Red faced Record forced to backtrack on trashing Tavernier

The Daily Record scored another incredible own goal last night as they attempted some gymnastics involving Jack Butland, James Tavernier and the cherished Armband of Dignity.

At 6.50pm Butland was being appointed as Phil Clement’s new captain but as that news quickly spread a rewrite was called for with the switch in captaincy dependent on Tavernier being sold this summer- a cause that the Record has been campaigning on for months.

Despite two months on the story there isn’t the slightest sign that Steven Gerrard is ready to spend ‘mega-bucks’ taking his former Ibrox captain to Al Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League.

The Record was prompted into two rewrites within 75 minutes, they deleted their tweets then settled down with Butland becoming skipper only if Captain Disappointed is on the move.

While it is embarrassing for the Record, now selling less than 50,000 copies a day, it won’t be welcomed by Clement as he discovers there are people inside the club happy to pass on sensitive information to the media.

Dumping Tav is clearly something that the Ibrox boss is clear to do BUT only once the former Wigan ace is no longer around.

Footballers will be well aware of the gossip going around their club, it would only be natural if relations are frosty between Tavernier and Butland around Murray Park.

Jack Butland is set to be named the new Rangers captain.

Record Sport understands Ibrox boss Philippe Clement has told the keeper he will take over the armband from James Tavernier. Butland will be the club’s leader going into this season – casting huge doubts over Tavernier’s future. The current skipper is reportedly a target for ex-boss Steven Gerrard at Saudi Pro-League side Al-Ettifaq, with Gers bracing themselves for a summer bid from the Middle East And it appears that Clement has decided Butland will replace him as captain.

The English keeper only signed last summer but has made a huge impact at the club – on and off the pitch. Butland has impressed Clement with his leadership skills since arriving in Glasgow from Crystal Palace. And with Tavernier potentially on his way out, Butland is in line to replace him in the role. The right-back is entering his testimonial season at Rangers but in 10 years at the club has only won three trophies.

Whether Butland wants the cursed armband is another story, after one season at Ibrox it would be a surprise if his agent wasn’t pushing his name at clubs in the EPL.

While doing very little the former Crystal Palace reserve was given the full treatment from the Record as they campaigned for Butland to be included in the England squad for the European Championships.

That campaign hit a snag in March when Gareth Southgate picked his squad for two friendlies without the Ibrox hero then came to a shuddering halt when the England boss visited Ibrox for the Glasgow Derby on April 7.

Butland and Tavernier put in nightmare performances with even the Record realising that it was time to ditch that bandwagon.

From being a Hall of Famer and the world’s highest scoring defender in March the tide turned against Tav spectacularly in the closing months of the season with his heartless displays against Daizen Maeda bringing howls of criticism from the once loyal bears.

Two more runners-up medals alongside the trademark disappointed media interviews have trashed his reputation but with two years left on his contract as one of the highest paid players at the club it is unlikely that the skipper will be leaving Ibrox this summer.