James Forrest came off the Celtic bench against Rangers last weekend to play his part in yet another Glasgow Derby victory at the club.
Coincidentally, his emergence also marked his 500th appearance in green and white, in which he has registered 109 goals and 105 assists across all competitions.
In truth, Forrest’s longevity at Celtic has been outstanding. Making his senior debut in 2010, the 33-year-old continues to deliver nearly 15 years later and has 24 winners’ medals to show for his efforts.
Standing just one trophy away from outright holder Bobby Lennox, the Lennoxtown product will surpass the iconic Lisbon Lion if the Bhoys lay claim to a double this season.
Despite the fanfare, Forrest has never been one for hogging the limelight. Instead, he does his talking on the pitch and swiftly moves on to the next task at hand.
Nevertheless, the Scotland international has taken a moment to reflect on achieving another historic individual accolade at Celtic Park.
How the Celtic dressing room reacted to Forrest’s achievement
Per The Daily Record, Forrest has revealed how the Celtic dressing room reacted to his landmark achievement and shed some insight on the hardship he had to battle through earlier in the year to get to this point.
He explained: “A couple of boys were shouting for me to make a speech but I managed to get away from that one! In the changing room, he (Rodgers) spoke about the game, first and foremost, and how well the boys did defensively and attack-wise. And then he mentioned it at the end, he just said it was a great achievement.
“But I had a spell late January and February when I wasn’t in squads and I didn’t know if I was ever going to play for Celtic again. When stuff like that happens, it makes it even better when you do get achievements.
“It’s the same throughout your career, you maybe go through bad spells through loss of form or you’re injured, so it’s always good when you come back, win stuff and help contribute for this club.
“It’s a great milestone. Coming through the academy here and making a 500th appearance in front of your home fans in a victory against your rivals, it was a great day all round.”
James Forrest has came back from the Celtic brink
Earlier in the year, Forrest was linked with a move away from Celtic and found himself on the periphery of Brendan Rodgers’ plans.
Battling his way back into contention, the 33-year-old played a leading role in the title run-in and continued his hot streak this term, registering two assists in his opening four appearances.
Despite his age, Forrest has looked every bit as sharp as he’s ever been over the last few weeks, and you get the impression that there is plenty more to come from him.
Hopefully, the experienced figure can lead the way as the Bhoys look to ensure they claim more success domestically and on the European front.
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