Stuart Pearce ‘in great spirits’ in hospital after health scare on flight

Former England and Nottingham Forest defender Stuart Pearce is recovering in a Canadian hospital after suffering a medical emergency on board a flight from the United States.

Commentator Sam Matterface, whom Pearce works alongside for radio station talkSPORT, has reported the 62-year-old is in good spirits after his flight from Las Vegas to Heathrow last weekend was diverted to St John’s in Canada.

Pearce, who had been in the US to attend last Saturday’s Super League match between Wigan and the Warrington team he supports, became unwell on his Virgin Atlantic flight home. After receiving treatment, a decision was made to make an emergency landing.

“I spoke to him yesterday, he’s in great spirits,” said Matterface from the City Ground ahead of Saturday’s game between Forest and Manchester City, another of Pearce’s former clubs.

“He isn’t 100 per cent, 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, he was most frustrated about that. 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.”

A message was displayed on the big screen at City Ground reading, ‘Get Well Soon Stuart’ after three minutes of the Premier League game, recognising Pearce’s old shirt number three.

He made 401 appearances for Nottingham Forest during a 12-year stint and also played for Coventry, Newcastle, West Ham and Manchester City, whom he later managed.

He also earned 78 caps for England and played in the semi-finals of the 1990 World Cup, in which he missed a penalty in the shoot-out