bi ke ▁to ▁report ▁for ▁the ▁Le igh ▁Journal ▁was ▁hast ily ▁rec ru ited ▁and ▁Les , ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 5 0 ▁was ▁the ▁other ▁substitute .” ▁ ▁G omm , ▁who ▁later ▁played ▁profession ally ▁for ▁H uy ton ▁and ▁Sw inton ▁came ▁on ▁for ▁Cl iff ▁S ayer ▁to ▁make ▁an ▁unlikely ▁debut ▁( and ▁in ▁a ▁fine ▁exhibition ▁of ▁multi - task ing ▁later ▁p enn ed ▁a ▁match ▁report ▁for ▁the ▁Journal ) ▁but ▁Les ▁Pear ce ▁stayed ▁resol utely ▁sat ▁on ▁the ▁ben ch ▁as ▁an ▁un used ▁substitute ▁as ▁Ro vers ▁won ▁ 4 6 - 7 . ▁At ▁least ▁Le igh ▁had ▁ful filled ▁the ▁fi xture ▁in ▁difficult ▁circumstances . ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁a ▁season ▁that ▁f aded ▁away ▁with ▁eight ▁success ive ▁defe ats ▁Les ▁Pear ce ▁left ▁the ▁club ▁and ▁was ▁replaced ▁as ▁coach ▁by ▁Edd ie ▁Che eth am . ▁ ▁“ Les ▁was ▁larger ▁than ▁life , ▁a ▁real ▁character ,” ▁John ▁String er ▁rec alls . ▁“ He ▁was ▁glad ▁to ▁get ▁a ▁co aching ▁role ▁at ▁Le igh ▁and ▁did ▁a ▁good ▁job ▁in ▁difficult ▁circumstances . ▁He ▁r ated ▁winning ▁the ▁Flo od lit ▁Tro phy ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁greatest ▁achiev ements . ▁ ▁“ There ▁was ▁no ▁money ▁around ▁in ▁those ▁days ▁and ▁Les ▁was ▁really ▁co aching ▁on ▁a ▁sho est ring . ▁He ▁was ▁approach able , ▁genu in ely ▁like able , ▁straight ▁talking ▁and ▁passion ate . ▁The