JAMES TAVERNIER has dismissed disrespectful criticism from former Celtic striker Chris Sutton as 'irrelevant' as he looks to lead Rangers to Betfred Cup glory.

Sutton is no stranger to making headlines as a pundit and he branded the Ibrox skipper a 'serial loser' in the build-up to the Old Firm final at Hampden.

Tavernier helped Rangers win the Championship title and Petrofac Training Cup during his first season in Glasgow but has been left empty-handed since.

And ending that run is his only focus as he brushed off Sutton's jibes.

Tavernier said: “I got told about it. He is a previous player and it is something that maybe you shouldn’t be saying about other players but I don’t take any notice.

“Yeah, it is [disrespectful]. I always want to keep getting better. I shrug things off that are negative. I don’t’ need negativity in my life. I am all about positivity and I always want to prove people wrong.

“The last situation when I made a few mistakes it inspired me to want to do better. At moments like this it is something we are always here for.

“We all want to win trophies. There have been different circumstances as to why we haven’t.

“When it comes to any player they have been in the game and understand what a player goes through and understand that there are all sorts of circumstances. It is a bit irrelevant but I’ll brush it to one side.

“Since I have walked through the door you know that you will be judged on what you do. You hear the fans and you know that you will be a true legend if you win silverware with this club.

“We all signed up for it when we joined this club. We want to be winners. We want silverware. The fans have waited long enough.

“I have been here for five years and we are all hungry to win silverware and we know that we need to bring silverware back to Ibrox.”