Stuart Pearce to play for Britain's worst football team

Pearce will come out of retirement at the age of 53 to play for Longford AFC in Gloucestershire

Stuart Pearce after he was unveiled by Longford AFC, the team dubbed the worst football club in England (Getty)

Former England international Stuart Pearce is to sign for the “worst football team in the UK” in a bid to help the “talented young footballers achieve their dreams”.

Pearce, who played in the World Cup semi-final in 1990 and has 78 England caps, will come out of retirement at the age of 53 to play for Longford AFC in Gloucestershire, who have a goal difference of minus 178 after 18 defeats out of 18 games this season.

He told BBC News: “I started out in non-league football playing for Wealdstone before joining Coventry City.

“So I’m looking forward to working with [Longford’s] manager Nick Dawe, and helping a group of talented young footballers achieve their dreams and, hopefully transforming both the dressing room confidence, as well as the on-the-pitch performance, and seeing how far they can go up the league."

Longford are currently bottom of the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League Division Two.

Mr Dawe said Pearce’s presence meant the team had “the best chance possible to go further than we ever have done before”.

“A year ago we were playing in front of one man and his dog and now we are set to [attract] hundreds for Stuart Pearce’s debut,” he said.

“Stuart knows that there will be no special treatment, he will still need to pay his £5 a game subs.”