Tavernier's 'complicated' Rangers legacy

James Tavernier goalscoring return is unparalleled for a defender, but his defensive vulnerabilities and lack of major trophies means he leaves a "complicated" legacy at Rangers.

That's according to the The Herald's Stephen McGowan, after Tavernier announced he will leave Ibrox at the end of this season.

The English defender signed from Wigan in 2015 and has gone on to score 144 goals and contribute 148 assists in 562 appearances.

He won the Scottish Premiership in the 2020-21 season, the Scottish Cup in 2022 and the Scottish League Cup in 2024, as well as reaching the Europa League final in 2022.

"He's definitely one of these players that fit into that category of 'You'll miss him when he's gone' and he'll only be fully appreciated when that's the case," McGowan said on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"But it's complicated. For the cash paid it's a tremendous piece of value. 562 games, 144 goals, 148 assists. Won a league, won a Scottish Cup, won a League Cup. He led Rangers to a Europa League final in Seville, which I think probably was his highlight of his time at Rangers.

"But, there is always a but with James Tavernier, because he was a polarising figure because he won three out of 30 major tournaments, major trophies.

"I think there's always a feeling with a Rangers captain there should be more than that along the way.

"Not only that, but also that feeling he didn't defend as well as he might have at times because we can all remember high-profile examples like Daizen Maeda and so on where in big games goals seemed to be lost on his side of the pitch."