Ex-Manchester United, Middlesbrough and Watford striker recognised for Blackpool revival
Ashley Fletcher has been able to get his career back on track during his first season with Blackpool.
The 29-year-old made the move to Bloomfield Road as a free agent last summer, and certainly had a point to prove.
On the back of a tough number of years, it looked as if it was going to be more of the same for the striker with the Seasiders, until an honest conversation with Steve Bruce helped him to turn a corner.
The Blackpool boss gave Fletcher a weekend off to gather his thoughts, and since then he’s enjoyed a revival in Tangerine.
Throughout March in particular, the Manchester United youth product enjoyed a strong run of form in particular, scoring five goals in seven games - which has taken his season total up to 11.
This has earned him a nomination for the latest League One Player of the Month award, where he is up against Charlton Athletic’s Macaulay Gillesphey, Lincoln City’s Jovon Makama and Wrexham’s Arthur Okonkwo.
Fletcher’s career so far
Fletcher progressed through the youth ranks at Old Trafford as a youngster, but never made a first-team appearance for the Red Devils, with his senior debut instead coming with Barnsley during a successful loan move to League One.
The forward departed the Salford outfit for a move to West Ham in 2016, but after only a season in East London, he joined Middlesbrough.
His time at the Riverside Stadium was successful on the whole, scoring 28 goals and providing 11 assists in 109 outings for the club.
A move to Watford in 2021 is when things started to go downhill for Fletcher, with the 29-year-old unable to break his way into the Hornets team. Instead he was loaned out to New York Red Bulls, Wigan Athletic and Sheffield Wednesday - with all three spells proving to be unsuccessful.
How Bruce helped Fletcher to get back on track
For a period before Christmas, it looked as if the striker’s poor run would continue at Bloomfield Road after falling out of contention.
A conversation with Blackpool boss Bruce helped Fletcher to get back on track and prove his doubter wrong.
“There were times where he was in a dark place and had lost that confidence, which everyone needs,” said the Seasiders head coach after a victory over Lincoln City back in January.
“You have to go back to doing the basics, and he’s done that.
“I’m delighted for him because we all know the ability he’s got, and he’s got his rewards for the graft that he’s put in, both physically and mentally. I gave him a weekend to gather his thoughts, and from that Monday morning onwards, he’s rolled his sleeves up and got stuck into it.
“He’s put in the hard yards, and all of a sudden he’s turned around the scenario he was in, and all of a sudden people are seeing Ashley Fletcher again, and talking about him again.”
Fletcher’s reaction
After the same game, Fletcher admitted he had been through a mental battle over the last few years, but felt confident he could come out the other side of it.
Discussing the difficulties he’s faced, he said: “It’s part and parcel of being a football player. It was going one way for me, and I’ve had to go back to basics and really work hard. I’m really enjoying my football now, and that’s the main thing.
“I’ve got a manager, coaching staff, and a group of players that believe in me. They know my strengths and play to them, so long may it continue.
“It can be tough because it can feel like you’re facing an endless battle. I’ve got a great group of people around me in my personal life: my wife, our little girl, we’ve got another little girl on the way, my parents, my brother - just endless people.
“I also sought out the help of a psychologist - who I’ve been speaking to for the season. Looking into the mental side of things has been really important for me to turn it around.
“I first did it when I was at Sunderland, and I was really young at the time. He helped me a lot because there was a lot of pressure on me. Over the years, I tried to turn it around myself, but he’s been great with me, and it’s quite clear that it’s so important.
“I’ve always known that I’m a good player, I’ve played for some top clubs - that doesn’t happen without having quality and talent. It’s been about getting it out of me and playing to my strengths.
“I like to think I’m quite important to this team, and that’s what you want as a footballer, you need that reassurance sometimes. After going from loan to loan, coming to Blackpool, I feel like I’ve now settled, but it’s not the finished article, there’s still a lot more to come.
“This is the biggest run of fixtures I’ve played since Middlesbrough, so I need to keep going and see where it takes me.
“The manager and the coaching staff have been unbelievable for me, and I can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done because it was only going in one direction, and when I think about it now, it’s really hard to think about. I was having difficult moments.”
Your next story from the Gazette: Assessment issued on when Blackpool striker can be expected back amid latest injury.