ALEX FLETCHER

Full Name: Alex Samuel Fletcher

Born: 09 February 1999

Came from: Trainee   Went to: Released

First game: 03 December 2016   Last game: 27 April 2019

Appearances: 24 (7/17)   Goals: 3

Born in Newton Abbot, Fletcher attended Torquay Grammar School and represented Torbay Schools at all levels. In 2008 he joined Argyle's Academy system at the age of nine, and his progress attracted interest from Fulham before he agreed his apprenticeship at Home Park in January 2015. Having broken into the under-18s during the 2014-15 season, he played a significant part in the following campaign's success, including winning the Youth Alliance League, promotion to the Peninsula Premier League and winning the final of the St Luke’s Devon Bowl.

In November 2016 he won praise for his four goals for the under-18s in the FA Youth Cup. A month later he was rewarded with his first team debut, a 79th minute substitute in the FA Cup second round tie at home to Newport County.

In January 2017 Fletcher was an unused substitute in the FA Cup third-round replay against Premier League giants Liverpool, with a Home Park full house and live TV coverage providing invaluable experience for the 17-year-old. Six months later he signed his first professional contract with the club.

At the start of January 2018, Fletcher moved to Torquay United in the National League on a 28-day loan deal to give him further first team experience. However, with Torquay fighting for their existence at the foot of the National League, he made just two starts and one substitute appearance without scoring and returned to Home Park a few days early.

Fletcher went on to make a further six appearances for the Pilgrims that season, including a last-day start in the 5-2 defeat at Gillingham as injuries derailed Argyle's play-off push. He was rewarded in June 2018 with a new one-year contract, which was extended for a further year 12 months later.

In September 2019 he joined Aldershot Town of the National League on a one-month loan, making six appearances without scoring. In December 2019 he was loaned again to Southern League club Tiverton Town, initially on a month's loan which was later extended to the end of the season and was more successful as he played 11 times, scoring eight goals.

Fletcher then re-joined Tiverton permanently at the start of the following season after he had been released by Argyle at the end of the 2019-20 campaign, scoring eight goals in just seven appearances.

This led to a move to Bath City for an undisclosed fee in January 2021.

On 8th November 2022 he made headlines nationally when he 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. On 21 November 2022, Fletcher left intensive care and after extensive recouperation, he did go on to play three more times for the Romans in the 2023-24 season, but on 8th November 2023, exactly a year after his accident, Fletcher announced he had left Bath City after 71 games and 28 goals across four seasons, and had taken up a role with the PFA's Brain Health Team to deliver education on improving brain health for football teams across England. That same month he signed for National League South side Weston-Super-Mare, to continue his playing career in parallel with his PFA role, teaming up with another ex-Pilgrim, Reuben Reid.

After a handful of appearances for Weston and a loan spell at Tiverton Town in the 2023-24 season, in July 2024 he announced his retirement from football.