Steven Fletcher (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Steven Kenneth Fletcher (born 26 March 1987) is a Scottish
international
footballer who plays as a striker
. He is currently signed to English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers
.
Fletcher began his professional career with Hibernian
, playing in 156 Scottish Premier League
games and scoring 43 goals. English
club Burnley
paid a club record transfer fee of £3 million to sign Fletcher in June 2009; Fletcher was their top goalscorer in the 2009–10 season with eight league goals as the club were relegated from the Premier League. Fletcher was transferred soon afterwards to Wolves, who also paid a club record fee of £6.5m for his services. He has represented Scotland
eight times at full international level, scoring one goal.
, Shropshire
, spent much of his early years living on British Army
bases in England
and Germany
where his Liverpudlian soldier
father was based. His father died from cancer
when Fletcher was aged only 10, prompting his mother to relocate him and his younger sister Bree to Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
to be closer to her family. Hibernian
youth coach John Park, also from Hamilton, spotted his footballing talent and the young Anglo-Scot joined the Leith
club's youth network aged 13.
in a 3–0 win over Kilmarnock
. He became a first team regular in the 2004–05 season
, playing 26 times and scoring 5 goals. In the 2005–06 season
, Fletcher scored 10 goals in just 1,966 minutes on the pitch, which approximated to a goal every other game. He took on a more prominent role in the 2006–07 season
after Hibs had sold star strikers Garry O'Connor
and Derek Riordan
. Fletcher scored in Hibernian's 5–0 Intertoto Cup
win over Dinaburg
and played regularly during the league season. The highlight of the season for Fletcher and Hibs was when he scored two goals in the 5–1 win over in the 2007 League Cup Final
.
Fletcher became Hibs' main striker during the 2007–08 season
. He scored his first professional hat-trick
in a 4–2 win over and won the Scottish Football Writers' Young Player of the Year Award
. Fletcher was touted for a move to Real Madrid
due to Madrid's scouts watching him after he performed well for Scotland's youth teams. The Daily Mail
reported in November 2008 that Manchester City
and two other Premier League teams were interested in signing Fletcher and the Daily Record
reported on 1 January 2009 that Middlesbrough
were "preparing" a £2.5 million offer. Towards the end of the January transfer window, Hibs rejected an approach from Celtic
. Fletcher then publicly pleaded for Hibs to agree a deal with Celtic, arguing "for the development of my career it is time to move to a bigger club", but Hibs refused to sell him.
offered £2.75 million for Fletcher. A few days later, Hibs accepted an offer of £3 million plus incentives based on appearances for Burnley. Fletcher completed the move when he agreed a four year contract with the Lancashire
club, who paid a club record transfer fee to obtain his services. After the move was completed, former Hibs
striker Keith Wright
questioned whether Fletcher was ready to play in the Premier League
. His first competitive goals for Burnley came when he scored a brace in a 2–1 League Cup win at Hartlepool
on 25 August. He scored his first goal in the Premier League on 3 October, against Birmingham City
. Fletcher was Burnley's top goalscorer during the 2009–10 season, but the club were relegated from the Premier League. He was named Burnley Players' Player of the year for the season.
was relegated to the Championship
, Fletcher joined Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers
on 3 June 2010. He signed a four-year contract, with the option of a fifth year, for £6.5m, a joint club record fee. Fletcher scored on his debut for Wolves, winning 2–1 against Stoke City
on the opening day of the season at Molineux
. Fletcher soon went on to get dropped from the first 11 as Mick McCarthy
decided to go with his previous successful 4–5–1 formation, with Kevin Doyle
playing the lone striker role. Fletcher was mainly used as a substitute in the first half of the season, but he still managed to pick up 4 goals. These goals came against Bolton
, Wigan
and two goals against Tottenham
in each fixture. On 26 March 2011, Doyle tore a knee ligament while on international duty with Ireland
, which kept him out of action for up to 6 weeks. McCarthy was proved right by choosing Fletcher to play the forward role, as he went on to score five goals in five league games for the club. His first goal came against Fulham
at Molineux
, earning his side a 1–1 draw and his next came against Birmingham
, scoring from the penalty spot to earn his side a 1–1 draw at St Andrews
. His next two goals came against West Bromwich Albion
at Molineux
in the Black Country derby
, earning his side a 3–1 win over their local rivals and getting them out of the bottom three. Fletcher grabbed his fifth goal for Wolves against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light
, again helping his side to a 3–1 win. This saw Fletcher reach 10 league goals by the end of the season, 12 in all competitions. Fletcher began the 2011–12 campaign in similar fashion, scoring a powerful header in Wolves opening day victory against Blackburn. It was the second season running that Fletcher had scored on the opening fixture of the season. Fletcher scored his second of the season against Liverpool, scoring after coming on as a substitute at half time.
in the 2004–05 season
. He was the top scorer in the Scotland under–19 team
which reached the final of the 2006 European Championship
, losing to Spain
in the final. Following the achievements of the under–19 side, Fletcher was named by The Scotsman
as one of the "ten to watch" in Scottish sport
during 2007.
Fletcher was named in the full squad
for the friendly match against Croatia
in March 2008. Fletcher started the game, providing the assist for Kenny Miller
's equaliser in a 1–1 draw, before he was substituted at half-time due to injury. He was dropped back to the under–21 team in September 2008, but was immediately recalled to the full squad after scoring twice against Slovenia under–21s
. Fletcher scored his first full international goal in a 2–1 win against Iceland
on 1 April 2009.
After being left out of Euro 2012 qualification matches against Czech Republic
and Spain
, Fletcher publicly criticised head coach Craig Levein
. Fletcher then refused to join the next Scotland squad. Levein did not contact Fletcher to discuss these comments. When Levein attempted to select him for the squad in February 2011, Fletcher sent a text message
stating that he did not want to join the squad. The dispute continued through the remainder of 2011, as Levein insisted that Fletcher would have to contact him first if he wanted to return to the squad. His club manager, Mick McCarthy
, said in November 2011 that Fletcher wanted to play for Scotland and that the situation should be resolved.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
international
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
footballer who plays as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. He is currently signed to English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
.
Fletcher began his professional career with Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
, playing in 156 Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
games and scoring 43 goals. English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
club Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
paid a club record transfer fee of £3 million to sign Fletcher in June 2009; Fletcher was their top goalscorer in the 2009–10 season with eight league goals as the club were relegated from the Premier League. Fletcher was transferred soon afterwards to Wolves, who also paid a club record fee of £6.5m for his services. He has represented Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
eight times at full international level, scoring one goal.
Early life
Fletcher, who was born in ShrewsburyShrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, spent much of his early years living on British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
bases in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
where his Liverpudlian soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
father was based. His father died from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
when Fletcher was aged only 10, prompting his mother to relocate him and his younger sister Bree to Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
Hamilton is a town in South Lanarkshire, in the west-central Lowlands of Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It is the fifth-biggest town in Scotland after Paisley, East Kilbride, Livingston and Cumbernauld...
to be closer to her family. Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
youth coach John Park, also from Hamilton, spotted his footballing talent and the young Anglo-Scot joined the Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
club's youth network aged 13.
Hibernian
Fletcher made his debut for Hibs towards the end of the 2003–04 season2003-04 in Scottish football
The 2003–04 season was the 107th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier League:The 2003–04 Scottish Premier League season was won by Celtic with 98 points, 17 points ahead of closest challengers Rangers. Both Rangers and Celtic therefore gained the two UEFA...
in a 3–0 win over Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
. He became a first team regular in the 2004–05 season
2004-05 in Scottish football
The 2004–05 season was the 108th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2004:*6 July 2004 - Nacho Novo from Dundee to Rangers, £450,000*1 July 2004 - Dado Prso from AS Monaco to Rangers, Bosman...
, playing 26 times and scoring 5 goals. In the 2005–06 season
2005-06 in Scottish football
The 2005–06 season was the 109th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2005:*1 June: Gordon Strachan officially takes charge of Celtic after the resignation of Martin O'Neill...
, Fletcher scored 10 goals in just 1,966 minutes on the pitch, which approximated to a goal every other game. He took on a more prominent role in the 2006–07 season
2006-07 in Scottish football
The 2006–07 season was the 110th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2006:*9 July: Rangers defender Fernando Ricksen is banned for the club's pre-season trip to South Africa, following an incident on the outbound flight. Manager Paul Le Guen cited "wholly inappropriate and...
after Hibs had sold star strikers Garry O'Connor
Garry O'Connor
Garry Lawrence John O'Connor is a Scottish professional footballer who currently plays for Hibernian. He has also played for the Scotland international team....
and Derek Riordan
Derek Riordan
Derek George Riordan is a Scottish footballer who plays as a forward. He has been capped three times by the Scotland national football team. Riordan started his career with Hibernian in 2001 and had a brief spell on loan with Cowdenbeath in 2003...
. Fletcher scored in Hibernian's 5–0 Intertoto Cup
UEFA Intertoto Cup
The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
win over Dinaburg
Dinaburg FC
Dinaburg FC was a Latvian football club, playing in the city of Daugavpils. In 2009 it merged with FK Daugava. The club plays at the Daugava Stadium . In October 2009 the club was eliminated from Virsliga and also from The Baltic League, because of suspicion about totalizator playing at the club...
and played regularly during the league season. The highlight of the season for Fletcher and Hibs was when he scored two goals in the 5–1 win over in the 2007 League Cup Final
2007 Scottish League Cup Final
The 2007 Scottish League Cup Final was played on 18 March 2007 at Hampden Park in Glasgow and was the 60th Scottish League Cup Final. The final was contested by Kilmarnock and Hibernian, who had never met before in a Cup Final...
.
Fletcher became Hibs' main striker during the 2007–08 season
2007-08 in Scottish football
The 2007-08 season was the 111th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:* Gretna were competing in the Scottish Premier League for the first time, their first ever season in the top-flight, after being promoted as First Division champions the previous season.* Dunfermline Athletic...
. He scored his first professional hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in a 4–2 win over and won the Scottish Football Writers' Young Player of the Year Award
SFWA Young Player of the Year
The Scottish Football Writers' Association Young Player of the Year award is given to the footballer in the top-flight of Scottish football, the Scottish Premier League, whom is seen to have been the best young player of the previous season.The shortlist is compiled by...
. Fletcher was touted for a move to Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
due to Madrid's scouts watching him after he performed well for Scotland's youth teams. The Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
reported in November 2008 that Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
and two other Premier League teams were interested in signing Fletcher and the Daily Record
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
reported on 1 January 2009 that Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
were "preparing" a £2.5 million offer. Towards the end of the January transfer window, Hibs rejected an approach from Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
. Fletcher then publicly pleaded for Hibs to agree a deal with Celtic, arguing "for the development of my career it is time to move to a bigger club", but Hibs refused to sell him.
Burnley
On 26 June 2009, BurnleyBurnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
offered £2.75 million for Fletcher. A few days later, Hibs accepted an offer of £3 million plus incentives based on appearances for Burnley. Fletcher completed the move when he agreed a four year contract with the Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
club, who paid a club record transfer fee to obtain his services. After the move was completed, former Hibs
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
striker Keith Wright
Keith Wright (footballer)
Keith Wright is a Scottish former international footballer who played as a striker.-Career:Wright began his career in 1983 with Raith Rovers and achieved nearly a goal every two games during his time at Stark's Park. In December 1986, Wright moved north to Dundee, where he won the Challenge Cup in...
questioned whether Fletcher was ready to play in the Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
. His first competitive goals for Burnley came when he scored a brace in a 2–1 League Cup win at Hartlepool
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
on 25 August. He scored his first goal in the Premier League on 3 October, against Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. Fletcher was Burnley's top goalscorer during the 2009–10 season, but the club were relegated from the Premier League. He was named Burnley Players' Player of the year for the season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
After BurnleyBurnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
was relegated to the Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
, Fletcher joined Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
on 3 June 2010. He signed a four-year contract, with the option of a fifth year, for £6.5m, a joint club record fee. Fletcher scored on his debut for Wolves, winning 2–1 against Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
on the opening day of the season at Molineux
Molineux stadium
Molineux Stadium is a Premier League football stadium situated in Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, England. It has been the home ground of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club since 1889, and has a long and illustrious history as the first 'new build' stadium in Football League history, one of the...
. Fletcher soon went on to get dropped from the first 11 as Mick McCarthy
Mick McCarthy
Michael Joseph "Mick" McCarthy is an English-born former Irish international footballer who is currently the manager of Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he has been in charge since July 2006....
decided to go with his previous successful 4–5–1 formation, with Kevin Doyle
Kevin Doyle
Kevin Edward Doyle is an Irish international footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers....
playing the lone striker role. Fletcher was mainly used as a substitute in the first half of the season, but he still managed to pick up 4 goals. These goals came against Bolton
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
, Wigan
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
and two goals against Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
in each fixture. On 26 March 2011, Doyle tore a knee ligament while on international duty with Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
, which kept him out of action for up to 6 weeks. McCarthy was proved right by choosing Fletcher to play the forward role, as he went on to score five goals in five league games for the club. His first goal came against Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
at Molineux
Molineux stadium
Molineux Stadium is a Premier League football stadium situated in Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, England. It has been the home ground of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club since 1889, and has a long and illustrious history as the first 'new build' stadium in Football League history, one of the...
, earning his side a 1–1 draw and his next came against Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, scoring from the penalty spot to earn his side a 1–1 draw at St Andrews
St Andrews (stadium)
St Andrew's is an association football stadium in the Bordesley district of Birmingham, England. It has been the home ground of Birmingham City Football Club for more than a century....
. His next two goals came against West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
at Molineux
Molineux stadium
Molineux Stadium is a Premier League football stadium situated in Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, England. It has been the home ground of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club since 1889, and has a long and illustrious history as the first 'new build' stadium in Football League history, one of the...
in the Black Country derby
Black Country derby
The Black Country derby is most commonly the local derby between the English football teams West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers. The term 'Black Country derby' can also be given to a match between either of these teams and Walsall F.C., though such matches are less common as a result...
, earning his side a 3–1 win over their local rivals and getting them out of the bottom three. Fletcher grabbed his fifth goal for Wolves against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light
Stadium of Light
The Stadium of Light is an all-seater football stadium in Sunderland, England. With space for 49,000 spectators, the Stadium of Light has the fifth-largest capacity of any English football stadium. The stadium primarily hosts Sunderland A.F.C. matches...
, again helping his side to a 3–1 win. This saw Fletcher reach 10 league goals by the end of the season, 12 in all competitions. Fletcher began the 2011–12 campaign in similar fashion, scoring a powerful header in Wolves opening day victory against Blackburn. It was the second season running that Fletcher had scored on the opening fixture of the season. Fletcher scored his second of the season against Liverpool, scoring after coming on as a substitute at half time.
International career
Despite his English birthplace, Fletcher chose to represent Scotland, his mother's home country and where he had lived since his father's death when Fletcher was a boy. Fletcher made his debut for Scotland under–21sScotland national under-21 football team
The Scotland national under-21 football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is Scotland's national under 21 football team and is considered to be a feeder team for the Scotland national football team....
in the 2004–05 season
2004-05 in Scottish football
The 2004–05 season was the 108th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2004:*6 July 2004 - Nacho Novo from Dundee to Rangers, £450,000*1 July 2004 - Dado Prso from AS Monaco to Rangers, Bosman...
. He was the top scorer in the Scotland under–19 team
Scotland national under-19 football team
The Scotland national under-19 football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is Scotland's national football team for players of 19 years of age or under at the start of a European Under-19 Football Championship campaign....
which reached the final of the 2006 European Championship
2006 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
The UEFA U-19 Championship 2006 Final Tournament was held in Poland between 18 July and 29 July 2006. The top three teams in each group qualified for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Players born after 1 January 1987 were allowed to participate in this competition.-Qualifications:There were two...
, losing to Spain
Spain national under-19 football team
The Spain national under-19 football team represents Spain in international football at this age level and is controlled by Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain.-UEFA European Under-19 Championship Record:...
in the final. Following the achievements of the under–19 side, Fletcher was named by The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
as one of the "ten to watch" in Scottish sport
Sport in Scotland
Sport plays a central role in Scottish culture. The temperate, oceanic climate has played a key part in the evolution of sport in Scotland, with all-weather sports like association football, rugby union and golf dominating the national sporting consciousness...
during 2007.
Fletcher was named in the full squad
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
for the friendly match against Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
in March 2008. Fletcher started the game, providing the assist for Kenny Miller
Kenny Miller
Kenneth "Kenny" Miller is a Scottish footballer who plays as a striker for Cardiff City and the Scotland national football team...
's equaliser in a 1–1 draw, before he was substituted at half-time due to injury. He was dropped back to the under–21 team in September 2008, but was immediately recalled to the full squad after scoring twice against Slovenia under–21s
Slovenia national under-21 football team
The Slovenia national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia.-Current squad:...
. Fletcher scored his first full international goal in a 2–1 win against Iceland
Iceland national football team
The Iceland national football team is the national football team of Iceland and is controlled by the Football Association of Iceland. It has never advanced to the finals of any major international competition....
on 1 April 2009.
After being left out of Euro 2012 qualification matches against Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
and Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
, Fletcher publicly criticised head coach Craig Levein
Craig Levein
Craig William Levein is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager of the Scotland national team. During his playing career he played for Cowdenbeath and Heart of Midlothian...
. Fletcher then refused to join the next Scotland squad. Levein did not contact Fletcher to discuss these comments. When Levein attempted to select him for the squad in February 2011, Fletcher sent a text message
Text messaging
Text messaging, or texting, refers to the exchange of brief written text messages between fixed-line phone or mobile phone and fixed or portable devices over a network...
stating that he did not want to join the squad. The dispute continued through the remainder of 2011, as Levein insisted that Fletcher would have to contact him first if he wanted to return to the squad. His club manager, Mick McCarthy
Mick McCarthy
Michael Joseph "Mick" McCarthy is an English-born former Irish international footballer who is currently the manager of Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he has been in charge since July 2006....
, said in November 2011 that Fletcher wanted to play for Scotland and that the situation should be resolved.
International goals
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 April 2009 | Hampden Park Hampden Park Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland... , Glasgow Glasgow Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands... , Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... |
2–1 | 2–1 | 2010 World Cup qualification 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA) The European zone of qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup saw 53 teams competing for 13 places at the finals. The qualification process started on 20 August 2008, after UEFA Euro 2008, and ended on 18 November 2009. The qualification process saw the first competitive matches of... |
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Hibernian Hibernian F.C. Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts... |
2003–04 Scottish Premier League 2003-04 The 2003–04 Scottish Premier League was won by Celtic.As league champions, Celtic qualified for the UEFA Champions League, with runners-up Rangers also qualifying... |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 2004–05 Scottish Premier League 2004-05 The 2004–05 Scottish Premier League was won by Rangers.As league champions, Rangers qualified for the UEFA Champions League, with runners-up Celtic also qualifying... |
20 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 5 | |
| 2005–06 Scottish Premier League 2005-06 The 2005–06 Scottish Premier League was won by Celtic, with a 17-point margin over their nearest challengers Hearts in the first season under the management of Gordon Strachan... |
34 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 10 | |
| 2006–07 Scottish Premier League 2006-07 The 2006–07 Scottish Premier League season was the ninth season of the Scottish Premier League. It began on July 29, 2006.The league champions, Celtic and runners-up, Rangers, qualified for the UEFA Champions League on the return of Walter Smith as manager following a brief and disastrous... |
31 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 44 | 12 | |
| 2007–08 Scottish Premier League 2007-08 The 2007–08 Scottish Premier League season was the tenth season of the Scottish Premier League. It began on 4 August 2007 and was originally due to end on 18 May 2008... |
32 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 14 | |
| 2008–09 | 34 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 11 | |
| Total | 156 | 43 | 16 | 3 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 189 | 52 | |
| Burnley Burnley F.C. Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888... |
2009–10 Premier League 2009–10 The 2009–10 Premier League was the 18th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. A total of 20 teams competed in the league, with Chelsea unseating the three-time defending champions Manchester United, scoring a Premier League record 103 goals in the process... |
35 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 12 |
| Burnley Total | 35 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 12 | |
| Wolves Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at... |
2010–11 2010–11 Premier League The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011... |
29 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 12 |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Premier League The 2011–12 Premier League is the twentieth season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2011–12 fixtures were announced on 17 June 2011 at 9:00 BST. The season began on 13 August 2011 and is due to end on 13 May 2012... |
6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | |
| Total | 35 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 15 | |
| Career total | 226 | 64 | 20 | 5 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 267 | 80 | |
External links
- Steven Fletcher profile Wolverhampton Wanderers FC
- Steven Fletcher profile London Hearts