presenting the Englishman with a commemorative plaque before he stepped on to the field to wave goodbye to fans.
Daily Mail Sport reported that Tavernier had made himself unavailable for selection after learning that he would start the Premiership clash on the bench.
Tavernier, who has spent 11 years at Rangers, issued a lengthy social media statement to fans explaining his decision.
‘The last 24 hours have been the most difficult and emotional of my career for both myself and my family,’ Tavernier wrote. ‘I am sure you will all understand that I cannot allow any confusion around my departure or the events surrounding last night’s game.
James Tavernier says he felt ‘deeply hurt’ after missing out on a farewell appearance at Ibrox
Tavernier made himself unavailable for selection after manager Danny Rohl informed him he would begin the match on the bench
‘I picked up a knock on my ankle after the Hearts game. Following discussions with the medical staff, we agreed that an injection was the only option, which was initially scheduled for Thursday.
‘After Sunday’s game, and with emotions running high, I made the decision to bring the injection forward to Tuesday. That decision would have ruled me out of both Wednesday and Saturday’s matches.
‘After speaking throughout Monday with my family and the medical department, I came to the decision to delay the injection until Thursday so I could play one final game at Ibrox on Wednesday night.
‘I personally informed the manager of this decision and explained how important it was to me and my family that I had the opportunity to say goodbye properly to the Ibrox faithful. I said I wanted to lead the lads out at Ibrox one last time and have my children walk out with me as mascots.’
Tavernier claimed Rohl agreed that it was the ‘right decision’, adding that the Rangers boss acknowledged he deserved a ‘proper send off’ and recognised the importance to his family.
He added that his son, who is in Rangers academy, had sacrificed being part of an overseas tournament to walk out with him as a mascot for the final time at Ibrox.
Tavernier said he messaged Rohl on the eve of the match to confirm he would be starting, but was then informed he would begin on the bench.
‘In that moment, my emotions understandably took over,’ Tavernier said. ‘Many people may feel I could have handled the situation better, and I accept that, but after dedicating over a decade of my life to this club, with my family beside me throughout it all, I felt deeply hurt and let down.
‘What disappointed me most was the version of events that was later presented publicly, as it did not reflect the conversations that had taken place privately beforehand.
Tavernier said that emotions had taken over him, with the departing captain having expressed his desire to lead Rangers out for a final time at home with his children serving as mascots
‘I firmly believe the situation could and should have been handled much better from all sides. A lack of communication allowed matters to escalate unnecessarily in the build up to such an emotional occasion for myself and my family.
‘Anyone who saw my reaction on the pitch last night will understand how emotional I was feeling, not only about leaving Rangers, but about everything that had happened in the lead up to the game.
‘Lastly, I want to make clear that no individual is ever bigger than this great football club. Rangers must always come first. I hope the fans continue to stand united behind the team and the club moving forward. Thank you for everything.’
Tavernier revealed last month that he was set to call time on a Rangers career spanning 11 years in a statement which caught many supporters off guard.
During his time at Ibrox, Tavernier lifted one league title as well as the Scottish Cup and League Cup, and also led the side to the 2022 Europa League final.
Rangers travel to Falkirk on Saturday as they round off what has been a disappointing campaign for the club.
