Tom Pearce (footballer) explained

Tom Pearce
Fullname:Tom Mark Pearce[1]
Birth Date:12 April 1998
Birth Place:Ormskirk, England
Height:1.85 m[2]
Currentclub:CF Montréal
Clubnumber:46
Youthyears1:2003–2014
Youthclubs1:Everton
Youthyears2:2014–2018
Youthclubs2:Leeds United
Years1:2018–2019
Clubs1:Leeds United
Caps1:7
Goals1:1
Years2:2019
Clubs2:Scunthorpe United (loan)
Caps2:9
Goals2:1
Years3:2019–2024
Clubs3:Wigan Athletic
Caps3:75
Goals3:1
Years4:2024–
Clubs4:CF Montréal
Caps4:0
Goals4:0
Nationalyears1:2018–2019
Nationalteam1:England U20
Nationalcaps1:8
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2018
Nationalteam2:England U21
Nationalcaps2:2
Nationalgoals2:0
Club-Update:23:08, 3 December 2023 (UTC)

Tom Mark Pearce (born 12 April 1998) is an English footballer who plays as a left-back for Major League Soccer club CF Montréal.

Club career

Leeds United

Pearce started his career at Everton youth academy before joining Leeds United's academy in 2014. He rose up through the ranks of the Leeds youth academy. He impressed for Leeds Under 18s during the 2015–16 season, scoring eight goals from left back in 26 games.[3]

On 9 June 2016, Pearce signed a professional contract for the club, progressing in Leeds' Under 23 squad.[4] Pearce was given his first call up to the first team on 7 January 2018, when he was named on the bench against Newport County in a 2–1 defeat in the third round of the FA Cup. He was allocated squad number 46.[5] His first involvement in a League squad came on 31 January, when he was named on the bench in a 0–0 draw against Hull City,[6] he was again named on the bench in the consecutive league fixture on 3 February 2018 by head coach Thomas Christiansen in a 1–4 defeat against Cardiff City.[7]

He was named on the Leeds bench again under new coach Paul Heckingbottom on 10 March 2018.[8] He made his first start for the club on 17 March 2018 under head coach Paul Heckingbottom, starting in Leeds' Championship fixture against Sheffield Wednesday.[9] On 16 April 2018, Pearce was nominated as one of four players for Leeds United's Young Player of The Year award.[10]

After playing in the 1–0 defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park, Pearce started again against Barnsley on 21 March scoring his first ever professional goal in a 2–1 victory with a long range effort. He also received the man of the match award.[11]

With Premier League interest in Pearce from his former club Everton and also AFC Bournemouth, in May 2018 Leeds held talks with Pearce about a new contract with his current deal set to expire in June 2018.[12] On 18 May 2018, Leeds announced they had offered Pearce a new contract.[13] On 7 June, he signed a new four-year contract to keep him at Leeds United.[14] On 26 July 2018, Pearce was given the number 20 shirt for the upcoming 2018–19 season for Leeds.[15] After falling behind new signing Barry Douglas in the pecking order at the start of the season, Pearce was mainly named as a substitute under new head coach Marcelo Bielsa, until he was ruled out with a foot injury and subsequently missed 10 games due to the injury,[16] before returning from injury on 6 January 2019 during a 2–1 defeat to Queens Park Rangers in the third round of the FA Cup.[17]

Scunthorpe United loan

On 31 January 2019, Pearce joined EFL League One side Scunthorpe United on a six month loan.[18] He made his debut on 9 February in a 2–0 win against Accrington Stanley.[19]

In total, he made nine appearances for Scunthorpe in League One, scoring his only goal for the club on 12 March 2019 with a long range strike in a 4–1 win over Southend United.[20]

After returning to Leeds in the summer of 2019, in July 2019, Pearce was the subject of interest of a loan move to Greek Super League side Aris Thessaloniki F.C. who would also play in the Europa League in the upcoming 2019–20 season.[21] [22]

Wigan Athletic

On deadline day in summer 2019, Pearce signed a three-year deal with Wigan Athletic for an undisclosed fee.[23] He scored his first goal for Wigan in an EFL Trophy tie against Port Vale on 6 October 2020.[24] In January 2022, Pearce signed a further contract with Wigan Athletic until summer 2024.

On 10 May 2024 the club announced he would be released.[25]

CF Montréal

On 12 July 2024, Pearce signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Major League Soccer side CF Montréal.[26]

International career

On 18 May 2018, Pearce received a call up to England U21s for the first time by manager Adrian Boothroyd, for the Toulon Tournament with Englands group containing fixtures against Qatar, China and Mexico.[27] He made his debut on 26 May against China in a 2–1 victory.[28] On 9 June 2018, he was named on the bench for the 2018 Toulon Tournament final against Mexico U21 with England winning the tournament after beating Mexico 2–1 in the final.[29]

In September 2018, Pearce was called up to the England U20 squad for the first time, and was an unused substitute on 6 September in a 2–0 victory against Switzerland U20s.[30] He made his debut for the Under 20s on 10 September against Netherlands U20.[31]

Pearce was called-up to the England U20 squad for the 2019 Toulon Tournament.[32]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Leeds United2017–18Championship5100000051
2018–19Championship2010200050
Total71102000101
Scunthorpe United (loan)2018–19League One9100000091
Wigan Athletic2019–20Championship7010000080
2020–21League One23010103[33] 1281
2021–2260302020130
Total360503051491
Career total522605051683

Honours

England U21

2018[34]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018: Leeds United . English Football League . 21 . 17 June 2018.
  2. Web site: Tom Pearce . Wigan Athletic F.C. . 25 August 2022.
  3. Web site: Leeds United's Tom Pearce is 'ticking all the right boxes'. Yorkshire Post. en. 24 April 2018.
  4. News: PEARCE AGREES PROFESSIONAL TERMS. Leeds United Official Site. 17 March 2018.
  5. Web site: Newport County 2–1 Leeds United . BBC Sport . 7 January 2018 . 7 January 2018.
  6. News: Phil Hay's Big Match Verdict – Hull City 0 Leeds United 0: Goalkeeper Wiedwald saves patched-up Whites. Yorkshire Evening Post. 31 January 2018.
  7. Web site: REPORT: LEEDS UNITED 1–4 CARDIFF CITY. Leeds United. 3 February 2018 . 3 February 2018.
  8. Web site: Reading 2 Leeds 2. Sky Sports. 10 March 2018.
  9. Web site: Leeds United v Sheffield Wednesday: Debut for Pearce but injured Saiz misses out. Yorkshire Evening Post. 17 March 2018.
  10. Web site: CAST YOUR VOTE FOR THE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS. www.leedsunited.com. en. 16 April 2018.
  11. Web site: Leeds United 2 Barnsley 1: Tom Pearce lights up Elland Road derby. Yorkshire Post. en. 23 April 2018.
  12. News: Yorkshire Evening Post. 14 May 2018. 14 May 2018. Leeds set for more contract talks with youngster Pearce.
  13. News: Leeds United. 18 May 2018. 18 May 2018. LEEDS UNITED 2018/19 RETAINED LIST.
  14. News: BBC Sport. 7 June 2018. 7 June 2018. Tom Pearce: Leeds United full-back signs four-year deal.
  15. News: 2018/19 SQUAD NUMBERS ANNOUNCED . Leeds United . 26 July 2018 . 26 July 2018.
  16. News: PEARCE OUT Leeds United injury news: Tom Pearce pictured with cast on left foot . Talksport . 9 November 2018 . 31 January 2019.
  17. News: QPR 2–1 Leeds United . BBC Sport . 6 January 2019 . 6 January 2019.
  18. News: Tom Pearce joins on loan from Leeds . Scunthorpe. 31 January 2019 . 31 January 2019.
  19. News: Games played by Tom Pearce in 2018/2019 . Soccerbase. 9 March 2019 . 9 March 2019.
  20. Web site: Tom Pearce. Soccerbase. 1 June 2019 . 1 June 2019.
  21. Web site: Καστεγιάνο και Πιρς στο... κάδρο του Άρη. SDNA. 27 July 2019. 27 July 2019.
  22. Web site: EXCLUSIVE: LEEDS UNITED PUSHING FOR DEFENDER'S LOAN EXIT, PLAYER REMAINS UNSURE. Football League World. 27 July 2019. 27 July 2019.
  23. Web site: Tom Pearce make Wigan Athletic move. Leeds United. 8 August 2019. 8 August 2019.
  24. Web site: REPORT WIGAN ATHLETIC 1 PORT VALE 3 . 6 October 2020 . wiganathletic.com . 7 October 2020.
  25. Web site: 2024-05-10 . Josh Magennis: Wigan Athletic release five including captain . 2024-05-10 . BBC Sport . en-GB.
  26. Web site: CF Montréal acquires English defender Tom Pearce. C. F.. Montréal. CF Montréal.
  27. News: FA.COM. 18 May 2018. 18 May 2018. ENGLAND U21S HEAD TO MAURICE REVELLO TOURNAMENT IN TOULON WITH A 20-MAN SQUAD.
  28. News: FA.COM. 26 May 2018. 26 May 2018. TAMMY ABRAHAM STRIKES LATE AS ENGLAND WIN TOULON TOURNAMENT OPENER AGAINST CHINA.
  29. News: BBC Sport. 9 June 2018. 9 June 2018. England win third straight Toulon Tournament title after victory over Mexico.
  30. News: FA.Com. 6 September 2018. 7 September 2018. GOALS FROM GEORGE HIRST AND ELLIOT EMBLETON SEE PAUL SIMPSON'S SIDE TO VICTORY AT SGP.
  31. News: Soccerway. 10 September 2018. 15 September 2018. Netherlands Under 20's Vs England Under 20's.
  32. News: ENGLAND MU20S SQUAD NAMED BY PAUL SIMPSON FOR MAURICE REVELLO TOURNAMENT IN FRANCE. TheFA.com. 30 May 2019 . 31 May 2019.
  33. Appearances in the EFL Trophy
  34. Web site: Final fightback takes England U21S to Toulon hat-trick with win over Mexico . The Football Association . 9 June 2018 . 10 June 2019.