Footballing legend, Stuart Pearce's son, Harley Pearce, has tragically died aged just 21 years old after a horror tractor accident. Harley died in the crash in Gloucestershire last week, police said. His heartbroken family have released a statement, calling Harley the 'golden boy with an infectious smile'.
"Our family is truly shocked and utterly heartbroken at the loss of our cherished son and devoted brother, Harley. A soul who left an unforgettable imprint on all who knew him. He was a golden boy with an infectious smile, and this shocking tragedy will leave a huge hole in the hearts of those who were fortunate enough to have known him," the statement reads.
"With a quiet, understated strength and deep kindness, we are so proud of the young man he had become, exhibiting a wonderful work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit in the farming industry. He will always be our shining star. Rest in Peace, our beautiful son and brother. You will never ever be forgotten."
Who is Stuart Pearce?
Before he became a legend on the pitch, Stuart worked as an electrician and spent five years in a non-league team with Wealdstone. In 1983, he signed his first professional contract with Coventry City, and went on to play more than 400 games for Nottingham Forest. He also played for Coventry, Newcastle, West Ham and Manchester City. Impressively, he also won 78 international caps before managing Forest, Manchester City and the Great Britain team at the London 2012 Olympics. Stuart now works as a pundit for Talksport.
In 1998, Stuart was involved in a serious accident when his car was crushed by a lorry; he escaped with only minor injuries. "If the lorry had landed on the car in a different way I would probably be dead now. You could say I'm pleased. I'm all right," he said at the time. As well as this, earlier this year, the ex-footballer suffered a medical emergency while on a flight from Las Vegas. Bound for Heathrow, the plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Canada where he received medical attention.
His wife, Carol, told ITV's This Morning of the ordeal: "For him to say he's in pain, that immediately made my blood run cold, because you think, 'OK, this is, this is serious'. Stuart doesn't do being ill, he doesn't do making a fuss. He played with a broken leg! So, I knew it was serious when he said to me, 'I'm not going to make Heathrow'."
Inside Stuart Pearce's family
Stuart shared two children with his ex-wife, Liz. The couple tied the knot in 1993 and split in 2013 after 20 years of marriage. Their eldest child, Chelsea, is 27 years old and is an accomplished equestrian. As a child, her stuffed toy horse, 'Beanie', proved to be quite the lucky charm while Stuart managed Manchester City.
"It's difficult to tell a seven-year-old that this is the Premier League and that I'm known as Psycho, the hard man," Pearce told the assembled press after the club's win against West Ham. "But I put all that to one side to be a family man. And after this result Beanie is travelling to Everton." Stuart's son, Harley, ran his own farming company, Harley Pearce Agricultural Services, until his tragic death on 16 October 2025 aged 21.