Pearson Albert Image 2 Port Vale 1921

Description

Tynemouth, Northumberland born outside left Albert Pearson started with Hebburn Colliery in 1910 moving to Hebburn Argyle in 1911, from where he joined First Division clubSheffield United in April 1912, making his debut playing at inside left at Bradford City that September. His opportunities at Bramall Lane were very limited and after only 6 appearances he signed for Birmingham & District League club Port Vale in 1914.

Having lost four years to the First World War, Pearson signed for Liverpool in March 1919.  He made a scoring debut at outside left as Liverpool opened the 1919-20 campaign with a 3-1 victory at Bradford City. He missed only 9 League matches that season and added a further 3 goals in David Ashworth’s first season as Liverpool’s manager. But in the second of Pearson’s two years on Liverpool’s books, Harold Wadsworth was chosen at outside left more often, Pearson picked in just 13 matches during the 1920-21 season.

Just as Liverpool embarked on their most successful years between the Wars, Pearson moved back to (by now) Second Division club Port Vale in May 1921 after 4 goals in 52 appearances for The Reds. In December 1921 he was so described by the Derby Daily Telegraph: “Dark-haired with sharp features, he is as good with the ball as he is good-looking, and still retains all his trickery, speed and resource.” A single season at Vale produced a single goal in 20 appearances, before he joined Welsh League club Llanelly in 1922, but he returned to Football League action in May 1923 with Rochdale, for whom he scored 12 goals in 56 appearances ahead of a move to Second Division Stockport County in November 1925. He played four seasons at Edgeley Park scoring 7 goals in 72 matches for The Hatters before a move to non league Ashton National (now Hyde United) in 1929, his last club before his eventual retirement in 1930.