Departing Rangers captain James Tavernier has expressed deep hurt after missing out on a final appearance at Ibrox, issuing a statement explaining why he made himself unavailable for the match against Hibernian. The 34-year-old was expected to bid farewell to the Rangers supporters on Wednesday night but did not feature in Danny Rohl's squad.
Instead, Tavernier appeared just before kick-off, with Rangers legend John Greig presenting the Englishman with a commemorative plaque before he stepped onto the field to wave goodbye to fans. Daily Mail Sport reported that Tavernier had made himself unavailable for selection after learning 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,' he 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.'
He revealed he had picked up an ankle knock after the Hearts game and discussed with medical staff the possibility of an injection, initially scheduled for Thursday. After Sunday's game, with emotions running high, he decided to bring the injection forward to Tuesday, which would have ruled him out of both Wednesday and Saturday's matches. However, after speaking with his family and the medical department, he delayed the injection until Thursday to 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,' Tavernier stated. '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 that Rohl agreed it was the 'right decision' and acknowledged that he deserved a 'proper send off' and recognised the importance to his family. He added that his son, who is in the 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,' he 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.'
He expressed disappointment at the version of events presented publicly, which he felt did not reflect the private conversations beforehand. 'I firmly believe the situation could and should have been handled much better from all sides,' he added. 'A lack of communication allowed matters to escalate unnecessarily in the build up to such an emotional occasion for myself and my family.'
Tavernier concluded by stating that no individual is ever bigger than the club and that 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 his Rangers career after 11 years, catching many supporters off guard. During his time at Ibrox, he lifted one league title, the Scottish Cup, and the League Cup, and led the side to the 2022 Europa League final. Rangers travel to Falkirk on Saturday as they round off a disappointing campaign.
