Stuart Pearce 'feels brilliant' in positive update following health scare | OneFootball

Former England defender details nasty virus that caused flight to be diverted to Canada

Former England and Nottingham Forest defender Stuart Pearce says he feels "brilliant in myself" as he recovers from his recent health scare.

The 62-year-old spent five days in a Canadian hospital after experiencing chest pains on board a flight from the United States earlier this month.

Pearce’s flight from Las Vegas to Heathrow was diverted to St John's in Canada, from where he is currently arranging transport home

"So from what we gather, when I get home I obviously will have some medical checks there and go and see my GP and one or two other things I'm sure.

"But I feel brilliant in myself and have done since mid-last week to be honest with you, but I'm in really good hands."

Pearce, who had been in the US to attend the Super League match between Wigan and the Warrington team he supports, began experiencing chest pains around two hours into the flight home and praised the care he received from the Virgin Atlantic crew on board, who liaised with a doctor on the ground.

"They're the ones who really impressed me how well trained they were," Pearce said.

"My heart rate was racing, my resting heart rate from the time I was monitored on the airplane and the few days in hospital was anything above 155 beats a minute.

"Also my heart wasn't pumping enough blood around the system by all accounts and there was some swelling, so they gave me some medication the first few days just to get that down.

"At the end of the week they said look, we're going to stick a tube down your throat and if there's no swelling around your heart we'll stop your heart and reboot it again, so that's exactly what they did on Friday.

"My heart went back to a normal rate and they released me the following day."

Pearce said he found the show of support he has received following his health scare "incredibly humbling".

During Forest's game against Manchester City on Saturday a message was displayed on the big screen at the City Ground reading, 'Get Well Soon Stuart' after three minutes, referencing Pearce's old shirt number three.

Speaking after his side's 1-0 win, Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo hailed Pearce as a "legend" of the club and "part of our family".

Pearce said: "It was incredibly humbling.

"It was really nice to hear Nuno's message as well and that I am part of their family and my history with the club dictates that. Fantastically humbling it really was but it's what I expect from that football club, they're incredible."

Pearce made 401 appearances for Forest during a 12-year stint and also played for Coventry, Newcastle, West Ham and Manchester City, whom he later managed. He also earned 78 caps for England.