Airdrie United has signed English left-back Henry James, who joins the club after leaving Heart of Midlothian, subject to SFA clearance.

What happened?

The 19-year-old former Nottingham Forest youngster moved north of the border in 2024 and featured prominently for the Tynecastle side’s B team before making a loan switch to Peterhead last season.

Having joined the Diamonds for pre-season, Henry quickly caught the eye of head coach John Rankin after impressing in training and recent friendly matches.

Why it matters for Airdrie United

With the team currently standing 9th in the Championship, 36 pts, 8W-12D-16L from 36 games, and a recent form of DWDDL, the signing of Henry James is a significant boost to their squad.

The team is looking to improve their performance after losing their last two matches, including a 1-2 defeat to Alloa Athletic on 2026-05-09.

What comes next?

Henry James told airdriefc.com: “I can’t wait to get started. I think it’s the time where I need to be introduced to first-team football properly, I obviously had a little loan spell in January at Peterhead, so I think it’s time to get some proper first-team games under my belt.”

John Rankin was pleased to make Henry his fifth Airdrie signing, adding: “Henry has been with us since the first day of pre-season. His work ethic and contribution to games have been impressive, which has demonstrated how hungry he is to succeed. He’s a young lad who got a bit of experience of playing at this level last season, and I’m looking forward to seeing him grow at the club and improve as a player.” With 35 goals scored and 49 conceded, Airdrie United is looking to strengthen their defense and make a push for a higher standing in the Championship, currently 41 points behind leaders ST Johnstone.