Born on the 31st of October 1991 in England, James Tavernier, currently aged 34, is a defender who serves primarily as a right back for the Rangers. The Englishman stands at 5ft 8in (1.75m) and weighs a whopping 12st 10lb (81kg), wearing the fitting number 2 jersey.
The story of Tavernier's football career commences in July 2008 when he joined Newcastle United in the Premier League as a trainee. During his somewhat short-lived stint in season 2012 - 2013 at Newcastle, he had the honour, or perhaps the misfortune, of making only two first team appearances in league matches. Seems like a roaring start, if I do say so myself.
January 2011 saw Tavernier transferring to Gateshead in the National League on loan from Newcastle. So it was that during his 2010 - 2011 debut season, he managed to take the field 13 times in league matches, an improvement, that.
The travelling defender moved his loan arrangement to Carlisle United in the National League in August of the same year. For the following season, 2011 - 2012, Tavernier made 16 first team appearances.
The musical chairs-like transfer period continued with his shift to Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship on loan in November 2011. Tavernier, apparently fond of the number six, made six first team appearances in league matches during the 2011 - 2012 season.
By January 2012, our roving friend found himself transferred to MK Dons in the League Two in England, and you guessed it, another loan. This tale of hopping around reads like a football kind of 'Goldilocks' and during that season he made seven first team appearances in league matches.
Repetition, unfortunately, can be boring but it seems to be Tavernier's mantra. So, off he was again in July 2013, this time to Shrewsbury Town in the League Two in England. We can almost guess his league matches for the season numbered a single, solitary one.
Rotherham United in the League One was his next destination in November 2013. The 2013 - 2014 season there saw him make 27 first team appearances and score five goals, a commendable increase on his part.
Finally in June 2014, Tavernier transferred from Newcastle to Wigan Athletic in the League One in England for an undisclosed fee – not a loan, mind you. During the 2014 - 2015 season, he made 11 first team appearances.
Still not quite satisfied (judging by his moves), he transferred to Bristol City in the Championship in England on loan in January 2015. That season he made 12 first team appearances and scored three goals.
Now we come to the point in the saga where Tavernier finds his way to familiar ground, joining Rangers in the Premiership in Scotland in July 2015, for a fee around £200k. His multiple seasons here saw his numbers steadily increase, with his most impressive appearances and goals amounting to 38 matches and 17 goals in the 2023 - 2024 season. The current season, 2025 - 2026, sees him having made 21 first team appearances and having scored four goals.
Taking a short gander at Tavernier's cup participation in 2025 - 2026, he's scored two goals in the League Cup and one in the Europa League for Rangers with a combination of starts and substitute appearances. Stunning figures indeed.
All in all, a storied career of transfers, loans and goals. Here's wishing Mr Tavernier all the best with the rest of his peregrinating career and may the number of goals always exceed the number of his transfers!
