James Penrice reveals Hibs helped him become a Hearts sensation

Unless you live on the moon, you won’t have missed James Penrice seamlessly transitioning from Livingston mainstay to Hearts sensation over the past eight months. His standout performances at left-back helped Tynecastle supporters overcome the sale of his talented predecessor, Alex Cochrane, far easier than they perhaps expected. He will, once again, be a key player in this weekend’s Edinburgh derby at Easter Road.

There is an interesting history between Penrice and Hibs. In fact, he credits them with saving his career. He was released by the club as a teenager and given a necessary wake-up call which underpinned his rise from Partick Thistle to Hearts via Livingston. If it weren’t for Hibs, he probably wouldn’t be the marauding Hearts full-back he is today.

“I was probably at Hibs from under-12s to maybe under-17s,” explained Penrice. “It was a good few good years, to be fair. It was a very professional academy. I think I was a bit immature at that point. Probably the best thing I needed was to leave Hibs. It was a wee wake-up call to me and the way I was living my life. It was the best thing for me.

“I think it was the season they went down [from Premiership to Championship] in the Hamilton play-off game. It was just shortly after that, but I kind of knew it was coming. At that point, I wasn't really loving football. I didn't really want to go to training. It seemed kind of like a chore instead of loving it. It's very much different now and I'm thankful it happened because that's what I needed. It was kind of a wee wake-up call and it got me back loving the game. I'm thankful I left.

“I actually went to go back and play boys' club football. I knew someone at Thistle and they said I could just come in, but I wasn't promised a contract. They said they'd filled their squad and I was just going to go and train. I ended up offering me one. Four months later I was playing with the under-20s at 16 years old. It was the best thing for me. It got me back loving the game. I'm obviously very thankful to Thistle.

“I was hoping [for something in football] because I had nothing else. That's why James [Wilson] should stick in school, but I had nothing. It was all or nothing when I went to Thistle. Luckily I got an under-20s deal. When we got relegated to League One, I was looking at online courses to do other stuff because I thought football was done. I managed to win the league and get my move to Livingston. It's been a very up-and-down road for me. I don't take anything for granted. I'm now at a club that's huge in Scotland and I'm very much proud to be on the shirt. I love it here.”

He won’t feel much emotion walking into Easter Road. All of his Hibs team-mates have since moved on. “Nothing really. It's just another ground to me. There's no grudges or anything like that. It was a decision that needed to happen. It was the best thing that happened to me. I'm probably thankful that they let me go and woke me up. [Ryan] Porteous was a year younger, [Kevin] Nisbet was a year above, but Nisbet left and went to Thistle. There was Scott Martin, Ollie Shaw - a good few that went on and played with Hibs in the first team.”

There will be an inner drive to do damage to David Gray’s side, for Penrice knows Hearts need points in their quest for European football. His attacking runs and crosses are a central part of the Tynecastle gameplan and he wants to improve on deliveries following Wednesday’s match against St Mirren. Forwards like Lawrence Shankland, Elton Kabangu and James Wilson stand to benefit.

“I couldn’t cross against St Mirren, I was contemplating retiring at half-time,” joked Penrice. “The gaffer was saying: ‘If you get into an area then you're going to have two strikers in there, definitely.’ You've got Shanks lingering as well, so it makes it three players of real quality. I can't speak highly enough of James. He's gone right to the top and his movement alone is just excellent. It's brilliant for me and obviously whoever plays right-back. I think you just throw the ball in an area and three of them can get there.”

Penrice needs no encouragement to expand on his admiration for young Wilson. “Seventeen, honestly. He's sitting there telling people what to do. I think it's probably the best thing for him. I was brought up that you don't talk to first-team players at 17 and 16. He's just got no filter, he’s just full of confidence. He said to me the other day [before the St Mirren match] that he's on a goal drought. A goal drought! You're 17 years old. That was the thing I said to him. I said just focus on everything else and not come in. I'm buzzing that he got his goal on Wednesday because it will make him happy.”

Wilson’s intelligence is not merely confined to his feet, and his slender frame hides a strength Penrice has noticed. The defender regards Wilson as the smartest player in the Hearts dressing room. “Probably the smartest. He's the strongest and the smartest,” he said. “I kid you not. I can't speak highly of him. He's a brilliant, brilliant player. He's 17 years old and dealing with the physicality as well. He's out jumping centre-halves that are huge. He's been brilliant, a real revelation.”

Wilson is juggling professional football with education as he attends Balerno High School to study Advanced Higher PE and Higher maths. “Just bin it, just bin it,” laughed Penrice. “No, to be fair, I think he's got his head screwed on. He comes from a good family. I don't think his mum and dad would let him bin it. He's got what it takes to really go and score a good few goals in his career.

“As I said, his movement alone is what the boys talk about. He's a constant menace to defenders. He's always on the shoulder and he's quick. To be 17 years old, he's got the world in front of him. In the gym, he's the strongest player. He's lifting the most weights. They said last season he put on 10kg or something in muscle. He works extremely hard. I think it's the full family. I saw his wee brothers [Hearts under-16 players Stanley and Alfie] out doing extras in the Oriam a couple of weeks ago, waiting for him to take them home. It's a credit to the mum and dad. They're good boys. James is flourishing. Hopefully it continues.”

Wilson scored a dramatic late equaliser on Hearts’ last visit to Easter Road and will again be an important figure for the visitors. They arrive with only one defeat in their last 11 games, whilst Hibs are unbeaten in their last 14 matches. “It makes for a good day. Both teams are picking up results but we'll go there full of confidence and try to get three points.”

The 2-1 Boxing Day loss to Hibs at Tynecastle is still a sore point. “Definitely. I think these are the fixtures that get brought up the most. It's my first year but I know how big they are,” said Penrice. “They're kind of the stand-out fixtures for the season and when you get beaten in one of them, it hurts. Now we've got to use that to go again. The good thing last time was we had games right around the corner, and then after New Year we kind of bounced and managed to get a turn of form. We can be proud of it but there's still a wee bit to go. We've still got ambitions and we’re going there on Sunday to go and get three points.”

New signings like Kabangu and Jamie McCart have settled in exceptionally well. Penrice has formed an understanding with McCart on the left side of defence. “It was clear to see we needed bodies in January and the boys have come in and been absolutely excellent,” said the left-back. “I've played beside Jamie and he's been brilliant. I've loved playing beside Kye and he's fitted in perfectly. Jamie's been absolutely excellent. Even Elton, I don't even know how many goals he's got now. He's been brilliant. I think the club have done well to get these boys in and it's given the group a lift which was much-needed.”