Many Rangers Fans Owe One Man An Apology | OneFootball

It’s time for a lot of Rangers fans to eat a bit of humble pie. For all the criticism, the mockery, and at times downright unfair abuse aimed at Cyriel Dessers this season, the Nigerian has just gone and finished as the top goalscorer in the Scottish Premiership. Eighteen goals—eighteen. And yet large sections of the fanbase had written him off as not good enough, not Rangers standard, and barely worthy of a jersey. The numbers say otherwise.

Throughout the 24/25 campaign, Dessers was constantly under the microscope. Yes, he missed a few sitters. Yes, his touch wasn’t always silky. But in terms of delivering what he was bought to do—score goals—he’s just emphatically proven his worth. He’s outscored every other forward in the league and done so in a Rangers team that has, frankly, been underwhelming for much of the season. That takes some doing.

This isn’t about pretending he’s flawless. But the extent of the flak he received was wildly disproportionate. Some fans made up their minds by October and never looked back. But even when others around him faltered, Dessers kept plugging away, grinding out goals and gradually finding confidence. As we discussed here, he was always likely to be judged far more harshly than others.

There’s also the simple reality that without his goals, Rangers might not even have been in contention. As shown in this breakdown, his impact has been measurable—when he scores, Rangers tend to win. And unlike some strikers who stat-pad in dead rubbers, Dessers chipped in with crucial winners and equalisers.

Let’s not forget the lack of a consistent partner or creative service either. As pointed out here, Rangers’ midfield lacked spark for large stretches, making Dessers’ achievement even more impressive.

He might not be everyone’s ideal No.9, but respect has to be paid where it’s due. Top scorer in the country isn’t something that happens by accident. It happens because a player delivers. And Cyriel Dessers has delivered, whether some want to admit it or not.

So maybe—just maybe—it’s time to say sorry. Or at the very least, thank you.