Connor Goldson believes some of the criticism towards Rangers captain James Tavernier isn’t merited. 

Tavernier, 33, has been ever-present at Ibrox since joining the club in June 2015. 

He has played almost 500 games in Light Blue, yet this season, with Rangers already trailing Celtic and Aberdeen by nine points in the Scottish Premiership title race, extra flak is coming Tavernier’s way. 

Goldson was his Rangers teammate from 2018 until the experienced centre-back opted to leave for Aris Limassol this summer. They won the league together under Steven Gerrard in 2021, and the one key difference he notices compared to the current team is the lack of leaders who understand what it means to represent Glasgow Rangers.

Manager Philippe Clement made the bold call to leave his skipper on the bench for Rangers' Europa League tie with Olympiacos last week and there's a sense that his time in Govan could be nearing an end.

But Goldson thinks it will only be once the right-back has left Rangers that supporters will realise how important he's been for the club.

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Speaking to the Sunday Mail, the former Rangers vice-captain said: “I feel sorry for Tav now because he’s going through a difficult period with the team. And he’ll be the one who gets the most stick. Fair or unfair, that’s what happens when you wear the armband. You’re one of the main players, one of the biggest earners so you have to take it.

"The stars of the team always face the most criticism. So Tav has to take that on his shoulders, as he does every year.

”Is it difficult for him? Mentally, it must be because I’ve been there for six years. It’s hard. But you have to take it and Tav has learnt to do that. The fact he carries on doing his best for the club - you can only admire that.

(Image: SNS Group) “If you look at the year we won the title in 2021, we had Allan McGregor, Steven Davis, Jermain Defoe and others. That’s not including myself and Tav.

“I look now and you’ve probably got him, Jack Butland and John Souttar. I’m struggling to find any more. Sometimes we had bad games and those boys would tell us. If you let another one go in Tav, I just don’t know who in there lets people know what Rangers is all about.

“I don’t see Celtic getting rid of Callum McGregor or Scott Brown before him when they have a bad few months. They understand these boys know the culture and drive the new signings to who they become. It will only be when Tav leaves that he gets the respect he deserves.

“Tav has been absolutely amazing for Rangers. He plays every game and you don’t realise how hard that is to replace. When you do that, you’ll take the most criticism – because you’re the player who will have the most bad games. If you play 60 games and have five bad ones, these five will be remembered. If you play 10 games and have one bad one, people think you’re amazing.

“When you play every week, you’re more prone to make mistakes. Everyone is human. Has Tav had bad games? Of course he has. But he’s always there, available for every single game - even now. That’s a massive credit to him. What he’s done for that club is incredible.”