Derby County, and Forest quickly lost form. The team managed only three wins in twenty-one Championship matches, and was also knocked out of the FA Cup by Rochdale. Pearce did manage to win the reverse fixture against Derby and bring the Brian Clough Trophy back to the City Ground, but this was not enough to keep him in his job. He was sacked on 1 February 2015 with Forest in 12th position in the Championship. West Ham United After a spell working at Portsmouth, Pearce joined former club West Ham United as an assistant to manager, David Moyes, in November 2017. He left the east London club at the end of the 2017–18 season, after Moyes' contract was not renewed. In August 2020, Pearce returned to West Ham as a first-team coach, again assisting Moyes. At the end of the 2021-22 season Pearce left the club to pursue other interests. Personal life Pearce was married to Liz Cox for twenty years, with whom he has two children. His daughter Chelsea is an equestrian and has regularly competed in eventing since 2010. Pearce is a devotee of punk rock and is visible as one of the members of a frenetic audience featured on the inside sleeve of the album God's Lonely Men by one of his favourite bands, the Lurkers. He lists the Stranglers as one of his favourite bands, having seen them in concert over 300 times. In 2021, he appeared in the music video for their single "This Song". In 1994, Pearce was accused of directing a racial slur at Paul Ince during a Nottingham Forest–Manchester United match. It was alleged Pearce called Ince an "arrogant black cunt". Pearce has since admitted the offence, saying, "It wasn't right or appropriate at the time, or at any time." In 1998, Pearce was involved in a serious car crash when the car he was driving was crushed by a lorry overturning and landing on the roof of the car. Pearce escaped with only minor hand injuries and a stiff back. In January 1999 and in appreciation of his talents and his support for various charities, Pearce was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Elizabeth II. His autobiography, Psycho, was released in 2001. Pearce is a fan of rugby league and is occasionally seen at Warrington Wolves games. Career statistics As a player As a manager