He joined Third DivisionDarlington on a one-year contract with the option of another year on 6 August 2001 after a trial.[10][11] He made his debut in Darlington's 2–1 home victory over Macclesfield Town on 16 October 2001, but was substituted for Phil Brumwell in the 32nd minute.[12] Pearson impressed as a substitute in Darlington's 2–0 defeat at Peterborough United in the FA Cup on 21 January 2002, leading to a run of six matches in the team before picking up an injury.[12][13] During this period he scored his first goal for the club with a 25-yard free kick in a 3–2 home defeat to Luton Town on 26 January 2002.[12][13] He finished his first season at Darlington with 11 appearances and one goal.[12]
Pearson struggled to enter the team early in the 2002–03 season with injuries, eventually making his first appearance in a 2–0 win at Wrexham in the FA Cup on 16 November 2002.[14][15] He established himself in the starting line-up in the final third of the season and on 12 April 2003 scored his first goal of the season in a 5–1 victory over Shrewsbury Town with a 35-yard shot that made its way through a crowded penalty area.[14][15][16] He completed the season with one goal in 22 appearances.[15] Pearson was a regular for Darlington in the early stages of the 2003–04 season and scored his first goal of the campaign in a 4–2 defeat at Rochdale on 30 August 2003.[1][17] Because of injury troubles he was mostly a substitute for the rest of the season, which he finished with 19 appearances and one goal.[1][17]
Pearson signed for newly relegatedConference National side York City on a one-year contract on 5 July 2004.[18] He was sent off for violent conduct in the 69th minute of York's opening match of the 2004–05 season, a 2–0 away defeat to Aldershot Town on 14 August 2004.[19] A shoulder injury kept him out of the team from early November 2004 onwards and was released by the club on 17 March 2005, although he was told he could return for pre-season.[20] He had made 13 appearances for York.[21]
Pearson played alongside his brother Alan during spells with Seaham Red Star and Durham City.[6][11]
Pearson died at home on 30 June 2022 at the age of 45. He had received treatment for a heart attack a couple of weeks before, and another attack was suspected.[2]
Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
^ ab"Gateshead F.C. 1997/98". Unofficial Gateshead Football Club Statistics Database. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2012.