'Forrest remains Celtic's enduring influencer'

James Forrest is a bit-part winger these days and for many other days that went before. Part of that was influenced by injury but in other part it was down to the arrival of shiny new wingers who haven't been anything like as shiny as Celtic hoped. Sebastian Tounekti and Michel-Ange Balikwisha are the latest two but, for years, Forrest has counted them in and counted them back out again - Marian Shved, Luis Palma, Marco Tilio, Nicolas Kuhn, Liel Abada.

James Forrest is a bit-part winger these days and for many other days that went before.

He has started seven games this season, 11 the season before and single figures for the two seasons before that.

Part of that was influenced by injury but in other part it was down to the arrival of shiny new wingers who haven't been anything like as shiny as Celtic hoped.

Expensive, too. Sebastian Tounekti and Michel-Ange Balikwisha are the latest two but, for years, Forrest has counted them in and counted them back out again - Marian Shved, Luis Palma, Marco Tilio, Nicolas Kuhn, Liel Abada. Some successful, some not, some others who just disappeared into thin air.

That is far from a complete list of Celtic's wide men in recent times. Regardless, Forrest remains the constant, the great survivor and the enduring influencer.

'Forrest remains Celtic's enduring influencer'

'Forrest remains Celtic's enduring influencer'