Former England defender Stuart Pearce is recovering in hospital in Canada after suffering a medical emergency while on a flight from the United States.
Pearce, 62, had been in Las Vegas to watch a rugby league match between Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves when he became unwell on the flight back to London Heathrow on Sunday 2 March.
After the former Nottingham Forest defender received treatment on the Virgin Atlantic plane, a decision was made to make an emergency landing at St John’s International Airport in Canada.
Football commentator Sam Matterface, who works with Pearce at talkSPORT said from the City Ground ahead of Forest’s game against Man City on Saturday: “I spoke to him 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, 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 & Sons are playing on Wednesday night and I can’t go now’.
“He wasn’t happy about that. He is in good spirits.”
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
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.
Pearce, who also played for Man City, made 401 appearances for Nottingham Forest during a 12-year stint.
He also played for Coventry, Newcastle and West Ham.
Pearce 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 shootout defeat to West Germany.
He achieved redemption years later when he scored in the quarter-final shootout win over Spain during Euro 96 – with his celebration afterwards being one of the defining moments of the tournament for the Three Lions.
Read more from Sky News:
Man holding Palestinian flag climbs Big Ben
Body recovered in search for pub shooting suspect
Follow our channel and never miss an update.
Pearce spent six years as manager of England Under-21s and was caretaker manager of the senior team for one game.
He also coached the Great Britain men’s team at the London 2012 Olympics
The retired defender, nicknamed “Pyscho” for his unforgiving playing style, had stints managing Forest and Man City in the years prior.
Pearce’s last job in football was as a part of David Moyes’s coaching staff at West Ham, a role he left in 2022.
Following the incident on the flight, a statement from Virgin read: “Due to an unwell customer on board, the VS156 on 2 March flying from Las Vegas to London Heathrow diverted to St John’s International Airport, Canada and was met by the medical services.”
The flight, which was carrying 255 passengers, took off at 8.45pm local time and arrived in London six hours behind schedule.
