Nigel Pearson says he is ‘learning to walk again’ after ‘neurological situation’
Former Shrewsbury Town defender Nigel Pearson has revealed that he is “learning to walk again” because of a neurological condition.
Pearson said in an interview in October just days before he was sacked as Bristol City manager that he needed a back operation, but was also being affected by a “neurological situation”.
The 61-year-old, who played for Shrewsbury more than 150 times in the 1980s, had been using crutches since the previous month and now he has opened up on the extent of his illness.
“I’d like to update you. Learning to walk again has been an incredible challenge,” he said on his X account. “My appreciation of support from family, friends, colleagues, supporters, and medical professionals has been profound.
“I had the wonderful opportunity of travelling to the US with my dad to meet family for the first time, in Wisconsin.
“Recently, I’ve been able to cycle in the Peak District, and swing golf clubs at the driving range, although my follow through needs some work (I’ve not fallen over yet!).
“Although my prognosis is still uncertain, believe me that positivity and laughter can prove the best medicine as I experienced with old friends from school on a canal narrow boat on my birthday… there is always light somewhere ahead… new possibilities, new challenges.”
A menacing and committed centre-half, Pearson was just 18 when he was spotted by Shrewsbury playing for non-league Heanor Town.
The young defender was snapped up by then-Town boss Graham Turner and began a glittering career that saw him play more than 150 times for the blue and amber army.
From there he went on to represent Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough, before getting into coaching in charge of Carlisle United - signing goalkeeper Jimmy Glass, who would score the goal to keep Carlisle in the Football League on the final day of the season.
He became assistant to Bryan Robson at West Brom before taking charge on a caretaker basis ahead of the arrival of Tony Mowbray.
That paved the way for a management career at Southampton, Watford and Leicester - among others. He steered the Foxes into the Premier League as winners of the Championship in 2013-14 and, despite keeping the club in the top flight the following season, he was replaced by Claudio Ranieri in the summer of 2015 and Leicester incredibly went on to win the Premier League title.
Pearson was also jettisoned by Watford in 2020 even though he had guided them out of the relegation zone having just been appointed in December the previous year. The Hornets were then relegated.
