Pearce prepared for long haul at City

NEW Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce took up the reins at Eastlands yesterday and said: “Judge me on eight years - not eight games.”

The former England skipper will lead City into their UEFA Cup qualifier with Middlesbrough on Sunday knowing he will remain in the job for the next two years.

Blues chairman John Wardle took the academic step of confirming Pearce as the permanent successor to Kevin Keegan at an official sponsors’ lunch yesterday, just before a memorial was unveiled to the most successful manager in the club’s history, Joe Mercer.