On 11 March 2014, James Pearson joined League One club Carlisle United on loan for the rest of the 2014–15 season, along with Watford's Reece Brown.[5] The next day, he made his professional debut, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 defeat at Sheffield United.[6] He went on to represent Carlisle in a draw against Stevenage and a loss to Notts County,[7] before returning to Leicester, where he extended his contract by one more year on 2 June.[8]
On 27 October, Pearson joined Conference Premier side Wrexham on a month-long loan,[10] eventually extended into January 2015.[11] He played five league games for Wrexham, in addition to two FA Trophy games and three rounds of the FA Cup, ending with a 3–1 defeat at top-flight Stoke City in the third round on 4 January.[12]
In March 2015, Pearson joined Peterborough United on loan until the end of the 2014/15 season.[13] He did not make an appearance for the club.
On 17 June 2015, Pearson's contract was terminated by Leicester City following a racist orgy during the club's promotional tour in Thailand.[14]
Later career
Following his departure from Leicester, Pearson trained with his former club Rotherham,[15] before joining Barnet on 2 February 2016,[16] "on a non-contract basis".[17] In March 2016, he signed a contract to keep him at the club until summer 2017.[18] Pearson suffered a knee injury in 2016–17 pre-season which kept him out for the entirety of the campaign. He was released at the end of the season.[19]
Pearson joined Coventry City on a non-contract basis on 4 August 2017.[20] He was released on 30 August having made no appearances.[21]
In July 2018, Pearson joined newly promoted Macclesfield Town on a one-year deal.
In October 2020, Pearson revealed in an interview with The Guardian that he had retired from football due to injury.[23]
Controversy
In May 2015, during a promotional tour of Asia, Pearson and teammates Tom Hopper and Adam Smith, took part in a racistsex tape filmed on the club's end-of-season tour of Thailand",[14] a copy of which was obtained and published by the Sunday Mirror.[24] According to the media reports, "One of the men in the video ... can be heard using a racist insult against a woman."[24] The three players apologised for their behaviour.[24] All three were sacked on 17 June.[14] In relation to the tape, Nigel Pearson too was sacked as Leicester manager by the club's Thai owners, on 30 June 2015.[25]
Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition