{{short description|Scottish footballer (born 1998)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Use British English|date=October 2017}} {{Infobox football biography | name = James Penrice | image = JamesPenrice.jpg | upright = 0.9 | caption = Penrice with Partick Thistle in 2018 | full_name = James Regan Penrice<ref>[https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/record-results?search_type=people&dl_cat=statutory&dl_rec=statutory-births&surname=Penrice&surname_so=exact&forename=James&forename_so=starts&sex=M&from_year=1998&to_year=1999&county=WESTLOTHIAN&record_type=stat_births Statutory registers - Births - Search results]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ScotlandsPeople</ref> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|12|22|df=y}} | birth_place = Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland | height = 1.77 m | position = Left-back | currentclub = AEK Athens | clubnumber = 29 | youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2015 | youthclubs1 = Partick Thistle | years1 = 2015–2021 | clubs1 = Partick Thistle | caps1 = 84 | goals1 = 1 | years2 = 2016–2017 | clubs2 = → East Fife (loan) | caps2 = 18 | goals2 = 2 | years3 = 2017–2018 | clubs3 = → Livingston (loan) | caps3 = 13 | goals3 = 1 | years4 = 2021–2024 | clubs4 = Livingston | caps4 = 77 | goals4 = 3 | years5 = 2024–2025 | clubs5 = Heart of Midlothian | caps5 = 33 | goals5 = 2 | years6 = 2025– | clubs6 = AEK Athens | caps6 = 19 | goals6 = 0 | club-update= 12 May 2026 }}
'''James Regan Penrice''' (born 22 December 1998) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Greek Super League club AEK Athens.
He has previously played for Partick Thistle, Livingston, East Fife and Heart of Midlothian.
==Career==
===Partick Thistle=== After progressing through the club's Thistle Weir Academy,<ref>{{cite web|title=James Penrice|url=http://ptfc.co.uk/teams/senior/seasons/2015-2016/players/james_penrice|publisher=Partick Thistle F.C.|access-date=13 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513213106/http://ptfc.co.uk/teams/senior/seasons/2015-2016/players/james_penrice|archive-date=13 May 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Penrice made his senior debut in a 3–3 draw between Partick Thistle and Dundee United in which he was credited with an assist.<ref>{{cite news|last1=McGarry|first1=Graeme|title=Dundee United 3 Partick Thistle 3: Late fightback from United denies Thistle|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/14483486.Dundee_United_3_Partick_Thistle_3__Late_fightback_from_United_denies_Thistle/|access-date=13 May 2016|work=The Herald|date=11 May 2016|location=Glasgow}}</ref> He then made his home debut in a 2–2 draw with Hamilton Academical on the last day of the 2015–16 season, winning the man of the match award.
Penrice joined Scottish League One side East Fife on loan in December 2016, until the end of the season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/penrice-heads-out-on-loan/|title = Penrice heads out on loan}}</ref> The following summer Penrice was then loaned to Livingston in August 2017 until January.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/james-penrice-joins-livingston-on-loan/ |title=James Penrice joins Livingston on loan |publisher=Partick Thistle FC |date=18 August 2017 |access-date=26 August 2017}}</ref> After returning, he signed a contract with Thistle until 2020.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43037982 |title=James Penrice: Partick Thistle defender signs contract extension |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=12 February 2018 |access-date=13 February 2018}}</ref> Penrice scored his first goal for Thistle in a 2–1 win over Greenock Morton, in the League Cup.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44864569|title=Partick Thistle v Greenock Morton|work=BBC Sport}}</ref> He scored his first league goal for Thistle in a 2–1 win over Falkirk.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45067497|title=Partick Thistle 2-1 Falkirk|work=BBC Sport}}</ref> Penrice played every minute of the 2018–19 season for Thistle, becoming the first player to achieve that feat since 2006.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-team/james-penrice-5-2/|title = James Penrice}}</ref>
Penrice scored his first goal of the 2019–20 season in a 2–0 win over Welsh side Connah's Quay Nomads in the Scottish Challenge Cup.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-fixture/partick-thistle-v-connahs-quay-nomads-12th-october-2019/|title = Partick Thistle v Connah's Quay Nomads – 12th October 2019}}</ref> In January 2020, he signed a new one-year contract extension with Thistle until the summer of 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/james-penrice-signs-contract-extension/|title = James Penrice signs contract extension}}</ref> After the 2019–20 season was ended early due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Partick Thistle were relegated for the second time in three seasons, now being relegated to League One. Penrice chose to stay at Thistle following their relegation making him and teammate Stuart Bannigan, the only two players left at the club from their time in the Premiership.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/player-update-8th-june-2020/|title=Player Update}}</ref>
Following winning the Scottish League One title with Thistle, Penrice left the club at the expiry of his contract to move to Premiership side Livingston, in a 'technical' swap deal with Scott Tiffoney heading in the other direction also on a free transfer.<ref>https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/19345646.scott-tiffoney-signs-partick-thistle-james-penrice-agrees-livingston-move/</ref>
===Livingston=== Penrice returned to Livingston on a permanent basis in June 2021.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57337074|title=Livingston sign Parkes & Penrice|work=BBC Sport}}</ref>
===Heart of Midlothian=== On 18 June 2024, Heart of Midlothian announced that Penrice had signed for the club with a three-year deal, taking the number 29 ahead of the 2024–25 Scottish Premiership season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heartsfc.co.uk/blogs/news/penrice-joins-jambos |title=Penrice Joins Jambos|work=Heart Of Midlothian}}</ref>
Penrice's debut season for Hearts saw him win both the club's Player of the Year Awards.<ref>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date=28 April 2025 |title=Player of the Year 2025 |url=https://www.heartsfc.co.uk/blogs/news/player-of-the-year-2030 |website=Heart of Midlothian FC |location=Edinburgh, Scotland |publisher=Heart of Midlothian FC |access-date=4 May 2025}}</ref> He was also named in the 2024-25 PFA Scotland Team of the Year.<ref>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date= |title=PFA Scotland Premiership Team of the Year 2025 |url=https://pfascotland.co.uk/pfa-scotland-premiership-team-of-the-year-2025/ |website=PFA Scotland |location=Glasgow, Scotland |publisher=PFA Scotland |access-date=4 May 2025}}</ref>
===AEK Athens===
On 5 July 2025, Penrice signed for Super League Greece side AEK Athens for a £2 million transfer fee.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/james-penrices-ps2m-transfer-from-hearts-to-aek-athens-goes-through-with-a-sell-on-clause-5210544 |title=James Penrice's £2m transfer from Hearts to AEK Athens goes through with a sell-on clause |first=Barry |last=Anderson |date=5 July 2025 |accessdate=6 July 2025 |newspaper=Edinburgh Evening News}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|match played 3 May 2026}}<ref name="JMSW">{{Soccerway|james-penrice/432303|accessdate=11 July 2020}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes Scottish Cup, Greek Football Cup}} !colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes Scottish League Cup}} !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="7"|Partick Thistle |2015–16<ref name="JP15">{{soccerbase season|89689|2015|accessdate=18 October 2017}}</ref> |rowspan="3"|Scottish Premiership |2||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||2||0 |- |2016–17<ref name="JP16"/> |0||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||0||0 |- |2017–18<ref name="JP17">{{soccerbase season|89689|2017|accessdate=18 October 2017}}</ref> |2||0||0||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||4||0 |- |2018–19<ref name="JP18">{{soccerbase season|89689|2018|accessdate=11 July 2020}}</ref> |rowspan="2"|Scottish Championship |36||1||4||0||5||1||colspan="2"|—||2<ref group=lower-alpha name="SCC"/>||0||47||2 |- |2019–20<ref name="JP19">{{soccerbase season|89689|2019|accessdate=11 July 2020}}</ref> |26||0||2||0||5||0||colspan="2"|—||4<ref group=lower-alpha name="SCC"/>||1||37||1 |- |2020–21<ref>{{soccerbase season|89689|2020|access-date=3 August 2021}}</ref> |Scottish League One |18||0||2||0||4||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan=2|—||24||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !84!!1!!8!!0!!16!!2!!colspan="2"|—!!6!!1!!114!!3 |- |rowspan="3"|Partick Thistle U-20s |2016–17<ref name="JP16">{{soccerbase season|89689|2016|accessdate=18 October 2017}}</ref> |rowspan="2"|SPFL Development League |colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||2<ref group=lower-alpha name="SCC">Appearances in Scottish Challenge Cup</ref>||1||2||1 |- |2017–18<ref name="JP17"/> |colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||2<ref group=lower-alpha name="SCC"/>||0||2||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!4!!1!!4!!1 |- |East Fife (loan) |2016–17<ref name="JP16"/> |Scottish League One |18||0||2||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||20||0 |- |Livingston (loan) |2017–18<ref name="JP17"/> |Scottish Championship |13||1||1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||14||1 |- |rowspan="4"|Livingston |2021–22<ref>{{soccerbase season|89689|2021|access-date=3 August 2021}}</ref> |rowspan="3"|Scottish Premiership |26||0||1||0||5||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan=2|—||31||0 |- |2022–23<ref>{{soccerbase season|89689|2022|access-date=24 May 2025}}</ref> |29||3||2||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||34||3 |- |2023–24<ref>{{soccerbase season|89689|2023|access-date=24 May 2025}}</ref> |22||0||1||0||6||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||29||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !77!!3!!4!!0!!13!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!94!!3 |- |Heart of Midlothian |2024–25<ref>{{soccerbase season|89689|2024|access-date=24 May 2025}}</ref> |Scottish Premiership |33||2||4||0||1||0||8{{efn|Two appearances in UEFA Europa League, six appearances in UEFA Conference League}}||0||colspan="2"|—||46||2 |- |AEK Athens |2025–26 |Super League Greece |19||0||5||0||colspan="2"|—||8{{efn|name=UECL|Appearances in UEFA Conference League}}||0||colspan="2"|—||32||0 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !244!!5!!24!!0!!30!!2!!16!!0!!10!!2!!324!!8 |} {{notelist}}
==Honours== '''Partick Thistle''' *Scottish League One: 2020–21<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56936302|title=Partick Thistle seal League 1 title|work=BBC Sport}}</ref>
'''AEK Athens''' *Super League Greece: 2025–26
'''Individual''' *Heart of Midlothian Player of the Year: 2024–25<ref>{{Cite web |title=Player of the Year 2025 – Hearts |url=https://www.heartsfc.co.uk/blogs/news/player-of-the-year-2030 |access-date=2025-08-22 |website=www.heartsfc.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> *PFA Scotland Team of the Year (Premiership): 2024–25
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{sports links}}
{{AEK Athens F.C. squad}} {{2024–25 PFA Scotland Scottish Premiership Team of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Penrice, James}} Category:Living people Category:1998 births Category:Scottish men's footballers Category:Men's association football full-backs Category:Partick Thistle F.C. players Category:East Fife F.C. players Category:Scottish Professional Football League players Category:Super League Greece players Category:Livingston F.C. players Category:Footballers from Livingston, West Lothian Category:Heart of Midlothian F.C. players Category:AEK Athens F.C. players Category:Scottish expatriate sportspeople in Greece Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Greece Category:21st-century Scottish sportsmen