Ah, James Tavernier, that classic journeyman footballer. Born on a delightfully spooky date of 31st October in 1991, Tavernier ultimately decided that rather than donning a cape and haunted mask, he would don a football jersey instead. Not the hero we deserved, but certainly the defender we got. Born in England, Tavernier finds himself now as a part-right back, part goal-poacher for a club up in Scotland called Rangers. Measuring in at a not-so towering 5 foot 8 inches (or 1.75m for those who'd prefer a dose of continental flair), and weighing 12 stones and 10 pounds (translating to approximately 81 kilograms), he's not exactly what you'd consider a brick wall, but then, it would seem, size isn't everything, or at least that's what he's banking on.
His footballing journey began, as most do, with a Young Boy Wonder dream when he joined Newcastle United in the Premier League as a trainee in 2008. However, dreams have a way of becoming more complex as we age. His inaugural season at Newcastle (once upon a time known for their football and not just for their Brown Ale) in 2012-2013 consisted of a whopping two first team appearances in league matches.
After a possibly soul-crushing time at the 'Toon', Tavernier took his talents to Gateshead on loan in January 2011. Here, he saw his first team appearances increase to an improved but still meagre 13. His odyssey continued, taking him yet again on loan, this time to an equally capricious clubs, Carlisle United, Sheffield Wednesday, and MK Dons, and finally to Shrewsbury Town, all in the same year. It's like he couldn't find a club where he felt homey enough. Bless him.
Our vagabond right-back finally found a bit more action during his loan spell at Rotherham United in 2013. Here he made 27 first team appearances and even managed to put the ball in the back of the net five times. This must've felt like akin to a small child finally making it to Disneyland.
Never one to settle, Tavernier waved goodbye to Newcastle and said hello to Wigan Athletic in June 2014, opting for a permanent move this time. Unfortunately, the thrill of Wigan's famous pies and rugby team wasn't enough to keep him grounded, and soon enough he was off again - this time to Bristol City on loan where he managed three goals in 12 matches.
And then came Ranger, a purchase of £200,000, and the rest, as they say, is history. Trudging around the pitches of Scotland's top league, Tavernier showed remarkable consistency in his appearances, hovering around the mid-thirties mark every season and netting an impressive number of goals for a right-back. Such performances surely caught the attention of the ever vigilant footballing gods.
Perhaps the pinnacle of his career at Rangers (thus far, of course) has been the current 2024-2025 season, seeing him grace the pitch 30 times, with four goals to his name. Additionally, he's found himself participating in a variety of competitions, including the League Cup, Scottish Cup, Europa League, and Champions League Qualifiers. Quite the renaissance man, our Tavernier. From a backdrop of countless English loan moves to becoming a stalwart of the Scottish game, you have to admire the man's persistence if nothing else.
