18 May 1991  
Stuart Pearce Goal: Nottingham Forest v Tottenham Hotspur
08 September 1993  
Stuart Pearce Goal: England v Poland at Wembley

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The FA's Director of Football Development Sir Trevor Brooking has congratulated Stuart Pearce on his appointment as Manchester City's boss on a permanent basis today, saying the former England international is one of the brightest young managers in the country.

"The way that the players, fans and the club as a whole have taken to Stuart is evidence of the job he has done so far," Brooking told us.

"He has done everything right. His results have been very impressive on the field and off it he has conducted himself with the same professional attitude that he showed throughout his incredibly successful playing career."

Pearce joins six other English managers in the Premiership - Sam Allardyce, Steve Bruce, Alan Curbishley, Steve McClaren, Harry Redknapp and Bryan Robson - something from which Brooking takes encouragement.

"From my point of view at The FA I am very happy that we have another English manager at the top level of the English game," he said. "Stuart has the potential to be one of our brightest managers and he has certainly prepared himself in the best possible way for this opportunity.

"He has got all his coaching qualifications and has worked his way into this position in recent times at Manchester City. Now he has got a big chance at a big club and hopefully he will continue the excellent start he has made."
STUART PEARCE FACT BOX


Stuart is an England great who won the first of 78 caps against the Brazilians at Wembley in 1987. He played in the 1990 World Cup Finals and the European Championships of 1992 and 1996. His clenched-fist and vocal reaction to scoring in the Euro 96 quarter-final shootout against Spain is an enduring image.

He captained his country ten times and wore the Three Lions for the last time in Poland in 1999.

Stuart was a player who experienced every level of the game. He was noticed playing for non-League Wealdstone and was 21 when Coventry City signed him in 1983. He became a legend at Nottingham Forest with his trademark free-kicks and his committed displays at left-back. He scored spectacularly in the 1991 FA Cup Final.

After retiring from playing, Stuart has studied the art of management and took his Pro-Licence (the highest coaching award possible in the game) with The FA in 2002.

Click the links above to see him at his playing best, scoring two cracking free-kicks at Wembley, one for England, against Poland, and one for Forest in The FA Cup Final.