Nigerian international midfielder Joe Aribo is conspicuosly missing in the list of nominees for Scottish Football Writers’ Association player albeit his club, Rangers recorded a clean sweep in the nominations.
Aribo has been one of Rangers’ best players this season as the Nigerian has not only started 23 of the 25 games he has featured in for the Gers in the Scottish Premiership so far this term, he has also scored six times and provided four assists.
Instead the quartet of skipper James Tavernier, defender Connor Goldson, midfielder Steven Davis and goalkeeper Allan McGregor make up the four-man shortlist.
They have all, Aribo played a key role as Steven Gerrard’s unbeaten outfit romped to Premiership glory with two months of the season to spare, securing their first title in a decade.
Tavernier – who will be the man who finally lifts the longed-for league trophy on May 15 – leads the Rangers scoring charts with an astonishing 18 goals from right-back and would likely have had more had he not been ruled out for two months with a knee injury.
Goldson has also had an impressive campaign in which the centre-back has played every minute so far, barely making a mistake in a remarkable show of consistency.
Davis – who recently set a new British cap record with his 126th appearance for Northern Ireland – has rolled back the years with a string of cool displays at the heart of midfield to earn another year’s contract extension.
At 39, McGregor – who is three years older than Davis – has also signed on for another 12 months as he too shows no sign of slowing down.
While title rivals Celtic struggled to find someone to fill their number one jersey, Rangers had no trouble on that front as McGregor pulled off a glut of saves in Old Firm derbies and big European clashes.
With one prize already in the bag, Rangers are hoping to make it a hat-trick, with Gerrard also nominated for the Writers’ manager of the year award and 19-year-old full-back Nathan Patterson in the running for the young player gong.
The winners will be announced before the end of the season.