Richard Pears

Richard Pears
Personal information
Full name Richard James Pears
Date of birth (1976-07-16) 16 July 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth Exeter, Devon, England
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Bridgwater United (manager)
Youth career
–1994 Exeter City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–1997 Exeter City 60 (8)
1997 Torquay United 0 (0)
Cullompton Rangers
Heavitree United
–1998 Clyst Rovers
1998–2004 Tiverton Town
2004 Mangotsfield United
2004–2005 Exmouth Town
2005 Willand Rovers
2005–2006 Tiverton Town
2006–2007 Willand Rovers
2007–2008 Exmouth Town
2008–2009 Cullompton Rangers
2009–2010 Tiverton Town
Managerial career
2007–2008 Exmouth Town
2008–2010 Cullompton Rangers
2010–2011 Royal Marines
2012–2017 Exmouth Town
2017 Barnstaple Town
2018 Sidmouth Town
2018–2019 Buckland Athletic
2024– Bridgwater United
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Richard James Pears (born 16 July 1976) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward. He is currently manager of Bridgwater United.

Career

Born in Exeter, Pears began his career as a trainee with Exeter City, turning professional in July 1994, having made his league debut the previous season. He played 60 league games for Exeter before being released at the end of the 1996–97 season. He briefly joined local rivals Torquay United, but left without appearing for the Plainmoor side.

Pears then began his career in non-league football, joining Cullompton Rangers and subsequently playing for Heavitree United before joining Clyst Rovers. He moved to Tiverton Town in October 1998, playing in the winning FA Vase side at the end of that season. He remained with Tiverton until January 2004 when he joined Mangotsfield United in a player-exchange deal, Darren Edwards moving in the opposite direction.[1]

In August 2004, Pears left Mangotsfield to join Exmouth Town as player-assistant manager.,[2] leaving to join Willand Rovers in the June 2005.[3] In September 2005, Pears returned to Tiverton Town,[4]

Pears rejoined Willand Rovers in June 2006,[5] but left at the end of the 2006–07 season as he could not commit to the travelling involved, partly due to his work requirements with Exeter City Council.[6]

In June 2007, despite being linked with a move to Elmore,[7] Pears was appointed as manager of Exmouth Town.[8]

In May 2008 he was appointed as co-manager of Cullompton Rangers, alongside Lee Annunziata.[9]

In February 2010 he returned to Tiverton Town for his third stint at the club, to provide cover to Martyn Rogers injury, and suspension hit side.[10] In June 2010 he was appointed manager of the Royal Marines. After managing Exmouth Town from 2012 until 2017, he was appointed manager of Barnstaple Town in May 2017.[11] He resigned as the club's manager in December.[12]

During the summer of 2018 Pears was announced as the new manager of Sidmouth Town.[13] However, he left to take over as manager of Buckland Athletic on 15 October 2018.[14] He left Buckland in September 2019.[15]

He subsequently worked as assistant manager at Bideford.[16] In September 2024 he was appointed manager of Bridgwater United.[17]

References

  1. ^ Tivvy in striker swap[usurped]
  2. ^ Pears makes his move[usurped]
  3. ^ Pears goes 'home'[usurped]
  4. ^ Pears back at Tivvy[usurped]
  5. ^ Pears makes Willand return[usurped]
  6. ^ Rovers set to lose Pears[usurped]
  7. ^ Pears deal shows ambition[usurped]
  8. ^ Surprise as Pears handed Exmouth post[usurped]
  9. ^ "Seven follow Pears from Exmouth". NonLeagueDaily. 19 June 2008. Archived from the original on 21 August 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ^ http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/football/Pears-vows-prove-cut-Yellows/article-1872856-detail/article.html [dead link‍]
  11. ^ Barnstaple Town announce new manager North Devon Gazette, 8 May 2017
  12. ^ Barnstaple Town FC Manager Richard Pears Resigns Barnstaple Town, 12 December 2017
  13. ^ Former Exeter City striker relishing new management role with Buckland Athletic Devon Online, 15 October 2018
  14. ^ Sidmouth Town shock - Manager departs for Buckland Athletic Sidmouth Herald, 15 October 2018
  15. ^ Buckland Athletic boss Pears departs[usurped] Non-League Daily, 17 September 2019
  16. ^ [1] Bideford AFC website
  17. ^ "Bridgwater United name Richard Pears as the new manager". Bridgwater Mercury. 30 September 2024.