Ex-Sunderland man details surprise transfer call and iconic Newcastle United derby memory
Ex-Sunderland striker Steven Fletcher opens up on his Wearside exit, derby goals and a famous Steven Taylor moment
Steven Fletcher has revealed he had never expected to leave Sunderland before receiving a surprise deadline-day call asking if he wanted to join Marseille.
The former Black Cats striker spent three-and-a-half years on Wearside before moving to France on loan in February 2016, bringing his Sunderland career to an unexpected end.
Speaking to Sunderland club historian Rob Mason for the club’s matchday programme, Fletcher has reflected on that move, his relationship with Martin O’Neill, his two derby goals against Newcastle United and why Sunderland still holds a special place in his heart.
Fletcher said of his Marseille move: “In that whole transfer window, I’d never had it in my head that I was going to leave, but then I got a deadline day call asking if I’d go to Marseille. I wish I’d appreciated it more at the time. It was my first-ever loan, but I loved my time there.”
The switch gave Fletcher the chance to experience another major football city and another club with huge support, although his departure came after an injury-hit period at Sunderland. Fletcher had joined from Wolves in 2012 and made an immediate impact, scoring five goals in his first four Premier League appearances. He still looks back on his time in the North East with real affection.
“It’s a massive club, and I really enjoyed it. My family enjoyed living in the area as well, so that helped me to settle in, especially with my mum being so close by. Two of my kids were born there, so it’s a special part of my life. I wish I could have played at Sunderland for longer, but I was plagued with quite a lot of injuries when I was there, which didn’t help me.
“I actually got off to a great start with five goals in my first four Premier League games. The club, the fanbase and the whole area was great. It will always hold a special place in my heart, and there are only a few clubs I can say that about.”
O’Neill was the manager who brought Fletcher to Sunderland and remains one of the most influential figures of his career. Fletcher lost his father at a young age and says O’Neill quickly became more than just a manager to him. “Martin was unbelievable for me. It’s been well documented that I lost my dad at a young age. I always looked for the kind of person who was a father figure, and Martin was that for me straight away, as a person rather than as a manager.
He always made me feel like I was better than what I was. Obviously, as a striker, if you go into games with the confidence that Martin fills you with, he gets the best out of you, and he did that with me. Looking back, I know I wasn’t as good as he was telling me I was, but at the time when your manager is filling you with confidence it’s the best thing for you because the outcome is you playing well and scoring goals.”
Fletcher’s Sunderland career also included two moments which guaranteed him a lasting place in Wearside derby folklore. He scored in the 2-1 home win over Newcastle United in October 2013 and was on target again when Sunderland beat their rivals 3-0 at the Stadium of Light two years later. The striker says he still knows when a derby is approaching because of the reaction he gets from Sunderland supporters online.
“What a game to play in. I’ve played in a lot of derbies with other clubs I’ve been at, but that game is unbelievable. You know for weeks on end that it’s coming. Even now to this day, I know the derby is coming up because my inbox on my social media goes mad. There’s one particular picture that you might know gets posted a lot. It’s me at the back post with Steven Taylor – and he came out of it a lot worse than me.”
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Between those two derby goals came another major occasion in Fletcher’s Sunderland career. He started the 2014 League Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley after Sunderland had knocked Manchester United out in a dramatic semi-final. Fabio Borini gave Sunderland an early lead before Yaya Toure’s brilliant equaliser changed the game and City eventually won 3-1.
Fletcher said: “We took an early lead, and we thought it could be our day, particularly as we’d knocked United out in the semi-final. We thought, ‘Why not?’ but I remember Yaya Toure whacking one in the top corner from about 30 yards, which broke our hearts.
“Ending up with a runners-up medal wasn’t the best outcome, but it was an unbelievable day to be part of. As a kid, you want to play in cup finals, and it was great. I had a chance near the end on my left foot, but I miscontrolled it. I’d like to say it was unlike me, but some would say I was like that every week!”