JAMES FORREST will kick off the 2025/26 campaign as Celtic’s great survivor.
Amazingly, the winger is the solve survivor from the squad of EIGHTEEN who featured in a 2-0 victory over Hibs at Easter Road on Sunday July 24 2011 to set in motion a spectacular nine-in-a-row sequence, the second such achievement in the club’s history following Jock Stein’s all-conquering sides.
On that afternoon in the capital, goals from Anthony Stokes and Ki Sung-yeung ushered in another glorious era for the Hoops.
The present-day run of thirteen championships in 14 years was, of course, interrupted in the Covid season of 2020/21 when the team completed their first trophyless campaign in 11 years.
THE HAUL OF FAME…James Forrest proudly holds the 2024/25 Premiership trophy as he celebrates his record 26th honour as a Celtic player.
It was a massive disappointment that saw Neil Lennon depart the club and long-serving captain Scott Brown follow the manager four months later.
Thankfully, normal service was resumed with the arrival of Ange Postecoglou in the summer of 2021 and the evergreen forward, who claimed his 100th Celtic goal with a hat-trick in the 6-1 win over Hibs in Glasgow on October 15 2022, added two more title-winning medals to his vast personal haul.
He earned his 22nd honour as a stoppage-time substitute for Filipe Jota in the 3-1 Scottish Cup Final win over Inverness Caley Thistle on June 3 2023.
And he added two more medals in season 2023/24 as he played his part in Brendan Rodgers’ double-winning side as they sealed their third consecutive title plus adding another Scottish Cup, a record 42nd triumph in the competition, following the 1-0 success over Philippe Clement’s Ibrox outfit on May 25.
And the honours continued to flow in the veteran’s latest crusade. He picked up another personal award following the Premier Sports League Cup penalty-kick triumph over Clement’s side again in mid-December.
Fittingly, Forrest, who was seaching for a goal to maintain his remarkable 16-year scoring sequence, thumped in the stoppage-time equaliser in the 1-1 stalemate with St Mirren on Flag Day in Paradise last month.
It was also his 109th Celtic strike.
PICK IT OUT…James Forrest lashes in the leveller in the 1-1 draw with St Mirren, his 109th Celtic goal.
Alas, the fans’ favourite failed to add to his 26 honours when the team failed to claim their sixth treble in the Scottish Cup Final against Aberdeen.
It was a miserable experience for Forrest who came on as a 66th-minute substitute for Nicolas Kuhn, but lasted just half-and-hour before being deliberately tripped and had to be helped off with Johnny Kenny taking his place.
Celtic’s most decorated player, who will be 34 next month, still has 12 months to run on his current contract.
That’s at least three more domestic medals up for grabs to add to his impressive collection!
FOR THE RECORD: The team that beat Hibs 2-0 on July 24 2011 was: Lukasz Zaluska; Mark Wilson, Kelvin Wilson, Glenn Loevens, Emilio Izaguirre; Beram Kayal, Joe Ledley, Ki Sung-Yeung, Kris Commons (sub: James Forrest 60), Anthony Stokes (sub: Georgios Samaras 79) and Gary Hooper (sub: Shaun Maloney 86). Unused subs: Dominic Cervi, Adam Matthews, Charlie Mulgrew and Victor Wanyama.
