Former England footballer Stuart Pearce is currently recovering in a hospital in Canada after experiencing a medical emergency while on a flight from the US. The 62-year-old had been in Las Vegas to watch the Super League match between Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves before falling ill on his return flight with Virgin Atlantic.
After receiving immediate medical attention on the flight, the decision was made for an emergency landing. Despite the scare, Pearce’s colleague from TalkSport, Sam Matterface, reassured everyone that Pearce was in good spirits.
Speaking from the Nottingham Forest vs. Manchester City game, Matterface said, “I spoke to him yesterday, he’s in great spirits. He’s not feeling 100%, but he’s being well taken care of in the hospital.”
Applause erupted at the City Ground after three minutes as a tribute to Pearce, who wore the number three during his career. Messages displayed on the stadium screens wished him a speedy recovery.
Pearce, known for his fierce playing style and nicknamed ‘Psycho’, represented England 78 times. He was part of the team that reached the semi-finals in the 1990 World Cup and 1996 European Championship. Pearce also had a brief stint as caretaker manager for the national team in 2012.