Pearce in 2016 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Stuart Pearce[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1962-04-24)24 April 1962 (age 63)[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Shepherd's Bush,London, England | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2] | ||||||||||||||||
| Position | Defender | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 1978–1983 | Wealdstone | 176 | (10) | ||||||||||||||
| 1983–1985 | Coventry City | 52 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
| 1985–1997 | Nottingham Forest | 401 | (63) | ||||||||||||||
| 1997–1999 | Newcastle United | 37 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | West Ham United | 42 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2001–2002 | Manchester City | 38 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Longford | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| Total | 747 | (82) | |||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||
| 1986 | England U21 | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 1987–1999[3] | England | 78 | (5) | ||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | Nottingham Forest | ||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Manchester City | ||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2013 | England U21 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Great Britain | ||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | England (caretaker) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Nottingham Forest | ||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||
Stuart PearceMBE (born 24 April 1962) is an English professionalfootball manager and formerplayer, who was most recently a first-team coach forPremier League clubWest Ham United. He was nicknamed "Psycho" for his unforgiving style of play.
As a player, Pearce played as adefender and appeared forWealdstone,Coventry City,Nottingham Forest,Newcastle United,West Ham United andManchester City in a career that spanned twenty-two years. He is best known for his twelve-year spell at Forest, where he regularly captained the team and became the club's most capped international, making 76 of his 78 appearances forEngland while with the club and captaining the national side on nine occasions. In 2016, he briefly came out of retirement, signing a one-match deal with Longford, froma town in Gloucestershire, a team dubbed "the worst in Great Britain", in order to support the grassroots game.[4]
Pearce's managerial career began at Nottingham Forest in a caretaker role, from December 1996 to May 1997. In November 2000, he was assistant coach toPeter Taylor in Taylor's only match in charge of England. Following his retirement in 2002, he remained with Manchester City as a coach underKevin Keegan. In 2005, he was named caretaker manager and was given the job permanently that summer. In 2007, he was named caretaker manager of theEngland national under-21 team, guiding them to the semi-finals of the2007 UEFA Under-21 Championship. After being dismissed by City in May 2007, he was given the England U21 job permanently a month later. Under Pearce, the team finished as runners-up in the2009 UEFA Under-21 Championship, but failed to make it out of the group stage in the2013 UEFA Under-21 Championship. In addition, Pearce was an assistant coach underFabio Capello, managed theGreat Britain Olympic football team at the2012 Summer Olympics,[5] and was caretaker manager of England for one game in February 2012. In 2013, he left the U21s, as his contract was not extended bythe Football Association. He returned to Nottingham Forest as manager in July 2014, and initially began the season well, but after a run of poor form, he was dismissed in February 2015. He has since coached atPortsmouth and at West Ham United.
Born inShepherd's Bush, London, Pearce is the youngest of four children. He has two brothers, Dennis and Ray, and a sister, Pamela. Dennis was once a member of the far-rightBritish National Party and was third on the BNP list forLondon for the2009 European Parliament election.[6] Ray was formerly a referee, and in September 1986, was a linesman in aLeague Cup match involving his brother.[7] Pearce first attendedFryent Primary School inKingsbury, North West London, before attendingClaremont High School inKenton.
Pearce failed a trial atQueens Park Rangers and then rejected an offer fromHull City, instead settling into a career in thenon-league game with his local side,Wealdstone, while training and working as anelectrician. For almost five years, he was the first-choice full-back for the team, then amongst the biggest names of non-league football in theAlliance Premier League.
In 1983, Wealdstone received an unexpected offer of £30,000 (then a very large sum for a semi-professional player) for Pearce from top-flight clubCoventry City.Sky Blues managerBobby Gould had been to watch Wealdstone and was impressed by Pearce's determination and combative attitude. Pearce agreed to the step-up in clubs reluctantly – making his professional debut for Coventry immediately. He established himself as an uncompromising left-back who played in a hard but fair manner.
Two years later in 1985, Pearce was brought toNottingham Forest by managerBrian Clough in a combined deal which also saw Coventry centre-backIan Butterworth move to Forest. Despite the transfer, Pearce was still unsure of his prospects in the professional game and even advertised his services as an electrician in Forest's match-day programme.
Pearce spent twelve years at Forest, with the majority of the time as club captain. During his playing career, he won twoLeague Cups and theFull Members Cup, while also scoring from afree-kick in the1991 FA Cup final, when Forest were beaten byTottenham Hotspur. In his time at theCity Ground, Pearce was one of the Forest players who had to cope with the horrors of theHillsborough disaster during the opening minutes of their FA Cup semi-final againstLiverpool. Pearce played in the rescheduled match atOld Trafford, which Liverpool won 3–1. He helped Forest finish third in the league that year, and also contributed to their victories in theLeague Cup and Full Members Cup. He helped them retain the League Cup a year later and in 1991 the club reached theFA Cup final. Despite giving Forest an early lead in the final against Tottenham, Pearce ended up on the losing side as Spurs came back to win 2–1. He missed out on aWembley appearance the following season as Forest lost 1–0 toManchester United in the1992 League Cup final.[8]
In 1993, Forest were relegated from the Premier League andBrian Clough resigned after 18 years as manager, but Pearce opted to stay at theCity Ground and captained Forest to an instant return to the top flight as Division One runners-up. In 1994, Pearce was accused of directing a racial slur atPaul Ince during a Nottingham Forest–Manchester United match. It was alleged Pearce called Ince an "arrogant black cunt".[9] Pearce stated he apologised at the time to Ince and later in 2012 said of the racial slur: "It wasn't right or appropriate at the time, or at any time."[10] Pearce helped Forest finish third in the Premier League in 1995 and reach theUEFA Cup quarter-finals in 1996.
In1996–97 season, Forest struggled in the league and managerFrank Clark resigned in December, which saw 34-year-old Pearce appointedcaretakerplayer-manager of Forest in December 1996. His first match in charge was at home toArsenal in the league. He admitted in an interview withMatch of the Day that, in his first attempt at picking a starting XI, he did not realise until it was pointed out to him by his wife that he had omittedgoalkeeperMark Crossley. Forest, however, won the match 2–1, coming from behind after anIan Wright goal with two goals fromAlfie Haaland.[11] Despite winningManager of the Month award in January 1997, he would later share the caretaker role withDave Bassett, and Forest were relegated, finishing in bottom place.
Pearce opted to leave the club on a free transfer at the end of the1996–97 season after 12 years at the City Ground.
Pearce joinedNewcastle United along with fellow veteransJohn Barnes andIan Rush in the 1997–98 season underKenny Dalglish, and played in the1998 FA Cup final, though again he emerged on the defeated side. He scored once during his spell at Newcastle, in aUEFA Champions League tie againstDynamo Kyiv.[12] Eventually, Pearce was isolated, along with other players including Barnes andRob Lee, afterRuud Gullit succeeded Dalglish. A number of players were treated coldly by Gullit, and Pearce along with Barnes and Lee were made to train with the reserves despite cumulatively having over 150 England caps between them. As result Pearce didn't make any first team appearances for Newcastle after December 1998.[13] Both Pearce and Barnes assert in their autobiographies Gullit felt threatened by the senior players in the squad, and they felt they were being sidelined to prevent them challenging him for the manager's position should it arise. Pearce claims also that he once kicked Gullit up in the air during a training session, and a number of other players sniggered at this due to Gullit's poor relationship with them.[14]
Pearce went on to play forWest Ham United, a year after falling out of favour with Gullit. He made his debut on 7 August 1999 in a 1–0 home win against Tottenham Hotspur. His first goal came on 21 October 2000 in a 2–1 home defeat to Arsenal. He made 50 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals and in 2001 he was namedHammer of the Year.[15]
In the summer of 2001, he wasKevin Keegan's first signing forManchester City for what would be the final season in his career. Hecaptained the club to the First Division championship and scored direct from a free-kick on his debut, againstWatford. In the final game of his career, againstPortsmouth, he had the chance to reach 100 career goals.[16] He took apenalty kick for City four minutes intoinjury time, but missed it along with the chance to reach his target.[17]
On 28 January 2016, at the age of 53 and more than thirteen years after retiring, Pearce signed as a player for non-league side Longford, a club fromLongford, Gloucestershire. The club was dubbed as "the worst in the UK" as they lost all their games at that date with a single goal scored and 179 conceded and lying at the bottom of theGloucestershire Northern Senior League Division Two, the13th tier of English football.[4] On 12 March, Pearce made his debut for Longford as a second-half substitute in a 1–0 loss against Wotton Rovers.[18]
Throughout his career, Pearce was given the nickname of "Psycho" for his unforgiving style of play. This was initially a tag afforded to him only by Forest fans, though later it was adopted by England supporters as well. Of the nickname, Pearce later commented:
The Psycho nickname was just a bit of fun. In the 80s everyone was called Psycho orRambo. It doesn't represent what I'm like away from football. You've got to be a bit more cute than that. If you're an idiot and try to live up to your nickname, you won't last very long. I'd like to think there's a little more about me than that. A lot of journalists were pigeonholing me as a lunatic who shouldn't represent England because I'd get sent off all the time. But in 78 games for England I've been booked five times and never been sent off. I've only been sent off three times playing for my club, which in this day and age is quite an achievement.[19]
Roy Keane, who played with Pearce from 1990 to 1993, is quoted as saying that Pearce was "a man amongst boys" at Forest.[20] Former England teammateMatt Le Tissier has since described him as his scariest opponent in his autobiography,Taking Le Tiss.
Pearce was also well known for his prowess fromset pieces, being a designatedpenalty-taker for club and country. As a specialist atdirect free kicks, renowned for his powerful left foot, Pearce scored from several of the free kicks that he took, famously including the first goal in the1991 FA Cup final against Tottenham.[21] He was also a notable attacking threat going forward and a good crosser of the ball.
Pearce made his debut forEngland againstBrazil in a 1–1 friendly draw at Wembley on 19 May 1987 at age 25.[22] ReplacingKenny Sansom as the first choice left-back for his country, injury prevented him from playing in the1988 UEFA European Championship. Following the tournament, he was consistently picked as left-back and scored his first England goal in his 21st senior appearance for England on 25 April 1990, scoring in a 4–2 friendly win overCzechoslovakia at Wembley.[22]
Pearce played at the1990 FIFA World Cup, setting up a goal forDavid Platt in the quarter-final win againstCameroon and operating as a more attacking left-back than normal as England deployed a sweeper system.[23][24] England progressed to the semi-finals, and Pearce was one of two players (the other beingChris Waddle) to miss a penalty in theshoot-out againstWest Germany after the match had ended in a 1–1 draw. Pearce left the field in tears.[25]
The following summer, on 8 June 1991, Pearce scored his second England goal in a 2–0 win overNew Zealand during the England side's tour of Oceania. This game was his 40th appearance for England.[26]
TheEuro 96 games had been England's first competitive matches since the end of the World Cup qualifiers nearly three years earlier. They had not been required to qualify for the tournament due to being hosts. All of the matches played between November 1993 and June 1996 had been friendlies, including the clash withSwitzerland on 15 November 1995 in which Pearce scored the last of his five goals for England.[27] WhenTerry Venables became England coach later in 1994, Pearce lost his place toGraeme Le Saux, but then regained it after Le Saux suffered a broken leg in December 1995. Pearce stayed in the side into Euro 96, scoring a penalty in a quarter-final shoot-out againstSpain, which England won. His impassioned reaction following his successful penalty in front of the celebrating Wembley crowd became one of the images of the tournament.[28] He also scored in the semi-final shoot-out against Germany, but Germany again won afterGareth Southgate missed his spot-kick.[29]
Pearce was not selected for the1998 World Cup by new coachGlenn Hoddle, but the appointment ofKevin Keegan as Hoddle's replacement and Pearce's form for West Ham prompted a recall for the 37-year-old for two qualifying games forEuro 2000. Pearce's broken leg later put paid to further international chances and he ended his international career in 1999 with 78 caps, which for a time put him in the all-time top ten for England appearances. Pearce's last appearance for England was in a goalless draw inPoland on 8 September 1999 in theEuro 2000 qualifiers. At 37 years and 137 days, he was the third-oldest outfield player ever to appear for England (onlyStanley Matthews andLeslie Compton, plus five goalkeepers, have been older).
During his one match tenure,Peter Taylor appointed Pearce asassistant manager. England played, and lost to,Italy away inTurin.

After ending his playing career with Manchester City, he remained at the club as a coach under manager Kevin Keegan. In March 2005, less than three years after retiring, he was appointed caretaker of City after Keegan left the club.[30] His first win was against Liverpool, on 9 April 2005, asKiki Musampa scored the goal in injury time with a firm volley pastScott Carson. After a successful run of form, which put the club close to UEFA Cup qualification, Pearce was given the job on a permanent basis.[31] However, they missed the opportunity to reach Europe on the final game of the season by drawing 1–1 withMiddlesbrough.Robbie Fowler missed a penalty in the last minute which, if it had gone in, would have given City a UEFA Cup place.
Despite a successful start to the2005–06 season, City finished 15th in the Premier League due to losing nine of the last ten games. They were also eliminated from the League Cup byLeague One sideDoncaster Rovers. Pearce developed the reputation as being unusually fair and honest by refusing to criticise referees for mistakes they may have made.[32] He was also touted as a potential successor for England managerSven-Göran Eriksson.[33]
Pearce failed to bring about an improvement in the2006–07 season which saw City come close to relegation.[34] The club were again eliminated from the League Cup by a League One team, this time byChesterfield. The side also scored just ten goals at home in the league, and zero after New Year's Day in 2007, a record low in top-flight English football.[35] Pearce was sacked at the end of the season in May 2007.[36]
In February 2007, before his sacking by Manchester City, Pearce had been appointed manager of theEngland national under-21 team,[37] initially part-time in conjunction with his role at Man City. Under his guidance, England reached the semi-finals of the2007 UEFA Under-21 Championships but were eliminated on penalties by the hosts, theNetherlands. This success, coupled with the ending of his job at City, saw him appointed as the full-time manager of the England under-21 team in July 2007.[38]
His role in the England set-up was extended in January 2008 when new managerFabio Capello appointed Pearce as a coach for the senior England team in addition to his under-21 duties.[39] Following Capello's resignation, in February 2012 Pearce acted as caretaker manager for the senior team; his sole match in charge was a 3–2 loss in a friendly against theNetherlands.[40]
In June 2009, Pearce guided the under-21s to the final of the2009 UEFA Under-21 Championship, where they lost 4–0 toGermany.[41] He was also manager of the U21 team which reached the2013 UEFA Under-21 Championship in Israel, where they were eliminated after losing all their group matches.[42] On 19 June 2013, it was announced bythe FA that his contract would not be extended.[43]
Pearce managed theGreat Britain Olympic football team for their matches at the2012 Summer Olympics.[44][45]

Pearce was appointed as the manager of Nottingham Forest, effective from 1 July 2014.[46] Under Pearce, Forest broke their transfer record by signing strikerBritt Assombalonga fromPeterborough United.[47]
After leading Forest to an unbeaten start to theseason, with thirteen points from an available fifteen, Pearce was named as a candidate for the league's Manager of the Month award for August.[48] He was beaten byKenny Jackett ofWolverhampton Wanderers, despite taking Forest to the top of the table by the end of August 2014 after a 1–0 away win againstSheffield Wednesday.[49] On 14 September 2014, Forest lost key playersChris Cohen andAndy Reid to injury in a 1–1 draw withDerby County, and Forest quickly lost form.[50] The team managed only three wins in twenty-one Championship matches, and was also knocked out of theFA Cup byRochdale. Pearce did manage to win the reverse fixture against Derby and bring theBrian Clough Trophy back to theCity Ground, but this was not enough to keep him in his job. He was dismissed on 1 February 2015 with Forest in 12th position in the Championship.[51]
After a spell working atPortsmouth,[52] Pearce joined former club West Ham United as an assistant to manager,David Moyes, in November 2017.[53] He left the east London club at the end of the2017–18 season, after Moyes' contract was not renewed.[54] In August 2020, Pearce returned to West Ham as a first-team coach, again assisting Moyes.[55] At the end of the 2021–22 season Pearce left the club to pursue other interests.[56]
Pearce was married to Liz for thirty years, with whom he had two children.[6] His daughter Chelsea is an equestrian and has regularly competed ineventing since 2010, including riding at three European Championships for Great Britain.[57][58]
His son Harley died in a tractor crash in Gloucestershire in October 2025, aged 21. In a statement, Pearce's family said: "Our family is truly shocked and utterly heartbroken at the loss of our cherished son and devoted brother, Harley."[59][60]
In August 1998, Pearce was involved in a serious car crash when the car he was driving was crushed by a lorry overturning and landing on the roof of the car. Pearce escaped with only minor hand injuries and a stiff back.[61]
InJanuary 1999, Pearce was made a Member of theOrder of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to football and his support for various charities.[62] His autobiography,Psycho, was released in 2001.[63]
Pearce is a devotee ofpunk rock and is visible as one of the members of a frenetic audience featured on the inside sleeve of the albumGod's Lonely Men by one of his favourite bands,the Lurkers.[6] He liststhe Stranglers as one of his favourite bands,[6] having seen them in concert over 300 times.[64] In 2021, he appeared in the music video for their single "This Song".[65]
Pearce suffered a medical emergency on a flight in March 2025. He was travelling on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Las Vegas to London when he fell ill. He was taken to hospital in St John's, Canada, where the plane was diverted to after he had received treatment on board from staff and medically-trained passengers.[66]
Pearce is a fan ofrugby league and is occasionally seen atWarrington Wolves games.[67]
Pearce has spent several years as a pundit and co-commentator onTalksport.
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Coventry City | 1983–84 | First Division | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 23 | 0 | ||
| 1984–85 | First Division | 29 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 4 | |||
| Total | 52 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 54 | 4 | ||||
| Nottingham Forest | 1985–86 | First Division | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 1 | ||
| 1986–87 | First Division | 39 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | — | — | 44 | 8 | |||
| 1987–88 | First Division | 34 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 1[a] | 0 | 43 | 6 | ||
| 1988–89 | First Division | 36 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | 5[b] | 3 | 54 | 10 | ||
| 1989–90 | First Division | 34 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 2 | — | 2[a] | 2 | 47 | 9 | ||
| 1990–91 | First Division | 33 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | 2[a] | 0 | 49 | 16 | ||
| 1991–92 | First Division | 30 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 1 | — | 5[a] | 1 | 48 | 9 | ||
| 1992–93 | Premier League | 23 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 2 | |||
| 1993–94 | First Division | 42 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 1[c] | 0 | 51 | 6 | ||
| 1994–95 | Premier League | 36 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 40 | 10 | |||
| 1995–96 | Premier League | 31 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8[d] | 0 | — | 44 | 6 | ||
| 1996–97 | Premier League | 33 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 5 | |||
| Total | 401 | 63 | 37 | 9 | 60 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 6 | 522 | 88 | ||
| Newcastle United | 1997–98 | Premier League | 25 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[e] | 1 | — | 36 | 1 | |
| 1998–99 | Premier League | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[f] | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | ||
| Total | 37 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | 52 | 1 | |||
| West Ham United | 1999–2000 | Premier League | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | |
| 2000–01 | Premier League | 34 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 42 | 3 | |||
| Total | 42 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 50 | 3 | |||
| Manchester City | 2001–02 | First Division | 38 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 43 | 3 | ||
| Career total | 570 | 72 | 52 | 10 | 69 | 10 | 14 | 1 | 16 | 6 | 721 | 99 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 1987 | 3 | 0 |
| 1988 | 5 | 0 | |
| 1989 | 11 | 0 | |
| 1990 | 14 | 1 | |
| 1991 | 10 | 1 | |
| 1992 | 10 | 1 | |
| 1993 | 2 | 1 | |
| 1994 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1995 | 5 | 1 | |
| 1996 | 10 | 0 | |
| 1997 | 4 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 78 | 5 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 April 1990 | Wembley Stadium,London, England | 2–1 | 4–2 | Friendly | [70] | |
| 2 | 8 June 1991 | Athletic Park,Wellington, New Zealand | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly | [71] | |
| 3 | 18 November 1992 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | 3–0 | 4–0 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification | [72] | |
| 4 | 8 September 1993 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification | [73] | |
| 5 | 15 November 1995 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | 1–1 | 3–1 | Friendly | [74] |
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Nottingham Forest (caretaker) | 20 December 1996 | 8 May 1997 | 24 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 029.2 |
| Manchester City | 12 March 2005 | 14 May 2007 | 97 | 34 | 20 | 43 | 035.1 |
| England U21 | 1 February 2007 | 18 June 2013 | 41 | 23 | 13 | 5 | 056.1 |
| England | 1 February 2012 | 31 February 2012 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 000.0 |
| Great Britain | 20 October 2011 | 4 August 2012 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 040.0 |
| Nottingham Forest | 1 July 2014 | 1 February 2015 | 32 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 031.3 |
| Total | 202 | 78 | 54 | 70 | 038.6 | ||
Wealdstone
Nottingham Forest
Manchester City
England[77]
Individual
England U21
Individual