James Tavernier said he was deeply hurt and let down after a public dispute over his planned Ibrox farewell exploded into view, as the Rangers captain explained why he missed Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat by Hibernian. The 34-year-old did not feature in the squad, even though he had appeared on the pitch before kick-off to a warm ovation and a presentation from John Greig.
Tavernier, who announced late last month that he will leave Rangers this summer when his contract ends, posted a detailed explanation on Instagram on Thursday that laid out the medical and personal background to the dispute. He said he had been managing an ankle issue that first arose after last Monday’s defeat by Hearts, then started but did not finish Sunday’s loss at Celtic Park.
Rangers manager Danny Rohl said after the Hibernian game that Tavernier had a medical issue. Tavernier said discussions with the medical staff had led to an injection being identified as the only option, initially set for Thursday, and that after Sunday’s match he chose to bring it forward to Tuesday. That would have ruled him out of both Wednesday and Saturday, he said, so he delayed it in order to play one final game at Ibrox on Wednesday night.
He said he told Rohl it mattered to him and his family to say goodbye properly to the Ibrox faithful. Instead, he said he was informed by correspondence with the manager that he would be a substitute. Reports surfaced just before the game that Tavernier had left Ibrox and refused to be involved in the matchday squad, adding to the confusion around one of the club’s most recognisable figures.
The full-back’s account sharpened the tension around a departure that had already been building for weeks. Tavernier has made 565 Rangers appearances and scored 144 goals, a remarkable return for a defender that helped make him British football’s highest-scoring defender with 152 goals. He spent 11 years at Ibrox and has long been the club’s captain, which made the prospect of a final home appearance feel especially loaded for him and for supporters.
Tavernier said the past day had been the most difficult and emotional of his career for him and his family. He said many people may feel he could have handled the situation better, and he accepted that, but added that after dedicating over a decade of his life to the club, with his family beside him throughout it all, he felt deeply hurt and let down. He also said the version of events presented publicly did not reflect the conversations that had taken place privately.
He went further, saying the situation could and should have been handled much better from all sides and that a lack of communication allowed matters to escalate unnecessarily before such an emotional occasion. He also made clear that no individual is ever bigger than the club. Rangers close their season at Falkirk on Saturday, and the immediate question is whether Tavernier will get any final role before he leaves for good.
