Meet the most influential man in Sussex football

It could take Jack Pearce a little longer to do his rounds of Nyewood Lane with a full-house expected for Bognor’s historic FA Trophy semi-final first leg against Grimsby Town.

Pearce is a well known character in non-league football having been involved with Bognor for 47 years. Yet his position as one of the key decision makers at the Football Association sometimes goes unnoticed.

When the FA were contemplating who to support in the recent election for FIFA president the 67-year-old was there to put his views across in his role as one of 12 members of the main board.

And when the debate over whether to ditch replays in the FA Cup or introduce a winter break comes around again this summer Pearce will be fighting his corner to retain the status quo.

It may come as a surprise to some that a representative from a small, Ryman League club in West Sussex is involved in decisions which will have a knock-on effect for the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.

But few people can possess as much knowledge about football, or care so passionately about the game, as Pearce.

“I’ve been involved with the FA for 15 years now,” said Pearce. “I got involved as I felt strongly about the game and rather than moaning about things I wanted to do something about it.

“I’m on lots of different committees and panels and last year I became one of four representatives from the national game board on the main board which is the highest level you can go. I’ve been doing it for a year now and am thoroughly enjoying it.

“I probably wear too many different hats but football is my passion. I spend about two days a week on my FA work and the rest of the time I am down at Bognor doing this, that or the other.

“Obviously my role is to promote the interests of the non-league game but I have to balance that with the needs of the big clubs in my role on the main board.

“All non-league clubs will want to keep replays in the FA Cup as they are a vital source of income but I can understand those in the Championship and Premier League being keen to get rid of them as they have other priorities.

“I wouldn’t like to see them go but have to understand that the Premier League is a multi-million pound industry and we have to make sure we keep it that way. The Premier League gets criticised a lot but they do fund a lot of good things so we need to support it.

“I’m sure with good negotiations we can find a solution in the coming months but I would fight passionately against any change if it meant non-league clubs lost the chance of replays.

“Winter breaks are another thing on the agenda. I’m very old school and struggle to understand why the top clubs might need one. They are playing 38 games and at Bognor we are playing 46 as well as going to work so I do find it a bit strange. I believe that if clubs keep telling people that they are tired then they will be tired but I’m willing to listen to why the top teams might need a break for a couple of weeks.”

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Pearce is ready to fight to preserve the tradition of FA Cup replays considering the highlight of his 30-year managerial career at Bognor came in one.

The Rocks had drawn 1-1 with Swansea City in a first round tie at the Vetch Field in 1984 and went on to beat a side containing former Albion striker Dean Saunders 3-1 in front of a crowd of 4,500 at Nyewood Lane.

In total Pearce led Bognor to the second round of the FA Cup three times in the 80s and again in 1995. He looks back on those days fondly but hopes his achievements will finally be usurped over the next couple of weekends as the prospect of reaching a Wembley final beckons.

“Those days were fantastic,” added Pearce. “If you have been in the game a long time like I have then you realise how few people are lucky enough to be involved in something like that.

“The early rounds of the FA Cup were a big deal back then. There wasn’t football on the TV like we have now and the FA Cup was still the premier competition so the early rounds were covered like the fifth round is today.

“We had Saint and Greavsie and Match of the Day down at the ground and were all over the national newspapers. They were good days and it’s great the club is back in the limelight again at the moment.

“I still think playing against Football League opposition is the pinnacle but to get to a semi-final of the second most prestigious FA competition for a club at our level is a tremendous achievement.

“There is a buzz around the town. You can tell the interest from the local media and when people bump into you in the street they want to talk about it. People are quite excited but whether that will be the case come 5pm tomorrow we will have to see.

“It would be amazing to get to the final, especially when you look at some of the teams we have beaten to get to this stage. It is a tremendous feather in the cap for Jamie (Howell, manager) and Dabba (Darin Killpartrick, head coach).

“I never expected in my wildest dreams that Bognor would ever walk out in a cup final at Wembley. It would be a wonderful crowning glory of my time at the club.”

Pearce admits he would love to be the man still calling the shots from the dugout tomorrow afternoon rather than heckling people to buy raffle tickets and making the occasional wise crack over the tannoy.

He stepped down as manager in October 2007 to focus on tackling the club’s financial problems and was then diagnosed with throat cancer a couple of years later.

Thankfully he is healthy again now and the £35,950 in prize money Bognor’s run in the FA Trophy has generated means the club has been able to clear a few outstanding debts.

“I have missed being a manager massively since I started to feel better about three years ago – just don’t tell Jamie!” joked Pearce.

“I probably know more about the game now than I have ever done so it is hard. That is one of the reasons I do the raffle as it keeps me occupied and stops me thinking about it. If I watched the game I would probably end up saying the wrong thing. I’ll give Jamie and Dabba my opinion if they want it. They are good as they will involve me but I always say they have to decide what they think is right.

“I’m still down at the club every day. Due to my FA work it might not be until 9pm but it is still the biggest part of my life.

“But I am getting to an age where I have got to start looking at a succession plan. I don’t want to put my heart and soul into the club for 47 years and then when I leave it collapses.

“It would be horrible to be sat in a retirement home in Bognor and see the whole thing go downhill as I’ve spent too many hours invested in the club but I don’t think that will happen.

“Fortunately we have managed to pay a few debts off this. The money from the Trophy run is not life-changing but we normally lose £20,000 a year so it will be a welcome change to make a profit.”