The new Nottingham Forest manager? Whatever happens, now or in the future, Stuart Pearce will forever remain a City Ground legend. These are just a few of his best moments. Apologies for the quality of some…
1. England v Spain, 1996
It had been six years since that penalty against West Germany in the 1990 World Cup. As England faced Spain in the quarter-finals of the European Championships at Wembley, a shoot-out once again loomed. Cometh the hour, cometh the man.
2. Manchester United v Nottingham Forest, 1990
How do you silence Old Trafford’s Stretford End singing ‘Who missed in Italy? Stuart Pearce, Stuart Pearce …’ Like this.
3. Nottingham Forest v Leicester City, League Cup 1988
Pearce’s first-ever sending off was for ‘tackling’ Paul Reid. Twice. Daniel Harris wrote in the Guardian’s Joy of Six: Fouls, ‘[Stuart Pearce] neither loved nor chose violence, but was its personification and incarnation; he possessed it and it him and they delivered one another swiftly and often because neither could know any other.’
4. Nottingham Forest v Tottenham Hotspur, FA Cup Final 1991
Paul Gascoigne should’ve already been sent off for his chest-high tackle on Garry Parker. Minutes later Gazza scythed down Gary Charles and ruptured a cruciate ligament in his right knee. Pearce stepped up for the free-kick.
5. Nottingham Forest v Coventry City, League Cup semi-final 1990
Pearce scored a lot of free-kicks, but few as important — and memorable — as this one, which clinched a place in the League Cup final at Wembley against Oldham Athletic.
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6. Manchester City v Nottingham Forest, 1992
One of those where he runs and runs and runs…
7. Derby County v Nottingham Forest, 1989
Ask any Forest fan about their favourite Psycho moment and the infamous Ted McMinn challenge will invariably come up. And a classic one-two with Nigel Clough makes this a game to remember.
8. England v Yugoslavia, 1989
Stuart Pearce “does have a habit of catching players a bit late…” Dragan Stojkovic in this case.
9. Tottenham Hotspur v Nottingham Forest, 1991
Another one of those magical free-kicks.
10. Post-match honesty, 2006
You want a forthright manager? One who speaks from the heart?
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