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.
After progressing through the club's Thistle Weir Academy,[2] Penrice made his senior debut in a 3–3 draw between Partick Thistle and Dundee United in which he was credited with an assist.[3] 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.[4] The following summer Penrice was then loaned to Livingston in August 2017 until January.[5] After returning, he signed a contract with Thistle until 2020.[6] Penrice scored his first goal for Thistle in a 2–1 win over Greenock Morton, in the League Cup.[7] He scored his first league goal for Thistle in a 2–1 win over Falkirk.[8] Penrice played every minute of the 2018–19 season for Thistle, becoming the first player to achieve that feat since 2006.[9]
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.[10] In January 2020, he signed a new one-year contract extension with Thistle until the summer of 2021.[11] 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.[12]
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.[13]
Penrice returned to Livingston on a permanent basis in June 2021.[14]
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.[15]
Penrice's debut season for Hearts saw him win both the club's Player of the Year Awards.[16] He was also named in the 2024-25 PFA Scotland Team of the Year.[17]
On 5 July 2025, Penrice signed for Super League Greece side AEK Athens for a £2 million transfer fee.[18]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Partick Thistle | 2015–16[20] | Scottish Premiership | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17[21] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2017–18[22] | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||||
| 2018–19[23] | Scottish Championship | 36 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 2[c] | 0 | 47 | 1 | ||
| 2019–20[24] | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 4[c] | 1 | 37 | 2 | |||
| 2020–21[25] | Scottish League One | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 0 | |||
| Total | 84 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 2 | — | 6 | 1 | 114 | 3 | |||
| Partick Thistle U-20s | 2016–17[21] | SPFL Development League | — | — | — | — | 2[c] | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| 2017–18[22] | — | — | — | — | 2[c] | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | — | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | ||||||
| East Fife (loan) | 2016–17[21] | Scottish League One | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
| Livingston (loan) | 2017–18[22] | Scottish Championship | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | |
| Livingston | 2021–22[26] | Scottish Premiership | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23[27] | 29 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 3 | ||||
| 2023–24[28] | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 77 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 0 | — | — | 94 | 3 | ||||
| Heart of Midlothian | 2024–25[29] | Scottish Premiership | 33 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8[d] | 0 | — | 46 | 2 | |
| AEK Athens | 2025–26 | Super League Greece | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 225 | 5 | 19 | 0 | 30 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 292 | 8 | ||
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