I disrespected the Rangers armband once and being stripped of it left me shocked and numbed – Barry Ferguson

What I’m about to write will not be easy.

It involves digging up old memories I mostly prefer to keep buried in my past. But I’m about to do it anyway to try to explain why the importance of the Rangers armband should never be underestimated or devalued. Either by those lucky enough to pull it on – or by those who get to decide who deserves that honour.

Obviously, over the past few years, James Tavernier has been the man with that responsibility - and he’s handled it superbly - but right now the club captain is going through a difficult moment. He’s 33. His body isn’t what it used to be.

And it does seem as if he can no longer be certain of his place in Philippe Clement’s starting XI which, in itself, is going to sting his pride. But – and believe me when I say this – the thought of maybe losing that armband for good will be every bit as difficult for him to get his head around. And, as someone who had it taken away from me twice during my own days, I genuinely feel for the guy.

Let’s start by nailing one suggestion that I’ve seen doing the rounds in recent days. The situation Tav is facing right now is not similar to the one I was in the first time I lost the captaincy. In fact, it’s actually an unfair comparison for one very good reason.

Regular readers must have realised by now I don’t enjoy rewinding the clock to that period in my life back in January 2007. So much so that I don’t even like mentioning Paul Le Guen by name. But he was the man who decided to strip me of that privilege and, to this day, it’s almost impossible to explain how I felt inside when he did it. There are all sorts of words – anger, shock, sadness – but most of all I remember feeling completely and utterly numb.

I had spent my entire life