WHY FORREST IS HAPPY TO BE A LIFE BHOY

JAMES FORREST is hoping to add to his incredible silverware haul when Celtic attempt to make history in the Scottish Cup Final against Hearts at Hampden a week on Saturday.

A triumph will not only bring the Hoops an unprecedented treble treble of nine successive domestic trophies, but it will also push the Scotland international winger’s personal collection to an extraordinary SEVENTEEN medals.

Forrest, 27, speaking to the Daily Record, made it clear he is happy to be a life Bhoy when he insisted: “The last couple of seasons have been really enjoyable and I believe that you do play your best football when you’re enjoying it.

“I’ve always felt that to stay with Celtic for my entire career would be unbelievable.

“We’re still a long way away from that happening, but I’m really enjoying it and, over the last few years, I’ve discovered that this club is bigger than even I had realised before.

“I’m delighted to be here and I’ll keep working hard to ensure that I can stay here. I’ve spoken to more players than you might think who have left here and then wished they hadn’t.

PRIZE GUYS…James Forrest and Tom Rogic with this season’s League Cup.

“Many would tell you themselves they didn’t realise what a big club this is until after they’d gone. Of course, some of them moved on to have a different experience and probably wouldn’t change things.

“There’s no right or wrong, but I now know how big Celtic truly is and how successful we can be.

“Being more experienced definitely helps. When you come up against better players in bigger occasions then it changes your approach to the game and you take something from that.

“It also helps when you look back at what you’ve won.

“Everyone knows, at the start of each new season, that it’s going to be difficult to keep it going but we keep working hard to give ourselves a chance.

“It’s been unbelievable and you don’t really want it to stop. You want to keep going.”

Forrest, who was given his breakthrough opportunity by Neil Lennon during his stint as manager first time around, has figured in Celtic’s eight successive titles and become a key player in recent seasons after combining consistency with craft, guile and the ability to start and finish moves.

JOY BHOYS…James Forrest and Moussa Dembele with last season’s League Cup.

And it was the exciting raider who kicked-started the caretaker manager’s return to the club as successor to Brendan Rodgers when he opened the scoring in the 2-1 triumph over Cup Final opponents Hearts at Tynecastle in February.

Lennon kept him on the sidelines for the weekend loss at Ibrox where his powerful surges on the flank were missing, but there is no chance of Forrest sitting out the silverware showdown with the Tynecastle outfit on May 25, a significant date in the club’s history when Jock Stein’s greatest team conquered Europe in Lisbon 52 years ago.

That team had a glorious habit of doing things in style. So, too, has Forrest – and that has got to be good news for a Celtic line-up looking to create their own history at the national stadium.