Forrest backs Allan to be hoops hit
James Forrest believes Celtic fans will readily forgive Scott Allan's Rangers allegiances if he joins the Hoops.
The 23-year-old Hibernian midfielder had a medical arranged for Friday with a view to signing for the Scottish champions.
Celtic's Old Firm foes Rangers have failed with three bids for Allan, a boyhood fan of the Ibrox club, and Hibernian were adamant they would not sell the player to their Championship rivals.
Forrest, a former Scotland Under-21 team-mate of Allan, is sure the former West Brom player will have no problem in being accepted by Celtic supporters should be pull on the green and white hoops.
"If he does sign, once you start playing games then everything gets forgotten about," Forrest said.
"I am sure the fans will be right behind him because he will be a really good player for Celtic.
"Obviously I know him coming through the youths and he has played with Dundee United and Hibs.
"He is a really good player. He has got a lot of flair, good going forward and technically really good.
"He is a type of player Celtic look for and he will fit in well.
"A massive club like Celtic are always looking to bring in players of top quality and I am sure that Scotty can come here and do really well.
"It keeps everyone on their toes and keeps the standards high in training and in games."
Forrest rejected the notion that Celtic moved for Allan only to get one over on Rangers.
The Scotland wide-man, speaking at the Hoops' Lennoxtown training ground ahead of the visit of Inverness in the Ladbrokes Premiership on Saturday, said: "I don't think it has anything to do with that.
"Celtic are always looking to bring in top players and if we do sign him he will be looking to play and do well, and that's what we want, competition for places."
Scott Brown remains a doubt for Celtic. The Hoops skipper has missed the last two matches with a hamstring complaint.
Kris Commons is expected to recover from a dead leg while Stuart Armstrong is set to return from a groin injury as Nadir Ciftci serves the fourth match of his six-match suspension.
Iain Vigurs is looking to help Inverness add to their recent success after coming through the worst nine months of his football career.
The 27-year-old had not played a senior game since December 13, in a 2-2 draw between Motherwell and former club Ross County, until resigning for Caley Thistle on Wednesday and coming on in their goalless draw with Partick hours later.
Vigurs failed to make an appearance under Ian Baraclough after being hit with a back injury and was released at the end of the season.
His quest to find a new club took him from a trial at Barnsley to the Highland League, where he played for Inverurie Locos as a trialist in a bid to keep up his match sharpness.
A chance meeting with Inverness goalkeeper Ryan Esson led to him joining his former club for training and manager John Hughes was so impressed he persuaded his directors to break the budget to sign the skilful midfielder - much to the relief of Vigurs, who is now looking forward to playing at Celtic Park on Saturday.
"It's been the first time in my career when I've ever had to go so long without a club," he said. "Three months in limbo wasn't pretty, it wasn't nice.
"It's a waiting game and it's horrible. You are waiting for that phone call to come and you wonder whether it will ever come but fortunately it did.
"I want to play football and I will give 100 per cent for whoever I play for."
Inverness manager John Hughes hopes to have a bigger squad to choose from.
Aaron Doran, James Vincent and Jordan Roberts all missed out against Partick Thistle and are pushing to return.
Gary Warren (broken leg) and Dean Brill (knee) are definitely out along with Richie Foran, who suffered a ligament strain in his attempts to recover from a long-term knee problem, while Josh Meekings (hip) is also struggling.
Source: PAR
