Just bat it aside and charge. Unless its something other than a simple spear, you can only really do a few things with it: jab, obviously; throw it, if its balanced; slash across the neck, rare. Most of the time he will be moving back constantly and jabbing to keep the opponent at distance;throwing enters the equation if he has a sword or a different weapon that can be more wieldy in close combat. Slashing isn't gonna happen really, unless the difference in skill is extreme. Tripping won't occurr since you need a hook to perform a move like that. Battering with the haft will do minimal damage, being reduced to nothing if the target is at all armoured.
Depends, he can hit you with the shaft, turn it around and trip you; it can also run back and stab you, jump and stab you, beat you in the head, hold it overarm and cut your neck and heart. It is unorthodox, but a good spearmen can keep the balance on one on one.

You have never been hit with a falling pole, have you? It hurts a lot, and it's a lot worse.
Also, ALL (yes, that is ALL) of the spearmen carried a secondary hand to hand weapon, spears can break, and they aren't really useful when the guy's shield is right next to you (if he doesn't have a shield; he'll get knocked on his donkey). On one on one that is, in formation, they aren't really useful when 10 guys in the line manage to break through the spearwall (and they WILL... After you stab around 20 guys in the same line)

A spearman will tire a lot faster than a swordsman assuming equal fitness. A swordman doesn't need to move nearly as much. Also, as the two opponents become more armoured, the sword becomes more effective; the spearman tires sonner and his weapon is unable to penetrate really thick armour like full plate or a coat of plates. The sword can still dish out blunt force trauma effectively.
Unless it's a sauroter?... Uhm... If the spearman runs away, the swordsman won't magically teleport, he will have to move the same distance. Not really, because with a spear you can bash him or trip him, his sword means lack of range and increased armour means tiredness. The spearman tires less because he has the advantage that he can do things that the swordsman can, like kill him from a distance, trip him; and most importantly, he can knock him out. Blunt damage is only slightly absorbed by armour. A wooden shaft can really do some blunt damage.

Also he can also pull out his own sword or small axe and whatnot. Then he would have a better chance in very close-combat.

The opposite actually, a spearman needs to keep moving or he's screwed.
No, he carries a sidearm. Also, he can stop the other guy from moving by threatening him with a sharp blade in front of his face and that he will stab himself if he is not quick enough.

It does have some merit. Some weapons are simply useless regardless of the man carrying it. Lances on foot, knives, a gladius on horseback. A spear outside of a shieldwall fast approaches uselessness. An extremely competant spearman may be able to gain an edge versus a somewhat skilled swordsman, but otherwise it's simply the wrong weapon.
They are not useless. I was just stating this: "If I am quick enough, I can take the guy by surprise and pass through his spear and quickly stab him without much reaction from him. However, in a spearwall; I cannot do this because there are many people with their spears pointed at me. I could try to break the tips but they coud push the spears into my face. I better just charge and hope at least a spear breaks so my fellows from the same line will have a slightly less hard time with them spears."

"Spear has range of kill, but it doesn't need him to be behind the tip for it to do some damage (one on one). In combat, many guys will chargy at my spear and unfortunately; at some point, it will break. And they could pass through easily and I'll have to resort to my sidearm."

~Jirisys ()