For all the Rangers fans recently who have been starting to have a go at John Lundstram (because they need a scapegoat) despite his mostly solid if not spectacular performances – the scouser has confirmed he’s been playing with a significant injury recently and has been playing through the pain barrier for his club.

The big midfielder, who became a superstar of the club last season thanks to his stunning form after new year, has found the going a little tougher at Ibrox this season with form of the whole side being a little below par, and his own began to reflect this, not helped by manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst frequently pairing him up with the non-compatible Steven Davis.

And the former Sheffield midfielder admitted he’s been playing through the pain barrier for some considerable time, in a confession which shows the stuff the lad is made from and the walls he’ll walk through for Rangers.

There’s no question John Lundstram absolutely loves Rangers – despite initially coming here for Steven Gerrard and the Champions League, he’s ended up becoming a fully-fledged Bluenose himself, and a cult hero with fans. But his form this season has started to attract a bit of criticism, and some supporters have started targeting him with their ire.

But alongside his inability to play with Steven Davis, Lunny has been struggling with injury and defying it to keep on putting the jersey on – after all, who is there to fill in on his position?

Rangers have become very reliant on the midfielder, and as Ibrox Noise said, alongside James Tavernier Lunny has become indispensable, in that there is absolutely no one who can deputise his position in the hard-working way he does – Connor Goldson’s injury exposed failings in squad depth and now we find ourselves too reliant on certain individuals.

Lunny is one such, but for now, he’s playing on despite the pain.

That sort of attitude deserves respect, not criticism, and it’s not like he’s been poor by any means – maybe a little off in some matches, yes, and not quite the all-crushing colossus he was last year, but not one of the worst performers.

He’s definitely one of us now.