Kevin Thomson might not have played under James Tavernier at Rangers.
The combative former Ibrox midfielder’s three-year stint in Glasgow was well before the marauding wing-back’s nine-year reign at the club.
But amid headlines aplenty surrounding Tavernier’s monumental achievements in front of goal this weekend, Thomson has been throwing his support behind the Rangers skipper.
British football’s record defensive goalscorer hasn’t always had the full backing of sections of the Rangers support but Thommo insists the Ibrox side are “lucky” to have the right-back.
Kevin Thomson backs James Tavernier
On the weekend that James Tavernier scored his 131st goal in football – and 22nd this season alone – Kevin Thomson heaped praise on the Rangers captain.
Speaking about the defender’s exploits on the BBC Scottish Football Podcast, it’s clear Tav has a big fan in the ex-Rangers midfielder who has bitten back against the boo boys.
“It’s incredible really the accolade that he’s received,” said Thomson. “He’s got a lot of more years in him as well, that’s the scary thing.
“To play right-back and – I’m not doing him a disservice – whilst there’s a lot of set-plays in there, a lot of penalties, he also won the golden boot on the road to Seville.
“Whatever narrative you want to go along (you can) but I think if you’re just a football fan everybody would agree that it’s a brilliant achievement.
“I think Rangers are lucky to have him. He gets a lot of stick. He could probably have had the best game and been the best player on the pitch but if the team gets beat its the captain’s fault.
“It’s just the way it is, it comes with territory. I think Tav is a leader on the pitch and a leader in the way he trains.
“He grabs games by the scruff of the neck, he gets people playing around him, and I don’t think he’ll ever get the credit that he deserves.”
Rangers treble will help record-holder win over doubters
It’s fitting that it was against Hibernian – the team against whom James Tavernier opened his Rangers account back in 2015 – that the Ibrox captain reaches this milestone.
Philippe Clement has waxed lyrical about the achievement, whilst it’s clear it’s a title which Tav might hold for quite some time.
It’s also a record which will likely be extended further in the seasons ahead.
Rangers vice-captain Connor Goldson has previously explained that the Ibrox club will not know what they had in Tavernier until he’s gone.
Criminally under-appreciated by a support whose greatest currency is trophies, something tells us that should a treble be delivered this season any doubts about the right-back’s legendary status will finally disappear.
It’s hard to imagine a Rangers team without James Tavernier and Kevin Thomson is probably bang on the money here.
Not that there aren’t questions over Tav’s future, with those Saudi Arabia millions potentially set to present the Gers with a big dilemma this summer.
