By Alistair Aird
James Tavernier is a phenomenon. Since signing for Rangers back in 2015, he has surmounted many challenges and answered questions from friend and foe alike. His goalscoring return and goal contributions are frightening. To date, he has 124 goals for Rangers if you include friendlies, and his assists are in excess of 130. He’s a right back too. His is indeed a beautiful story, and here’s how it goes.
The remarkable renaissance of Rangers recently has placed James Tavernier on the cusp of further elevating his status in the pantheon of Rangers greats. After overhauling Celtic to top the Scottish Premiership table and reaching the last eight of the Scottish Cup, Tavernier is now 14 games away from potentially joining Jock Shaw, Bobby Shearer, John Greig, Richard Gough, Lorenzo Amoruso and Barry Ferguson as a player who has captained Rangers to a domestic Treble. He has an outside chance of leading us to glory in the Europa League too.
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The fact Tavernier is in that position is testament to his ability and character, for many questioned his form and mentality when things were going pear-shaped as recently as four months ago under Michael Beale. There were some that even thought incoming manager, Philippe Clement, should relieve him of the captain’s armband and drop him from the starting XI. But although he wasn’t firing on all cylinders back then, he didn’t shy away, and he is another who has had their game reinvigorated under Clement.
Our captain was born in Bradford on Halloween in 1991, and his journey to Rangers actually began at Celtic. Tavernier started out at Farsley Celtic Boys Club and was also part of the youth system at Leeds United. And during that time, he wasn’t a right back either. In fact, he had a season as a goalkeeper and also played in central midfield.
Upon leaving the Leeds academy at the age of 16, Tavernier signed for Newcastle United. At St James’ Park he played in the same youth team as Haris Vuckic and Jak Alnwick and ahead of an FA Youth Cup tie against Oldham Athletic in December 2008, the 17-year-old Tavernier is said to have earned ‘rave reviews this year for his lightning-quick reactions and ball-playing ability rave reviews this year for his lightening [sic]-quick reactions and ball-playing ability.’
But opportunities at Newcastle would be limited. Although he featured regularly for the reserve team managed by Peter Beardsley, Tavernier would make only 10 first team appearances in the famous black-and-white jersey. His sum total of minutes in the Premiership was 36.
A series of loan moves were then undertaken, this first of which was with Gateshead in January 2011. This was initially for a period of 28 days, but this was later extended to 9 April, with the Gateshead manager, Ian Bogie, commenting that Tavernier ‘has pace to burn and likes to get forward so much that sometimes we have to rein him back.’ You can argue that over a decade later that this something Michael Beale is still trying to do.
A temporary move to Carlisle United followed – Tavernier made 17 appearances during his three-month stint in Cumbria – and then it was on to Sheffield Wednesday, the Owls bringing Tavernier in on an emergency loan. He played eight times, including a 4-4 draw against Huddersfield Town that featured four goals from Jordan Rhodes.
Remarkably, there would be a third loan move in season 2011/12. Tavernier joined MK Dons in January 2012 on a deal until the end of the season. His spell there would feature the first of many assists in his career, Tavernier creating the goal scored by Stephen Gleeson in a 5-0 win over Oldham Athletic.
After seven appearances for the Dons, he was recalled by the Newcastle manager, Alan Pardew, but this didn’t signal a change in fortune. Although he made his European debut against Atromitos in August 2012, he was back on the loan market, and Shrewsbury Town took him on a month-long loan in July 2013. That was cut short by a metatarsal injury that required surgery, but upon his recovery, he was off again, this time joining Rotherham United.
His time with the Millers was productive. He scored his first senior goal on his debut against Gillingham, although I don’t think even he would have thought at that time that that would be the first of over a century of goals. Four others followed as Rotherham made the League One play-offs, and they secured promotion when they defeated Leyton Orient on penalties at Wembley. Tavernier would demonstrate the penalty prowess that we have been come accustomed too as well, scoring one of the spot kicks that secured Rotherham a place in the Championship.
The move to Rotherham wouldn’t be the last of Tavernier’s temporary transfers. In the summer of 2014, he left Newcastle and joined Wigan Athletic on a permanent deal. He made his debut as substitute against Reading, but game time after that was limited. After just 13 appearances, the nomadic Tavernier was up for grabs on a temporary basis once again. Bristol City took him on, and he scored three times in the 12 appearances he made for the Robins.
Given the surfeit of goals he has contributed to since he first donned a Rangers jersey, Tavernier’s stats up to this point in his career may come as something of a surprise:
Thus, in the summer of 2015, James Tavernier’s career was stalling. He needed someone to come in and restart his engine, and the man who did that was Mark Warburton.
The recently appointed Rangers manager persuaded the board to part with what is now a paltry £250,000 to bring Tavernier to Glasgow. With the benefit of hindsight, this particular transfer has to be up there when we engage in discussions over which player, pound-for-pound, was the best signing in our illustrious history.
Tavernier scored on his debut – a sumptuous strike in a 6-2 win over Hibernian at Easter Road in the Petrofac Cup – and that was a portent of things to come. If you include goals scored in friendlies, then the two penalties Tavernier netted against St Johnstone took him to a total of 124. This would actually swell to 126 if you include the goals scored against Lokomotiv Tashkent in January 2020 and Hallescher in July 2023, but these were bounce games and aren’t considered ‘official’.
Let’s analyse Tavernier’s goals.
Overall
The 3-0 win over St Johnstone was James Tavernier’s 443rd competitive appearance for Rangers. His 120 goals and 127 assists in those competitive games are broken down by competition as follows:
The highest number of assists in one game for Tavernier is three, a tally he has chalked up on three occasions. These were in the 6-0 away win against Dumbarton in the Scottish Championship on 2 January 2016, the 3-1 victory over Kilmarnock at Rugy Park in the second round of the League Cup on 19 August 2018, and the 3-1 league win over Ross County on 14 February 2024.
Type of Goal
Since he plays at right-back, then it would be safe to assume that his strongest foot is his right. And the data backs that up. Given he takes penalty kicks and free kicks with his right foot, 110 of his 120 competitive goals for Rangers – 91.67% – have come from that source.
His 120 goals are broken down as follows:
Scottish Premiership
Tavernier made his Scottish Premiership debut on the opening day of season 2016/17. Rangers drew 1-1 with Hamilton Academicals at Ibrox. The recent resounding 5-0 win over Hearts at Ibrox marked league appearance number 268.
James has found the net in 64 of those 268 appearances. His first league goal came against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on 26 August 2016, and his total number of top flight goals currently stands at 75. Of those 75 goals, 47 have been penalty kicks.
Broken down by opponent, we see the following:
Clearly, Aberdeen have suffered more than any other team in the Scottish Premiership. Tavernier has faced the Dons on 28 occasions, 15 times at Ibrox, 13 at Pittodrie. His 13 goals are split such that he has netted 10 goals in the games at Ibrox and three in the matches played at Pittodrie.
Of the 64 league games Tavernier has scored in, Rangers have won 50 (78.13%). Only four of the other 14 matches have been lost (6.25%). Celtic (2), Hibernian, and St Johnstone were the opponents in those fixtures.
In terms of Old Firm games, Tavernier has made 26 league appearances against Celtic. Three of his five goals have come at Parkhead. His overall record is seven wins, four draws, and 15 defeats.
European Competition
Including qualifying matches, Tavernier has played in 16 Champions League games. He has five goals, the last of which was a penalty kick against Ajax in a 3-1 defeat at Ibrox on 1 November 2022.
As we all remember fondly, Tavernier was the top scorer in the Europa League in 2021/22. The goals scored on the road to Seville contribute to a total of 15 overall, with 11 different teams providing the opposition when Tavernier has scored:
The go-to-guy when it comes to penalty kicks, Tavernier has netted 10 of the 12 penalties he has taken in Europa League matches. Both misses from 12 yards came in season 2019/20, against Progres Niederkorn and Feyenoord. Both games were played at Ibrox.
Scottish Cup
Since joining Rangers, Tavernier has played in 29 Scottish Cup ties for Rangers. He has four goals and five assists in the competition.
Three of the four goals were penalty kicks, with the other a header against St Johnstone in the last eight in season 2020/21. In the penalty shoot out that followed, Tavernier saw his spot kick saved by Zander Clark.
Scottish League Cup
Tavernier’s rapier-like right foot volley that won the League Cup for Rangers earlier this season was his ninth goal in 26 appearances in the competition. The opposition faced when he has scored are:
Scottish Championship
Tavernier was an ever-present in the Scottish Championship in his first season as a Rangers player. He registered 10 goals and 18 assists, and his goal in the 1-0 win over Dumbarton at Ibrox on 5 April 2016 sealed our return to the top flight.
That goal is one of seven scored at Ibrox during that Championship season. The three ‘away’ goals were scored against Alloa Athletic, Morton, and Dumbarton. In the latter game – a 6-0 win in January 2016 – he also assisted two of the three goals scored by Kenny Miller and the one netted by Martyn Waghorn.
Scottish Challenge Cup
The other two goals scored by Tavernier outside the ‘major’ competitions came in the Petrofac Training Cup. His first was actually his first goal for Rangers, a stunning free-kick in a 6-2 win over Hibernian at Easter Road, and his second was the opening goal of the Final against Peterhead at Hampden.
Penalty Record
After famously missing the first penalty he took for Rangers – ballooning the ball high over the cross bar in the shoot-out that followed the Scottish Cup semi-final in April 2016 – James has clearly honed his technique. Of the 83 penalties he has taken for Rangers – this excludes shoot outs – he has scored 67 (80.72%). Three of them came in pre-season friendlies – against Hamburg, Olympiacos, and Hoffenheim ahead of the current season – and these form part of the following breakdown:
His data for kicks missed from the ‘penalty mark’ is:
Venues
Of the 124 goals scored by Tavernier, exactly 50% (62) have come at Ibrox. The other 62 have come at 27 different venues ranging from Greenock to Gibraltar:
Summary
With data like this, you can see why Tavernier is front and centre in our team. Despite the finger being pointed at him on numerous occasions, he has led by example, and in May, there is a very good chance he will elevate his legendary status even further.
If we exclude friendlies, James Tavernier has made 444 appearances for the club, up to and including the win over Hearts at the weekend. Since joining Rangers in 2015, he has only missed out on selection in 16 league matches, seven Scottish Cup ties, and seven League Cup fixtures. He has been absent for only six Europa League matches too.
He missed eight games in season 2020/21 with a knee injury, and two in the early part of 2021/22 due to having COVID. And remarkably, he has only missed TWO matches through suspension, both ironically against Motherwell at Ibrox, a Scottish Cup tie in January 2017 and a league match three months later. It is clear he keeps a cool head, and this is borne out by the fact he has only been yellow carded 51 times in a Rangers shirt, that’s a card every 8.71 appearances.
It is therefore safe to say, if the Rangers captain is fit, he plays. Indispensable? The numbers don’t lie, the skipper is part of the fabric of what is happening at the football club. Irreplaceable? You have to say the answer is yes.
Connor Goldson said after the League Cup Final that we wouldn’t realise what we had with James Tavernier until he has left the club. With the data that has been presented in this article, it’s hard to disagree with him, although hopefully our captain’s departure is some years away yet and he can continue to add further goalscoring contributions as we go for glory under Philippe Clement.