Stuart Pearson will work the hospitality lounges at Old Trafford on Sunday, providing inspiration if Manchester United needed it to kill Liverpool’s dream of winning four trophies in Jurgen Klopp’s farewell season.
Pearson was United’s opening scorer in the famous 1977 FA Cup final which denied Liverpool a historic treble, having already been crowned First Division champions with a European Cup final to come.
As now, United were trailing their biggest league rivals, but ‘Pancho’ Pearson turned the tables by blasting past Ray Clemence at Wembley to earn Tommy Docherty’s underdogs a 2-1 victory.
That goal has come up every time Pearson has hosted fans at the Theater of Dreams over the past 30 years. “The man on the microphone always introduces me as the man who beat the Scousers,” he smiles. “The ball was bouncing a lot, so I hit it early to keep the score low.
The following weekend I found Clem in the England team. He said he thought I would add an extra touch. I said “Ray, you know me better than that, I only need one touch!”
Stuart Pearson will work in the Old Trafford hospitality lounges on Sunday
The Red Devils will face Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-final.
Pearson was United’s opening scorer in the 1977 FA Cup final which denied Liverpool the treble, having already been crowned First Division champions with a European Cup final to come.
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Pearson is now 74 years old. The dark locks are long gone, but his direct approach remains, a personality of his era.
He worked for the electricity board for three years, climbing 150ft poles before getting the chance to become a professional footballer with local club Hull City.
Docherty was assistant manager and when the Scot took over at Old Trafford he asked Pearson to join in 1974.
Not only did Pancho have a faster pace, but he was good in the air and enjoyed the physical side of the game despite his relatively small size.
If you watch footage from the 1977 final, you’ll see Pearson celebrating the goal with his clenched fist, a nod to his days as a junior boxer. At Wembley, his right hand is also bandaged, the result of a recently acquired war wound.
“I had some trouble with a supporter at the start of the week,” he reveals unexpectedly.
“We were out for a few drinks the Tuesday before Wembley and a guy started getting after me in the toilets.
“He thought he was smart, so we had a little ding-dong and I broke his nose.”
(left to right) Stuart Pearson, Tommy Cavanagh, Tommy Docherty, Lou Macari, Gordon Hill and Frank Blunstone celebrate after Manchester United’s FA Cup final victory over Liverpool at Wembley
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool team are favorites heading into the match at Old Trafford.
“The news hasn’t come out. I had a quiet word with our physio Laurie Brown who told me it was probably broken and he put something on it.
“I don’t even remember what the argument was about. Many years later a boy came up to five of me at Sale Leisure Center and told me it was his father I had hit.
“He wasn’t angry, mind you – he said his father was an idiot!” »
United were in the Second Division when Pearson signed. They were promoted immediately, lost to Southampton in the 1976 FA Cup final, but then returned to Wembley in triumph 12 months later.
“Tommy never made any opposition team talk. It was always about us,” Pearson recalls of the build-up.
“We worked on the pattern of play once a week, Alex Stepney was throwing to the full backs who were getting wide and looking for me and Jimmy Greenhoff up front.
It’s not like today that we go back and forth 10 times before crossing the center line!
“The fans loved our 1977 team with wingers Hilly (Gordon Hill) and Steve Coppell and two forwards. One of the most exciting teams United have ever had.
“I like the potential of the young boy now, Rasmus Hojlund, but he needs service to score 25 goals a season.
“Antony has been poor until now. Marcus Rashford was out of form last season. He should look at (Alejandro) Garnacho who is not that good yet, but the way he sprints to get the ball, that’s what the fans love.
“I call United ‘we’, but if someone plays badly I will say so. I owe it to the fans.
Klopp recently announced that he will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the current campaign.
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This honesty is well appreciated in living rooms, but it was too much for MUTV which took Pearson off the air in 2004.
He had already gone off-piste by saying that Juan Veron “couldn’t tackle a fish dinner” when the subject of Rio Ferdinand was raised.
“Two old friends came over and said they were sorry Rio had been banned for eight months for failing a drug test,” Pearson said.
“They asked me in the studio what I thought and although I didn’t comment on whether he was innocent or guilty – I obviously didn’t know – I said I didn’t really feel sorry for him because he would still be at 80. big per week.
“The next morning the station manager called to say, ‘Sorry Stuart, we’re going to have to put a stop to this.’ I said, ‘Why did you ask me a stupid question then.’
United celebrated their victory at Liverpool in style, so much so that United’s club secretary tried to prevent the purchase of additional champagne. He then backtracked after the players insisted they would pay for it themselves. ‘Shameless bastard. We had just won the cup,” is Pearson’s position.
It should have been the start of a glorious period for United, but Docherty was sacked after it was revealed he was having an affair with Brown’s wife.
“I saw Tommy after the final and he told me he had spoken to President Louis Edwards and everything would be fine,” Pearson said.
“He even offered me a new contract of £500 a week because I was playing regularly for England. The next day he was sacked. We heard that Sir Matt Busby, who was a devout Catholic, had not didn’t like what happened.
“Tommy had talked about signing Peter Shilton that summer, which I thought would have helped us become champions.
“I informed new manager Dave Sexton of Tommy’s proposed new contract, but he did not approve it.”
It marked the beginning of the end for Pearson at Old Trafford. A knee injury required three operations, but his career took on a glorious note when he signed for West Ham in 1979 and won the FA Cup the following year, against Arsenal.
“John Lyall changed tactics for the final with David Cross leading the way and me going deeper. Arsenal didn’t know how to pick me up and it was incredible to win another cup final with Trevor Brooking’s goal.
Given he won the cup the week he fought in the pub, Pearson is probably relieved not to have to face the scrutiny of Rashford and his teammates.
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Pearson’s goal in 1977 has come up every time over the past 30 years that Pearson has welcomed supporters to the Theater of Dreams.
“The time for players to come out is when you score every week. Everyone loves you and is happy that you are having fun. The problem is you’re out and you’re not playing very well,” he said.
“Times have certainly changed. I wouldn’t go out after the Tuesday before a weekend game, but I know players at Hull who would have a few pints on the Friday night before a game because they couldn’t sleep otherwise.
“I’d love to see United beat Liverpool again, but you can’t honestly say which United will turn up – they’re inconsistent. I joke with people that I’ve lost my hair watching them over the years.
“Luke Shaw is one of my favorite players, he’s very stable, but he’s injured. Casemiro was great last year but has struggled more this season.
Liverpool have been invincible in cup competitions this season. If United manage to turn the tide this afternoon, it will be with clenched fists everywhere.
