The Forrest family experienced one of the most emotionally charged days in recent Scottish football history during the dramatic Premiership title finale.
James and Alan Forrest both came off the bench at Parkhead as Celtic and Hearts battled for championship glory, leaving their family torn between celebrations and consolation.
James was chasing a 14th league title with Celtic, a club he has served for 17 remarkable seasons as their most decorated player in history.
Alan, his younger brother, was dreaming of being part of the first Hearts side in 66 years to be crowned Scottish champions, a historic achievement within genuine reach.
Both brothers entered the match with roughly half an hour remaining, forcing the watching Forrest family into an impossible position as the title hung in the balance.
James reflected warmly on the impossible situation his family faced, saying “I think – talking to my family and that after – they were buzzing for me.”
He added that their thoughts were also with Alan, noting “it would have been a tough moment for him” and acknowledging that his family “were there for him as well.”
With just three minutes remaining, the league crown appeared to be heading to Gorgie before Celtic secured a stunning late victory on a breathtaking afternoon.
James ended the day celebrating his 26th major honour, while a devastated Alan returned to Tynecastle heartbroken and empty-handed after such a painfully close finish.
The brothers had faced each other in competitive football before, during Alan’s spells at Ayr, Livingston, and Hearts, but nothing had ever carried such enormous weight.
James recalled the personal dynamic, saying “there was a lot at stake for everybody, so there was no time for wee jokes or that” during their time on the pitch together.
The pair did not manage to speak on the day itself, but James saw his brother the following morning and found him visibly devastated by the result and what had been lost.
Despite that pain, James praised Hearts and their supporters, noting that Alan told him the Edinburgh club’s fans gave the squad a tremendous reception upon their return home.
James said the season Hearts produced deserved significant credit, adding “they pushed us right to the end and made it good for Scottish football as well.”
Reflecting on the overall campaign, James described it as unlike anything he had experienced, calling it “probably the best league I’ve won, just with everything.”
He pointed to the unity within the Celtic squad as a decisive factor, saying “all the lads stuck together and really came together as a club in the last month, six weeks of the season.”
Winger Alan is now a free agent following the conclusion of the campaign, joining a Hearts exodus that has seen major departures shape a significant summer rebuild at Tynecastle.
Boss Derek McInnes, captain Lawrence Shankland, and influential midfielder Cammy Devlin have all departed, with Devlin joining Rangers as Hearts face substantial squad reconstruction.
James acknowledged that both Hearts and Rangers would again pose serious challenges in the coming season, urging Celtic to prepare accordingly from the very start of pre-season.
He remained firmly focused on what Celtic could control, insisting the club must “get together and just be ready for a push from other teams as well” in the title defence ahead.
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