Rangers

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Raphael Sallinger - Hibernian

On the losing side, but made five saves.

Tom Sparrow - Motherwell

A midfielder by trade, Sparrow has never let Motherwell down at right back.

Stephen Welsh - Motherwell

On loan from Celtic, Welsh has been a real leader at Fir Park. Played with heart, soul and real quality. Had an effort ruled out for a foul.

Ryan Astley - Dundee

Scored the winning goal to send the Dundee faithful home happy.

Tuur Rommens - Rangers

Won all his duels against Falkirk and looks a good signing by Danny Rohl.

Findlay Curtis - Kilmarnock

Surely has to be in the World Cup squad. Made the previous squad, and since then his form has been electric.

Callum McGregor - Celtic

Much has been made - rightly so - of the impact made by the return of Martin O'Neill in steering Celtic to another title. But in his own way, the captain at the centre of this team has quietly done the steering on the pitch. Since the Dundee United game there has been much more of a steely resolve and intensity when required from Celtic, and McGregor has embodied that mission in the post-split games. His teammates voiced their praise for his leadership on and off the pitch throughout what's been a tumultuous campaign that saw Brendan Rodgers and then Wilfried Nancy depart. Throughout it all McGregor has been the constant. The emotion poured out of him at the end said it all.

Lukas Fadinger - Motherwell

A steely presence all season for Motherwell. His deflected goal was the difference against Hibs.

Nicky Clescenco - Kilmarnock

Took his goal well. Looked lively and creative in the rout of Livingston.

Joe Hugill - Kilmarnock

Two goals against Livingston upped his tally to eight in his past 12 games for Kilmarnock. Has thrived under Neil McCann.

Youssef Chermiti- Rangers

Looked like an absolute world-beater against Falkirk. His goals were superb. Has had his critics, but 15 Premiership goals is a respectable tally. His challenge next season will be to up that tally, and be more consistent.

Watch the best of the action as Rangers won their first post-split fixture with a 5-2 victory at Falkirk. Available to UK users only.

Rangers fans, we asked you for your opinions on the 5-2 win over Falkirk that rounded out a disappointing Premiership campaign. Here's a taste of what you had to say...

Alex: Who cares? It's too little, too late from these bottle merchants that have disgraced the jersey and the club this season. I'm glad at least half of them will be gone for next season, and they can take the manager with them.

Steven: If Rangers have money to spend then there is only one player it should be spent on - Mikey Moore. We have plenty of quality in the academy to cover the gaps in the first team. Considering that the senior academy teams both became champions of their respective leagues, as opposed to our current first team, it speaks volumes of the talent coming through. Why are we even looking at teenagers in other teams, is our first team management blind?

John: Today was too little, too late. Too many players not good enough to put on a Rangers jersey, and one who was good enough gets snubbed by the club. I don't know what the problem is behind the scenes with James Tavernier but he deserved to be recognised for the massive contribution he made season after season.

The club should have pulled out all the stops to sign Lawrence Shankland when they had the chance now I expect he will head south. Finally, it's a blessing in disguise the team isn't in the Champions League, saved from that embarrassment.

Fraser: Nothing to celebrate. Ten points behind Celtic, a defence you can drive a bus through, and a manager who cannot motivate this squad. A message to the board - "you have six weeks to get it right."

Derek: Too little, far too late. We need another keeper, Jack Butland is a disaster with ball at his feet. I hope Findlay Curtis gets his chance next season. Hopefully we'll get Mikey Moore back next season. It was a nothing game and nearly blew it again. A huge clear out is needed and a few players back off loan. Hopefully a more Scottish identity next season.

Ross: A nice high note to end that rollercoaster of a season on. Credit to the big man Youssef Chermiti, he's slowly becoming a good striker and is miles better than he was when we signed him. I'm sorry to see Moore go (for now) as he's a great player in the making. Let's stick with Danny Rohl for now, we all have short memories at Ibrox and to forget the good work he put in to get us back into the title race would be a gross injustice. We'll keep fighting and hopefully next year we'll finally get it over the line.

Andy Coyle
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

"I will be a better manager than before."

Danny Rohl insists he has what it takes to improve Rangers next season after a disappointing finish to this campaign.

The Ibrox side signed off with a 5-2 win at Falkirk but four successive defeats had already consigned them to third place.

It could have been so different.

Rangers' last visit to the Falkirk Stadium was the final match before the split, when they won an astonishing match 6-3 after falling two goals behind.

That victory seemed like a statement of intent, keeping the Ibrox side just a point behind leaders Hearts but also displaying their ability to handle setbacks and find the goals that could deliver a title.

"It's been an emotional rollercoaster," said Rohl. "Four weeks ago here, I was totally convinced that we could win the league, but we couldn't. The gap was too big and there were too many defeats.

"We were competitive but not good enough in the key moments.

"I will take all the information and see what we have to improve. I'll come back in four weeks with a lot of energy for the new season.

"Rangers is a big job, a demanding job. That's the reason why I like to be here. I demand a lot from myself and players."

Image source, SNS

Danny Rohl has confirmed that Rangers will work on re-signing Mikey Moore from Tottenham Hotspur this summer. (talkSPORT), external

The Rangers manager also insists striker Youssef Chermiti will be a key player next season after reports linking the 21-year-old to Porto. (Daily Record - subscription required), external

Image source, SNS

Danny Rohl told BBC Sportsound: "We had a fast start, which was great, but then we let the opponent back. But after that we did well, at the end of a long season.

"It was great to see a couple of academy players on the pitch at the end. They deserve it. They won their cup yesterday, were champions of the league and today they get some minutes here. It's great for them.

"We want to create our own players from our academy. They have the identity of Rangers and it was a good step but nothing more.

"In some moments (this season) we were close to being competitive to win the league but finally we were four defeats away so that's something we have to change.

"That means we have to change things on and off the pitch, and that's what we will prepare and go forward with.

"When you look to the squad we have loan players (so there will be changes), but I won't speak about a number but we need some changes."

Youssef Chermiti's hat-trick helped Rangers sign off for the summer with a Scottish Premiership victory, as the visitors enjoyed a 5-2 final day win over Falkirk.

Read the full match report here.

Have your say on the game here.

Rangers are in talks to buy 19-year-old defender Akpe Victory from Zalaegerszegi, with the Hungarian club seeking a fee of over £4m. (Ben Jacobs on X), external

Sunderland have opened talks with academy forward Finn Geragusian, with Rangers among the clubs showing interest in the 18-year-old. (Sunderland Echo), external

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Tottenham loanee Mikey Moore says Rangers supporters "deserve better" and admits the squad have lacked unity and fight this season.

Danny Rohl's side end the campaign third in the Premiership and without a trophy.

After a tricky start Moore, who joined on loan from Spurs last summer, has been a bright spark.

But the 18-year-old acknowledges things haven't been good enough this season.

"I think when you're here, this club has such history and it's such a great place to play and to be," he said.

"I think us as players need to realise what we need to deliver.

"We've delivered no trophies this year and it's not good enough, to be honest. We went out in the first stage of Europe so nothing that we've delivered has been good enough and we need to realise that.

"For us that needs to be the goal, to deliver for fans who come and watch us every single week and support us. It's the best support I've ever seen personally. They deserve better than that I think.

"As a squad there needs to be a lot more driving each other to be better. There's top people in the group but we need to have each other's back and when it gets tough I don't think we've done that enough.

"To have a winning culture you need to have those standards. It's hard to put it down to one thing but for me when it's got tough we just need to stick together more and I think that's the main thing for us.

"When we're doing well in a game everyone's probably full of confidence but when it gets tough we need to show our personality."

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Alistair Johnston has admitted he was "lucky" to avoid being sent off in Celtic's 3-1 derby win over Rangers last weekend.

The right-back was booked for a first-half challenge that caught Mikey Moore on the ankle after winning the ball in the highly-charged Premiership encounter.

Much debate has followed about the severity of the punishment for Johnston, with Rangers boss Danny Rohl intimating he should have been sent off.

Before the title decider against Hearts at Parkhead on Saturday, Canada international Johnston said: "As a defender now, you have to be so smart with every tackle you put in.

"Was I a little bit lucky? Yeah, probably. Was I intending to injure him? No.

"I was just trying to put a hard tackle in as every single fan on both sides of that rivalry would want their defenders to do.

"I caught him. I thought in the moment that I caught him on the top of the foot. It is what it is. In the moment I thought a yellow card was fair.

"If it was 10 years ago, I would have said 'how is that even a foul'? But that is just the day and age now.

"At the end of the day am I lucky I never got sent off? Probably. But it's football and you need to be able to make tackles.

"I'm glad I stayed on the pitch and managed to win that match."

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Skipper James Tavernier is departing at the end of the season and will not play again for Rangers after having an injection on an ankle problem.

Nicolas Raskin remains out with a hamstring issue. Falkirk's artificial pitch poses problems for Dujon Sterling while Ryan Naderi and Bailey Rice remain unavailable.

Lewis Neilson returns for Falkirk but Filip Lissah (ankle), Leon McCann (hamstring) and Scott Bain (ankle) are set to remain out along with Louie Marsh and Ethan Williams (both thigh).

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Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin has been included in Rudi Garcia's Belgium squad for the World Cup in the Americas this summer.

The 25-year-old, who made his Red Devils debut last year under Garcia, has 11 caps and featured in all but one of their World Cup qualifiers.

Raskin netted his first senior international goal during the 6-0 win over Kazakhstan last September.

Belgium will face Croatia and Tunisia in two friendly matches at the start of next month before heading to the finals where they are in Group G with Egypt, Iran and New Zealand.

The midfielder has made 50 appearances, scoring seven goals and providing nine assists, this season for Rangers, who have finished third in the Premiership and failed to win a trophy.

Image source, SNS

• Rangers have lost four consecutive league matches for only the second time in the club's history, after a run of five successive defeats from October to November 1983.

• Including the curtailed 2019-20 campaign, Rangers have only lost their final league game in one of the past 17 seasons (W9 D7), a 2-1 defeat at Kilmarnock in 2018-19.

• Falkirk have lost just one of their past five home league games against Rangers (W2 D2), although that was their most recent, a 6-3 defeat in April.

• Rangers have only lost one of their past 48 top-flight matches against Falkirk (W39 D8), a 1-0 defeat in December 2006 under Paul Le Guen.

• Falkirk have lost four of their past five league games (W1), including both of their latest two. They are yet to lose three in a row in the league this season, last doing so in the top flight in March 2010.

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Danny Rohl has been speaking to the media before Rangers visit Falkirk for their final game of the season on Saturday.

Here are the key points:

• Rohl stands by his decision not to start departing skipper James Tavernier against Hibs on Wednesday, saying he had to make the decision not through emotion but what was "best for the team and the club."

• It was his wish to give Tavernier a "proper send-off", but the Rangers boss says he was "very clear and open to him" and told the 34-year-old he wouldn't be starting "unless the situation [with his fitness] changed overnight".

• He adds: "If you ask me what was in my head for this day, it was first to take three points, win a game, see Tav with his family walking in, take the plaque which he deserved, make a walk around the stadium and then finally get some minutes on the pitch. If it's a starter or sub, this was for me. In the case of how I spoke with him, clearly, I gave him a suggestion."

• Rohl confirmed Tavernier misses out on Saturday after taking the delayed injection on his ankle injury - which means he has played his last game for Rangers.

• He insists his relationship with Tavernier has been good throughout the season: "There was never a problem with him, because I always try to have the best relationship to my captain, because he's the guy who leads the group."

• On support for Tavernier's social media post, external from present and past players, Rohl says: "I think in general it showed how strong the relationship is between the players. I think this is always great. I do not take it personally."

• Rangers have lost four games in a row for the first time in 43 years, but Rohl insists he'll still have the backing of the owners irrespective of the result at Falkirk. He adds: "We spoke about everything like we did always in the last couple of weeks, the decisions that maybe have to be made this summer."

• Asked if he feels under pressure pressure amid the losing run and Tavernier controversy, Rohl says: "If you lose four games, it's normal that you get a little bit more critical feedback." He insists he will never "run away" and it is about "developing resilience, show leadership".

• On VAR, Rohl says the most important thing for the new season is "that we have consistency with decision-making on the pitch".

• As well as Tavernier, Nicolas Raskin and Ryan Naderi are out of Saturday's game and Dujon Sterling is unlikely to be risked on the artificial pitch.

Rangers players appear to back captain James Tavernier following the departing captain's statement regarding his absence from the squad in Wednesday's loss to Hibernian. (The Herald - subscription required), external

Manager Stephen Robinson says it is unlikely Aberdeen will sign on-loan Rangers midfielder Lyall Cameron on a permanent basis. (Daily Record), external

Toronto have decided against a permanent deal for on-loan Rangers midfielder Jose Cifuentes. (Daily Record), external

We asked for your views on James Tavernier's chaotic Ibrox farewell after the departing captain withdrew from the squad for his final game at Ibrox on being informed he wasn't starting.

Here's what some of you said:

Phil: An absolute disgrace that a loyal club servant with over 500 games was not chosen to play in a dead rubber. Shocking defending in the last four games, we have gone backwards.

David: Very disappointing if Tavernier was available but not selected to start. Perhaps we need to add showing common decency by respecting a loyal club servant to the growing list of Danny Rohl's emerging limitations?

Mari: It was disgraceful to exclude Tav from his last Ibrox career match. The manager has not done himself any favours by making that decision. Shame on you Rohl.

Rab: Tav should have started, this is not the Rangers way of celebrating a long-serving player. I don't accept Rohl's explanation and for the first time in my 64 years of following Rangers I think the current manger should be replaced. He doesn't get the club or the support, I'm happy to be proven wrong.

Alex: No one will argue that Tav's time at Rangers was up, however, to treat him this way was absolutely shameful. He deserved so much better than this. Did Rangers not learn after the Lee Wallace debacle? Apparently not. Shame on Rangers, shame on Rohl. This proves Rohl is not Rangers class and should be moved on.

James: He should have started, simple. Rohl was out of order and disrespectful to Tav.

Liam: Rohl has now lost four games in a row, something that hasn't happened in 26 years. Russell Martin had better form through his whole time at Rangers than Danny has had, and that's bad. On top of that, he's now denied a club legend, player of 11 years AND a Rangers hall of famer a proper goodbye at Ibrox. Rohl should be sacked as soon as possible.

Wilma: Rohl should have started Tav to say goodbye to the fans. It is not Tav's fault we are in this position, it is the other players we have, they are not good enough to wear the blue jersey.

Image source, SNS

Rangers striker Youssef Chermiti says the side's post-split capitulation has put "fire in our belly" for next season.

Dane Scarlett's late winner for Hibs at Ibrox on Wednesday night consigned Rangers to their fourth defeat in a row for the first time since 1983.

Danny Rohl's side were already guaranteed a third-place Premiership finish following defeat to Celtic last weekend but are now facing the possibility of losing all of their post-split games should they suffer defeat at Falkirk on Saturday.

But Chermiti, who joined from Everton last summer, is hoping this season's disappointment can inspire Rangers to success next term.

"Yeah, obviously we know we haven't won for four games in a row," the 21-year-old said.

"We're really sad but I think that just gives us a fire in our belly for next season.

"Yeah, for sure, because this season was a fail for us, so obviously we need to improve better and we go again next season."

Rohl had clawed Rangers, who were 13 points adrift when he replaced Russell Martin at the helm, back into the title race but defeats to Motherwell, Hearts and Celtic ended their hopes of a first top-flight crown in five years.

After a difficult start to life in Glasgow, Chermiti is desperate to lift a trophy with the Ibrox club.

"I want to win the title, that's what I'm thinking about," he added.

"Obviously, the first few months in Scotland was a bit difficult for me but I've had some time to settle down.

"And as I said in a few [media] conferences before, I feel more confident in the team, in the country as well.

"Everyone gave me more confidence and even me, on the pitch, I feel more confident.

"This season has been sad for us. We had a goal, we didn't get it but this is football and we go again next season.

"Our target now is Falkirk, we're trying to finish the season well and we're trying to win the game against Falkirk."

Image source, SNS

Was James Tavernier's messy Ibrox farewell on Wednesday night "an unnecessary fight to pick" from head coach Danny Rohl?

The captain withdrew from the squad for the defeat to Hibernian in what would have been his final game at Ibrox after being told he wasn't starting.

Tavernier received a warm ovation from fans when he took to the pitch pre-match to be presented with a commemorative shield marking his 11 years' service by Rangers legend John Greig.

But The Herald football writer Stephen McGowan thinks Rohl should have just gone with Tavernier from the start in what was a dead rubber game for the club.

"I don't really understand why he took the path he did," McGowan told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"I think the path of least resistance was just starting James Tavernier. If you do want to see him off the premises, then do it with a bit of dignity. Do give him his place and let him go.

"It does make you wonder whether there's stuff going on behind the scenes we don't really know about because that just seemed an unnecessary fight to pick. I just didn't really get that one."

Rangers fans, we want to know what you made of Tavernier's absence from the squad on Wednesday night? Have your say here