Chris Pearce

Christopher Leslie Pearce (born 7 August 1961) is a Welsh former footballer. A goalkeeper, he made 304 league appearances in a 14-year career in the Football League.

A former Wolverhampton Wanderers apprentice, he turned professional at Blackburn Rovers in 1979. He was loaned out to Rochdale and Barnsley before he was allowed to sign with Rochdale permanently in 1982. He moved on to Port Vale in June 1983 and helped the "Valiants" to win promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1985–86. He joined Wrexham in May 1986 before he was bought by Burnley for £4,000 in July 1987. He won a Football League Trophy runners-up medal with the "Clarets" in 1988 and helped the club to win the Fourth Division title in 1991–92. He later played for Bradford City, before spending time with non-League clubs Chorley, Fleetwood, Accrington Stanley, and Rossendale United.

Career Pearce was an apprentice at Wolverhampton Wanderers but was never offered a professional contract at Molineux. He instead turned professional with Howard Kendall's Blackburn Rovers in 1979. He spent three years at Ewood Park but never made a first-team appearance. He did though play five Fourth Division games on loan at Rochdale in the 1980–81 season. He was also loaned out to Second Division side Barnsley, but never made a first-team appearance for the "Tykes". He returned to Rochdale on a free transfer for the start of the 1982–83 campaign. He featured eight times in the 1983–84 season, as the "Valiants" suffered relegation out of the Third Division.

Pearce was signed by Burnley manager Brian Miller for a £4,000 fee as a replacement for Joe Neenan in July 1987.

Career statistics

Honours Port Vale Football League Fourth Division fourth-place promotion: 1985–86

Burnley Football League Trophy runner-up: 1988 Football League Fourth Division: 1991–92