Blackpool striker Ashley Fletcher has been issued a three-match ban by the FA following an incident involving Wycombe Wanderers’ Dan Harvie during their 2-2 draw on August 31 at Bloomfield Road.
The former Manchester United and West Ham United forward was caught on camera striking Harvie around the head, an act that went unnoticed by referee Darren Drysdale at the time. The incident occurred in the build-up to Blackpool’s equaliser, with Kyle Joseph levelling the score after Wycombe had initially taken the lead through Garath McCleary.
The FA confirmed the suspension five days after the match, releasing a statement: “Blackpool’s Ashley Fletcher has been given a three-match suspension for misconduct in their EFL League One match against Wycombe Wanderers. He admitted that his behaviour around the 32nd minute constitutes violent conduct and accepted the automatic penalty.”
I think it’s fair to say Ashley Fletcher got away with one over the weekend.
Retrospective action needs to be taken.
Can’t be doing that.#Chairboys pic.twitter.com/nDIxLtYCkm
— James Richings (@James_BFP) September 2, 2024
Fletcher, who recently joined Blackpool following a challenging spell at Watford, will now miss crucial League One fixtures against Exeter City, Sheffield Wednesday, and Charlton Athletic.
The 28-year-old began his career at Manchester United, joining the club’s academy at the age of 13. After signing his first professional contract in 2014, he gained valuable experience on loan at Barnsley, scoring nine goals in 27 appearances and helping the club win both the Football League Trophy and the League One play-off final in 2016.
Despite his success at Barnsley, Fletcher declined a new contract offer from Manchester United and signed for West Ham United in July 2016. He made his Premier League debut and scored his first goal for the club in an EFL Cup tie against Manchester United.
In 2017, Fletcher moved to Middlesbrough for £6.5 million. He had a mixed spell at the club, including a loan to Sunderland, where he featured in the Netflix documentary Sunderland ‘Til I Die. After returning to Middlesbrough, Fletcher became a regular in the team, scoring notable goals, including a 30-yard volley that won the Championship Goal of the Month.
Following a failed stint at Watford, which included loan spells at New York Red Bulls and Wigan Athletic, Fletcher joined Blackpool in July 2024, making his debut against Crawley Town in their opening dau defeat.
Writer’s View
You can’t be doing things like that, Ashley Fletcher. It’s even worse that his side are scrabbling for points, and the new manager was most likely watching on from the stands. Now, the former Manchester United man is already starting behind everyone else, and that’s going to be a big blow for him.
This is going to be damaging to him in the long term. Throughout his career, Fletcher has moved between multiple clubs, making it difficult to establish himself as a regular starter. His time at West Ham, Middlesbrough, Watford, and during various loan spells has often seen him used as a substitute, limiting his chances to build momentum.
It will be interesting to see if this damages his reputation with Blackpool fans and, more crucially, his new manager.
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