A League Cup love affair has Forrest eyeing Bhoys history

JAMES FORREST seems to treat historic milestones like he does full-backs. Both are now passed so frequently that the winger’s achievements are in danger of being taken for granted. At 28, the player has amassed 17 major honours with Celtic. Only Billy McNeill, Bobby Lennox, Scott Brown, Jimmy Johnstone, Bobby Murdoch, Alec McNair and Jimmy McMenemy have won more. But with his future now secured until 2023, anything is possible. While Forrest’s place in the alltime silverware list will only be known in the fullness of time, next month’s Betfred Cup final represents a chance to secure his own piece of history. Lennox not only claimed 25 honours but earned the distinction of scoring in three League Cup finals between 1966-67 and 1968-69. Victory on December 8 would allow Forrest to equal Lennox’s five League Cup winner’s medals, while a goal in the final would see him become the first Celtic player to score in four after netting in 2014-15, 2016-17 and 2017-18. ‘That’s a personal record but, if I do manage to score, then I’ll be helping the team, so it would be good all round,’ said Forrest. ‘Hopefully, we can stick another trophy in the bag.’ There will inevitably come a time when Celtic have an off-day in a domestic cup competition. Perhaps an opponent will simply raise their game or Lady Luck will turn her back on them. However, starting with a win over Motherwell in August 2016 right through to Saturday’s routing of Hibs, all manner of teams have found that day is yet to dawn. No matter how many times Celtic have started favourites, first under Brendan Rodgers and now Neil Lennon, a run of 30 straight victories is hard to comprehend. ‘The consistency is unbelievable’, said Forrest. ‘A few of the boys have experienced lots of these results. When you get to the semi-finals you just look forward to the next one. It’s great to be in another final.’ When Lennon was last at Hampden, the news that he was to be the next permanent Celtic manager took the gloss off a Scottish Cup final win over Hearts for some disgruntled supporters. Despite seeing a Hollywood appointment in Rodgers walk out on them in February, many craved a name of similar stature. Lennon’s eight months in charge have caused most to revise their opinions. Not only has result after result been delivered, the intensity with which his team have played has contrasted sharply with the sluggishness of the latter days of Rodgers’ reign. Those fearing that Lennon’s patchy Hampden record from first time around would see the team go backwards have had to hold their hands up. Three wins from their last three visits has seen to that. A survivor from defeats to the likes of Kilmarnock, Hearts and St Mirren in the manager’s first spell in charge, Forrest has revelled in setting that record straight. ‘Everyone has been in finals and semis when they haven’t won and it just makes you even more determined to win them,’ he said ‘It’s a great feeling when you do — but the feeling of losing stays with you longer. ‘It’s difficult to get to the final but, in the past, we have won it and it’s given us confidence for the rest of the season.’ If the lack of cover for striker Odsonne Edouard is a concern for the Celtic camp, the gametime in the legs of the vast majority of the squad is the overwhelming positive. The past week has seen Jeremie Frimpong, Moritz Bauer and Hatem Abd Elhamed feature at right-back, Boli Bolingoli and Greg Taylor at left-back, and Tom Rogic and Ryan Christie at No10. Lennon’s squad is primed to cope with the demands of fighting for four trophies. If it goes without saying that the next challenge — in Rome against Lazio on Thursday — will be the toughest test to date, nor will Celtic travel with a sense of trepidation. ‘It’s good for the club that you can take quality players out and it’s quality players who come in,’ Forrest said. ‘It’s pleasing to have a big squad with the amount of important games.’