James Tavernier's open letter to Rangers fans prompts huge backing

Rangers captain James Tavernier has penned a lengthy open letter to fans explaining why the Gers players will ‘take the knee’ before each and every game this season – and fans on Twitter have rallied behind the Ibrox skipper and his teammates ahead of today’s Scottish Premiership opener against Liv...

Jul 31, 2021 - 13:00
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James Tavernier's open letter to Rangers fans prompts huge backing

Rangers captain James Tavernier has penned a lengthy open letter to fans explaining why the Gers players will ‘take the knee’ before each and every game this season – and fans on Twitter have rallied behind the Ibrox skipper and his teammates ahead of today’s Scottish Premiership opener against Livingston.

After high-profile incidents of racist abuse of players all across the footballing planet – including every single BAME Rangers player – the Gers players will continue to take the “symbolic stance” ahead of games.

Hamilton Academical v Rangers - Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership

Glen Kamara taking the knee last season (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Despite attempts at trying to pervert the message being sent by players from some – typically involving some nonsense about footballers earning thousands of pounds a week being supporters of Marxism – Tavernier’s statement on the club website leaves no ambiguity over why the Rangers players choose to kneel.

The emotional message from the skipper pulls no punches and Tavernier implored Rangers fans to remind the world why they are a “special” support and get right behind “every player who is proud to wear the badge of the famous RFC.”

The last 16 months have been difficult, right across the world. Every single person has been impacted, with some losing their very lives from Covid. We cannot forget that we must use this opportunity to create as much positivity and unity within our famous ground.

We brought home ‘55’ last season, in almost record time. However, there were some dark and difficult moments along the way. Sadly, at some stage during the season, every one of our BAME players received racist abuse online. That is a sad indictment on society and shows just how much work still needs to be done to eradicate it. Add in the fact one of our players received sickening racist abuse on the pitch. Racism is a problem in football, that is an inarguable fact.

As a team and as a club, we must not only stand up against racism, but fight against it- every single day. Whenever our players were abused last season, the way in which our fanbase stood behind us was nothing short of amazing.

Many people have given arguments for and against certain political organisations. Arguments against their actions, and what they purport to stand for. I’ve no interest in all that, neither do my teammates or coaching staff. We will take the knee to stand against racism, nothing more, and nothing less.

That is why we will take the knee prior to our games. This is a very simple, but we hope, effective gesture. It is a symbolic stance against racism, nothing more and nothing less.

At the start of each game this season, and throughout the 90 minutes, please show the world exactly why you are a special fan base. Support every player who is proud to wear the badge of the famous RFC.

We are as strong as strong can be.

I cannot wait to hear you roar from the stands of Ibrox Park.

Fans on Twitter have responded in massive numbers to, almost universally, give their support to the players as they send an important message that clearly has a huge impact on the players’ lives.

Here are some of the many, many comments from Rangers fans backing  James Tavernier’s message ahead of today’s Premiership fixture with Livingston: