James Forrest said the sense of elation he felt in finally making his comeback was indescribable as he reflected on how much he missed playing while out injured.

Forrest marked his long-awaited return to action in Sunday’s (March 7) game against Dundee United at Tannadice Park. The 29-year-old had been sidelined for almost six months after an ankle injury forced him to come off before half-time in Celtic's 1-0 win away win against Riga in the Europa League qualifier back on September 24th.

He reached a milestone on his road back to a full recovery at the weekend when he came off the bench in the 78th minute. The Hoops winger admitted he was excited to be back playing after the longest injury spell of his career.

“I was absolutely delighted to get some minutes,” said Forrest in an exclusive interview with Celtic TV. “I can’t even describe how it felt. It’s been such a long time. I was delighted to be back training with the boys over the last 10 days or so and get back out on the pitch and trying to help the boys. It was a great feeling and I just want to keep continuing my comeback, get more training under my belt and, hopefully, get more games as well.

"It was really tough to not be involved. With all the protocols, I’ve had to watch most of the games on Celtic TV. You feel like an outsider and you want to be there constantly. It makes you want to work harder to get back as quickly as possible.

“It was towards the end of December that I was ready to start running again outside. It was simple things as well, like being in the gym at the same time as the rest of the boys. I felt more a part of it from then. That helps and lifts your mood. A lot of the other boys have had injuries in their careers and have been good with me and made me still feel a part of it.”

James Forrest reflects on how much it means to be back playing again