Rangers Mourn the Loss of Prolific Striker Jim Forrest
Rangers Football Club is mourning the loss of former striker Jim Forrest, who passed away at the age of 79. Forrest was the most prolific post-war forward in Rangers’ history, scoring 145 goals in 163 games for his boyhood club.
Forrest joined Rangers as a schoolboy and displaced the legendary Jimmy Millar in the first team as a teenager, forming a key part of Rangers’ new era in the early 1960s alongside Willie Henderson, John Greig and Jim Baxter. He scored 39 goals in his first full campaign at Ibrox and found the net four times in the 1963 League Cup success over Greenock Morton en route to a famous Treble.
The following season, Forrest scored 57 times and made his mark in another League Cup final by scoring twice against Celtic. He also broke the record for the most goals by a Rangers player in a League Cup match with five in an 8-0 victory over Stirling Albion in 1966 and scored five times in a league game against Hamilton Academical the year before.
In 1967, Forrest moved to Preston but returned to Scotland with Aberdeen and helped them win the 1970 Scottish Cup before ending his career at San Antonio Thunder in the United States after spells in South Africa and Hong Kong.
Rangers paid tribute to Forrest on their website, saying: “The thoughts of everyone at Rangers are with Jim’s family and friends at this very sad time.”
The club also posted a picture of Forrest on their social media channels, saying: “Everyone at Rangers is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former striker Jim Forrest.”
Forrest’s former teammate John Greig paid tribute to him on Twitter, saying: “I’m deeply saddened to hear of Jim’s passing today, he was a great player and an even better person.”
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard said: “Jim was an iconic figure at Rangers and his record speaks for itself – he will be sadly missed by everyone at the club.”
Forrest’s former teammate Willie Henderson said: “Jim was a great player and a great friend – he will be sadly missed.”
Forrest’s former teammate Jim Baxter said: “Jim was an incredible player and a great friend – he will be sadly missed by all who knew him.”
Rangers fans have been paying tribute to Forrest on social media, with many remembering him as one of the club’s greatest ever players and expressing their sadness at his passing.
Jim Forrest was one of Rangers’ greatest ever players and his contribution to the club will never be forgotten. He will be greatly missed by everyone at Rangers and all those who knew him.