Adam Forrester: From Rangers to Hearts, Lowland League to Conference League, and still getting slaughtered

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The young defender gave his first media interview after Sunday’s Edinburgh derby

It’s rather useful that Adam Forrester, by his own admission, is a laid-back individual. The last three years have been tumultuous for the 19-year-old, but he is now reaping the rewards of persistence. From Rangers to Hearts, then jumping from Scotland’s Lowland League to the UEFA Conference League, Forrester’s career trajectory includes some sharp spikes despite still being in its infancy.

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Just a few weeks ago he was captaining the Hearts B team against Bo’ness United and Broomhill in the Lowland League, the fifth tier of Scottish football. Fast forward to now and he has faced Omonoia Nicosia plus Dinamo Minsk in two Conference League ties, and experienced Premiership matches against Ross County, Aberdeen, St Mirren and Hibs. It’s a far cry from being released by Rangers in 2021.

The young right-back was promoted by Liam Fox when the then-B team coach took charge as interim Hearts manager in September. Fox is now assisting recently-appointed Neil Critchley at senior level and Forrester is holding his own in a squad laced with internationalists. He replaced Daniel Oyegoke after 86 minutes against Hibs and, within a minute, was celebrating youth-team colleague James Wilson’s late equaliser in front of the Hearts support at Easter Road.

“That's what you dream of: Coming on, getting the equaliser, hopefully getting the honour, but it was obviously good to get the equaliser and it was a good scene,” says Forrester, speaking exclusively to the Edinburgh News in his first media interview. “I'm just delighted for James. He's worked hard and to get a goal in a derby, it's a special feeling for him. I've played with him for two or three years now and scored goals most games, so I'm not really surprised that he's went on and scored.”

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It is a prosperous time for players emerging from the Riccarton development system. Macaulay Tait, Aidan Denholm and Callum Sandilands are others on the fringes of the Hearts first team. “There's obviously a few involved now and a few involved last season as well. There will probably be plenty more to come through as well, so it's good,” says Forrester. “On Sunday, I was told to get forward, just do what you've been doing the past couple of games, trying to make an impact. You learn how to handle the atmosphere, stay composed, just try to play our normal game and stuff.”

Predictably, the learning curve from the Lowland League is considerable. “It's certainly a lot different, yes. There's always pressure at Hearts, but maybe at the B team level you can have a bit more freedom or whatever, but when you come to a first-team environment, it's all about winning, all about the three points, so you just need to try your best to win. I just focus and just compose, that's all. Play your normal game, just do your normal stuff. I'm quite a laid-back guy, so I don't really do much away from football.”

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Can any youngster afford to be laid-back after achieving a place in the first-team squad at Tynecastle? “Maybe not, but that's just the way I am,” smiles Forrester. “I hope to try to play as many games as I can for the rest of the season and try to make an impact in the games I play. That's my goal.”

He is fully aware that Fox is due significant credit for the promotion. “Yeah, absolutely. As soon as he got the job on an interim basis, he put me in and I'm happy he had trust in me to go and show what I do. I'm just delighted that he's done it. I've stayed up [at senior level] since the new gaffer has come in as well, which is also good. All the boys are great in the changing room. They all make me feel quite at ease, so it's not too bad.”

Parents and mates keep him grounded despite a fairly rapid rise in recent weeks. “My mum and dad, obviously. They have helped with that,” says Forrester. “Then I've got an older brother, who slaughters me at any chance he's got. I've got a few of my pals as well. They're all a big help. Obviously they helped me out as a youngster. I was at Rangers when I was younger but I think my Dad has turned into a Jambo now, so that's all good. Every day my mates are pawing at me, just trying to wind me up and slaughtering me. So they keep me grounded quite easily.”

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