IAN PEARSON

Born: 18 September 1950

1. Came from: Goole Town   Went to: Wycombe Wanderers

1. First game: 17 August 1974   Last game: 27 March 1976

2. Came from: Bideford Town   Went to: Bideford Town

2. First game: 24 September 1983   Last game: 04 February 1984

Appearances: 25 (13/12)   Goals: 1

Pearson was a schoolteacher and a part-time professional who had two spells at Home Park, almost a decade apart, and whose career dipped in and out of the Football League. Originally spotted by Argyle playing for Goole Town, in east Yorkshire, having previously played for Bridlington Town and studied at Hull College of Education. The Leeds-born forward moved to the club in July 1974 as a Tony Waiters' signing. He made a dozen appearances across two seasons, split equally as starts and substitute, but failed to find the net.

He left Devon to sign for then non-league Wycombe Wanderers, where he spent a season before getting another opportunity in the League with Millwall. He was an almost ever-present for The Lions in the 1977-78 season and scored a notable FA Cup 4th round hat-trick against Luton Town at The Den in January 1978 to hand David Pleat a disastrous start to his spell as Luton manager. In total he played 44 times and scored nine goals for the Lions. He was then lured back to Devon by Exeter City for £25,000 in November 1978. In a three-year spell he played 69 times for the Grecians, scoring 10 times. He will be long-remembered by Grecians for his overhead kick in the 1980-81 5th round FA Cup home replay against Newcastle United, which they won 4-0.

He then moved out of the League again, playing for Dawlish Town and then signing for Bideford Town where he spent three seasons. From there, he then briefly returned to play in green for one final foray into the Football League when he answered an SOS during the last days of Bobby Moncur's tenure. He signed a short-term contract until the end of the season, for a second spell in green nine years on from this first spell. Argyle's next managerial appointment may have also helped Pearson too, appointing John Hore, as both had worked together for several seasons at Bideford.

Though making fewer appearances in his second spell, he did score his sole Argyle goal, away at AFC Bournemouth in October 1983, and also played at Highbury against Arsenal in the League Cup later that month. After Argyle he returned to Bideford Town as both player and assistant-manager, and later Tiverton Town.

In a peripatetic career which spanned a decade, he achieved a respectable total of 133 Football League appearances and 20 league goals, with many more in the non-league game.

After moving out of the game her returned to teaching and once retired remained living in Devon.