Born in Harrogate, Yorkshire,[1] Pearson left his position as Leeds United's commercial director in 2001 to purchase Hull City and take over as chairman.

But on 11 June 2007 at 12:00 midday, it was announced at a press conference broadcast live on BBC Radio Humberside that Pearson had sold the club and the SMC to a consortium consisting of Paul Duffen, Russell Bartlett and Martin Walker.

[4] In October 2007 he tabled a takeover bid worth more than £3 million for Huddersfield Town, the club he had supported all his life, but it was rejected.

[6] On 29 October 2007 Pearson was named as the executive chairman of Derby County after buying the majority share holding from Peter Gadsby.

[11] On 1 May 2012, in a statement by Hull City owners Assem and Ehab Allam, it was confirmed that a consultancy agreement with Pearson had been terminated.