Greg Pearson

Greg Edward Pearson (born 3 April 1985) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward. Currently, Head of Men’s football at the University of Birmingham. His previous clubs include West Ham United, Barnet, Lincoln City, Canvey Island, Rushden & Diamonds, Hucknall Town, Bishop's Stortford, Burton Albion, Aldershot Town, Crewe Alexandra, Grimsby Town and Kidderminster Harrier...

Greg Edward Pearson (born 3 April 1985) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward. Currently, Head of Men’s football at the University of Birmingham. His previous clubs include West Ham United, Barnet, Lincoln City, Canvey Island, Rushden & Diamonds, Hucknall Town, Bishop's Stortford, Burton Albion, Aldershot Town, Crewe Alexandra, Grimsby Town and Kidderminster Harriers. Career After beginning his career as a schoolboy with Coventry City before joining the youth squad at West Ham United on a two-year Scholarship and one-year professional contract before signing another professional contract, He spent the final three months of the 2003–04 season on loan with Barnet in the Conference National, he had short loan spells at Lincoln City and non-League Canvey Island in December 2004. After four and a half years at West Ham, he joined League Two club Rushden & Diamonds on a two-year contract. On 18 October 2005, he scored the crucial goal in the 1–0 victory over previous year's finalists Southend United in the Football League Trophy, Pearson's time at Rushden was an unsuccessful one as he went on to score only one goal in 29 league games and on 21 February 2006 he went out on loan for one month at Conference North side Hucknall Town. Bishop's Stortford 2006–07 After leaving Rushden, Pearson joined Bishops Stortford. He made his debut on 17 February 2007 in the 3–2 home defeat of Sutton United. On 3 March 2007 Pearson scored his first goal for his new team in a 3–1 defeat at the hands of Farnborough Town; he grabbed a consolation goal on 75 minutes, shooting home from a corner. On 20 March 2007 he scored both goals in the 1–2 away victory against Hayes, he scored the equaliser on 41 minutes after a free kick right to left of the box was headed to him; the second came on 50 minutes when Turner's through ball set up Pearson who held the defender off well before shooting past Davies for a brace. On 3 April 2007 he scored the first goal in the 2–2 draw against Newport County on 13 minutes when a through ball released Turner who passed across for Pearson who then scored. On 7 April 2007 in the 4–3 victory over Dorchester Town Pearson put them 3–0 up when he came on as a substitute for the unwell Roy Essandoh on 26 minutes and taking 4 minutes to score from a through ball, bypassing the defence before shooting into the net. On 14 April 2007 Pearson scored an equaliser to make it 1–1 against Bedford Town, Essandoh's low cross on the left flank reached the near post where Pearson swept the ball into the opposite corner, the game finishing 2–2. On 2 May 2007 in the Conference South play-off semi-final 1st leg against Salisbury City Pearson scored the opening goal in the 1–1 draw on 54 minutes, he managed to score from 7 yards out with his back to the goal. 2007–08 The following season on 18 August 2007 Pearson scored his first goal of the season in the 2–0 win at Bognor Regis Town scoring the second goal from the penalty spot on 58 minutes. On 25 August 2007 he scored the winning goal on 24 minutes after he swept the ball in after Essandoh's header hit the post in the 1–0 victory over Thurrock. On 27 August 2007 Pearson scored the first two goals within 60 seconds of each other on 55 minutes in the 4–2 win at Cambridge City, the first came when he latched onto a through ball by Jason Mason and tucked the ball underneath the keeper, his second was a superb volley seconds later. On 7 September 2007 Greg Pearson's powerful free kick gave the hosts the lead after only two minutes in the 3–4 thriller against St Albans City. On 18 September 2007 Pearson scored a hat-trick in a 6–2 thrashing of Hampton & Richmond Borough, he scored the second goal from the penalty spot on 28 minutes, he then scored the third goal breaking well on 43 minutes, Pearson then completed his hat-trick on 60 minutes with a superb edge of the box shot. On 29 September 2007 Pearson scored two goals to secure a 2–1 away win, and through to the third round qualifying of the FA Cup at St Albans City, scoring on 24 minutes with a 20-yard free kick into the corner of the net, then on 56 minutes he scored the second going in off the far post after a through ball by Jack Midson. He failed to hit the net on 13 October 2007 in the next round, losing 1–0 against Wealdstone. On 6 October 2007 in the 2–2 draw with Eastleigh, Pearson scored his tenth goal of the season with a header from a cross whipped in from Alex Martin. On 20 October 2007 Pearson scored a hat-trick in the 4–0 win at Weston-super-Mare, he scored the second goal on 35 minutes with the initial shot being saved, but the ball bounced back to the Blues forward and he scored from an acute angle, then on 71 minutes he latched onto a through ball and he curled the ball to the keeper's left from eight yards out, he scored the fourth goal to complete the rout on 80 minutes smashing it in from 10 yards to complete his hat-trick. On 7 November 2007 Bishop's Stortford manager Martin Hayes said "Pearson will not be sold cheaply. I am pleased for Greg that he has been recognised and he has put himself out. He travels a long way to play for us and there were people (Rushden and Diamond and West Ham) that doubted him," he said, after Pearson won the Conference South Player of the Month for October 2007. On 24 November 2007 in the FA Trophy third qualifying round 2–1 victory against Hampton & Richmond, Pearson scored the equalising goal, latching onto a back pass by Ryan Lake and rounded Hampton keeper Matt Lovett before slotting in from an acute angle. On 15 December 2007 Pearson scored a hat-trick in the first round proper of the FA Trophy against Canvey Island, scoring the first goal a low shot on 19 minutes, he scored the second goal for his side on 26 minutes after good work by Midson to flick in and on 77 minutes Pearson put them 6–0 up when he headed in Ahmed Deen's corner while completely unmarked, it was his third hat-trick of the 2007–08 season and he now had 17 goals. On 22 December 2007 he scored the winning goal in the 1–0 victory over Sutton United, stabbing the ball in from six yards after Danny Harris rounded the keeper prior to passing to Pearson. On 26 December 2007 against Braintree Town Pearson made it 2–2 on 24 minutes after turning the ball in from Deen's cross; Braintree won 4–3. On 28 December 2007 as Bishop's Stortford were chasing a play-off spot, Pearson scored all 4 goals in the 4–0 thrashing of Cambridge City, his first in the 15th minute with a miscued shot which fell to Pearson, David Theobald dived in to block, but the ball fell back to Pearson who rifled the ball home, in the 23rd minute he scored from the penalty spot and then in the 56th minute Pearson for his hat-trick sliding home Midson's pinpoint centre, his final goal of the match came in the 72nd minute with another penalty after he had been upended by Lee Chaffey. The following calendar year on 1 January 2008 Pearson scored the opening goal in the 2–1 defeat at Braintree, controlling the ball and firing in from close range Danny Harris headed the ball back into the danger zone. On 8 January 2008 Pearson scored the second goal in the 4–1 win against Havant & Waterlooville on the stroke of half-time, Loui Fazakerley providing the cross from which Pearson finished. Having not scored in the last six matches, on 12 February 2008 Pearson scored a brace in the 4–0 away win at Dorchester Town, he scored the third goal on 72 minutes as the ball was pushed back from a corner for Pearson to score, he scored the final goal of the game 3 minutes later from a cross into the six-yard box for Pearson to grab his second. On 8 March 2008 Pearson scored an equaliser on 47 minutes in the 2–1 away victory against Havant & Waterlooville. On 22 March 2008 Pearson scored a 77th-minute equaliser in the 2–2 draw against Hayes and Yeading to keep Bishop's Stortford in fifth position. On 26 April 2008 he scored an 83rd-minute equaliser in the 1–1 home draw against Bath City from Deen's cross from the left to the near post was flicked in by Pearson. He went on to score 42 goals in 67 games in two seasons. While at Bishop's Stortford Pearson won the Conference South player of the year and golden boot. Burton Albion 2008–09 After spending the whole pre-season on trial with Notts County, on 26 July 2008 Pearson joined Burton Albion on a two-year contract, reportedly paying over £10,000 for his services. On 9 August 2008 he scored the crucial goal on his debut for the Brewers, a close range effort after 2 minutes in the 0–1 away win at Salisbury City. Pearson scored in four consecutive games, on 16 August 2008 from an equalising penalty against Woking, which Burton went on to win 3–2. In the following game on 23 August 2008, Pearson scored in the 4–3 away defeat at Histon, another penalty in the 45th minute for his third goal of the season. Two days later on 25 August 2008 he scored the opening goal on 31 minutes, slotting home from close range in the 2–2 draw against Kidderminster Harriers. His fifth goal of the season came in a 5–2 home win against Lewes, scoring the opening goal from close range in the 10th minute. Pearson received his first yellow card of the season the following week on 6 September 2008, in the 4–1 loss against Stevenage. On 13 September 2008 he scored the equaliser in the 4–1 draw against Weymouth, converting a cross from Jody Banim at close range. On 22 September 2008 he scored the winner in the 0–1 away match at Kettering after a confusion between Guy Branston and the goalkeeper Lee Harper for Pearson to pounce 11 minutes from time. On 4 October 2008 Pearson scored both goals in the 2–1 win at the Pirelli Stadium, after conceding the opening goal against Crawley, but after 37 minutes a free kick from Marc Goodfellow which Pearson volleyed in his 8th goal of the season from eight yards, his second came from a 90th-minute penalty to clinch the game. Pearson's tenth goal of the season came seven games later on 15 November 2008 in the 0–1 victory at Lewes after Aswad Thomas felled Lee Morris and Pearson converted the penalty right before half-time. On 29 November 2008 he scored the opener in the 2–0 win against Eastbourne Borough from the penalty spot in the 56th minute, after Shaun Harrad was fouled in the box. On 6 December 2008 Pearson scored the third goal for his side, converting another penalty on 58 minutes, in the 3–2 victory at Forest Green Rovers, he also received his second yellow card of the campaign in the 82nd minute. After coming on as a substitute in the 60th minute on 9 December 2008, Pearson scored the final goal to make it a 3–1 win against Cambridge United with six minutes to go, a breakaway move saw Keith Gilroy release Pearson, running at their central defenders he cut in from the left and held off his marker to fire a superb right-footed shot from 12 yards into the far corner. Pearson helped Burton Albion into the Football League that season scoring 18 league goals and 20 in all competitions. 2009–10 On 8 August 2009 Pearson scored Burton's first ever Football League goal in their 3–1 away defeat to Shrewsbury Town. On 12 December 2009 he scored Burton's first Football League hat-trick during a 6–1 victory over Aldershot Town, he scored the opening goal from the penalty spot in the 31st minute when Chris Blackburn was deemed to have handled the ball in the box, eight minutes later he scored the second goal with Steve Kabba putting Pearson through on goal, composing himself well before firing low past the helpless Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz, his third goal was scored with seconds remaining till half-time from a corner as Pearson got a slight touch to put the ball into the net. On 26 April 2010 Pearson signed a new two-year deal, keeping him at the Brewers until 2012. On 8 May 2010 Pearson opened the deadlock in the 10th minute, scoring from the edge of the area to the top left corner of the goal in a 3–0 Albion victory at the Pirelli Stadium on the fi