James Forrest

James Forrest will visit Bobby Lennox this week after eclipsing the Lisbon Lion's trophy haul to become Celtic's outright most decorated player.


Lennox won 25 major honours during his stint at Parkhead, although yesterday's Scottish Premiership title triumph took Forrest's tally to 26.

It was his 13th league championship victory, in addition to his seven Scottish Cup wins and six Scottish League Cup medals.



Forrest will visit Lennox, who, much like the veteran winger, also hails from Ayrshire, in the coming days: "I’ve met Bobby Lennox a few times at games and stuff, and I am planning to go and see him this week as well," he said.

"I have met him a few times at games and stuff.

"People say that I have gone beyond him. At this club, it is not about one player or two players, it is so many players, it is the fans, the staff you don’t see behind the scenes and all of that as well; there are so many people you can credit.

"I have met his family, and they are all so humble, and I think that stands you in good stead for players coming through."

Forrest is still chasing a goal this season to make it 16 in a row in which he has scored for Celtic.

With five games of the campaign remaining, one wouldn't bet against the 33-year-old doing so.

He and his teammates travel to Ibrox next weekend for the final Glasgow derby of the campaign: "It's so important [to win next weekend]," said Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers post-match on Saturday.

"Rangers were very good in the first half when we played them at Celtic Park.

"We were too slow. The comfort in the game was not good. In the second half, we were much better. Celtic vs Rangers, no matter what it is, Rangers Celtic, it means everything.

"So we need to go and perform next week again. But we can get those messages through during the week."

 

If he is not a legend how is it even possible becoming one? Ofc he is a legend. You don't need to score 200+ goals to be a legend. Its what you contribute with and he have dug us out on so many occassions that i lost count. My fav was Karagandy.

 

He's been a passenger in this team for a few years now, when was the last time he was a fully fledged first team regular starter?

In no way am I degrading his celtic career, but he's not a "Legend" imo.

 

I really hope he doesn't play for another club after us. How many one club players are there in the modern game? A handful at best. He should be what every player in the academy wants to emulate.

I don't understand how anybody could say he isn't a legend. He's scored over a hundred goals, some really important ones too. Maybe he's come at a bad time when Scott Brown and CalMac have been here too and many view the captains as legends.

His career honours will likely be broken by CalMac too in a few years, but that doesn't change what he's done. 33 and will likely finish the season on 27 trophies.

 

I hope in like 2 years there’s an article like this but it’s McGregor,

“I’m going to visit James Forrest this week”

 

I think it all depends on how some people consider the term legend. If it's that he's gonna be a name that others rattled off instantly in 15-20 years time - like McNeil, McStay, and Larsson - they're probably right. If it's by the measurable metrics he's achieved versus other modern players, they're totally wrong...

 

I think he will be mentioned though, and thought of very very highly. It's not just the numbers, it's being with the club 25 years. That's amazing, and the sort of things dreams are made of. The aspiration of every bhoy and ghirl from a young age.

 

Celtic’s latest title triumph was James Forrest’s 26th honour of his career, making him the most decorated player in the club’s history.

The 33-year-old has now won 13 league titles, seven Scottish Cups and six League Cups, and there’s an opportunity to add to that impressive haul of medals when the Hoops take on Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final next month.

And alongside him for so many of those silverware successes has been his fellow Youth Academy graduate, Callum McGregor.

The midfielder has also been Celtic captain since 2021, and he’s delighted to see his friend achieve such legendary status.

Speaking to Celtic TV after the title-clinching match at Tannadice, Callum McGregor said: “For somebody so humble and to have come through the Academy, for the young lads who are in the Academy now it should be a huge shot in the arm for them to watch that.

“There have been so many special players who have played for this club over the years, and now James sits there on the top, and it couldn’t happen to a better person – the way he dedicates his life to football and Celtic.

“It’s an amazing achievement for him and his family. They’ll be so proud of them and like I said, it’s a big shot in the arm for the players in the Academy.

"It shows you that there’s a platform there and you’ve just got to keep working, but this is for James.”

 

Oh, I'm in the camp that agrees with you mate

But, I don't know what some people expect... Great football, often 5 goals a game, trebles galore - how come we didn't win in Europe,kinda thing...

 

Is that a record in Scotland too?

 

While doing the checks for the 186 players that have played alongside Forrest for Celtic, have come to estimate that he has missed at least 174 games through injury alone and just 1 through suspension.

These numbers do not include games when he was not declared unfit but was left out of matchday squads, or those games when he was an unused sub.

 

It equals the Scottish record with Sandy Archibald, of R******, who won 13 across 17 seasons between 1917-34.

 

Defiantly need him next season to overtake that auld hun

 

He is actually joint with 2 huns on 13, Davie Meiklejohn also won 13 with them in the same teams.

He can go joint in the Scottish Cup next month also, Bobby Lennox has currently won it the most with 8. Forrest and McMenemy(6 with Celtic, 1 with Partick Thistle) are joint 2nd the now with 7.

Mad to think in a month probably, no player in the history of Scottish football will have won the League or the Scottish Cup more than him.

The League title record had stood since 1934 and the Scottish Cup record since 1977.

McCoist holds the record in the League Cup with 9, McGregor might match or beat that as he's currently on 7.

 

Mind we used to never win the League Cup

 

Aye. BR changed the mindset about the league cup

MON always used reserve teams for it in earlier rounds. Even in his first season when we won it! Strachan was a bit similar and Lennon just wasnt great in the cups.

 

Essential for momentum mate..

Especially next season, don't give them a sniff.. I always bump 'the importance of the LC this season' every time they have a new manager..