There comes a time in an ageing footballer’s career when the talk of contract extensions goes quiet and there’s a general acceptance among all parties that the exit door is beckoning.
James Tavernier is in that place now. The Rangers captain is set to turn 35 in October.
Now in his 11th season in Glasgow, he has undoubtedly been a fine servant for the Ibrox club, but time and tide wait for no man. Barring an unforeseen development, he’ll move on when his deal expires in May.
Few players have divided opinion among Rangers fans quite like the full-back since he joined from Wigan in 2015.
His backers point to the torrent of goals which saw him become the top-scoring defender in the history of British football in 2024 when he netted for the 131st time. That played a big part in the Englishman entering Rangers’ Hall of Fame.
He’s scored another 19 goals since then to take him past the 150 mark. Even allowing for penalties, those numbers for a full-back are just extraordinary.
James Tavernier is likely to move on at the end of the season when his contract expires
It’s hardly Tavernier’s fault that he was part of some woeful teams, particularly in his early days in Govan. They would assuredly have been even poorer had he not been part of them.
You cannot, however, argue with the bare facts. In his time at Rangers, Tavernier has competed for 30 major trophies (the team were in the Championship when he first joined).
He’s won just three of them — the Premiership in 2021, the Scottish Cup in 2022 and the League Cup in season 2023-24.
Notwithstanding how dominant Celtic have been throughout his time, that’s a meagre return for so many opportunities.
Chris Sutton may have been characteristically mischievous when he described the player as a ‘serial loser’ prior to the 2019 League Cup final, but he was only repeating what many Rangers supporters had long been saying in private.
Tavernier hit back at the former Celtic striker on the eve of that game, saying: ‘People’s comments are irrelevant. I am here to do a job and fully believe in this squad and what we are capable of doing.
‘We have to win games and win trophies. We haven’t come here to be second best. We have to win silverware for the fans.’
Rangers weren’t second best that day when it came to performance. On the balance of play, they were actually the superior side. But they still lost to a 10-man Celtic outfit inspired by Fraser Forster in goal. It was another stick for Tavernier’s critics to beat him with.
Encounters against Rangers’ great rivals have been a particular source of pain for the Englishman down the years.
It started well enough. A victory on penalties in the Scottish Cup semi-final in 2016 came when Rangers were still in a league below Ronny Deila’s men. Yet it was to be no indication of what was to come.
Tavernier has lifted the Scottish Premiership trophy just once in his time at Ibrox
Tavernier’s record against Celtic to this point reads played 41, won 10, drawn six, lost 25. The latter category contains a 5-0 loss at Parkhead, a pair of 5-1 drubbings home and away and a 4-0 hiding in a Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden.
No player in Rangers’ history has lost more games to Celtic. This is why some among the Ibrox support have long questioned his suitability to wear the armband.
Rightly or wrongly, they associate him with a dressing-room mentality which has accepted being second best in Scotland for far too long. And they will shed no tears at his impending departure.
In many respects, though, Tavernier is a victim of circumstance. Was it really his fault that he was sent to Celtic Park with Philippe Senderos and Rob Kieran for company as Moussa Dembele helped himself to a hat-trick?
Rangers fans were quick to castigate him for his defensive shortcomings, yet opted to go easy on the likes of Joey Barton throughout his deplorable, brief spell at the club.
To his credit, the full-back has never mouthed off or made excuses. He’s owned his mistakes.
Tavernier was one of the better players as the side he skippered reached the 2022 Europa League final against Eintracht Frankfurt. He was an Aaron Ramsey-missed penalty kick away from lifting the trophy and achieving immortality at Ibrox.
Had he been born in a different era, it’s likely he would have amassed a stack of winners’ medals. Many inferior players have won a great deal more.
Those who have worked with him closely speak of a consummate and dedicated professional.
‘I’ve got nothing but very good things to say about Tav,’ said former interim manager Barry Ferguson.
‘He was an absolute joy to work with. I got very close to him. because obviously you’re a manager and he’s a captain.
Barry Ferguson couldn’t have spoken any higher of Tavernier during his spell in charge
‘He was first in, last away, a brilliant trainer, a real good leader and a right good player for me.
‘He’ll not hide. That’s the type of guy he is. For me, I love to see people like that. He’s a strong, strong character.
‘Some of the criticism at times, I think, is way over the top. But, listen, everybody’s entitled to their opinion. But one thing about him is, he’ll go and he’ll fight and he’ll never hide.’
Ferguson is hardly the only Rangers boss to give Tavernier his seal of approval.
Since signing under Mark Warburton, Danny Rohl is the 10th manager to put his trust in him. They can’t all be wrong.
It’s only the advancing years that will see the German and the Englishman shake hands and go their separate ways come May.
There’s some water to flow under the bridge before then. With Dujon Sterling struggling, Tavernier would be expected to start against Celtic on Sunday and perhaps again when the sides lock horns in the Scottish Cup a week later. There’s also a final trip to Parkhead to come after the split.
These matches will go a long way to defining Rangers’ season. They will also shape how Tavernier is remembered in these parts long after the boots have been hung on the peg.
After so many damp squibs, what he wouldn’t give to go out in a blaze of glory.
