The numbers speak for themselves in one regard yet don’t tell the full story. The Rangers career of James Tavernier – as a player and a captain – is a complicated tale.
It is one of almost 400 appearances and more than 100 goals. His assists tally is in three figures, too, and he counts two of the most significant successes in Rangers’ history on his record.
His endeavours have earned him personal plaudits and collective triumphs. Last season, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame and given a place amongst the greatest names to have pulled on the famous blue jersey over the last 151 years.
Tavernier continues to split opinion, though. That is partly down to what his detractors perceive as his faults and partly as a result of the failures that have littered his eight seasons at Ibrox.
As he heads into his ninth, the reason he attracts so much critique is the same as it has been since July 2018. As captain of a club and a team, Tavernier is held to a higher standard.
When Steven Gerrard arrived at Ibrox and inherited a squad that was not fit for purpose, naming a skipper was not the first priority. Gerrard was fully cognisant, however, of the importance of such a role and a responsibility, especially at a club like Rangers.
A leader of men for his club and his country, Gerrard knew what made a captain better than most. He recruited players with the requisite mindset and character to be part of his side, but ultimately felt that the best man for the job was one of those that was already in place.
Five years on, Tavernier’s status remains questioned by some. He was the man that held the Premiership trophy aloft as 55 was won and that sparked the celebration as the Scottish Cup was lifted for the first time in a long time.
Tavernier’s early seasons would have been enough to break those with a weaker resolve. He is the last remnant of the Mark Warburton era and has survived the embarrassments under Pedro Caixinha and Graeme Murty, emerged through the trials and tribulations of Gerrard’s tenure and the false dawns under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
There is no other individual within the squad that has as much scar tissue as the man that is the figurehead of it. Times of triumph are naturally shared, yet those of angst have so often seen Tavernier front up as a lone voice and he has had to own collective defeats individually.
The words in such situations have been hollow and meaningless for supporters. Many would rather he said nothing but he if often damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t and he must hope that those trying, testing days are behind him now that Michael Beale is his boss.
At 31, Tavernier is far from done. He is robust and reliable, a stalwart of the squad in training or a matchday and his commitment to the cause can not be doubted or questioned.
The honour of being captain is not lost on him. There would surely have been times when it has felt like a burden he could have done without but he continues to carry the weight of expectation as Rangers head into another new era and the squad evolves once again.
Eight years after his arrival from Wigan Athletic, Tavernier remains an integral, influential part of Rangers and has grown into the club and the city around him. He no longer has the support network of Allan McGregor and Scott Arfield within the dressing room and his voice will carry even greater significance in the coming weeks and months as those that have just signed up for life at Ibrox are given a crash course into what will be demanded of them.
There have been finer players than Tavernier that have failed to handle those expectations. Those with a weaker constitution have buckled and his longevity speaks to his persona as well as his performances.
Tavernier’s name is etched alongside true legends of the game after leading Rangers out in a European final. He could not join his mentor, however, and John Greig still stands alone as the only captain to have lifted silverware on the continent.
Tavernier has often spoken about his relationship with The Greatest Ever Ranger. It says much about the Englishman that Greig has taken him to heart in the manner that he has but Tavernier will not need his elder to remind him about what is expected, both on and off the park.
The accusation often levelled at Tavernier the player is that he cannot defend. When it comes to his role as captain, the narrative is that he is not vocal or inspiring enough hold such a position.
Gerrard clearly believed otherwise. It was Tavernier that led Rangers out for the first match of a new era against Bury five years ago this week and he who will do so when Beale’s side begin their campaign later this month.
The seasons in between have been far from straightforward. Those highs of 55 and the Scottish Cup win, of the European triumphs under Gerrard and Van Bronckhorst, stand as the exceptions rather than the rule on the whole and the list of deflating defeats that is topped by that night in Seville is more extensive than it ought to be.
These coming campaigns will determine his legacy. All Rangers players, and certainly all Rangers captains, are judged on and remembered for the titles and trophies won and Tavernier needs further glories if he is to be recalled with a real affection rather than just a fondness by subsequent generations.
The accusation of being a ‘serial loser’ must have stung Tavernier. Like any pundit or punter, the best way to silence them is to become a serial winner.
Tavernier has the memories, both good and bad, from the last five years as captain to reflect on and take inspiration from. Now it is all about the medals as he approaches his testimonial year at Ibrox.
His statistics will always be there in black and white in a debate that has many grey areas. It will become clearer and more conclusive if the red, white and blue ribbons adorn Scotland’s trophies more often than not in the seasons to come.
