Rangers ace who thought his career 'was done' aged 22 rewarded for patience as latest milestone proves worth

Rangers defender James Penrice admitted he had thoughts of ending his playing career at the age of 22 following multiple setbacks.

The 27-year old has been a revelation at Ibrox this season amid his loan spell from AEK Athens - and was rewarded for his club performances by Scotland boss Sebastian Pocognoli, who included him in the national team squad for the first time in his career. However, it hasn’t always been sunshine and rainbows for the full-back.

Penrice is a self-titled late bloomer in the game, having had an inconsistent start to his career at Partick Thistle. In 2021, while the Jags were playing in the third tier of Scottish football, the Rangers defender was released. It was at this moment he revealed that he was looking at different career options away from the game.

Penrice reveals he nearly quit aged 22

He told Sky Sports: "It's kind of been a slow rise, don't get me wrong. When we [Partick Thistle] dropped down to League One there was part of me that thought I was done. I'd been part-time and, especially when Covid hit, I was looking at courses and stuff like that and trying to think about life after football.”

The defender had previously been on loan at Livingston, who decided to sign him on a permanent deal in June 2021. Playing under veteran manager David Martindale in the Scottish Championship, it was at this point Penrice believes he got his career back on track, before his big moves to Hearts and AEK.

"From then, I got my head down and then I went to Livingston and that was kind of the super bolt. Davey Martindale [the Livi manager] said that it was kind of the last chance I had for full-time football and I grasped it there. The move to Hearts was a good personal season for me. Then obviously I moved to Greece, so it's been a bit mental from where I was at 20. It makes it more interesting, doesn't it!"

Penrice on Scotland call-up

Fast forward five years and the Scotsman is playing week in, week out for his boyhood club. Plus, he can now call himself a Scotland international. He’ll join Rangers goalkeeper Liam Kelly and winger Findlay Curtis in the camp for their upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against North Macedonia and Switzerland. Penrice claimed a national team call-up was part his thoughts when deciding to return to Scotland in the summer.

He added: "I knew coming back and obviously playing for Rangers there's always going to be a chance in the Scotland squad. It was one of my decisions to come back to try and push. Ultimately, I came back to play for Rangers but it's an added bonus to manage to get the call-up as well. It's been unbelievable since I came back."

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