Teddy Sheringham: Millwall talent-spotter Bob Pearson was a massive influence on my career
Teddy Sheringham has led the tributes to Bob Pearson after the renowned Millwall talent-spotter passed away earlier this week.
The 83-year-old had a 35-year association with the Lions and built the team which won the old Second Division title in 1988.
Sheringham joined the South London club from non-league at the age of 16 and went on to hit 111 goals – he is second in their all-time scoring charts – before moving to Forest for £2million in 1991.
Pearson also had a short spell as caretaker manager. He joined the Lions in the mid-1970s and his role would have been more like a director of football in the modern day.
His recruitment of young players saw Millwall win the FA Youth Cup in 1979.
“Bob was a massive, massive influence on my career, without a doubt,” Sheringham told the South London Press.
“He was one of my biggest fans as a young boy aged 15, 16 and 17, when I needed assurances and confidence given to me.
“He was the man to tell me that one day I would be playing for England, which I never believed at that moment. He saw something in me, as he did in all the Millwall players he brought along – not just in my era but a long time before. He just had an eye to see young talent and he knew how to nuture them as well, point them in the right direction and help them.
“It is terribly sad news. I know he’d had a tough time with a lot of illnesses in the last few years. I always kept in touch with him, as I do with people who have played a big part in my career and life.
“Early in my South-East Counties days I was playing in the year above and I thought I was only doing that to make up the numbers – that they were looking at the first year of their apprenticeship rather than the second year. I voiced my opinion to him about that and he said: ‘No, no, no son – you’re too good for that, even the second year above’.
“If you look at our squad which won the Second Division championship and got the club to the top division for the only time in the club’s history – you look at Brian Horne, Keith Stevens, Nicky Coleman, Alan McLeary, Jimmy Carter, Darren Morgan and Michael Marks – it’s just endless the amount of players that came through the ranks and went on to be good young footballers at Millwall, all through the eyes of Bob Pearson.
“Just before our time was Dave Mehmet, Kevin O’Callaghan and in that era of us getting promoted there were people like David Thompson, Alan Dowson and Sean Sparham as well. They were all his boys.”
SEE NEXT WEEK’S SOUTH LONDON PRESS FOR MORE TRIBUTES AND REACTION TO BOB PEARSON’S MILLWALL CAREER
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