Sam Fletcher (soccer)

Infobox Football biography
playername= Sam Fletcher
fullname = Samuel Fletcher


dateofbirth = 1890
cityofbirth = Manchester
countryofbirth = England
dateofdeath = January 22, 1972
cityofdeath = Cranston, Rhode Island
countryofdeath = United States
height =
position = Full Back
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1911
1912
-1914
1914-1921
1921-1923
1923-1924
1924-1928
1928-1929
clubs = Independent Labour
Hamilton Lancashire
Niagara Falls Rangers
Bethlehem Steel
Harrison
Newark Skeeters
Providence Clamdiggers
→ Providence Gold Bugs
caps(goals) =
20 (1)
23 (0)
45 (0)
02 (0)
manageryears = 1924-1928
1925-1945
managerclubs = Providence Clamdiggers
Brown University

Sam Fletcher (born 1890 in Manchester, England; died January 22, 1972 in Cranston, Rhode Island) was an English football (soccer) full back who played professionally in England, Canada and the United States. He later coached the Brown University soccer team.

Player

Fletcher began his career in England, playing in the Manchester and District League. The League was experiencing difficulties which led to its suspending operations in 1912. Before that happened, Fletcher left England and emigrated to Canada in 1910. He settled in Hamilton, Ontario where he played for several teams including the Independent Labour Party Team and Hamilton Lancashire. At some point, he moved to the Niagara Falls Rangers which went to the semifinals of the 1914 National Challenge Cup.In October 1914, he signed with Bethlehem Steel F.C., a powerhouse team playing in the Allied American Foot Ball League. He remained with Bethlehem for seven seasons. During those years, Fletcher and Jock Ferguson anchored the Steelmen defense, taking the team to six league titles, four National Challenge Cups and four American Cups. In 1921, Fletcher left Bethlehem with the establishment of the first American Soccer League. He signed with Harrison S.C. and spent two seasons with the team before moving to the Newark Skeeters for the 1923-1924 season. [cite book | last = Jose | first = Colin | title = American Soccer League, 1921-1931 | format = Hardback | publisher = The Scarecrow Press | year = 1998 | id = (ISBN 0-8108-3429-4) ] In 1924, he became the player-coach of the expansion Providence Clamdiggers. [ [http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1925.html The Year in American Soccer – 1925] ] In 1928, the team was renamed the Gold Bugs under new ownership. Fletcher played two games that season, then retired.

Coach

In July 1924, Fletcher was hired to coach the newly established Providence Clamdiggers. He headed the team for at least four seasons. [ [http://www.geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl072824.html July 28, 1924 The Globe] ] In 1925, he added duties coaching the Brown University soccer team to his professional responsibilities. He held that position until Joe Kennaway replaced him in 1946. [ [http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/Databases/Encyclopedia/search.php?serial=S0290 Encyclopedia Brunoniana: Soccer] ]

In addition to playing and coaching, Fletcher was also the ASL secretary in the early 1930s.

References

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/biofletchers.html Bethlehem Steel F.C. Player Profile]