Former Barnsley star makes candid Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough admissions after Blackpool move

Fletcher has joined Blackpool ahead of the 2024/25 season in a move he will be hoping gets him firing again. It was once almost inconceivable Fletcher would drop back into League One, as he appeared destined for a career in the Championship at least.

However, the 28-year-old’s career has stalled in recent years and he failed to score once while on loan at Sheffield Wednesday from Watford last term.

Speaking to the Blackpool Gazette, Fletcher has been frank about his struggles. He said: “The last few years haven’t gone to plan. There’s been external factors and things like that, but I’ll take responsibility for it. It’s on me as well.

“When I look at it, the change of managers didn’t help me. I went to Wigan, and had three managers there in one season. I then went to Sheffield Wednesday and had two managers again.

“Sometimes people have different opinions about me in terms of style and stuff like that - I get it, I understand it. Pre-season is also a massive thing. I went into the last two teams quite late, and I was training alone not going into Watford. From there you’re on the back foot because they’re not really assessing you the same as the lads that have been in from the start.”

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Fletcher was nurtured within Manchester United’s academy and enjoyed a productive loan spell at Barnsley while on the books at Old Trafford. A permanent move to West Ham United did not quite work out and he had ups and downs over the course of a four-year stay at Middlesbrough.

He left the Riverside in 2021 having turned down a new deal and his exit marked the beginning of a turbulent chapter in the forward’s career. Opportunities proved limited at Watford and loan stints at New York Red Bulls, Wigan Athletic and Wednesday did not prove particularly beneficial.

Fletcher said: “You look back sometimes at the decisions you’ve made, I could’ve stayed at Middlesbrough and signed a new deal, and things could’ve played out differently. Obviously I got the opportunity to go to the Premier League - don’t think any player would turn that down.

“Hindsight is a wonderful thing but I’m fully focused now on my future. This is a new chapter for me - I got married in the summer and I’ve got a little girl, so I’m a mature adult now. I’m looking forward to getting back and playing the best I can.”