- Club captain to depart Rangers at the end of the season
- Tavernier will leave after 11 years at Ibrox
- 34-year-old ends eight year reign as captain
James Tavernier has announced he will leave Rangers when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The club captain took to Instagram on Wednesday morning to announce his departure after 11 years at the club.
Tavernier was made captain in 2018 and has worn the armband for the last eight seasons.
Tavernier’s news marks end of an era for Rangers but focus should remain on battle for 56
Tavernier said: “This club has been a huge part of my life and my family’s over the past 11 years. It’s given me so much, both on and off the pitch and from the moment I arrived, l’ve always tried to give everything I had to represent it in the right way.
“To have had the honour of being made captain of this club since 2018 is something | will always be incredibly proud of. Leading this team out, wearing the armband and being trusted in that role has meant more to me than I can properly put into words.”
“This isn’t the end just yet. There is still a season to finish and we are fully focused on pushing for the league title. I will continue to give absolutely everything, As I always have until the very last day.”
This highlights the love Tavernier has for the club which has been a part of his life for over a decade and that he will do everything that he can to ensure that Rangers have a memorable end to the season.
The outgoing captain’s words also demonstrate that as much as the talk amongst Scottish football will be about his departure as people take in the news, it cannot afford to be a distraction as the Gers battle to secure a historic 56th title.
Mention of 55 and Europa League final reiterates Tavernier will always be part of history
“We’ve shared the highs and the lows together and some truly incredible moments along the way. These include lifting the Scottish Cup, League Cup.
“Our journey to a European final and those unforgettable European nights at Ibrox against Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, where the atmosphere was something I will never forget.
“It also includes winning the league title and delivering 55, a moment that meant everything to this club and its supporters and one that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”
Tavernier rattling off the highlights of his Rangers career signifies how big a part he is in Rangers’ story and that his name will forever be engraved in the history of the football club.
Read Rangers Analysis
The time will come to thank James Tavernier for his decade-long service to Rangers Football Club.
But that time is not now and the 34-year-old focus will be on rallying the troops for his final five matches as captain with the Scottish Premiership title in sight.
