Ben Pearson (footballer)

Last updated

Ben Pearson
Ben Pearson.jpg
Pearson with Preston North End in 2016
Personal information
Full name Benjamin David Pearson [1]
Date of birth (1995-01-04) 4 January 1995 (age 29) [2]
Place of birth Oldham, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.76 m) [3]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Stoke City
Number 4
Youth career
–2004 Boundary Park Juniors
2004–2014 Manchester United
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2014–2016 Manchester United 0 (0)
2015–2016Barnsley (loan) 45 (2)
2016–2021 Preston North End 158 (2)
2021–2023 AFC Bournemouth 46 (0)
2023Stoke City (loan) 14 (0)
2023– Stoke City 29 (0)
International career
2011 England U16 4 (0)
2011 England U17 4 (0)
2013 England U18 1 (0)
2013 England U19 8 (2)
2014 England U20 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:25, 16 March 2024 (UTC)

Benjamin David Pearson (born 4 January 1995) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL Championship club Stoke City.

Contents

Born in Oldham, his grass roots club was Boundary Park Juniors before joining Manchester United at the age of nine in July 2004 and worked his way up through the academy. He joined Barnsley on a one-month loan in January 2015, which was extended to a season-long loan. He then rejoined Barnsley on a six-month loan in July 2015, before signing for Preston North End in January 2016. Pearson spent five years at Deepdale before joining AFC Bournemouth in January 2021. He helped the Cherries gain promotion to the Premier League in the 2021–22 season. In January 2023, he joined Stoke City on a six-month loan before making it permanent in the summer of 2023.

He has also represented England at youth international level, playing for the under-16s, under-17s, under-18s, under-19s and under-20s.

Club career

Manchester United

Pearson was born in Oldham, and attended Christ Church Primary School and Crompton House CE School. [4] After playing youth football with Boundary Park Juniors he joined Manchester United's academy as a nine-year-old in July 2004. [5] Pearson was a regular for the Manchester United under-18s, and his performances earned him the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award for 2012–13. [6]

Pearson joined League One side Barnsley on a one-month loan on 8 January 2015. [7] Two days later, he made his professional debut, playing the full 90 minutes of a 2–0 home win over Yeovil Town. [8] He scored his first senior goal in Barnsley's game at home to Port Vale on 31 January, scoring their second just after half-time in a 2–1 win. [9] His loan spell was extended by one month in February 2015 and on 9 March 2015 it was confirmed that he would remain at Barnsley until the end of the 2014–15 season. [10] Pearson re-joined Barnsley on a six-month loan deal on 18 July 2015. [11] Pearson made 29 appearances for the Tykes in 2015–16 before returning to Manchester United in January 2016. [12]

Preston North End

On 11 January 2016, he signed for Championship side Preston North End for an undisclosed fee. [13] He scored his first goal for the club on 1 October 2016, opening the scoring in a 2–0 victory over Aston Villa. [14]

In July 2019 Pearson spoke about his on-field disciplinary problems, including 14 booking and 3 sendings off in the 2018–19 season, which has seen his mother stop watching him play. [15]

AFC Bournemouth

On 29 January 2021, Pearson joined AFC Bournemouth for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-and-a-half year contract. [16]

Stoke City

On 31 January 2023, Pearson joined Stoke City on loan for the remainder of the 2022–23 season. [17] [18] Pearson made 14 appearances for Stoke, as the team finished in 16th position. [19] Pearson completed a permanent move to Stoke on 8 July 2023, signing a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee. [20]

International career

Pearson made his international debut for the England Under-16s in a 2–1 win at home to Scotland on 30 March 2011. He made three more appearances for the Under-16s, against Uruguay, the United Arab Emirates and Guinea. Before the end of the year, he made four appearances for the Under-17s, including wins over Italy and the Netherlands.

Pearson's form for Manchester United in 2012–13 led to a call-up to the England Under-18s in March 2013, and despite not captaining his club side, he was asked to lead the national team for their 1–0 defeat away to Belgium on 30 March. He only made the one appearance for the Under-18s before making the step up to Under-19 level in May 2013, making his debut against Georgia on 24 May. He played in all three of England's qualifying round matches ahead of the 2014 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, scoring twice in a 7–0 win over Andorra as England finished top of their group ahead of Switzerland and Slovenia. [21] [22]

He made one appearance for the England Under-20s in October 2014, a 3–2 win over the Netherlands, in which he was substituted by Harrison Reed in the first minute of injury time. [23]

Career statistics

Pearson playing for Barnsley in January 2015. Ben Pearson 2015.jpg
Pearson playing for Barnsley in January 2015.
As of match played 16 March 2024 [24]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeague FA Cup League Cup OtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester United 2014–15 [25] Premier League 00000000
2015–16 [26] Premier League0000000000
Total0000000000
Barnsley (loan) 2014–15 [25] League One 2210000221
2015–16 [26] League One23110203 [lower-alpha 1] 1292
Total452102031513
Preston North End 2015–16 [26] Championship 1500000150
2016–17 [27] Championship3111020341
2017–18 [28] Championship3500000350
2018–19 [29] Championship3000020320
2019–20 [30] Championship3810000381
2020–21 [31] Championship900020110
Total158210601652
Bournemouth 2020–21 [31] Championship16020002 [lower-alpha 2] 0200
2021–22 [32] Championship2302010260
2022–23 [19] Premier League70002090
Total460403020550
Stoke City (loan) 2022–23 [19] Championship1400000140
Stoke City 2023–24 [33] Championship2900030320
Total4300030460
Career total292460140513165
  1. Appearances in EFL Trophy
  2. Two appearances in the Championship play-offs

Honours

AFC Bournemouth

Individual

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References

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  2. "Ben Pearson". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  3. "Ben Pearson: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  4. "Pearson takes his chance with Tykes". Oldham Chronicle. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  5. "Ben's on track for football stardom". Oldham Chronicle. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  6. 1 2 Marshall, Adam (15 May 2013). "Academy prize for Pearson". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  7. "Barnsley: Milan Lalkovic, Ben Pearson and George Waring sign". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 8 January 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  8. "Barnsley 2–0 Yeovil". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 10 January 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  9. "Barnsley 2–1 Port Vale". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 31 January 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  10. "Barnsley: Ben Pearson extends loan deal from Manchester United". The Star. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  11. "Joe Rothwell and Ben Pearson: Man Utd pair join Barnsley on loan". BBC Sport. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  12. Trehan, Dev (13 January 2016). "Manchester United academy graduate Ben Pearson joins Preston". Sky Sports. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  13. "Ben Pearson: Manchester United midfielder joins Preston North End". BBC Sport. 11 January 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  14. "Match report: PNE 2 Aston Villa 0". Lancashire Evening Post. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  15. "Ben Pearson: Mum's stopped coming to games because I keep getting booked". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 4 July 2019.
  16. "PEARSON SIGNS FOR THE CHERRIES". www.afcb.co.uk. 29 January 2021.
  17. "Pearson completes deadline day switch". Stoke City. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  18. "Bournemouth's Ben Pearson & Manchester United's Axel Tuanzebe join Stoke City on loan". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  19. 1 2 3 "Games played by Ben Pearson in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  20. "Ben Pearson: Stoke City sign Bournemouth midfielder on permanent deal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  21. Šinkovc, Rok (15 October 2013). "England edge Switzerland for Group 9 supremacy". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  22. "Andorra 0–7 England". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 12 October 2013. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  23. Reid, Jamie (11 October 2014). "Super sub Akpom nets twice as U20s stun Holland". TheFA.com. The Football Association. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  24. Ben Pearson at Soccerway
  25. 1 2 "Games played by Ben Pearson in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  26. 1 2 3 "Games played by Ben Pearson in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  27. "Games played by Ben Pearson in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
  28. "Games played by Ben Pearson in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  29. "Games played by Ben Pearson in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  30. "Games played by Ben Pearson in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  31. 1 2 "Games played by Ben Pearson in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  32. "Games played by Ben Pearson in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  33. "Games played by Ben Pearson in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  34. "AFC Bournemouth 1-0 Nottingham Forest". BBC Sport. 3 May 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.