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Darren Fletcher

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Darren Fletcher (born February 1 1984, Dalkeith, Scotland) is a football player currently playing for FA Premier League club Manchester United

Darren Fletcher
Personal information
Full name Darren Barr Fletcher
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) central midfielder, right winger
Team information
Current team
 Manchester United
Number 24
‡ National team caps and goals as of 15 September 2006

Club career

Fletcher joined Manchester United as a trainee in July 2000 and he signed a professional contract in February 2001. He was an extremely highly rated prospect, initially seen as a right winger in the David Beckham mould. [1]. His first few seasons at the club, however, were marred by injury, and as he developed he came to be viewed more as a central midfielder.

Fletcher broke into the Manchester United team during the 2003-04 campaign, playing a number of important matches. He started in United's FA Cup Final win over Millwall F.C. in May 2004[2].

Despite a slow start to the 2004-05 campaign, in which in the early part of the season he made very few competitive appearances, Fletcher again broke into the United first team, finding the form he showed at the end of the previous season. On 1 January, 2005 Fletcher scored his first goal at club level, (he had already scored twice for Scotland.) The goal was the opener in the Premiership match against Middlesbrough.[3]

Fletcher was one of the players singled out for harsh criticism by club captain Roy Keane in the wake of United's embarrassing 4-1 defeat to Middlesbrough in October 2005[4]. Keane reportedly said, "I can't understand why people in Scotland rave about Darren Fletcher." However, Keane later attempted to set the record straight stating, "If you listen to any of my comments over the last two or three years, if I've given any player credit over the years it would be Fletch. Fletch will tell you that himself."[5] Fletcher went some way towards answering his critics on 6 November 2005, with an impressive performance in the vital league match at home to Chelsea, punctuating his fine display with the only goal of the game. [6]. His winning goal ended Chelsea's 40-match unbeaten run in the Premier League.

In 2006-07 he retained his starting position in the first team at the start of the season and scored in an away win over Charlton Athletic, as well as scoring the headed winner in the away game with Middlesbrough in December and another headed goal in the home win against Charlton in February, making it a double against the club that season. However, as the season progressed, Alex Ferguson rightly adopted a midfield quartet of Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick and Ryan Giggs, and Fletcher was limited to substitute appearances. However, due to Paul Scholes's suspension, he made a starting appearance in United's 7-1 rout of AS Roma in the Champions League quarter final and put in a fine and energetic performance.

Fletcher has recently become the father of twin boys with girlfriend, Hayley Grice.

During the first leg against A.C.Milan at Old Trafford, Fletcher almost scored his first Champions league goal only to be denied by Dida at the last second as Dida made a good save. At the San Siro eight days later, with United 2 goals down, Fletcher had a glorious chance to pull one back for United and turn the game into their favour after he was unmarked in the penalty box but missed it right of Dida's post, failing to trouble him. United eventually saw themselves eliminated from Europe after Milan trashed them 3-0.

International career

Fletcher has established himself as a regular pick for Scotland and scored in a 1-0 win Lithuania, having come off the bench for only his second cap[7]. His goal took Scotland to the play-offs for Euro 2004. On 26 May 2004, he captained Scotland to a 1-0 friendly win against Estonia in Tallinn. This made him the youngest Scotland captain since John Lambie of Queen's Park led the side that beat Ireland 7-2 on Saturday, 20 March 1886. Lambie was aged just 17 years and 92 days.[8]

Fletcher's improvement for his national side was capped by a 25-metre strike in an October 2005 World Cup qualifier against Slovenia. With a deft flick and precise half-volley, he thundered the ball into the top corner of the net to give Scotland a 1-0 advantage.

Honours

References

  1. ^ "Fletcher is ready to fill Beckham's boots". ESPN Soccernet. 28 July 2000.
  2. ^ "Man Utd win FA Cup". BBC Sport website. 22 May, 2004. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ "Middlesbrough 0-2 Man Utd". BBC Sport website. 1 January 2005.
  4. ^ "Keane gagged by United after TV attack on players". Guardian. 1 November 2005.
  5. ^ Grant, Michael (December 18 2005). "Keane Rates Fletcher". Sunday Herald. Retrieved 2006-11-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ "Man Utd 1-0 Chelsea". BBC Sport website. 6 November 2005.
  7. ^ "Scotland battle past Lithuania". BBC Sport website. 11 October, 2003. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ "Sat 20 Mar 1886 Ireland 2 Scotland 7". Retrieved 2006-11-27.


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