James Tavernier dishes Rangers transfer credit out as 'humongous' Jack Butland moments prove scouting team correct

Filling Allan McGregor’s gloves was always going to be a tall order for Jack Butland.

But James Tavernier reckons you’ve got to hand it to the former England keeper after he made a fabulous first fist of it in Switzerland. Recently-retired hero McGregor built his heroic Rangers reputation on big European nights, throwing out arms to defy dumbstruck strikers across the continent. From Werder Bremen to the surge to Seville the year before he finally called time on his long, proud career, Greegsy had a knack of pulling off crucial saves at vital moments.

And on first evidence, it looks like Butland might be capable of similarly key interventions. To be fair to the ex-Birmingham, Stoke and Crystal Palace shot-stopper, both he and the man he’s replaced as No.1 could have been standing between the sticks when Dereck Kutesa swept Servette in front during Tuesday night’s Champions League qualifier in Geneva and they wouldn’t have reached his stunning strike. But Butland proved his Euro credentials with two huge saves, first clawing away as Timothe Cognat punctured the Ibrox defence before keeping out another Kutesa effort as the Swiss side threatened to take command of the tie right before half-time.

That second stop proved to be the turning point and within five minutes, Tavernier had reestablished a lead Michael Beale’s men would carry all the way to the full time whistle as they teed up a £20million showdown with PSV Eindhoven.

Paying tribute to his new man in goal, the skipper said: “Big Jack has been absolutely phenomenal since he came into the building. We obviously lost a great keeper in Allan, but Jack has come in and he’s certainly made his mark.

“He made some unbelievable saves against Servette to keep us in. I