John Rankin feels honoured to have come out top of the Tele’s man-by-man match rankings for a third time.
He genuinely does.
Being as honest as the day is long, though, he admits heading the list for three years out of five as a United player doesn’t give him any real pleasure this time round.
And the 32-year-old admits he’d have no complaints if this season no one got the prize.
“I have to be honest and say I don’t think anyone should get it because of the way the season went. We’ve been relegated and there should be no prizes for that,” he said.
“A lot of the supporters clubs have cancelled their Player of the Year awards and I understand that. We don’t deserve them.”
Despite those views, Rankin is way too polite to refuse to accept the accolade, however tarnished he feels this one is.
“It is the third time I’ve got this and it does make me feel proud, I’m pleased to receive it. It’s probably the only good point of a terrible season.
“I’ve always gone out and given 100% every time I played and tried to be consistent and I think this reflects that.
“It’s nice to know people recognise you have a level of consistency.
“It doesn’t change the fact that, like I say, it has been a terrible season but if there is one thing I can say it’s I never threw the towel in.
“And I think you have seen, over the three games after relegation was confirmed, the team as a whole didn’t. It’s just a pity the results we got in those games didn’t come earlier.”
Rankin now leaves United after a five-year spell he will always cherish.
As chairman of the players’ union in Scotland, this summer he finds himself in the position he’s helped many of his members through in recent years — looking for new employment.
Before his thoughts turn to that, though, he stresses the hope for United’s current predicament is one they recover from quickly.
“What’s most important is the club bounce back from this straight away.
“Terrible is the word I keep using but what’s done is done and what matters most is United get themselves back up to the Premiership.
“It’s where this club belongs and it is what the fans deserve. I know there are issues off the park but, in every game, they’ve stayed right behind the team.
“If they had turned on us, at times I would not have blamed them, but it is just something Dundee United fans do not do.
“The support they give the team is brilliant and it’s them I feel for.
“As players we have to accept responsibility because we haven’t performed but the fans don’t deserve this.”
For the midfielder, it is now about finding a new challenge. His reputation and continued level of performance, even in a most difficult of campaigns, means that should not be too big a problem.
He will be 33 by the time next season kicks off but, when he moved into his 30s, he expressed the belief he could have as much as another decade as a player in front of him.
That’s a view that hasn’t changed.
“I’ve always tried to live right and look after my body and physically I still feel good. On a Monday morning after a hard game on Saturday I am still up at the front in training competing with the younger boys.
“It’s a challenge but one I like, and the way I feel right now I do believe I can keep going for a few years yet.
“What I have to do now is find another club and I’m in a position a lot of players are every summer these days.
“I’m optimistic I can get something at a good level but, wherever I go, I will be checking on United’s results.”
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