Steve Fletcher

Steven Mark Fletcher (born 26 July 1972) is an English retired footballer who played as a forward for A.F.C. Bournemouth, where he holds the club record for appearances. Fletcher began his career at Hartlepool United and made his first team debut in 1990. Two years later, he moved to A.F.C. Bournemouth, where he would play for the next 15 seasons, scoring 88 league goals in 493 appearances. Fletcher joined Chesterfield in 2007 and spent one season with the club before moving to Crawley Town. Fletcher returned to A.F.C. Bournemouth in 2009 and became the club's assistant manager in 2011. Having resigned from that position eleven months later, he went on to have his first loan spell, spending a month with Plymouth Argyle. Fletcher has been described as a target man, due to his large figure and heading ability.

Steve Fletcher

Fletcher with A.F.C. Bournemouth in 2010
Personal information
Full name	Steven Mark Fletcher[1]
Date of birth	26 July 1972
Place of birth	Hartlepool, England
Height	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[2]
Position(s)	Forward
Club information
Current team	A.F.C. Bournemouth (Assistant coach)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1990–1992	Hartlepool United	32	(4)
1992–2007	A.F.C. Bournemouth	493	(88)
2007–2008	Chesterfield	38	(5)
2008–2009	Crawley Town	21	(2)
2009–2013	A.F.C. Bournemouth	135	(15)
2012	→ Plymouth Argyle (loan)	6	(0)
Total		725	(114)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Fletcher began his career at Hartlepool United before leaving for Bournemouth in 1992 for £30,000. He spent 15 years with Bournemouth, recording more than 600 appearance caps and 100 goals. He holds the Bournemouth club record for most league appearances, having played 514 league matches for the club. Fletcher was released by Bournemouth, then managed by Kevin Bond, at the end of the 2006–07 season.[3] He subsequently joined recently relegated League Two side Chesterfield.[4] At the end of the 2007–08 season, Fletcher turned down a contract renewal with Chesterfield due to family commitments.[5]

He joined Crawley Town on a free transfer on 23 May 2008,[6] signing an initial one-year contract.[7] Eight months later, Fletcher returned to Bournemouth on a contract until the end of the 2008–09 campaign with an option to extend it for another season.[8][9] He made his 500th league appearance for the club on 24 February in a 1–0 win at Dagenham & Redbridge.[10][11] In April 2010, Bournemouth renamed the North Stand at Dean Court after him in recognition of his achievements with the club.[12][13] Two months later, Fletcher signed a one-year contract extension after helping the club win promotion to League One.[14]

Fletcher was appointed assistant manager to Lee Bradbury in January 2011 after Eddie Howe left the club to manage Burnley, signing a ​2 ¹⁄₂-year contract.[15][16] He scored his 100th league goal for Bournemouth in a 3–3 draw at Peterborough United on 1 April 2011 and said that helping the club win promotion to the Championship would be a perfect milestone for him.[17] Bournemouth qualified for the play-offs, but were eliminated by Huddersfield Town on penalties.[18] Fletcher resigned from his position as assistant manager in November, saying that it would be more beneficial for the team and the club if he focused on playing for the remainder of his contract.[19]

Having been restricted to brief substitute appearances since resigning as Bradbury's assistant, the manager said that he would consider allowing Fletcher to join another club on loan in January 2012, but insisted he was still part of his plans.[20] Two months later, he joined Plymouth Argyle on loan until the end of the season, reuniting him with former teammate Carl Fletcher, who was now Plymouth's manager.[21][22] "Me and Carl are good friends and go back years. He's been in touch and trying to get me to Plymouth for a short period of time, it had come to deadline day and I needed to make a decision," said Fletcher. "It's the only club I would contemplate going to because Carl is a close friend, if it hadn't been him I wouldn't have even thought about it."[23]

Fletcher made his debut in a 1–0 win against Bradford City on 31 March,[24] and appeared in five more matches, including two in the starting eleven,[25] as the club secured their future in League Two after a turbulent season.[26] Following Argyle's 2–2 draw at Morecambe, Fletcher was recalled by Bournemouth caretaker manager Paul Groves ahead of the final league match of the campaign.[25][27]

At the end of the 2012–13 season, Fletcher announced his retirement from playing; with Bournemouth in the Championship he felt the time was right to hang up his boots and seek another role within the club.[28][29]

Shortly after his playing career ended, it was revealed that newly promoted Conference South side Gosport Borough had enquired about Fletcher's availability; however, nothing had come of this move as the club could not afford to sign him.[30]

In June 2013 it was announced Fletcher would stay at Bournemouth as a scout.[31]

In March 2014, Fletcher was the recipient of the Sir Tom Finney Award by the Football League.

After his retirement, Fletcher joined Bournemouth as a scout. He later moved into the role of assistant coach, and also works for the club as an ambassador.[32]

Personal life

His grandfather, Jack Howe, played in the Football League for several clubs and was capped three times by the England national team.[33]

Career statistics

As of 10 December 2012.[34]

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		FL Trophy/ FA Trophy		Play Offs		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Hartlepool United	1990–91	Fourth Division	14	2	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	16	2
	1991–92	Third Division	18	2	2	0	2	1	3	1	0	0	25	4
	Total		32	4	3	0	2	1	4	1	0	0	41	6
Bournemouth	1992–93	Division Two	31	4	0	0	2	0	2	0	0	0	35	4
	1993–94		36	6	2	0	4	1	1	0	0	0	43	7
	1994–95		40	6	0	0	4	0	1	0	0	0	45	6
	1995–96		7	1	2	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	11	1
	1996–97		35	7	1	0	2	1	0	0	0	0	38	8
	1997–98		42	12	3	1	2	0	6	1	0	0	53	14
	1998–99		39	8	3	0	4	1	3	2	0	0	49	11
	1999–00		36	7	3	2	5	0	0	0	0	0	44	9
	2000–01		45	9	3	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	51	9
	2001–02		2	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	1
	2002–03	Division Three	35	5	6	2	0	0	4	1	3	1	49	9
	2003–04	Division Two	41	9	3	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	46	9
	2004–05	League One	36	9	3	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	40	10
	2005–06		27	4	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0	29	4
	2006–07		41	1	3	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	45	4
	Total		493	88	33	9	30	4	21	4	3	1	580	106
Chesterfield	2007–08	League Two	38	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	39	5
Crawley Town	2008–09	Conference National	21	2	0	0	0	0	3	1	0	0	24	3
Bournemouth	2008–09	League Two	21	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	21	4
	2009–10		45	4	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	48	4
	2010–11	League One	38	6	2	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	41	7
	2011–12		20	1	1	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	24	1
	Total		124	15	5	1	2	0	2	0	1	0	134	16
Plymouth Argyle (loan)	2011–12	League Two	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	0
Bournemouth	2012–13	League One	11	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	0
Career total			725	114	43	10	34	5	30	6	4	1	836	136

References

1. Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2007). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2007–08. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 142. ISBN 978-1-84596-246-3.
2. Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2011). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2011–2012. London: Headline. p. 438. ISBN 978-0-7553-6231-8.
3. "Bournemouth release nine players". BBC Sport. 8 May 2007. Retrieved 23 April 2009.
4. "Spireites move to sign Fletcher". BBC Sport. 14 June 2007. Retrieved 23 April 2009.
5. "Fletch On His Way". Chesterfield F.C. 11 June 2008. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
6. Gurney, Tom (23 May 2008). "Reds snap up Fletcher and Rents". The Argus. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
7. "Crawley beat Terras to Fletcher". BBC Sport. 23 May 2008. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
8. "Fletcher Seals Deal". Bournemouth Daily Echo. 23 January 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
9. "Fletcher seals Cherries return". BBC Sport. 22 January 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
10. "Fletcher set for Cherries record". BBC Sport. 24 February 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
11. "Dag & Red 0–1 Bournemouth". BBC Sport. 24 February 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
12. Wadley, Ian (1 April 2010). "Cherries: Fletch so proud of stand honour". Bournemouth Daily Echo. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
13. "For All The Steve Fletcher Stand Supporters". A.F.C. Bournemouth. 4 April 2010. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
14. "Robinson, Pearce and Fletcher extend Bournemouth deals". BBC Sport. 22 June 2010. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
15. Meldrum, Neil (28 January 2011). "Cherries: Bradbury confirmed as Cherries boss". Bournemouth Daily Echo. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
16. "Bournemouth confirm Lee Bradbury as manager". BBC Sport. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
17. Perrett, Neil (5 April 2011). "Cherries' Fletcher: Leading the team out in the Championship would complete my fairytale". Bournemouth Daily Echo. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
18. Meldrum, Neil (19 May 2011). "Cherries: Fletcher's pride despite penalties agony". Bournemouth Daily Echo. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
19. "Steve Fletcher quits as Bournemouth assistant manager". BBC Sport. 9 November 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
20. Perrett, Neil (19 January 2012). "Cherries: Fletcher loan move is an option". Bournemouth Daily Echo. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
21. "Fletchers Reunited". Plymouth Argyle F.C. 22 March 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
22. "Bournemouth's Steve Fletcher joins Plymouth on loan". BBC Sport. 22 March 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
23. "Fletch joins Plymouth survival bid". A.F.C. Bournemouth. 22 March 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
24. "Plymouth 1–0 Bradford". BBC Sport. 31 March 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
25. "Fletcher is recalled by Bournemouth". The Herald. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
26. "Plymouth celebrates as Argyle beat relegation threat". The Herald. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
27. "Big Fletch Goes Home". Plymouth Argyle F.C. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
28. Somers, Kelly (3 May 2013). "Steve Fletcher: A one club man". AFC Bournemouth. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
29. "Steve Fletcher: AFC Bournemouth legend announces retirement". BBC Sport. 3 May 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
30. "Pike Looks to Bolster Boro Squad". Pitchero Non League. 19 May 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
31. "Steve Fletcher: Bournemouth legend takes new scouting role". BBC Sport. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
32. "Steve Fletcher". AFC Bournemouth. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
33. "Saturday Spotlight: Johnson joins the England Euro squad full of Hope". The Northern Echo. 4 June 2005. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
34. "Steve Fletcher". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 December 2012.

External links

• Steve Fletcher at Soccerbase