James Forrest makes admission on Celtic future after Scottish Cup victory

James Forrest has revealed he wants to stay at Celtic despite contract expiration this summer. The 34-year-old is already Celtic’s most decorated player with 26 trophies but could extend his trophy haul to 28 come the end of May. The winger came off the bench to set up Celtic’s third goal in Sunday’s 6-2 win against St. Mirren and has revealed he’s told Celtic bosses that he doesn’t want to be anywhere else next summer. Forrest said: “I think at Celtic you’re always (playing for a new deal). I remember (Brendan) Rodgers telling me when you sign a new deal you’re always working hard to get the next one. Obviously I’m going to be 35 next summer, but I still feel as though I can contribute in and about the team. The main thing just now is helping the team win the league and obviously we’ve got a cup final to look forward to as well, so hopefully I can be a part of that. “I spoke to the club… I’ve been here for a long time and I don’t want to go anywhere else. So it’s not a big discussion.” Forrest was also asked about how valuable his and his teammates Hampden experience was to staving off a St. Mirren comeback. But the winger was full of praise for the whole squad’s mentality. He said: “Obviously you’ve been and done it. But I think the players, any new signings, any young boys coming through at Celtic quickly realise how big it is every game you play and especially in semi-finals, finals. You’re expected to win these games and it’s onto the next one. “The boys dug in to be fair. Obviously made a lot of subs. The team that started the game wasn’t the team that finished it and I think that’s happened a lot this season. The veteran also agreed that the prospect of Neil Lennon and Martin O’Neill facing off against each other in the Scottish Cup final is an interesting one. “It’s unbelievable, obviously I came through with Lenny as well. He obviously gave me my debut and I played reserves with him and I’ve got a lot of good memories with him. It’s obviously great for him to get into the final as well. “It’s a good one, hopefully by the end of the season we’ll have the league in the bag and a cup final to look forward to. It’ll obviously be a good day for the two of them as well.” With no official word on whether Forrest will remain at Celtic next season, the forward has six games remaining after 24 years at Celtic, where he could extend his trophy tally to a historic 28.

The Edinburgh Derby: Tight, Tense, and Decided by Moments

The Edinburgh derby does not need hype. It creates its own. Hearts vs Hibernian is always loud, tense, and emotional. But in the 2025/26 season, these games have come down to something even more powerful. Small moments. The kind that decide everything. So far this season, the two sides have gone toe-to-toe in tight, hard fought matches. No easy wins. Just games decided by the finest margins. The first derby in October was a perfect example. It looked like it was heading for a draw. Then, late in the game, Hearts struck. One chance taken. A 1–0 win. Simple, but massive. It showed exactly what Hearts are about this season, patience, control, and taking chances when they appear. December told a different story. This time it was Hibernian who brought the energy. They attacked quickly, moved the ball with confidence, and caused problems all game. The result was a thrilling 3–2 win. For Hibs, it was a reminder of how dangerous they can be when everything clicks. Then came February. Back to Tynecastle. Back to tension, and once again, Hearts found the edge. Another 1–0 win. Another game decided by a single moment. It was not flashy, but it was strong, controlled, and effective. Three games. Two Hearts wins. One Hibs win. All close. All intense. All decided by moments that could easily have gone the other way. Hearts, under Derek McInnes, have built their season on being solid and reliable. They do not panic. They stay organised. They make games difficult for opponents. Most importantly, they know how to win tight matches. That is why they are right up at the top of the table, pushing for the title. They might not always dominate, but they get the job done. Hibernian, led by David Gray, have shown flashes of real quality. At their best, they are quick, sharp, and exciting to watch. The December derby proved that. But their challenge has been consistency. One week they look brilliant, the next they struggle to keep that same level. Their season has been about building, improving, and trying to climb higher. Looking ahead, the stakes are clear. Hearts are chasing the title. Every point is huge. Every win gives them belief and momentum. Hibernian are fighting to finish as high as they can and looking for a european place. A strong derby result is not just about points, it is about confidence and showing progress. This fixture has a lot of history. But this one is about right now. Both teams are fighting for high achievement. This season, the Edinburgh derby has been intense and unpredictable. No team has had full control. No game has been comfortable. It always feels like it could turn in an instant.

Ajax and Schalke interested in Rangers’ youngster Bailey Rice

Bailey Rice is being targeted by Dutch greats Ajax and German club Schalke as his deal at Ibrox is ready to expire in the summer. Fabrizio Romano has today reported that Bailey Rice is wanted by both European clubs on a free transfer. He said: “Ajax and Schalke are both trying to sign Bailey Rice from Rangers as a free agent. “Scottish midfielder is out of contract this summer and Schalke have made initial personal terms offer already. “Bailey hasn’t agreed yet with Rangers on a new deal and he’s open to options.” Rice has played in crucial Europa League ties, including a fixture at Old Trafford against Manchester United and a quarter-final match against Athletic Club Bilbao, which he received plaudits for his performances. Unfortunately for Rice he picked up an injury at the beginning of the season, which required surgery, and has left him without any game-time. However, the youngster has been sought for previously by top clubs due to his fantastic youth development. Will a move away be the best option for Rice, as he looks to prove the big expectations that have been highlighted around him?

Alex Gogic disgusted with the criticism Ryan Mullen has received after horror start

Daizen Maeda was gifted a present to open the scoring in the first minute of the Scottish Cup semi-final, while Alex Gogic has defended the goalkeeper amid scrutiny. Following the nightmare opening 15 minutes, Mullen was substituted after he picked up an injury early in the match. Which granted 17-year-old Grant Tamosevicius his debut in the national stadium during a massive semi-final fixture. Although rampant Celtic scored five goals in quick succession during the first half of extra-time, Tamosevicius should be proud of his efforts in what was a huge fixture to be thrown into. After the defeat, some supporters took to social media in anger against Mullen’s error. However, Gogic voiced his opinions on X in support of Mullen and in letdown of “disgraceful tweets”. He said: “I have seen some disgraceful tweets about Ryan Mullen after the game yesterday. “Ryan is a top goalkeeper and gives everything on and off the pitch and by no means did he want to leave the pitch yesterday. Every player makes mistakes it comes with the job and I’ve made plenty. “Unfortunately for Ryan yesterday he was unable to play on despite persevering at first. He does not deserve any of the negativity or accusations he is getting, it’s disgusting.” St Mirren are unaware of the severity of Mullen’s injury, and with Shamal George still out, it could leave The Buddies with Tamosevicius as the only option for the five final matches.

McLeish Commends Buddies after “Sore” Scottish Cup Exit

Craig McLeish believes there are plenty of positives to take from St Mirren’s semi-final defeat against Celtic, admitting he is “more critical” of himself following the 6-2 loss at Hampden.  A second-half Mikael Mandron double pushed the tie into extra time, but the Buddies would eventually run out of steam, surrendering four goals in six minutes. Whilst they were unable to repeat their League Cup Final heroics, McLeish exuberated pride after the full-time whistle. “I’m so proud of the group and how they performed. To come back from the setbacks that we had early on in the game like losing a goalkeeper early on, losing the goal in the manner in which we did early on, to fight back from that and the fans pulled us through. “Second-half performance was up there with the best since I’ve been in charge of the group. We thought we were in a really good place going into extra time. We made some changes that probably helped us get back into the game. We end up with a lot of attacking players on the pitch. “We change our shape as well so taking those risks helps us get to extra time and then they maybe expose us a little bit there, the quality that Celtic bring on the pitch then takes its toll and they hurt us. “It’s maybe a wee bit of naivety on my part with the way we finished the 90 minutes and the message was to keep going. We were trying not to be reckless with it but we thought we were in a good place. There’s maybe bits that I need to look back on. “I’m not going to be critical of our group and our players at all. I’m probably first and foremost, I’m more critical of myself. The score line looks really sore. I don’t think we deserved that score line. “We have to retain our status in the league. There has to be positives that we take. We can’t just ignore negatives. We’ve got a massive five games, we’re fighting for survival, we know that, the group knows that.” McLeish acknowledged goalkeeper Ryan Mullen’s first-half injury. The 24-year-old’s error allowed Daizen Maeda to open the scoring in the first minute. “Ryan’s a professional, he’ll deal with that well.” “He kind of kicked the ground and then got robbed of the ball and he’s ended up kind of pulling his thigh muscle.” Five games remain for St Mirren, as they aim to consolidate their Premiership status. Victories over Falkirk and Aberdeen, as well as spirited displays against Celtic, will offer encouragement for the League Cup Champions. Sitting precariously above the relegation playoff spot, Saturday’s home encounter against Livingston could offer breathing space for the Paisley side, before crunch games against Dundee and Kilmarnock.