A brief 16-minute cameo at Brighton kicked off a remarkable fortnight for Fletcher.
Scotland manager Steve Clarke clearly saw potential, inviting Fletcher—son of former international midfielder Darren and twin brother of Jack, who currently plays youth football for England—to train for a few days in his pre-World Cup camp.
That invitation led to an international debut against Bolivia. Then, after Billy Gilmour was ruled out of the tournament with an injury sustained versus the South Americans, the 19-year-old was drafted into Clarke’s 26-man World Cup squad.
He didn’t get on the pitch, but the experience was priceless—giving him a clear goal for the next stage of his career and showing him the standards required at the top level.
Not that standards are a concern. Guided by his dad, Fletcher is mature, selfless, and aware—qualities beyond pure talent that will serve him well.
If Lacey can conjure moments of magic, Fletcher’s strength lies in doing the simple things superbly. He reads the game sharply, passes cleanly, and brings leadership.
Jacob Devaney captained Manchester United’s Premier League 2 side last season before a loan to St Mirren. He is highly regarded at Old Trafford and has impressed in pre-season.
Even so, in the academy-stacked “second-half team” this pre-season, the armband has gone to Fletcher.
He was due a three-week post-World Cup break but returned to training after just two.
Like Lacey, expect to see plenty of him around the senior setup in the coming weeks.