James Tavernier admits he would love to become the first Rangers skipper since David Weir to get his hands on a major trophy.
It is seven years since former Scotland defender Weir hoisted the Scottish Premier League title aloft.
Lee McCulloch and Lee Wallace took up the armband as the liquidation crisis of 2012 forced the club to battle its way back up for the Third Division.
But the wait to deposit one of Scottish football’s big three prizes in the Ibrox trophy room lingers on.
Steven Gerrard’s team can take a step closer to ending that drought when they face Aberdeen in Sunday’s Betfred Cup semi-final at Hampden and Tavernier is determined to claim his place in the club’s history books.
“That’s why the gaffer came here and why I came here,” he said. “I want to lift trophies while I’m here and being captain, I’d love to do it this year.
“The fans deserve a trophy and so does the club. It’s down to us players to deliver that.
“It’s a whole team game, it’s not just myself or the 11 that’s picked, it’s the subs and the squad players too. We’ve all got to put a shift in on the training field and on the game day and deliver.”
Tavernier made his first two visits to Hampden seven days apart back in April 2016. They could not have gone much better as Mark Warburton’s Light Blues first swept aside Peterhead to lift the Petrofac Cup before stunning Celtic on penalties to claim a place in the 2016 Scottish Cup final.
But since then the 26-year-old hasn’t enjoyed such success at the national stadium.
Hibs stunned his side to lift their first Scottish Cup in 114 years and there have been three semi-final defeats to Celtic and another to Motherwell in the two years since.
But Tavernier says the ghosts of the past will not haunt Gerrard’s new-look side.
“It’s a totally different team,” he said. “There’s a lot of new signings. Obviously I’ve got my experiences in these games and I’ll be trying to deliver that to the lads and let them know what the atmosphere is like.
“The lads are experienced already, though, and are top professionals. I’m sure they will be able to deal with the occasion on the day.”
Gerrard’s main worry ahead of facing Derek McInnes’ team will be finding someone to spearhead their attack with top-scorer Alfredo Morelos suspended and Kyle Lafferty cup-tied.
But Tavernier said: “We’ve got a great squad. The gaffer has brought in top professionals over the summer and with the attacking threat we have got, the guys can play in different positions.
“It’s obviously a loss to lose Alfredo and Kyle who is cup-tied.
“But I think we’ve got more than enough to give Aberdeen’s defence a hard time.”
🎙️SG: Scott Arfield trained this morning and came through fine, assuming he has no issues he will be available for selection. Borna Barisic won't be available. Dorrans will have surgery on his knee and will miss a few months.
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) October 26, 2018
Meanwhile, Gerrard has confirmed Graham Dorrans faces fresh injury frustration after the Rangers midfielder was told he requires surgery on his troublesome knee.
Dorrans missed five months of last season through injury and has managed just one start and two substitute appearances this term.
Gerrard – who welcomes Scott Arfield back for the Dons showdown but will be without Borna Barisic – said: “Graham, along with the medical staff and the surgeons have decided the best way for him is to have surgery on his knee.
“So he will be missing for definite for a few months.”
