Joe Pearson
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Joseph Pearson | ||
| Date of birth | Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "?". 1951Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "?".Expression error: Unrecognized punctuation character "?". | ||
| Place of birth | Riverton, Manchester, England | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Number | 2 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| -1967 | United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1967-1984 | United | 501 | (?) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1984-1995 | United | ||
| 1996-1997 | United | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only | |||
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Joe Pearson was a fictional footballer who played as a defender and appeared in the We are United comic strip in the British boys' comic Champ, the Goals of Jimmy Grant in Victor and later the Football Picture Story Monthly until 2003. He was as introduced United’s captain and soon became the club’s longest-serving manager from 1984 to 2003.
He first appeared in the strip in February 1984.[1] His fact file on Champ was number 1 on 31 March 1984. Pearson was United’s all-time record man in league appearances with 501. He was a one-club man.
Career
As a player
Pearson was born in Riverton in 1951. He started with United’s boys club and he turned professional as a schholboy in 1967, aged 16. In 1976 Pearson became the club’s captain and at the end of the 76/77 season he reached the UEFA Cup semifinals with United. He scored the winner in the 1979 League Cup final which was the biggest thrill of his career, but there was no video recording his goal. Soon after in 1979 he led United to their greatest moment as he lifted the European Cup in Rome. And then the World Club Championship came too.
In 82/83 United got relegated with Pearson as a captain, which was the worst moment of his career. He started 83/84 with the club under manager John Bland, but he replaced him mid-season to become United’s manager and lead them back to First Division. In March 1984 he had recorded his 500th League appearance with United, a club record. Pearson, surprisingly, was not mentioned as England international.
As a manager
Pearson led United to numerous glorious moments: UEFA Cup in 1996, Cup Winners Cup in 1997 and nearly 10 European Cups, not to mention domestic dominance. His had Tug Wilson as his assistant for many years, while Andy Bates was the trainer. His first European trophy was the 1986 UEFA Cup against Dynamo Leipzag from Brutavia. However, under his guidance United got relegated in 2003 and stepped down to make way for Terry Evans and Hedgehog Jones.
Style of play
He was a dynamic defender, playing mostly as right back. A real captain on the pitch with solid performances.
Legacy
Pearson was United’s all-time record man in league appearances with 501, while he captained the club for 8 years. He played a solid and vital part in all United’s successes in the 1970s. He is also the club’s longest-serving manager from 1984 to 2003: the manager who transformed a second division club to the most dominant in European football in all comic universe.
Personal life
His favourite other team was Liverpool FC (like Hedgehog Jones).
- Favourite players ever: Johan Cruyff, and Pele, players he would love meeting one day.
Honours
Note that all records are fictional, as of the 1983/84 season. His trophies with United:
As a player
- Premier League (including (Old) First Division): 5 titles'
- 1968, 1971, 1977, 1978, 1979
- FA Cup: 1
- 1980
- League Cup: 3
- 1968, 1971, 1979
- European Cup: 1
- 1979
- UEFA Cup:
- Semifinalist: 1977
- Intercontinental Cup/World Club Championship: 1
- 1979
As a manager
- European Cup: ?
- Cup Winners Cup: 1
- 1997
- UEFA Cup: 1
- 1986
- Mini European Nations Cup: 1
- 1984
