Quick Facts
Biography
Charles Alfred "Charlie" Fletcher (28 October 1905 – 22 August 1980) was an English professional football outside left, best remembered for his spells with Clapton Orient and Brentford in the Football League.
Career
A Winger, Fletcher began his career in non-league football at Leyton and failed trials with league sides Aston Villa and Plymouth Argyle, before signing with Division Three South club Crystal Palace in October 1927. He made a handful of appearances in two seasons before moving to division rivals Merthyr Town in August 1929. He returned to Orient, then having been relegated to the basement, in 1930. He became a regular at the Lea Bridge Stadium, scoring 32 goals in 120 league matches to earn the nickname "Thunderboots", before moving across London to sign for newly promoted Division Two side Brentford in a swap deal for Percy Whipp in August 1933.
Fletcher was an ever-present for the Bees during the 1933–34 and 1934–35 seasons and won promotion to Division One with the club. He fell out of favour with manager Harry Curtis in December 1935 and dropped to Division Two to sign for Burnley in February 1936 and Plymouth Argyle in November 1937. He joined Ipswich Town in November 1938 during the club's debut league season and remained registered at Portman Road during the Second World War. After the war, Fletcher returned to the now-renamed Leyton Orient in December 1945, but at age 40, failed to make an appearance.
Personal life
Fletcher attended Colegrave School and Stratford School in London.
Honours
Brentford
- Football League Division Two: 1934–35
- White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 372–373. ISBN 0951526200.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Brentford | 1933–34 | Second Division | 41 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 10 |
| 1934–35 | 42 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 9 | ||
| 1935–36 | First Division | 20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 5 | |
| Total | 103 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 105 | 24 | ||
| Plymouth Argyle | 1937–38 | Second Division | 18 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 5 |
| 1938–39 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | ||
| Total | 23 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 6 | ||
| Ipswich Town | 1938–39 | Third Division South | 29 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 34 | 10 |
| Career total | 155 | 39 | 8 | 1 | 163 | 40 | ||