Former Charlton Athletic, Portsmouth and Wigan Athletic defender Jason Pearce has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 34.
Pearce brings an end to a long and successful career in the game following the expiry of his contract at Charlton Athletic.
It was confirmed upon the climax of the campaign that the ex-Bournemouth, Leeds United, Portsmouth and Crystal Palace man would be moving on from the Addicks this summer, leaving him with a decision to make on his future in the game.
And now, as announced on Charlton Athletic’s official website, Pearce has taken the decision to hang up his boots.
He won’t be leaving football though, and he’s staying at The Valley too. The League One side will be adding the former centre-back to their academy coaching ranks after a long-standing interest in moving into that side of the game.
Pearce will be working as a coach for the U18s, who are managed by Hamza Serrar.
The playing days…
Pearce started out his career with Portsmouth, making his senior breakthrough at Fratton Park before moving along the south coast to join Bournemouth. He remained with the Cherries for four years, playing a hefty 180 games before reuniting with Pompey in 2011.
Overall, the London-born defender played 44 times in his two stints with Portsmouth, departing for a second time in 2012 to join Leeds United.
Two-and-a-half years with the Whites and 113 games followed before moving over to Wigan Athletic in January 2015. Pearce would remain there for a year-and-a-half, moving back down south to join Charlton Athletic in August 2016.
That would prove to be Pearce’s final move of his career and now, after 175 games for the Addicks, the popular defender has called it a day on his playing career and taken the jump into coaching.
