Even the thought of it sends a shiver down James Forrest’s spine.

Thinking about playing somewhere else is weird. Hopefully I’ll stay here

Leave Celtic and play for another club? He simply refuses even to entertain the notion. After all, the winger is part of the furniture at Parkhead these days. He has been around the place since he was nine years old. Last week, Scott Sinclair and Leigh Griffiths declared their intentions to stay at the club long-term. And when Forrest contemplates his own future, anything other than spending the rest of his career at the Hoops isn’t worth thinking about. The 26-year-old is enjoying his best season in a Celtic shirt. He has bagged 16 goals, is a regular for Scotland and a certain contender for Player of the Year. So why would he want to be anywhere else? Yet , when Brendan Rodgers ar r ived in Glasgow it’s the ONLY time Forrest fretted over his future.

With just six months left on his deal, there were whispers of interest from elsewhere.

But Forrest didn’t want to know and has revealed that the contract he signed in August 2016 was the most important of his career.

As he prepared for Celtic’s game against Hamilton today, the in-form wide man said: “This has definitely been my best season at Celtic because I’ve hit double figures for goals.

“But I don’t think about that too much, with so many big games coming up. I just want to do my best for the team and I’ll see where that takes me.

“I’d like to stay here for the rest of my career because I’ve only ever played for Celtic. I have to work hard and be at my best every day or I’ll not be here.

“I’d love to be here for as long as I possibly can and hopefully that will happen. It’s strange to even think about playing for any other club, I’ve been here since I was nine.

“Thinking about playing somewhere else is weird. So hopefully I’ll stay here and be successful.

“When the manager first came in, that was the closest I’ve been to leaving.

“I was down to the last six months of my contract. But I always made it clear that I wanted to stay.

“Thankfully the manager told me to have a good pre-season and we’d get it done. When we got it signed I was delighted. Of all the contracts I’ve signed at Celtic, that’s the one I was most buzzing off. “I knew I wanted to stay. There was never really any interest from other clubs but in my head – whatever I might have heard – I wanted to stay. I wasn’t interested in anything else. “When I signed, I didn’t look

back.

I ’ve managed to kick on and do well.”

Celtic’s poster advertising their Player of the Year dinner features three main contenders – with skipper Scott Brown, wonder kid Kieran Tierney and Forrest on the Parkhead screens before the midweek clash with Dundee.

Despite new signings coming in, as well as foreign stars at the club such as Moussa Dembele, Olivier Ntcham and Mikael Lustig – it’s three Scots leading the way and Forrest is flattered to be mentioned in that company.

Meanwhile, if he had to pick a player who has impressed him from outwith the Hoops dressing-room, he can’t see past a Hibs midfield duo.

He said: “The Player of the Year thing has been brought up and that’s positive for me to be mentioned.

“In the Premiership, a few Hibs boys have done well. Every time we’ve played them, it has been hard.

“The likes of John McGinn and Dylan McGeouch have to be up there. There has been a lot who have played well. “At Celtic, Broony and KT have been excellent. There have been a lot of stand- outs. “The fact myself, Kieran and Scott are mentioned is great for the academy – three boys who have been here a long time.

“Celtic are a massive club and it’s hard to stay here for a number of years.

“But other boys here have done well, we’ve been very good collectively.”

The proof i s that Rodgers’ men are still on course for a double Treble having all but sewn up the Premiershp title, with a Scottish Cup semi- f inal against Rangers on the horizon.

Forrest admits the competition has been tougher this term and – having dropped more points this season – he says Celtic have become victims of their own success.

He said: “Last year was an incredible achievement for everyone and we’re trying our best to do it again.

“But the standard of the league has been higher with Hibs coming up and doing well. It has been really competitive and you can see that in the results.

“Dundee played well against us on Wednesday, not for the first time, and I’m really surprised they’re down near the bottom of the table.

“People have talked about us drawing more games but going unbeaten last year was incredible.

“It hadn’t been done before, so it’s a tough season.

“Teams have made it harder for us to break them down and credit to them. We just need to work harder to create chances against them.”