I LIVE FOR THESE FIGHTS

Forrest has always scrapped for his place at Celts and he won't stop now

- CRAIG SWAN

JAMES FORREST admits it was hard going during his Celtic absences.

In truth, there's no guarantee he won't be facing the same battles to play when he returns to Parkhead after the Euros.

But that's just fine for the second most-decorated player in the history of the club because he has never known it any other way.

Forrest's resurgence in the final weeks of the season was pivotal in the squad's winning of the Premiership and the Scottish Cup.

The 32-year-old's experience and ability shone through the run-in as he sparkled and shimmered to help secure the silverware.

It was a far cry from the spells earlier in the season when he was barely sighted.

With new signings such as Yang Hyun-jun, Marco Tilio and Luis Palma in the door last summer, Forrest was placed into his latest fight.

Even after Liel Abada and Tillo joined Jotain leaving when the pair switched out of Glasgow in January, Nicolas Kuhn had arrived to potentially plug the gap.

It has been documented that Forrest had to consider the prospect of leaving his boyhood club to play.

It was, by his own admission, hard to take.

But he had fought for Celtic chances since the minute he got into the top-team and would do so again.

The club's constant search for improvement will mean more new faces are likely to arrive in the coming weeks.

Forrest will most likely have the same scrap on his hands again at the start of next season.