Nigel Pearson

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Nigel Pearson
Personal information
Full nameNigel Graham Pearson
Date of birth (1963-08-21) 21 August 1963
Place of birthNottingham, England
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing positionDefender
Club information
Current clubLeicester City (manager)
Youth career
1980–1981Heanor Town
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1981–1987Shrewsbury Town153(5)
1987–1994Sheffield Wednesday180(14)
1994–1998Middlesbrough115(5)
Total448(24)
Teams managed
1998–1999Carlisle United
2006West Bromwich Albion (caretaker)
2007England U21 (caretaker)
2007Newcastle United (caretaker)
2008Newcastle United (caretaker)
2008Southampton
2008–2010Leicester City
2010–2011Hull City
2011–Leicester City
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Nigel Graham Pearson (born 21 August 1963) is an English football manager and former professional player. He is currently in his second spell as manager of Leicester City, having previously managed Hull City, Southampton and Carlisle United, and been assistant manager for England Under-21s and Newcastle United. During his playing career, he was a defender and played for Shrewsbury Town, Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough.

Playing career

Shrewsbury Town

Pearson was born in Nottingham where he attended William Sharp Comprehensive school, and began his playing career with non-league Heanor Town before joining Second Division Shrewsbury Town in November 1981.[1] He made his first team debut in a 1–0 defeat at Oldham Athletic on the opening day of the 1982–83 season. Pearson's first Football League goal came on 12 March 1983 in a 3–1 win against Barnsley at Gay Meadow. Pearson ended the season with 39 out of a possible 42 starts as Shrewsbury finished in ninth place in the table.

The following season, Shrewsbury finished one place higher but injuries restricted Pearson to 26 games. Injury prevented him from playing at all in 1984–85, when Shrewsbury again finished eighth in the table, but he returned in 1985–86 making 35 appearances as Shrewsbury dropped to 17th.

In 1986–87 he was an ever-present, making 42 appearances and contributing three goals, as the Shrews finished in 18th place. He started the next season, before being signed by Sheffield Wednesday's manager Howard Wilkinson on 12 October 1987 for a fee of £250,000.

In his six years with Shrewsbury Town, he made a total of 184 appearances in all competitions, scoring five goals.

Sheffield Wednesday

He moved to Sheffield Wednesday in 1987.

He won the League Cup as Sheffield Wednesday captain, during the 1990–91 season, being selected as "Man of the Match" in the final at Wembley. In the same season, he also helped Sheffield Wednesday win promotion to Division One. During the 1992–93 season, he helped Sheffield Wednesday reach both domestic cup finals, but sadly broke his leg in the League Cup semi-final, and therefore could not play in either final. In all Pearson made more than 200 appearances for the Owls, scoring 14 league goals – including the club's first in the Premier League in a 1–1 draw with Everton at Goodison Park on the opening day of the 1992–93 season.[2]

Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough manager Bryan Robson signed Pearson for £750,000 in 1994. Pearson captained them to promotion twice and to three domestic cup finals. Pearson retired from playing in 1998.[1]

Managerial career

Early career

As manager of Carlisle United, Pearson helped to keep the club in the Football League at the end of the 1998–99 season. He signed goalkeeper Jimmy Glass on loan, who scored an injury-time goal against Plymouth Argyle, saving the club from relegation to the Football Conference at the expense of Scarborough.[3] The match was Pearson's last in charge of the Brunton Park outfit.

In 1999 he was recruited as Stoke City's first team coach by Gary Megson. Although Megson was sacked later that year by the club's Icelandic consortium, Pearson was kept on for a further two years under Gudjon Thordarson, before being sacked in 2001.[4]

Pearson moved to West Bromwich Albion in November 2004 as assistant manager to Bryan Robson,[5] and took over as caretaker manager when Robson left the club in September 2006.[6] Albion won three and drew one of his matches in charge, before stepping down from the role in preparation for the arrival of new manager Tony Mowbray.[7]

On 19 October 2006, he was linked with the Sheffield Wednesday manager's position but instead took over as assistant manager of Newcastle United, replacing Kevin Bond, who was dismissed following a bung scandal. Pearson's influence was most apparent in Newcastle's defence, which looked a lot more composed after Pearson became assistant manager.

On 1 February 2007, Pearson was confirmed as assistant coach to Stuart Pearce, the England U21 team manager, until after the 2007 European Championships. As Pearce's contract limited him to involvement in only one friendly before the Championship, Pearson led the under-21s in their 3–3 draw against Italy on 24 March 2007, the first game at the new Wembley Stadium.[8][9]

When Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder resigned on 6 May 2007, Nigel Pearson took charge of the remaining game of the season, away to Watford. Pearson stayed on at Newcastle as a coach following the arrival of Sam Allardyce as manager at the club.[10] On 9 January, following the departure of manager Sam Allardyce, he was re-appointed as caretaker manager for Newcastle's trip to Manchester United.[11] Newcastle lost 6–0, thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo hat trick, a brace from Carlos Tévez and a rare Rio Ferdinand goal. On 16 January 2008, after Kevin Keegan had been announced as the next permanent manager of the club, Pearson took charge of the team for the 3rd round FA Cup replay against Stoke City, which Newcastle won 4–1. On 8 February, though, it was announced that Pearson had left the club.[12]

Southampton

On 18 February 2008, Pearson was appointed as manager of Southampton on a rolling contract.[13] His career at Southampton got off to a poor start, losing 2–0 to Plymouth Argyle on the day he took charge; he thus had no involvement in selecting the team. He saw his first point and goal away at Scunthorpe United.

On 4 May 2008, with only one game to go at home to Sheffield United, the Saints were facing relegation to League 1. After going 1–0 down, Pearson's side pulled-off an impressive comeback to win the game 3–2, and secure Championship status for another season, at the expense of Leicester City, who could only manage a 0–0 draw with Stoke City. On 30 May 2008, Pearson was replaced by Dutch coach Jan Poortvliet after only three months in charge.[14]

Leicester City

On 20 June 2008, Pearson was appointed as manager of Leicester City.[15] Craig Shakespeare became the club's first team coach and co-assistant manager alongside Steve Walsh (a former Chelsea chief scout, and not the Leicester City player of the same name).[16] As well as having worked together on the West Bromwich Albion coaching staff, the two had also played together at Sheffield Wednesday. Shakespeare once said that Pearson was the best captain he had ever played under.[17] Pearson was named League One Manager of the Month for August 2008 after Leicester won three of their first four games, scoring nine goals and conceding only once. After the disappointing defeat of losing 3–2 away to Brighton & Hove Albion despite being 2–0 up at half-time, Leicester bounced back with a club record 23 match unbeaten run in the league between 1 November 2008 and 7 Match 2009, before finally being beaten 2–0 to Tranmere Rovers.[18] He was again named the League One Manager of the Month during that run in December 2008. On 18 April 2009, Leicester won 2–0 at Southend United, confirming their promotion back to the Championship as League One champions. The season finished with the club racking up their highest ever point tally of 96 points as they lost just 4 of their 46 league games (also a club record for fewest defeats).

Veteran full-back Chris Powell also joined Pearson's coaching staff as a player/coach in the summer of 2009,[19] as Leicester continued their upsurge in form under Pearson the following season in the Championship, Leicester completed a full calendar year of being undefeated at home before a 2–1 defeat against Preston North End on 26 September 2009 ended the longest unbeaten home run in the country.[20] Leicester spent almost the entire season in the play-off positions and an impressive month of February saw Pearson pick up the Championship Manager of the Month award. Leicester eventually finished an impressive 5th place in their first season back in the Championship, booking themselves a place in the Championship play-offs and a chance of back-to-back promotions. However, they were defeated by Cardiff City by virtue of a penalty shoot-out in the play-off semi final, despite fighting back from a 2 goal aggregate deficit in the second leg to briefly lead 3–2.

At the end of the season, Pearson took a hard line on controversial Leicester defender Wayne Brown, who had publicly admitted in front of his team mates – including some of ethnic minority backgrounds – that he had voted for the far right British National Party in the general election on 6 May. He dropped Brown from the side for the playoffs.[21] During the close season, Brown left the club to sign for Preston North End.[22]

Despite his relative success in his 2 years at Leicester, he often had a very strained relationship with chairman Milan Mandaric and chief executive Lee Hoos and in the summer of 2010, Leicester's chairman Milan Mandaric showed a consortium of potential club buyers round the club without Pearson's permission and invited Paulo Sousa to the second leg of the play-off semi final. The club then allowed Hull City to speak to him. Pearson claimed "it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out what's happening" claiming the club didn't want to keep him. He then left Leicester to take the job at Hull City and Paulo Sousa was later appointed as his successor.[23][24]

Hull City

On 29 June 2010, he was appointed Hull City manager.[25] Despite severe financial difficulties following relegation from the Premier League, Pearson was still able to make some movement in the transfer market, bringing in players such Nolberto Solano, Liam Rosenior, Robert Koren and Jay Simpson. Despite winning the opening game against the future play-off winners Swansea City, Hull City under Pearson endured a slow start to the campaign. Things began to turn for the better when the club won their first away game in over a year at Norwich City in September. Following that victory, Pearson led the club to breaking a 66-year-old record with 14 consecutive away games without defeat.[26] The season ended with an 11th-place finish.

Hull started the 2011–12 season well, with the club sitting one point outside the play-offs with a game in hand in the middle of November,[27] however during the November international break it was clear his spell at Hull was coming to an end when on 7 November 2011 he requested permission to talk to his former club Leicester.[28]

Leicester City (second spell)

After Mandaric and Hoos had departed the club, Pearson was persuaded to rejoin Leicester City under their new ownership by chairman Vichai Raksriaksorn and after days of negotiations he was finally re-appointed as manager on 15 November 2011 with Leicester sitting 12th in the Championship.[29][30] Pearson started well, taking seven points from his first three games which took Leicester into the top six for the first time since he had last been at the club, over 18 months previously,[31] before Leicester faced the Hull City side Pearson had left just 18 days earlier. Leicester lost the game 2–1 thanks to a late Robert Koren strike, as Pearson was greeted with chants of "Judas" from the Hull fans.[32] That result also signalled a downturn in form, beginning a run which saw Leicester fail to win for 5 consecutive games.[33] However, after the new year, Pearson rang the changes for the trip to Crystal Palace in an attempt to get back to winning ways, recalling Aleksander Tunchev to play his first match of the season and bringing in reserve team player Tom Kennedy, who Pearson signed just weeks before he left the club at the end of his first spell, but who had only featured once in 19 months under the subsequent managers Paulo Sousa and Sven-Göran Eriksson and 18 year old youth academy graduate Liam Moore to make his first team debut for the club. His inexperienced team selection paid off as Leicester earnt a 2–1 victory to end their winless run.[34]

Pearson was sent to the stands in a 2–2 draw against his former club Middlesbrough, after the referee had allegedly "barged" into Leicester's dressing room unannounced, to which Pearson reacted angrily. The referee then left it to the fourth official to tell him he had been sent off. Pearson then appealed his sending off saying "I was giving my players instructions and there is no chance I will tolerate anyone coming in there who has nothing to do with my team. I'm within my rights to tell him to get out – he was telling me to hurry up. I can't wait to see the fall-out and I can't wait to appeal."[35][36] Pearson's appeal was successful and he faced no disciplinary action from the FA.[37] After an inconsistent season, Leicester ended the season finishing ninth in the Championship.[38]

Pearson brought in Anthony Knockaert, Jamie Vardy, Zak Whitbread, Richie De Laet, Matty James and Márkó Futács over the summer in an attempt to strengthen the squad while letting go some high earners brought in by the previous regime including Matt Mills, Darius Vassell, John Pantsil and Sol Bamba, as well as players he had signed in his first spell at the club including veterans Steve Howard and Matt Oakley (both regulars during his first spell at the club), injury prone defender Aleksander Tunchev and Tom Kennedy.[39][40] Leicester made a slow start to the 2012–13 season, losing three of their first five league games and a surprising defeat in the second round of the League Cup to the hands of League Two side Burton Albion, however a run of five straight victories saw Leicester sit top of the table after twelve games and also earnt Pearson a nomination for Championship Manager of the Month in September.[41][42] However, a drop in form in mid season saw Leicester fall to fifth. The signing of Chris Wood though saw a rejuvenated Leicester go on another run of five consecutive wins (which included Wood scoring 5 goals in 4 games) saw Leicester reprise 2nd place in the Championship table, behind leaders Cardiff City and Pearson this time winning the Championship Manager of the Month award for January 2013.[43] Again a drop in form followed Leicester City's rise to second spot, and the club just got into the Championship play-offs on goal difference following their last gasp 3-2 win against neighbours Nottingham Forest on the last day of the season.[44] After winning the first leg against third placed Watford 1-0, Pearson's Leicester City narrowly lost the second leg of the play offs 3-1, after Anthony Knockaert missed a last minute penalty which would have sent them to Wembley.[45]

The 2013-14 season saw Leicester recover from their play-off defeat of the previous season, starting well and sitting in 2nd place at Christmas. It was during this time the club started a club record win for consecutive victories, winning 9 games between 21 December 2013-1 February 2014, which saw the club pull 10 points clear at the top of the Championship and earnt Pearson the Championship Manager of the Month award for January 2014.[46]

Managerial statistics

As of match played 1 February 2014.
Team From To Record
G W D L Win %
Carlisle United 17 December 1998 17 May 1999 305131216.66
West Bromwich Albion (caretaker) 18 September 2006 16 October 2006 431075.00
England U21 (caretaker) 24 March 2007 25 March 2007 101000.00
Newcastle United (caretaker) 6 May 2007 15 May 2007 101000.00
Newcastle United (caretaker) 9 January 2008 16 January 2008 210150.00
Southampton 18 February 2008 30 May 2008 1437421.43
Leicester City 20 June 2008 29 June 2010 107553022 51.40
Hull City 29 June 2010 15 November 2011 6423202135.94
Leicester City 15 November 2011 Present 12362243750.41
Total 346 152 97 97 43.93

List of seasons

  • LC = League Cup
  • FLT = Football League Trophy
  • - = Incomplete Season
Champions Runners-up Third / SF Unfinished
Season Club Division Nat Domestic Trophies
League Cup LC FLT
1998–99 Carlisle United Third Div England 23rd 0
2007–08 Southampton Champ England 20th 0
2008–09 Leicester City Lg One England 1st 3R 2R QF 1
2009–10 Champ England 5th 4R 2R 0
2010–11 Hull City England 11th 3R 2R 0
2011–12 England - 0
Leicester City England 9th 6R 3R 0
2012–13 England 6th 4R 2R 0

Honours

As a player

Sheffield Wednesday
Middlesbrough

As a manager

Leicester City

Individual

Leicester City

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Walker, Alex (10 February 2005). "The ones that got away". BBC Nottingham Sport. Retrieved 18 February 2008. 
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ "Pearson still in shock at Newcastle". Hickman, Niall (Daily Express). 12 May 2007. Retrieved 24 May 2007. 
  4. ↑ "Stoke sack Pearson". BBC Sport. 25 June 2001. Retrieved 12 January 2008. 
  5. ↑ "Baggies appoint Robson as manager". BBC Sport. 9 November 2004. Retrieved 18 February 2008. 
  6. ↑ "Robson and West Brom part company". BBC Sport. 18 September 2006. Retrieved 27 May 2007. 
  7. ↑ "Pearson stands down at West Brom". BBC Sport. 17 October 2006. Retrieved 27 May 2007. 
  8. ↑ "Pearson relishing Wembley honour". Fletcher, Paul (BBC Sport). 23 March 2007. Retrieved 23 March 2007. 
  9. ↑ "Pearson: It's a 'real honour'". Football Association. 24 March 2007. Retrieved 12 April 2011. 
  10. ↑ "Coach Round set for Magpies role". BBC Sport. 29 June 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2007. 
  11. ↑ "Allardyce reign ends at Newcastle". BBC Sport. 9 January 2008. Retrieved 13 January 2008. 
  12. ↑ "Pearson leaves Newcastle". Sky Sports. 9 February 2008. Retrieved 9 February 2008. 
  13. ↑ "New manager named". Southampton FC. 18 February 2008. Retrieved 18 February 2008. 
  14. ↑ Ashdown, John (30 May 2008). "Southampton replace Pearson with Poortvliet". London: Guardian newspaper. Retrieved 1 July 2008. 
  15. ↑ "Pearson appointed Leicester boss". BBC Sport. 20 June 2008. Retrieved 16 July 2008. 
  16. ↑ "Pearson Adds Duo To Backroom Staff". LCFC.co.uk. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2008. 
  17. ↑ "Craig Shakespeare – Simply the Best". West Bromwich Albion FC. 15 July 2007. Retrieved 16 July 2008. 
  18. ↑ "11/03/09 – Tranmere Rovers 2 City 0". thisisleicestershire.co.uk. Retrieved 13 November 2011. 
  19. ↑ "Powell On Board". LCFC.com. Retrieved 10 February 2012. 
  20. ↑ Liew, Jonathan (26 September 2009). "Leicester City 1 Preston North End 2: match report". London: telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 13 November 2011. 
  21. ↑ Hunter, Derek (16 May 2010). "Revealed: What BNP supporter Wayne Brown said to enrage his Leicester team-mates". Mail Online (London). Retrieved 12 April 2011. 
  22. ↑ "Preston North End sign Craig Morgan and Wayne Brown". BBC Sport (BBC). 6 July 2010. Retrieved 12 April 2011. 
  23. ↑ "Former boss Nigel Pearson explains Leicester City exit". BBC.co.uk. 2 October 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2011. 
  24. ↑ "Hull City name Nigel Pearson as new manager". BBC.co.uk. 29 June 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2011. 
  25. ↑ "Hull City name Nigel Pearson as new manager". BBC Sport. 29 June 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2010. 
  26. ↑ "Coventry 0–1 Hull: Daily Mirror match report". Daily Mirror. 13 March 2010. Retrieved 26 September 2011. 
  27. ↑ "English League Championship 2011–2012 : Table". statto.com. Retrieved 15 November 2011. 
  28. ↑ "Nigel Pearson asks for Leicester City talks". sportsmole.co.uk. Retrieved 15 November 2011. 
  29. ↑ "Pearson Appointed Leicester City Manager". LCFC.com. Retrieved 15 November 2011. 
  30. ↑ "English League Championship 2011–2012 : Table 6.11.2011". statto.com. Retrieved 1 December 2011. 
  31. ↑ "Pearson Quick To Praise Players". LCFC.com. Retrieved 1 December 2011. 
  32. ↑ "Can you hear us? Travelling fans sing their hearts out for Pearson". thisisleicestershire.co.uk. Retrieved 9 December 2011. 
  33. ↑ "2011/12 Fixtures & Results". LCFC.con. Retrieved 1 January 2012. 
  34. ↑ "Crystal Palace vs Leicester City". LCFC.com. Retrieved 9 January 2012. 
  35. ↑ "Leicester draw with Middlesbrough after Pearson clashes with referee". guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2012. 
  36. ↑ "Leicester 2–2 Middlesbrough: Pearson ref rage". mirrorfootball.co.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2012. 
  37. ↑ "No FA charge for Leicester City's Nigel Pearson". thisisleicestershire.co.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2012. 
  38. ↑ "English League Championship 2011-2012 : Table". statto.com. Retrieved 7 October 2012. 
  39. ↑ "Championship 2012–13 season preview: the bloggers' view". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 October 2012. 
  40. ↑ "Championship guide 2012–13". thisisnottinghamshire. Retrieved 7 October 2012. 
  41. ↑ "Fixture List". Leicester City FC. Retrieved 7 October 2012. 
  42. ↑ "Award Nominations For Nigel And Wes". LCFC.com. Retrieved 12 October 2012. 
  43. ↑ "Pearson named Manager of the Month". Football League. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013. 
  44. ↑ "Nott'm Forest 2-3 Leicester". Football League. 4 May 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013. 
  45. ↑ "Watford 3-1 Leicester". 4 May 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013. 
  46. ↑ "Nigel Named Sky Bet Manager of the Month". LCFC.com. Retrieved 7 February 2014. 

External links

Leicester City F.C. – current squad
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