Alex Samuel Fletcher (born 30 April 1999) is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alex Samuel Fletcher[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 9 February 1999[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Newton Abbot,[2] England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.79 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Forward[2] | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2008–2016 | Plymouth Argyle | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2020 | Plymouth Argyle | 19 | (1) |
| 2018 | → Torquay United (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2019 | → Aldershot Town (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | → Tiverton Town (loan) | 11 | (8) |
| 2020–2021 | Tiverton Town | 7 | (8) |
| 2021–2023 | Bath City | 56 | (23) |
| 2023–2024 | Weston-super-Mare | 9 | (1) |
| 2024 | → Tiverton Town (loan) | 10 | (1) |
| Total | 123 | (42) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Fletcher played in the English Football League for Plymouth Argyle, and in non-league football for Torquay United, Aldershot Town, Tiverton Town, Bath City and Weston-super-Mare. Fletcher retired as player at the age of 25, having suffered a serious head injury while playing for Bath City the season before.
Career
editFletcher, as an academy player, made his first team debut at home in the FA Cup in a 0–0 draw with Newport County,[3] on as a 79th-minute substitute for Craig Tanner.
He signed a professional contract in the summer of 2017,[4] and made his full debut in the EFL Trophy, in a group stage game vs Chelsea U-21s.[5] Fletcher scored two goals in the last 2 minutes as Argyle came from behind to win on penalties.[6]
Fletcher scored his first career league goal in a League One game, a 2–1 defeat to Fleetwood Town.[7]
On 4 January 2018, Fletcher joined Torquay United, who were at the time bottom of the National League, on a 28-day loan.[8] He went on to play just three times for Torquay, who did not take up the option to extend his spell.
On 3 September 2019, Fletcher joined Aldershot Town of the National League, initially on a one-month loan.[9] On 7 December 2019 he joined Southern League club Tiverton Town F.C. on a month's loan deal.[10] The deal was later extended for another 28 days[11] and later to the end of the season. He re-joined Tiverton permanently at the start of the following season.[12]
In January 2021, Fletcher joined Bath City for an undisclosed fee from Tiverton Town.[13]
On 8 November 2022, Fletcher was critically injured when he crashed into advertising hoardings at the side of the pitch at Twerton Park; the fixture was abandoned soon afterwards. He was admitted into intensive care and underwent emergency neurosurgery.[14] On 21 November 2022, Fletcher left intensive care.[15][16] On 8 November 2023, Fletcher announced he had left Bath City and had taken up a role with the PFA to deliver education on improving brain health for teams in England.[17] On 10 November 2023, fellow National League South side Weston-super-Mare announced the signing of Fletcher.[18]
On 21 July 2024, Fletcher announced his retirement from football.[19]
Career statistics
edit| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Plymouth Argyle | 2016–17[20] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017–18[21] | League One | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 2 | 17 | 3 | |
| 2018–19[22] | League One | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2019–20[23] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 25 | 3 | ||
| Torquay United (loan) | 2017–18[2] | National League | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Aldershot Town (loan) | 2019–20[2] | National League | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | |||
| Tiverton Town (loan) | 2019–20[24][12] | Southern League Premier Division South |
11 | 8 | — | — | — | 11 | 8 | |||
| Tiverton Town | 2020–21[24][12] | Southern League Premier Division South |
7 | 8 | 2 | 1 | — | 1[b] | 0 | 10 | 9 | |
| Bath City | 2020–21[2] | National League South | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2021–22[2] | National League South | 39 | 16 | 3 | 1 | — | 6[c] | 2 | 48 | 19 | ||
| 2022–23[2] | National League South | 16 | 7 | 3 | 2 | — | 1[d] | 0 | 20 | 9 | ||
| 2023–24[2] | National League South | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Total | 56 | 23 | 8 | 3 | — | 7 | 2 | 71 | 28 | |||
| Weston-super-Mare | 2023–24[2] | National League South | 11 | 1 | — | — | 3[b] | 1 | 14 | 2 | ||
| Tiverton Town (loan) | 2023–24[24][12] | Southern League Premier Division South |
10 | 1 | — | — | — | 10 | 1 | |||
| Career total | 123 | 42 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 5 | 150 | 51 | ||
- ^ a b Appearances in EFL Trophy
- ^ a b Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
- ^ One appearance in FA Trophy, five appearances and two goals in Somerset Premier Cup
- ^ Appearance in Somerset Premier Cup
References
edit- ^ "Notification of shirt numbers: Plymouth Argyle" (PDF). English Football League. p. 54. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "A.Fletcher". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "Plymouth Argyle 0–0 Newport County". BBC Sport. BBC. 3 December 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "Pilgrims Striker Fletcher Pens First Pro Contract". League Football Education. 28 June 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "Who is Alex Fletcher and what will he bring to Plymouth Argyle?". Plymouth Herald. 15 August 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "Plymouth Argyle 2–2 Chelsea U21". Sky Sports. 15 August 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "Alex Fletcher stakes a claim". Plymouth Herald. 8 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
- ^ "Alex Fletcher Joins From Plymouth Argyle". Torquay United FC. 4 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
- ^ "Fletch Joins Shots:Young Striker Moves Out On Loan". PAFC.co.uk. 3 September 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
- ^ Tivvy Loan Deals, pafc.co.uk, 7 December 2019
- ^ Jephcott Recalled, pafc.co.uk, 3 January 2020
- ^ a b c d [1], Tivvy Archive, 27 July 2021
- ^ [2][usurped], Non League Daily, 21 January 2021
- ^ "Bath City footballer Alex Fletcher in critical condition". BBC News. BBC. 9 November 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
- ^ "Update on Alex Fletcher 21/11". www.bathcityfc.com. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
- ^ "Alex Fletcher: Bath City player out on intensive care after brain surgery". BBC Sport. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
- ^ "Alex Fletcher departs City". www.bathcityfc.com. 8 November 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
- ^ Drury, Liam (10 November 2023). "FLETCHER MOVES TO THE OPTIMA". Weston-super-Mare AFC. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "ALEX FLETCHER ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT". www.westonsmareafc.co.uk. 21 July 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ "Games played by Alex Fletcher in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
- ^ "Games played by Alex Fletcher in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
- ^ "Games played by Alex Fletcher in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
- ^ "Games played by Alex Fletcher in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
- ^ a b c "Alex Fletcher Profile". aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk. Aylesbury United F.C. Retrieved 19 September 2021.