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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2012}}
{{Infobox football biography
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Alex Pearce
| name = Alex Pearcedumbbo
| image = Alex Pearce.png
| image = Alex Pearce.png
| caption = Pearce in 2008
| caption = Pearce in 2008

Revision as of 16:23, 7 March 2013

Alex Pearcedumbbo
Pearce in 2008
Personal information
Full name Alexander James Pearce
Date of birth (1988-11-09) 9 November 1988 (age 35)
Place of birth Wallingford, England[1]
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Position(s) Centre back
Team information
Current team
 Reading
Number 5
Youth career
2001–2006 Reading
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006– Reading 124 (11)
2007 → Northampton Town (loan) 15 (1)
2007–2008 → Bournemouth (loan) 11 (0)
2008 → Norwich City (loan) 11 (0)
2008 → Southampton (loan) 9 (2)
International career‡
2006–2007 Scotland U19 3 (0)
2008 Scotland U21 2 (0)
2012– Republic of Ireland 1 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:58, 2 March 2013 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:17, 11 September 2012 (UTC)

Alexander James Pearce (born 9 November 1988) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Reading, where he has played his entire career, interspersed with loan periods at various clubs. He has made two international appearances for the Scotland under-21 team but has played for the Ireland at full international level, having scored on his debut against Oman.

Club career

Pearce was born in Wallingford, Oxfordshire and attended The Oratory School[2] in Woodcote until Sixth form, when he dedicated his time towards attending Reading's youth academy. He signed a three year professional contract with Reading on 23 October 2006 and made his Reading debut in an FA Cup third round game against Burnley on 9 January 2007, coming off the bench to replace Ívar Ingimarsson in the 74th minute.

On 9 February 2007, he joined Northampton Town on a month's loan.[3] He made his league debut in Northampton's 1–0 loss to Nottingham Forest,[4] but received praise from manager Stuart Gray for his performance.[5] He scored his first goal for Northampton in a 2–1 win over Scunthorpe on 8 April 2007.[6] His loan was extended to the end of the 2006–07 season on 8 March 2007,[7] returning to Reading in time to skipper the reserve team in the Premier Reserve League national final.[8] In the final, Reading were crowned champions after a 2–0 win over Bolton Wanderers, with goals from Alan Bennett and Pearce, to secure the trophy that had been won by Manchester United for the previous two years.[9]

On 2 November 2007, Pearce joined Bournemouth on loan until 8 December,[10] which was subsequently extended to 3 January 2008.[11] On 21 December 2007, it was announced that Pearce had signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract. Nick Hammond said Pearce "has a superb work ethic and mentality which gives him every chance of a long and successful career here at Reading."[12]

On his return from loan he played in the FA Cup fourth round replay against Spurs on 15 January 2008 at the Madejski Stadium, with the new England boss Fabio Capello in the stands. Pearce was handed his full debut at the start of the game, and put in a very solid performance before being sacrificed at half time as Steve Coppell made a tactical change and went from 5–4–1 to 4–4–2. Coppell said "People will think the substitution was based on performance, but that couldn't be further from the truth. We just had a game plan and stuck to it."[13]

Pearce made another loan move on 31 January 2008, this time joining Championship side Norwich City until the end of the 2007–08 season.[14] Upon his return to Reading he scored his first goal for them in a League Cup win over Luton Town on 26 August 2008.[15] He then went on loan to Southampton on 31 October 2008 until the end of December.[16] He made his debut at Preston North End on 1 November, scoring Southampton's first goal as they came from 2–0 down to claim a 3–2 victory.[17]

Following the departure of Reading's manager Steve Coppell and the arrival of his replacement, Brendan Rodgers, Pearce was appointed Reading's vice captain.[18] Due to an injury to new club captain Ívar Ingimarsson, Pearce started the 2009–10 in the first team side as captain. Pearce won Player of the Season for Reading in the 2011–12 Football League Championship winning season and was solid at the back all year whilst scoring goals of his own.[19]

International career

Despite being born in England, Pearce qualified to play for Scotland through his parents, and represented them at youth level.[3] He made his debut for the Scotland U21 team in their 4–1 defeat to Norway U21 in Kilmarnock on 20 May 2008.[20][21]

Also eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland,[22] having played for Ireland at Under-14[23] schoolboy level[23] he made the switch to represent Ireland after Scotland denied him full senior international honours. In October 2011, he stated "The country I have always wanted to play for is Ireland."[23]

Pearce was called into the full Ireland squad on 8 September 2012 ahead of an international friendly against Oman three days later.[24] He scored a goal on his debut in a 4-1 victory on 11 September 2012.[25]

Career statistics

As of match played 2 March 2013[26]
Club performance League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
2006–07 Reading Premier League 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2006–07 Northampton Town (loan) League One 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 1
2007–08 Reading Premier League 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 3 0
2007–08 Bournemouth (loan) League One 11 0 0 0 0 0 1[a] 0 12 0
2007–08 Norwich City (loan) Championship 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 0
2008–09 Reading 16 1 1 0 3 1 1[b] 0 21 2
2008–09 Southampton (loan) 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 2
2009–10 Reading 25 4 1 0 2 0 0 0 28 4
2010–11 21 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 24 1
2011–12 46 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 47 5
2012–13 Premier League 16 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 18 0
Career total 170 14 8 0 9 1 2 0 189 15
a Appearance in the Football League Trophy
b Appearance in the Championship play-offs

International goals

As of match played 11 September 2012
# Date Venue Opponent Result Competition
1. 11 September 2012 Craven Cottage, London, England  Oman 4–1 Friendly

Honours

Reading

References

  1. ^ Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2012). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2012–2013 (43rd ed.). London: Headline. p. 521. ISBN 978-0-7553-6356-8.
  2. ^ "ISFA - Current Professional Players". ISFA.org.uk.
  3. ^ a b "Pearce secures loan move as he looks to gain valuable League experience". readingfc.co.uk. 9 February 2007. Retrieved 9 February 2007.
  4. ^ "Nottm Forest 1–0 Northampton". BBC Sport. 10 February 2007. Archived from the original on 12 February 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2007. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ "High praise for Pearce following his impressive League debut for Northampton". readingfc.co.uk. 13 February 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2007.
  6. ^ "Northampton 2–1 Scunthorpe". BBC. 8 April 2007. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  7. ^ "Pearce extends his Cobblers loan". readingfc.co.uk. 8 March 2007. Retrieved 8 March 2007.
  8. ^ "Pearce and Cox back in the fold ahead of Bolton Wanderers reserve play-off". readingfc.co.uk. 10 May 2007. Retrieved 13 May 2007.
  9. ^ "Reserves are crowned the Premiership champions". readingfc.co.uk. 11 May 2007. Retrieved 13 May 2007.
  10. ^ "Cherries Finalise Loan Swoop". afcb.co.uk. 2 November 2007. Retrieved 2 November 2007.
  11. ^ "Trio extend loan stints". readingfc.co.uk. 12 December 2007. Archived from the original on 13 December 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2007. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ "Defender signs until 2010". readingfc.co.uk. 21 December 2007. Archived from the original on 22 December 2007. Retrieved 21 December 2007. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ "Verdict on Federici, Cox, Pearce & Lita". readingfc.co.uk. 16 January 2008. Archived from the original on 17 January 2008. Retrieved 16 January 2008. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ "Royals duo make City loan". readingfc.co.uk. 31 January 2008. Archived from the original on 1 February 2008. Retrieved 31 January 2008. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ "Reading 5–1 Luton". BBC. 26 August 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  16. ^ "Alex Pearce arrives". www.saintsfc.co.uk. 31 October 2008. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
  17. ^ "Remember, Remember the 1st of November… McGoldrick, Surman and Pearce!". www.saintsfc.co.uk. 1 November 2008. Retrieved 18 December 2008.
  18. ^ "Ivar announced as new captain". readingfc.co.uk. 6 August 2009. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  19. ^ "Pearce named Player of the Season". Reading Football Club. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  20. ^ "Mixed emotions for Pearce". readingfc.co.uk. 22 May 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2008.
  21. ^ "Scotland U21 1–4 Norway U21". BBC Sport. 20 May 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2008.
  22. ^ "Fresh talent on Long list". Herald. 8 April 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  23. ^ a b c "Reid 'unlikely' to make Irish return under Trapattoni". Irish Independent. 22 October 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
  24. ^ McClean survives after tweet apology
  25. ^ "Republic of Ireland 4-1 Oman". RTÉ Sport. 11 September 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  26. ^ "Alex Pearce". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 February 2013.

External links

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