Former Leeds United player Jason Pearce set to face them this weekend

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Leeds United take on Charlton Athletic in the Championship this weekend and the Whites fans will be ready to see a familiar face. 

Lee Bowyer, a former Leeds United favourite, will be in the opposing dugout of Marcelo Bielsa. But there will also be a former Leeds United captain on show.

Bowyer confirmed to South London Press that Jason Pearce will be fit to face his former club this weekend. 

The 31-year-old spent two-and-a-half years at Elland Road. In fact, he was even a former captain at Leeds. 

He replaced Ross McCormack after his sale in August 2014. But his stint at Leeds came amid uncertain times at the club. Pearce played under three ownerships at Leeds – Ken Bates, GFH and Massimo Cellino. It is remarkable in hindsight to suggest that Cellino was the most popular of those owners. 

He was also the one who eventually pushed for Pearce’s sale. As reported by the Yorkshire Evening Post, Cellino decided to sell Pearce in January 2015, despite caretaker manager Neil Redfearn wanting to keep him. However, after the arrival of Sol Bamba, the YEP reported that Wigan paid £300,000 for the player.

Speaking in the summer of 2015, Pearce told the Express he had no regrets over his exit from Elland Road. 

“At Leeds I really enjoyed myself. It’s a massive, massive club that so many players would dream of playing for. 

“The move was about me and my own football career. At the time I wasn’t really playing, for whatever reason.”

He has since gone on to become a stalwart at Charlton after joining the club in August 2016. He will be hoping to get the better of his old club this weekend despite any residual admiration for his former West Yorkshire employers.