Despite many of us believing his playing days were now nothing more than a distant memory, Stuart Pearce is set to come out of retirement, aged 53.
The former England man has joined non-league Longford AFC, a side that has lost 18 games so far this season, scoring just one goal in the process but conceding 179.
While a fine player in his day, it seems the idea of a 53-year-old Pearce plugging a particularly leaky defence might be a tall order. Despite this, it seems the former Nottingham Forest man is looking forward to getting back on the pitch.
Speaking about his new club, Pearce emphasised the importance of grassroots football.
“I started out in non-league football playing for Wealdstone before joining Coventry City,” he is quoted as saying by the BBC.
“So I’m looking forward to working with manager Nick Dawe, and helping a group of talented young footballers achieve their dreams and, hopefully transforming both the dressing room confidence, as well as the on-the-pitch performance, and seeing how far they can go up the league.”
Gloucestershire-based Longford are currently bottom of the the county’s Northern Senior League Division Two, and have reportedly been described as ‘the worst team in England.’
