Owls Strike Gold as Former Striker Fletcher Announces Retirement
Sheffield, England – Sheffield Wednesday fans are reflecting on the career of former striker Steven Fletcher, who has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 38. The Scottish international, who made nearly 750 appearances for various clubs, including Burnley, Wolves, Sunderland, Stoke City, and Wrexham, is particularly fondly remembered for his time at Hillsborough.
Fletcher’s arrival at Sheffield Wednesday in July 2016 on a free transfer from Sunderland proved to be a shrewd piece of business. After spending six-and-a-half years in the Premier League, making almost 200 appearances, Fletcher brought a wealth of experience and quality to the Championship side.
In 2016, optimism was high at Hillsborough. Carlos Carvalhal had led the Owls to a sixth-place finish and a play-off spot. After defeating Brighton and Hove Albion, Wednesday reached Wembley, only to be denied promotion by Hull City. Despite the disappointment, the future looked bright, and the signing of Fletcher added to the sense of excitement.
Prior to joining Wednesday, Fletcher had spent the second half of the previous season on loan at Marseille, where he scored three goals and provided four assists in 18 appearances. Before that, he had established himself in the Premier League with Burnley, Wolves, and Sunderland, scoring 53 goals in 189 appearances.
Fletcher quickly became a key player for Wednesday, making 38 appearances in his first season, scoring ten goals, and assisting on two more as the Owls finished fourth and reached the play-off semi-finals. In the second leg against Huddersfield, Fletcher put Wednesday ahead, but an own goal led to a penalty shootout defeat.
The Scottish international consistently delivered for Wednesday, hitting double figures in goals in three of his four seasons. The 2018/19 campaign saw him score 11 times in 40 Championship appearances, while his final season was his most prolific, with 13 goals in 27 appearances.
In total, Fletcher scored 38 goals in 136 appearances for Sheffield Wednesday, becoming a firm favorite with the fans. Although he left the club in 2020 to join Stoke City, his contributions to the Owls are still fondly remembered.
Fletcher’s career saw him play in all four tiers of English football, including a stint with Wrexham in League Two and League One. After his release from Wrexham, he was linked with a return to Hibernian, but ultimately chose to retire.
With over 500 appearances in English football and 124 goals, Steven Fletcher retires with a distinguished career and a place in Sheffield Wednesday’s history.
