HERE is an introduction to an opinion piece produced in this very newspaper from February 16, 2016.

“James Forrest is a winger who is not great at crossing a ball and doesn’t score many goals.”

It didn’t get much better for the Celtic player over the remaining paragraphs. This was when he had turned down a contract offer from the club, a decision which annoyed supporters but not because they couldn’t face a future without the player.

The next 600 words or so lay out the argument that while Forrest was a talent, he wouldn’t be especially missed at Celtic Park. Any bad taste in the mouth was due not to him leaving, but that the winger had the audacity to knock back a new deal.

The comments from readers under the piece, which just happened to be written by yours truly, were of the ‘who the hell does he think he is?’ variety. These were aimed at Forrest, by the way.

Glasgow Times:

READ MORE: Celtic set to escape SFA rap over sectarian chanting at semi-final after holding Green Brigade talks

The criticism wasn’t particularly harsh. It was simply an observation. Back then, Forrest was coming up on 200 games for Celtic, more than enough time for anyone to make a judgment on his abilities as a footballer.

And the votes were in. Occasionally great, sometimes okay, anonymous bordering on the poor far too often.

Exit Ronnie Delia, enter Brendan Rodgers, and three seasons on, he is a go-to man for Celtic, a genuine star and might well be voted in as Scottish Footballer of the Year. This shows what we naysayers knew.

Forrest’s goal in Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen, a superb shot which departed his left boot with precisional power leaving Aberdeen’s lanky goalkeeper Joe Lewis grasping air as the ball ended in the top corner, was wonderful but not far from typical.

This is what Forrest is now. A great goalscorer and a scorer of great goals. A player who wins the biggest games for Celtic in a season which has so far witnessed him score 17 goals and provide 17 assists.

Glasgow Times:

READ MORE: Listen: How should Scottish football deal with abusive supporters?

“James’s form is scary,” said friend and team-mate Kieran Tierney who knows something about being the darling of the Celtic support.

“He’s had a brilliant season. At this goal, I was actually screaming for the ball and next thing I know I’m running towards him to say: ‘Good job, Jamsie.’

“I am running out of compliments for him because we are complimenting him every week now. He’s scoring goals, getting assists and it really is fantastic to have a player like him in your team.

“James has scored great goals and important goals this season. That shows how good a player he is. He is one of the best I have ever played with. I hate playing against him in training, which I’ve said plenty of times, because he’s just so difficult to go up against.

“The consistency James has shown over recent years has been brilliant, especially for a winger. It’s such a difficult position to play.

“And now in so many games he’s getting doubled up on because they know he’s such a threat and he still manages to find space and take men on. He is a joy for all of us to play in the same team as him.

Glasgow Times:

READ MORE: Lee McCulloch: Glenn Middleton has the ability and mentality to earn a Rangers recall this season

“James is always looking for the ball. Hey, we want him on the ball. That was our instruction on Sunday. If we get the ball and James is there then give him it and watch it go. He is that good. Sunday was another great performance by him.”

Forrest is never on social media. His private life is just that. This Prestwick lad is happy to play his football and let other people talk him up.There is a lot of talk about him.

And it does seem that the individual awards will be between the 27-year-old and a fellow Celtic academy graduate.

As Tierney said: “I’m so pleased for James. He’s such a hard worker. He is one that keeps his head down, he doesn’t like the headlines, he is happy to get on with his football; he’s a really special player.

“He is of course a candidate for player of the year. That is 100 percent. We have a few in here who could win it. Callum McGregor is another one. You know what you’re going to get from him in every game and it doesn’t matter what position he is played in.

“That will be a tough one to call. But they would be my top two.”

Glasgow Times:

READ MORE: George Peat: Scotland's top clubs must follow Hearts' lead and crack down on yobs - not the SFA

Tierney has for the last three years won PFA Scotland’s Young Player of the Year and the award handed out by the football writers.

He is not going to make it four in a row. the 21-year-old has missed too much football this time.

However, he won’t shed many tears if Celtic can make it three Trebles in a row for himself, the supporters and Neil Lennon; someone Tierney was too intimidated to approach when on the groundstaff.

He said: “Im delighted for Lenny. He’s a great manager to win under. He makes you feel so special, he gives you a lot of confidence, and makes you play with a smile on your face. I think you can see that in the boys.

“We still have a bit to go. We want to wrap up the league as quickly as we can.

“And when the Scottish Cup final comes along we will hopefully take care of that.”