Rangers announce new captain as summer signing handed immediate leadership in James Tavernier succession plan
Rangers have been seeking a captain to succeed James Tavernier.Lawrence Shankland has been named the new captain of Rangers, the Premiership club have confirmed.Right-back James Tavernier’s exit from the team earlier this summer at the end of his contract created a skipper vacancy in Govan. The Scotland international arrived at his boyhood club in late May after captaincy duties during his goal-laden spell with Hearts. Rangers boss Derek McInnes trusted the striker with the armband in Gorgie last season during his Tynecastle dugout tenure, and now installs him in that role at Ibrox, with the pair reunited ahead of Friday’s league curtain raiser at Dundee United. A Rangers statement reads “Lawrence Shankland has been named as men’s first-team captain ahead of the 2026/27 season. The experienced Scotland international will succeed James Tavernier after the Hall of Fame full-back departed the club following eight years wearing the armband. The announcement comes ahead of the side’s Scottish Premiership curtain raiser against Dundee United at Tannadice on Friday evening.Read MoreWhy has Lawrence Shankland been named Rangers captain?“A boyhood supporter, Shankland arrived at the club earlier this summer having captained Hearts to their highest points tally in the Scottish Premiership era last season. The forward first captained the Edinburgh side back in 2022 and led by example during his time in the capital through his remarkable goalscoring return. He is also a regular in the Scotland national team set-up and represented his country at the recent FIFA World Cup in North America.”Shankland has already discussed his ambition to be a trophy-winner at Rangers rather than footnote in their history. He said upon joining the club: “I want to be one that comes here, we want to win, the club wants to be in a position where we are back winning titles regularly. I want to be a big part of that and that is what I have come here to do.“It is an opportunity I have waited a long time for, a lot of hard graft has gone into it to get to this point. I am delighted to be here first and foremost. I want to come here and be a successful Rangers player. I think when you come to a football club, you come and have a look at the training ground. You see the memories of the trophies, the photos.Rangers’ Lawrence Shankland…
