Will James Tavernier regret Ibrox bench strop? Alan Hutton reacts to Rangers farewell frustration & addresses chances of Premier League move as a free agent

Tavernier has become a modern day legend for Old Firm giants in Glasgow, with 565 appearances being taken in over the course of an 11-year stint that began in the Scottish Championship and has included Premiership title glory and a Europa League final outing.

The buccaneering defender has registered 144 goals for Rangers, with a quite stunning return of 24 efforts being posted in the 2023-24 campaign. A remarkable impact has been made at both ends of the field, with a sizeable void about to be left in the Ibrox ranks.

Tavernier will be severing ties with the Gers when his contract expires. The plan had been to give him a fitting send-off during a home date with Hibernian on May 13. The 34-year-old claims he had been promised a starting berth in that contest, only to then see head coach Danny Rohl ask him to line-up among the substitutes.

With emotions running high, the Bradford native shunned that request and ruled himself out of contention - meaning that there was to be no farewell outing on the Ibrox turf. Tavernier has aired his “disappointment” at how that situation was handled, but could he have done more to avoid creating unnecessary drama?

Asked for his take on the unfortunate sequence of events, ex-Gers right-back Hutton - speaking exclusively to GOAL courtesy of Arabic Casinos - said: “It's a real shame, a real shame. I kind of thought about this for a while and I was trying to think from the player point of view, if that was me. I think after a few weeks had passed, it would hurt me more that I didn't go and sit on the bench.

“I totally get the emotion that was involved. He's been there for a long period of time. He's been the captain of the club for a long time. I was hearing rumours that there was a niggly injury and I think it was after the Old Firm game, possibly. There wasn't much turnaround and the manager had taken the decision to put him on the bench but was going to bring him on because he deserved a round of applause from the fans and everything - especially the last game at Ibrox.

“He didn't feel that that was warranted. He felt he should have been starting. So they've kind of bumped heads on that and the emotion, I think, has then taken over and he's decided to take himself out of the squad. It's a real sour note because it's a shame and I think he'll look back on it and possibly regret it in a number of weeks.”

Tavernier must now decide what happens next for him. A return to England had been briefly mooted for the former Newcastle and Wigan defender, but he may be poised to spread professional wings much further afield.

Quizzed on whether a move to the Saudi Pro League could be made, allowing a lucrative deal to be signed, Hutton said: “Maybe. I think in terms of the Premier League, it’s probably a step too far at this moment in time - he's 34.

“He wasn't playing regularly for Rangers and that happens to every player when you get to that age - you start to wind down, even though sometimes you can be the last person to see that happening. So whether it be abroad somewhere is a decent possibility for him.”

Tavernier will be leaving Rangers as they face some big decisions on and off the field this summer - with plans needing to be put in place that help to close the gap on arch-rivals Celtic, after seeing them celebrate a dramatic domestic title triumph in 2025-26.

The Gers have not hoisted that particular piece of silverware aloft since Tavernier got his hands on it in 2021 - under the guidance of Steven Gerrard - and shrewd recruitment will be required in order to bring it back to Ibrox in 12 months’ time.