Connor Goldson has launched a passionate defense of James Tavernier while sharply criticizing Rangers over the unceremonious nature of the former captain’s exit from Ibrox.

​Tavernier brought down the curtain on an extraordinary 11-year spell in Glasgow during the summer, moving on to join Maccabi Tel Aviv. Over the course of 562 appearances across all competitions, the attack-minded right-back established an astonishing goalscoring record for a defender, finding the net 144 times and securing a place in the club’s Hall of Fame.

​Despite his decorated service, the 34-year-old’s time at Rangers concluded under a cloud following a high-profile dispute with former manager Danny Rohl. The German coach claimed Tavernier refused to take a place on the substitutes’ bench for his final home fixture, leading to an uncomfortable compromise where the skipper was persuaded to step onto the pitch prior to kickoff against Hibernian simply to accept a commemorative presentation from club icon John Greig.

​Speaking during an appearance on Open Goal, Goldson expressed total disbelief at the way the situation was managed by Rangers officials. He labelled the treatment as mental, arguing that no other club in world football would cast aside a servant of over a decade with such little fanfare. While acknowledging managers must make tactical choices on whether to field someone, Goldson insisted a player of Tavernier’s standing deserved far more respect than walking out to collect a small award before heading straight down the tunnel in front of his family.

​Goldson shared the pitch with Tavernier for six seasons and admitted that playing directly alongside him could be both exhilarating and infuriating. He recalled constant on-field arguments caused by Tavernier pushing high up the pitch, leaving him isolated against rapid opposition wingers during demanding European ties.

​Yet, Goldson praised his former teammate’s remarkable technical quality, describing his right foot as a wand. He pointed out that while Tavernier occasionally showed arrogance against domestic opposition by diving into tackles, he routinely proved his defensive pedigree against elite European adversaries. Goldson reiterated a long-held belief that Tavernier’s true value to Rangers would only be properly recognized once he had departed.

​The defender, who currently represents Apollon Limassol following a stint with Aris Limassol, also reflected on his own painful departure from Ibrox in 2024. Under previous manager Philippe Clement, Goldson felt he was still comfortably the best central defender at the club and had trained intensively during pre-season to secure his place.

​However, Clement informed him that he was free to leave on a free transfer. The message was driven home during a pre-season camp in the Netherlands, where Goldson found himself relegated to the second-string training lineup and cast as a second-half substitute in friendlies. Realizing his time had been effectively brought to an end, Goldson opted to move abroad, sharing a sense of bitter frustration that his long-time defensive partner Tavernier would eventually experience as well.