Motherwell defender Stephen O'Donnell has described former team-mate James Forrest in glowing terms when recalling their time together in the Celtic youth academy ranks.

Speaking on Open Goal (via 67Hail Hail), the 32-year-old was asked about players who stood out during his time at Lennoxtown between 2009 and 2011, to which the Steelmen star named current Hoops winger Forrest.

He said: "The person that stood out, Jamesy, when we were in (Under) 19’s was a scandal."


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O'Donnell then recalled a youth tournament whereby a young Forrest was moved up the pitch as striker, before dazzling against some of European club football's biggest teams at youth level.

He added: “In the tournament I got injured, we played him up front, and it was like camp in, get the ball to Jamesy, and it was Real Madrid, Liverpool, Japan and AC Milan.

"He was running by these guys like they weren’t there as a striker, scored a couple of goals. He was so good and so sharp… Jamesy was a joke.”