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I think Allan is a cornerstone to everything that’s been good about this club since I came in 2018 and I think he can be hugely proud. He is not finished yet – it will be 500-and-something. It won’t be 500, it won’t end there. But I think the service that he has given this football club, as a young boy coming through our academy, is absolutely outstanding.

Michael Beale was lavish in his praise for Allan McGregor ahead of his 500th appearance for the club and no wonder. McGregor is a modern marvel and a genuine legend well deserving of his place in the club's fall of fame.

His return to Ibrox in the summer of 2018 was undoubtedly Steven Gerrard's key signing and allowed a specialist position to suddenly be filled by the very best in Scotland. With all due respect to Wes Foderingham who's a solid keeper, the upgrade was instant, significant and obvious - and it didn't cost a penny.

Regardless of what happens this season, his legacy is in zero doubt having won 13 domestic trophies and been part of two sides that reached a major European Final.

And yet, this summer is surely the time for McGregor to hang up the gloves. He will be 42 in the middle of next season and even for this footballing Peter Pan that's a stretch. McGregor himself may fancy another crack of the whip as he did last June despite it looking to all concerned that his cameo appearance at the end of the Scottish Cup final was the perfect romantic note to depart on.

Many were surprised when he returned from a holiday to Dubai, where his phone had been very much switched off, to announce he fancied continuing for another year. Even Giovanni van Bronckhorst seemed a bit taken aback. He had clearly told Jon McLaughlin he'd be starting the season as the first choice and had trained with his quality in build-up at the forefront of his plans. Unfortunately, a derby disaster against Celtic put paid to that notion and the old stager would return.

One suspects another such scenario with McGregor deciding to remain will not be as well received by fans this year - and it was hardly welcomed by all last summer. Despite his incredible legacy, many supporters feel McGregor is now a diminished force battling against father time - a war he cannot win.

It's a position that's hard to argue with and one that's backed up by hard numbers. According to leading data provider Statsbomb and their goals saved above average metric, the Rangers keeper has let in 5.2 goals more than he should have based on probabilities around the shots he's faced.

Only fellow veteran David Marshall at Hibs has a worse data set in the Scottish Premiership.

Celtic also have an experienced warrior between the sticks in Joe Hart, but you can see from the graphic below the Englishman is outperforming McGregor in every department. This has to be an area of major concern.

It's difficult to win titles if one half of the Old Firm has a substantially better-performing goalkeeper. You don't have to look too far back to Andy Goram consistently breaking the heart of then Celtic manager Tommy Burns for evidence of how important a man between the sticks can be.

If McGregor feels he's still fit enough to make a contribution, it must only be as a no.2. Even then, you might ask if that's putting enormous pressure on any new signing with a legend waiting in the wings for slip-ups. It's a huge decision for Beale if McGregor doesn't make the move to retire himself.

He will have to be ruthless but also cognizant of what this legendary goalkeeper brings to the group outside of matchday as well as on them. That's impossible to judge from the outside but the manager has not been shy in outlining the dedication to his craft that has enabled McGregor to continue for so long. He may see that as an element he wants in the training ground to rub off on future stars and those coming through the academy.

However it ends, this story of McGregor and Rangers has been marvellous. You do feel though, nostalgia and romance aside, that it should be a narrative hurtling toward its final chapter.