Born in Leicester, Panayiotou joined his hometown club Leicester City as a youngster, making his first-team debut in April 2012. After loan spells at Port Vale in October 2014 and Raith Rovers in the second half of the 2015–16 season, he was released by Leicester. He joined Barrow in September 2016 and was loaned to Salford City in March 2017. He signed with Nuneaton Borough in June 2018 before moving on to the Greek side Aittitos Spata in January 2019. Then he returned to the English National League with Aldershot Town in July 2019. After two seasons there, he joined Scottish Premiership side Livingston for a short spell but returned to Aldershot Town in January 2022. He joined Maidenhead United on loan in February 2023. He joined Gibraltar club Bruno's Bruno's Magpies in August 2023 and moved to Maltese Premier League side Sirens the following year. He signed with Larne in January 2025.
Club career
Leicester City
Panayiotou was born in Leicester, to a Greek Cypriot father, Andreas, who was involved in youth football, and a Kittian mother.[10] He started his career at the youth academy of local club Leicester City, alongside subsequent first-team teammates Andy King, Jeffrey Schlupp, Liam Moore, Tom Parkes and Cian Bolger. His performances for the under-18 side earned him the Fans' Academy Player of the Year award for the 2011–12 season. He was part of the youth squad which won the HKFC Soccer Sevens cup in May 2013, where he scored five goals, including one in the 2–0 win over Newcastle United in the final; he was subsequently named Player of the Tournament.[11]
After impressing in games for Leicester City Under-21 he was named as the under-21 Premier League Player of the Month for March.[12] On 18 May 2015, Panayiotou was named Leicester City Under-21 Player of the Year, reward for an impressive season including scoring 11 goals in his last 13 games.[13] He made his senior debut for the "Foxes" against Leeds United on the final day of the 2011–12 season at Elland Road; he replaced Lloyd Dyer in the 73rd minute and scored the winning goal in added time.[14] He signed his first professional contract in September 2012,[15] and in July 2014 he extended it by a further two years.[16] On 20 October 2014, Panayioutou joined League One side Port Vale on a one-month loan.[17] However, he did not make a first-team appearance for the "Valiants" during his time at Vale Park.[18]
On 29 January 2016, Panayiotou joined Scottish Championship club Raith Rovers on loan until the end of the 2015–16 season.[19] He made his league debut for Raith against Rangers on 2 February, coming on as a second-half substitute.[20] He scored his first goal for Rovers in a 3–3 draw against with Rangers on 2 April.[21] His next goal came in the Scottish Championship semi-final first leg play-off against Hibernian at Stark's Park on 4 May 2016; Rovers went on to lose 2–0 (2–1 on aggregate) in the return leg three days later.[22][23] He was released by Leicester City at the end of the 2015–16 season.[24]
Back with Barrow for the 2017–18 season he chose to turn down his country to help Adrian Pennock's side battle against relegation.[28] The battle proved successful as Barrow finished one place and one point above the relegation zone.
Nuneaton Borough
On 25 June 2018, Panayiotou signed with National League North side Nuneaton Borough in a move that reunited him with former Leicester City youth coachNicky Eaden.[29] He made 20 appearances for "Boro" in the first half of the 2018–19 season, before he departed Liberty Way on 23 January 2019.[30]
On 12 July 2019, Panayiotou joined National League side Aldershot Town after a successful trial spell.[33] He scored four goals in 30 appearances for the "Shots" in the 2019–20 season, which was permanently suspended on 26 March due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, with Aldershot in 16th-place.[34] He scored 12 goals from 37 appearances in the 2020–21 season, finishing as the "Shots" joint-top goalscorer.[35][36]
Livingston
On 12 August 2021, Panayiotou signed a two-year deal with an option for a third year with Scottish Premiership club Livingston.[37] He made his debut at the Almondvale Stadium in the Scottish League Cup on 14 August, coming on as a 67th-minute substitute only to be substituted himself eleven minutes later in what ended as a 1–1 draw with St Mirren; manager David Martindale said after the game that it was a mistake to play Panayiotou as he was not fit.[38] He made his Premiership debut in a 0–0 draw with Celtic on 30 October.[39] He made just four substitute appearances in the league for the "Lions" and his contract was mutually terminated in January 2022.[36][40] Panayiotou said there was a "toxic" environment at the club.[41]
Return to Aldershot
On 5 January 2022, Panayiotou returned to Aldershot Town on a free transfer, signing an eighteen-month deal.[42] He said it was a "no-brainer" to return to the Recreation Ground and said manager Mark Molesley had "amazing" tactical awareness and knowledge.[36] He scored one goal in fifteen appearances in the second half of the 2021–22 season.[35] On 17 February 2023, Panayiotou joined league rivals Maidenhead United on a one-month loan.[43] This deal was then extended until the end of the season.[44] He featured seventeen times for Aldershot and six times for Maidenhead during the 2022–23 season, with both clubs successfully avoiding relegation.[35] He was released by Aldershot at the end of the season.[45]
On 26 March 2015, he scored a hat-trick beginning with a penalty in the second leg of a World Cup first qualifying round tie against the Turks and Caicos Islands at the TCIFA National Academy in Providenciales; Saint Kitts and Nevis won the match 6–2 for a 12–4 aggregate victory.[49] On 26 March 2016, he scored in a 2–0 win over Aruba which secured passage into the Second Round of qualification for the 2017 Caribbean Cup.[50] This also meant he broke an 85-year Leicester City club record previously held by England's Ernie Hine – the Foxes' all-time leading goalscorer at international level.[51]
