Jim Forrest, a Rangers icon, has died at the age of 79.
Rangers great Jim Forrest has died at the age of 79, according to the club.
He was the Ibrox club’s most prolific goalscorer in postwar history, scoring 145 times in 163 games.
“Jim grew up supporting Rangers from a young age and joined the club as a schoolboy, scoring twice against Germany in a schools international at Ibrox which piqued the interest of clubs such as Arsenal, Manchester United, and Leicester City,” the club said in a statement.
“However, Rangers were the only club for the teenager who grew up in Townhead, and he was quoted as saying, ‘Even a group from Germany tried to persuade me to join up over there’.”
“‘But, to be honest, they never had a chance!” They couldn’t, could they? They were attempting to sign a child who had been a Rangers fan since he was no taller than an Ibrox turnstile.’
“Forrest’s goal-scoring exploits were such that as a teenager, he quickly displaced the legendary Jimmy Millar in the Gers first-team, forming part of a new Rangers era in the early 1960s.”
“In fact, the forward was only 18 when he faced Real Madrid in the European Cup in 1963, alongside a 19-year-old Willie Henderson, a 20-year-old John Greig, and a 23-year-old Jim Baxter.”
“Domestically, Forrest wasted no time in finding his shooting boots for the club he aspired to play for, netting a double in a 3-0 Old Firm victory at Parkhead.”
“The Forrest scored 39 goals in his first full season at Ibrox, while he scored four times in the club’s 1963 League Cup victory over Greenock Morton en route to a famous Treble.”
“Jim continued to push the boundaries of goal scoring in Britain, scoring an incredible 57 times in the 1964-65 season, making his mark in yet another League Cup final with a brace against Celtic.”
“The prolific forward scored five goals in a league match against Hamilton Academical in 1965, and the following year he broke the record for most goals scored by a Rangers player in a League Cup match by netting five times in an emphatic 8-0 victory over Stirling Albion.”
“Forrest received international recognition after representing Scotland on a few occasions.”
“Unfortunately, Forrest’s time at Ibrox came to an end in 1967, when Jim moved south of the border to Preston North End.”
“He would soon return to Scotland in Aberdeen colors, making over 100 appearances and winning the Scottish Cup in 1970.”
“Jim hung up his prolific shooting boots six years later, when he finished his career with the San Antonio Thunder after stints in South Africa and Hong Kong.”
“Forrest remains one of the most talented and natural finishers to wear the famous blue jersey, leaving an indelible mark on the club’s history.”
“The thoughts of everyone at Rangers are with Jim’s family and friends.”
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