Former England international Stuart Pearce is recovering in hospital in Canada after suffering a medical emergency on board a flight from the United States.
The 62-year-old had been in Las Vegas attending the Super League clash between Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves when he fell ill on his Virgin Atlantic flight home.
After receiving treatment on board, a decision was made for the plane to make an emergency landing, although Pearce’s TalkSport colleague, Sam Matterface, said he was “in great spirits”.
Matterface, reporting from the game between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City – two of Pearce’s former clubs – which Forest won 1-0, said: “I spoke to him [Pearce] yesterday, he’s in great spirits.
“He isn’t 100%, that is definitely the case, but he is in the right place, he is in the hospital. They are dealing with it.
“He is a little bit disappointed about not being here today [the City Ground], he was most frustrated about that.
Psycho. ❤️
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) March 8, 2025
“He actually said to me, ‘I have got so much I had to cancel. Some great games, and Mumford and Sons are playing on Wednesday night and I can’t go now’. He wasn’t happy about that. He is in good spirits.”
Applause could be heard from supporters at the game after three minutes – the number Pearce wore during his career – while messages displayed on screens inside the stadium which read: “Get well soon Stuart.”
Pearce, widely regarded as a fierce and intimidating competitor during his playing career and nicknamed ‘Psycho’, appeared 78 times for England.
He was part of the Three Lions team that reached the semi-finals at both the 1990 World Cup and 1996 European Championship, and was caretaker manager of the men’s national team for one game in 2012.
