James Forrest is in Celtic 1 per cent and then some as Tommy Burns' odds are beaten into oblivion

Daily Record

30-04-2025

James Forrest will never forget the words of Tommy Burns.
As the winger eyes adding to his club-record haul of 26 medals, an early message from the Celtic icon has remained vital to his drive.
Forrest 's progression from academy to most-decorated first-team star is a fairytale. Now 33, he's been at the top level ever since making his debut as a teenager for Neil Lennon in 2010 and scoring as a sub against Motherwell, but the tale goes back even further.
As a school kid, Forrest was surrounded by hopefuls. Year on year, youngsters chasing the dream of making it with, unfortunately, most failing.
Burns, a hero of the club and ex-player and manager and an inspirational figure as head of the youths at that stage, didn't hide the size of the challenge from the starlets.
Forrest, just as Callum McGregor did, understood right then what was needed to get there and it has stayed with them throughout their first-team lives as he looked back and explained: 'I remember Tommy Burns, you used to have a meeting every year when you were 13s or 14s.
'He always used to say that the percentage of players that would come through and play at Celtic was one percent.
'There were so many thousands of kids in Scotland, or players from Ireland or wherever. It's just great that you've managed to come through and, obviously, make your debut, stay in the first team and just be a part of the success.
'Any player, older players or even first-team boys, anyone that's known Tommy, you can just remember the enthusiasm and everything he had. Cal obviously, he'll remember him in that way as well. He knew what it was like to play for Celtic and stuff like that.
'It's good for young boys that they have coaches and players that have played for Celtic and they can give you their experience and that can help you.'
The debut was huge, but that was just first base. Sustained future success never entered the head as he continued: 'Even up until then, I never really thought about it.
'I just wanted to play for Celtic, I just thought that was the next step. When you're younger you don't think about it as much.
'Looking back now, I think it's obviously good for the family and obviously Neil Lennon at the time gave me a debut and obviously the youth coaches.
'You look back at the goal and you see the amount of players that were buzzing for you and that as well.
'At the time, you don't know what you're going to go on to do, you just want to play for Celtic and I've managed to do that.'
While managing to stay within a variety of squads to become a dressing-room stalwart, Forrest has been presented with a host of challenges.
Injury issues hampered him in stages. New arrivals threatened to take over. He's not been in squad at times. New managers had to be impressed.
But, whatever obstacle has been placed in his way, Forrest has cast them aside to stay on his path and admits he's been through highs and lows on his way to overhauling Bobby Lennox's medal landmark.
Forrest, who was visibly emotional and had teary-eyes at Tannadice after his hitting his astonishing landmark, said: 'No, that's spot on, I think the toughest time is probably when you've got a bad injury but as I said, maybe fans and that, you don't see that day to day.
'The players that are still playing, they help you through it. The staff and that as well are good. Aye, there's ups and downs, but definitely the ups outweigh the downs here, from what I've had anyway. Hopefully, there's a couple more to come before I finish.
'I think I've said for years, the loyalty from the club to me, and me to the club. it's just been a good fit throughout the years since I've come through and it's been better.
'I feel as though maybe it wouldn't have happened if the club wasn't successful in this era. It's just a thing that if the club's unsuccessful, the players move on. So, I think it's just kind of gone hand in hand.
'Aye, as I said, loyalty from me and the club has been great over the years. I've always wanted to just play here and it's been a really good feeling.'
Old team-mates have lauded their mate and he added: 'I met loads of them at the end of last season. Georgios Samaras and Mikael Lustig came back for a legends game. Johnny Hayes is working at the club. I still speak to Broony all the time, KT, Tom Rogic.
'There's loads of boys that I still keep in touch with. When they were doing well, I think all the boys were buzzing for them and it's the same with me. You can tell they're genuinely happy for the success of the boys and the team.'
For Forrest, it's always been about the next target. More trophies are on the wish list, but a goal this term to make it 16 successive scoring seasons is also on the agenda.
Fans roared from him to shoot every time he touched the ball at Tannadice last weekend and he laughed: 'I actually felt that!
'There was one at the end, I don't know if I started laughing when I was dribbling. I was nowhere near the goal and they were shouting me to shoot and I could feel the boys all wanting me to score as well.
'That's obviously a good thing as well. We've won the league, but you can see the fans, the players, the staff, they're wanting me to do well as well. So, hopefully, I can score before the end of the season.'