Celtic captain praises James Forrest after winger signs new contract

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The Celtic Star

·24 de abril de 2026

Celtic captain praises James Forrest after winger signs new contract

Callum McGregor has paid tribute to James Forrest after the Hoops icon signed a new contract which will see him remain at the club for another season…

Callum McGregor of Celtic celebrates with teammate James Forrest after scoring his team’s first goal during the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Semi Final match between St Johnstone and Celtic at Hampden Park on April 20, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The announcement came yesterday morning, only days after Forrest played an influential role in the Scottish Cup semi-final victory over St Mirren, with the Forrest – already the club’s most decorated player – opting to extend his stay for another year.

Vídeos OneFootball

Speaking at an SPFL top-six event, McGregor said via Celtic TV: “Yeah, it’s brilliant. First of all, it’s massively deserved, he’s someone that’s been at the club for a long, long time now, and knows the fabric of the place. He knows how it operates and what it takes to be a successful Celtic player.

James Forrest during Celtic’s 6-2 Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Mirren at Hampden on Sunday 19 April 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou

“He’s won countless trophies, I think he’s sitting first now, in terms of silverware. He’s someone with huge experience and is always there when you need him. In the game at the weekend there, he comes on and makes a massive impact and the team gets over the line. Somebody like that is invaluable to your building and your football club.”

Asked about the importance of Forrest despite his age, the Celtic skipper said: “I don’t think there’s much room for sentiment in football anyway, so the minute you’re not needed, you’re out the door. It just shows you how important he is, and how important he still is.”

James Forrest during Celtic’s 6-2 Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Mirren at Hampden on Sunday 19 April 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou

“As I touched on a few days ago, he came on and changed the game, showing the moments of quality to get us over the line. That experience and quality is so, so important for the club moving forward as well.”

Forrest changed the game on Sunday at Hampden, and he done the exact same at Ibrox in March which won Celtic a penalty which Reo Hatate took three attempts to finish. Game changing performances at Pittodrie and Dens Park, the Hoops legend will have a huge part to play in this title race.

Conor Spence

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