Carl Fletcher (Welsh footballer)
{{Short description|Wales international footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Carl Fletcher
| image = C-Fletcher.jpg
| caption = Fletcher playing for Wales in 2008
| full_name = Carl Neil Fletcher{{cite book |editor-first=Barry J. |editor-last=Hugman |title=The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2007–08 |year=2007 |publisher=Mainstream Publishing |location=Edinburgh |isbn=978-1-84596-246-3 |page=142}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|4|7|df=y}}
| birth_place = Camberley, England
| height = {{Height|ft=5|in=10}}{{cite web |title=Carl Fletcher: Overview |url=https://www.premierleague.com/players/3012/Carl-Fletcher/overview |publisher=Premier League |access-date=7 May 2023}}
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub =
| years1 = 1997–2004
| clubs1 = AFC Bournemouth
| caps1 = 193
| goals1 = 19
| years2 = 2004–2006
| clubs2 = West Ham United
| caps2 = 44
| goals2 = 3
| years3 = 2005
| clubs3 = → Watford (loan)
| caps3 = 3
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2006–2009
| clubs4 = Crystal Palace
| caps4 = 68
| goals4 = 4
| years5 = 2008
| clubs5 = → Nottingham Forest (loan)
| caps5 = 5
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2009
| clubs6 = → Plymouth Argyle (loan)
| caps6 = 13
| goals6 = 1
| years7 = 2009–2012
| clubs7 = Plymouth Argyle
| caps7 = 88
| goals7 = 7
| years8 = 2013–2014
| clubs8 = Barnet
| caps8 = 3
| goals8 = 0
| totalcaps = 417
| totalgoals = 34
| nationalyears1 = 2004–2009
| nationalteam1 = Wales
| nationalcaps1 = 36
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| manageryears1 = 2011–2013
| managerclubs1 = Plymouth Argyle
| manageryears2 = 2019
| managerclubs2 = Leyton Orient
}}
Carl Neil Fletcher (born 7 April 1980) is a former professional football player and manager, who most recently was head coach at Leyton Orient. As a midfielder Fletcher represented Wales at senior international level for five years, scoring one goal in 36 appearances.
Having made his professional debut for AFC Bournemouth in 1998, Fletcher went on to play for West Ham United, Watford, Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and Plymouth Argyle, making 414 appearances in league competition and scoring 34 goals. Born in Camberley, Fletcher retired from playing in 2012 to focus on his role as manager of Plymouth Argyle, keeping the Pilgrims in League Two despite serious financial issues. His time as Plymouth Argyle manager has since seen Fletcher described as "a crucial figure in the club's history both now and years into the future."{{cite news|title=Carl Fletcher reflects on the togetherness, adversity and fond memories of life at Plymouth Argyle|url=https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/carl-fletcher-plymouth-argyle-administration-819978|publisher=PlymouthLive|access-date=23 November 2013|date=23 November 2013}} He resumed his playing career in October 2013 with Barnet.
Playing career
After playing football for Oakdale Middle School (1988–1992), Fletcher moved onto being Captain of his local football team in Poole, Dorset. Fletcher started his career at Football League club AFC Bournemouth, making his debut in February 1998 as a 17-year-old. He made 185 league starts for the south-coast club, including captaining the side to a 5–2 victory over Lincoln City in the 2003 Division 3 playoff final and scoring two of the goals himself, before earning a move to West Ham United in 2004 for £275,000.{{cite web|title=Fletcher joins West Ham|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/3614680.stm|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=25 July 2011|date=31 August 2004}}
Fletcher then played in the Premier League after West Ham won promotion the season he signed for them. He also had a month-long loan spell at Watford. Upon his return from Watford in October 2005, he made 12 league appearances for West Ham. Fletcher's last league game was on 7 May 2006. In the last game of the season, with Tottenham Hotspur needing a win to qualify for the Champions League, Fletcher scored the first goal in a 2–1 West Ham win with the Tottenham team affected by food poisoning. It was his only Premier League goal.{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/4957464.stm|title=West Ham 2-1 Tottenham|date=7 May 2006|work=BBC News}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.westhamstats.info/westham.php?west=2&ham=806&united=Carl_Fletcher|title=Carl Fletcher|website=www.westhamstats.info}} On 13 May 2006, Fletcher was drafted into the West Ham team to face Liverpool in the FA Cup Final due to the suspension of Hayden Mullins.
The FA Cup final proved to be his last competitive match for the Hammers, however, as he signed for Crystal Palace in that summer, for £400,000.{{cite web|title=Palace sign West Ham's Fletcher|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/crystal_palace/5226812.stm|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=25 July 2011|date=29 July 2006}} He was immediately appointed as captain by manager Peter Taylor. After Neil Warnock took over, the captaincy went to Mark Hudson. Fletcher captained Wales for the first time on 28 May 2009 against Iceland. However, he was substituted after just 41 minutes after damaging his ankle ligaments.
After Neil Warnock was appointed as Palace manager, Fletcher found first-team opportunities limited, starting many games on the substitutes bench, which eventually led to him and teammate Paul Ifill being placed on the transfer list in August 2008. Fletcher was signed on loan by Nottingham Forest in October of that year due to their ever-growing injury list. However, he only made five appearances in this period and due to a problematic back injury, was sent back to Palace.
Fletcher signed a month-long emergency loan deal with Plymouth Argyle on 20 February 2009,{{cite web|title=Fletcher Signs|url=http://www.pafc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10364~1563631,00.html|publisher=Plymouth Argyle F.C|access-date=3 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223150031/http://www.pafc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10364~1563631%2C00.html|archive-date=23 February 2009|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Fletcher joins Plymouth on loan|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/plymouth_argyle/7902361.stm|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=3 January 2013|date=20 February 2009}} scoring on his debut against Sheffield United.{{cite web|title=Plymouth 2–2 Sheff Utd|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/7883606.stm|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=3 January 2013|date=21 February 2009}} A string of commanding performances led to the loan being extended a month later until the end of the 2008–09 campaign.{{cite web|title=Fletcher happy to stay at Argyle|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/plymouth_argyle/7952618.stm|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=3 January 2013|date=19 March 2009}} Following his release by Crystal Palace in May 2009, Fletcher signed a two-year contract with Plymouth.{{cite web|title=Fletcher Arrows In|url=http://www.pafc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10364~1689407,00.html|publisher=Plymouth Argyle F.C|access-date=3 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612061007/http://www.pafc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10364~1689407%2C00.html|archive-date=12 June 2009|date=9 June 2009|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Plymouth complete Fletcher deal|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/plymouth_argyle/8083415.stm|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=3 January 2013|date=9 June 2009}} Having been made captain by Paul Sturrock, he led the team in this role throughout his time as a player with the club. Fletcher extended his contract by 12 months during the summer of 2011.{{cite web|title=Plymouth captain Carl Fletcher set to stay at club|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/plymouth_argyle/9488060.stm|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=3 January 2013|date=16 May 2011}} He retired from playing at the end of the 2011–12 season in order to focus on management.
Fletcher resumed his playing career in October 2013 when he joined Conference Premier side Barnet.{{cite web|title=Bees sign Carl Fletcher|url=http://www.barnetfc.com/news/article/bees-sign-carl-fletcher-1120782.aspx|publisher=Barnet F.C|access-date=18 October 2013|date=18 October 2013}}{{cite web|title=Carl Fletcher: Barnet sign former Plymouth Argyle manager|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24586452|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=18 October 2013|date=18 October 2013}} Prior to signing a contract he trained with the club during pre-season and also spent time back at Bournemouth.{{cite web|last=O'Rourke|first=Pete|title=Former Plymouth manager Carl Fletcher links up with Bournemouth for training|url=http://www1.skysports.com/news/12040/8956634/|publisher=Sky Sports|access-date=18 October 2013|date=4 October 2013}} He made six appearances, three in the league, before being released in January 2014.{{Cite web|url=https://www.barnetfc.com/news/2014/january/carl-fletcher-leaves-barnet-fc/|title=Carl Fletcher Leaves Barnet FC - News - Barnet Football Club|website=www.barnetfc.com|access-date=17 October 2019|archive-date=9 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809073630/https://www.barnetfc.com/news/2014/january/carl-fletcher-leaves-barnet-fc/|url-status=dead}}
Coaching and managerial career
Fletcher was appointed caretaker manager of Plymouth Argyle on 19 September 2011,{{cite web|title=Plymouth Argyle name Carl Fletcher as interim manager|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14976335.stm|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=19 September 2011|date=19 September 2011}} a day after Peter Reid was sacked by acting chairman Peter Ridsdale.{{cite web|title=Peter Reid sacked as manager of Plymouth Argyle|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/14964634|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=3 January 2013|date=18 September 2011}}
Plymouth Argyle were recovering from a tulmultous 2010/11 campaign that had seen the Club docked 10 points and being served its third winding-up petition in three years. They had failed to win a game when Fletcher took charge. He led the club to their first win of the season, beating Macclesfield Town 2–0.{{cite news|title=Plymouth 2–0 Macclesfield|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/14958260.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=24 September 2011|date=24 September 2011}} The club was taken over by Akkeron Group at the end of October and Fletcher immediately became the club's full-time manager, having won two and drawn one of his seven games as caretaker.{{cite web|title=Plymouth Argyle confirm Carl Fletcher as manager|url=http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15535894.stm|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=1 November 2011|date=1 November 2011}}
Fletcher managed to guide Plymouth Argyle to League Two safety, a run of six games unbeaten between 17 March and 11 April proving critical. Beren Cross, journalist at Plymouth Live, said, "Many fans will look back on Fletcher as a crucial figure in the club's history both now and years into the future. That campaign will forever be marked as a point of resistance in the club's history, a season in which the rot, the slump was stopped."
He signed a one-year rolling contract at the end of the 2011–12 season and retired as a player. "I have enjoyed playing. There have been highs and lows, and tough days and good days, but it's on to a new era in my life," he said to The Herald. "I'm starting again and trying to build my reputation up as a manager now."{{cite news|title=Plymouth Argyle signs new deal with manager Carl Fletcher|url=http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Plymouth-Argyle-signs-new-deal-manager-Carl/story-16208287-detail/story.html|access-date=3 January 2013|newspaper=The Herald|date=28 May 2012|location=Plymouth|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830130809/http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Plymouth-Argyle-signs-new-deal-manager-Carl/story-16208287-detail/story.html|archive-date=30 August 2012|url-status=dead}}
Fletcher was sacked on 1 January 2013 after a run of eight defeats in 13 league games left the club 21st in the League Two table.{{cite web|title=Club Statement|url=http://www.pafc.co.uk/news/article/club-statement-571043.aspx|publisher=Plymouth Argyle F.C|access-date=3 January 2013|date=1 January 2013}}{{cite web|title=Bristol Rovers 2–1 Plymouth|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20841140|work=BBC Sport|access-date=3 January 2013|date=1 January 2013}}{{cite news|title=Final Carl Fletcher defeat sinks Plymouth Argyle closer to drop zone|url=http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Final-Carl-Fletcher-defeat-sinks-Plymouth-Argyle/story-17738186-detail/story.html|access-date=3 January 2013|newspaper=The Herald|date=2 January 2013|location=Plymouth|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505122934/http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/Final-Carl-Fletcher-defeat-sinks-Plymouth-Argyle/story-17738186-detail/story.html|archive-date=5 May 2013|url-status=dead}} In a tearful post-match interview with BBC Radio Devon, he said that "since I've been down here we've been through a lot, that's football really. I might be a young manager but I know if you don't win games you don't keep your job."{{cite web|last=McNichol|first=Rob|title=A Courageous & Dignified Farewell|url=http://www.pafc.co.uk/news/article/a-courageous-dignified-farewell-571432.aspx?|publisher=Plymouth Argyle F.C|access-date=3 January 2013|date=1 January 2013}}{{cite web|title=Plymouth Argyle: Carl Fletcher sacked by League Two strugglers|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20883861|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=1 January 2013|date=1 January 2013}}
Fletcher was appointed youth team manager at Bournemouth on 15 January 2014 after leaving Barnet.{{Cite web|url=https://www.afcb.co.uk/404-page-not-found?404;https://afcb-production-fe-eu-west:80/generic/download-fixtures-calendar.aspx?teamid=23&seasonstartdate=20160701&seasonenddate=20170531|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140127201935/http://www.afcb.co.uk/news/article/2014-01-15-roach-fletcher-return-for-academy-roles-1297001.aspx|url-status=dead|title=404 - Page not found|archive-date=27 January 2014|website=AFCB}}
In October 2019, Fletcher was appointed as head coach with EFL League Two club Leyton Orient.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50044239|title=Carl Fletcher: Leyton Orient appoint ex-Plymouth boss as head coach|work=BBC sport|date=16 October 2019|access-date=16 October 2019}} He was sacked on 14 November after 29 days and five games in charge, without a win.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50421251|title=Carl Fletcher: Leyton Orient manager sacked after 29 days in charge of League Two club|date=14 November 2019|publisher=BBC}}
Personal life
In September 2010, Fletcher was unsuccessful in an attempt to get out of jury duty at Plymouth Crown Court by saying that he was too well known in the local area.{{cite news |last1=Evans |first1=Martin |title=Footballer told he is not famous enough to avoid jury service |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/8034983/Footballer-told-he-is-not-famous-enough-to-avoid-jury-service.html |access-date=23 September 2018 |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=30 September 2010}}{{cite news |title=The trials of the celebrity juror |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-33802676 |access-date=23 September 2018 |work=BBC News |date=6 August 2015}}
Career statistics
=Club=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | |||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="2"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps||Goals||Apps||Goals||Apps||Goals | |||||
| rowspan="8"|AFC Bournemouth
|1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1998–99
|2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1999–2000
|24 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 27 | 3 |
| 2000–01
|43 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 47 | 7 |
| 2001–02
|35 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 38 | 5 |
| 2002–03
|45 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 52 | 3 |
| 2003–04
|40 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 44 | 2 |
| 2004–05
|6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| rowspan="2"|West Ham United
|33 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 2 |
| 2005–06
|12 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 17 | 1 |
| Watford
|3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| rowspan="3"|Crystal Palace
|37 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 3 |
| 2007–08
|28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 1 |
| 2008–09
|3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Nottingham Forest
|5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| rowspan="4"|Plymouth Argyle
|13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| 2009–10
|41 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 4 |
| 2010–11
|38 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 2 |
| 2011–12
|9 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 2 |
| Barnet
|2013–14 |3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| colspan="2"|Career
!421||36||45||2||466||38 |
=International=
:Scores and results list Wales' goal tally first.
| class="wikitable"
! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition | ||||||
| 1. | 6 February 2008 | Racecourse Ground, Wrexham | {{fb|NOR}} | 1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
Managerial statistics
{{updated|10 November 2019}}
| class=wikitable style="text-align: center"
|+ Managerial record by team and tenure | ||||
| rowspan=2|Team
!rowspan=2|From !rowspan=2|To !colspan=5|Record !rowspan=2|{{abbr|Ref|Reference}} | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| {{abbr|P|Matches played}} | {{abbr|W|Matches won}} | {{abbr|D|Matches drawn}} | {{abbr|L|Matches lost}} | {{abbr|Win %|Win percentage}} |
| align=left|Plymouth Argyle
|align=left|19 September 2011 |align=left|1 January 2013 {{WDL|70|17|27|26|decimals=1}} | ||||
| align=left|Leyton Orient
|align=left|16 October 2019 |align left|14 November 2019 {{WDL|5|0|2|3|decimals=1}} | ||||
| colspan=3|Total
{{WDLtot|75|17|29|29|decimals=1}} !— |
Honours
AFC Bournemouth
- Football League Third Division play-offs: 2002–03{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_3/3051043.stm |title=Bournemouth win seals promotion |website=BBC Sport |date=24 May 2003 |access-date=31 January 2023}}
West Ham United
- Football League Championship play-offs: 2004–05{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/4573799.stm |title=West Ham 1–0 Preston |website=BBC Sport |date=30 May 2005 |access-date=31 January 2023}}
- FA Cup runner-up: 2005–06{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/fa_cup/4756045.stm |title=Liverpool 3–3 West Ham (aet) |publisher=BBC Sport |date=13 May 2006 |access-date=31 January 2023}}
Individual
- Plymouth Argyle Player of the Year: 2009–10, 2010–11{{citation needed|date=March 2017}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Soccerbase}}
- {{soccerbase manager|id=2416|name=Carl Fletcher}}
{{Plymouth Argyle F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{Leyton Orient F.C. managers}}
{{Plymouth Argyle F.C. managers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fletcher, Carl}}
Category:Sportspeople from Camberley
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Welsh men's footballers
Category:Wales men's international footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:AFC Bournemouth players
Category:West Ham United F.C. players
Category:Crystal Palace F.C. players
Category:Nottingham Forest F.C. players
Category:Plymouth Argyle F.C. players
Category:Premier League players
Category:English Football League players
Category:National League (English football) players
Category:English football managers
Category:Welsh football managers
Category:Plymouth Argyle F.C. managers
Category:English Football League managers
Category:AFC Bournemouth non-playing staff
Category:Leyton Orient F.C. managers