Rangers dominate race for SFWA Player of the Year award as four Ibrox stars are nominated for prestigious honour

Rangers have monopolised the shortlist for the Scottish Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year award with four of Steven Gerrard’s squad in contention to win the prize.

Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor has enjoyed an outstanding season for the Ibrox club and has signed a new one-year contract. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Goalkeeper Allan McGregor, captain James Tavernier, defender Connor Goldson and midfielder Steven Davis are the four nominees for the oldest and most prestigious individual honour in Scottish football. The winner will be announced before the end of the season.

In what has been a remarkably consistent season for Rangers who have lost just three of the 54 games they have played in all competitions so far, it’s no surprise they have dominated the Player of the Year voting.

McGregor has enjoyed a vintage campaign, the former Scotland goalkeeper keeping 21 clean sheets in his 41 appearances and producing a series of outstanding saves at crucial moments of big games. The 39-year-old has signed a new one-year contract to extend his playing career into next season.

Rangers captain James Tavernier and defender Connor Goldson, pictured celebrating a goal against Dundee United at Tannadice in December, have both been nominated for the SFWA Player of the Year award. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

Tavernier was by far the leading contender for the Player of the Year prize in the first half of the season, the attacking right-back scoring 17 goals in his first 27 appearances of the campaign. He was sidelined for two months by a knee injury sustained in February but has since returned to the side and will collect the Premiership trophy after Rangers’ final game against Aberdeen at Ibrox on May 15.

Goldson has displayed outstanding reliability and durability at the heart of Rangers’ defence. The 28-year-old has played every minute of every match so far this season, scoring eight goals as well as contributing to his team’s fine defensive record.

Davis has excelled at the heart of Rangers’ midfield in a campaign which saw the 36-year-old Northern Ireland captain set a new British record of 126 international appearances. He would be the first player from his country to win the SFWA Player of the Year award in its 57-year history.

Tavernier or Goldson would follow Mark Hateley (1994), Paul Gascoigne (1996) and Scott Sinclair (2017) as the only English winners of the prize.

Midfielder Steven Davis has been a pivotal figure in Rangers' title triumph and is among the nominees for the SFWA Player of the Year award. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

The award is guaranteed to go to a Rangers player for the first time since David Weir won it in 2010.

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