Sam Fletcher (soccer)

Sam Fletcher (1890 – 22 January 1972) was an English footballer who played as a full back in England, Canada and the United States. He later coached the Brown University soccer team.

Sam Fletcher
Personal information
Full name Samuel Fletcher
Date of birth 1890
Place of birth Manchester, England
Date of death January 22, 1972 (aged 81–82)
Place of death Cranston, Rhode Island, United States
Playing position(s) Full back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1911 Independent Labour
1912 Hamilton Lancashire
0000–1914 Niagara Falls Rangers
1914–1921 Bethlehem Steel
1921–1923 Harrison S.C. 20 (1)
1923–1924 Newark Skeeters 23 (0)
1924–1928 Providence F.C. 45 (0)
1928–1929 → Providence Gold Bugs 2 (0)
Teams managed
1924–1928 Providence F.C.
1925–1945 Brown University
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

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, 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 1923–24 season.[1] In 1924, he became the player-coach of the expansion Providence F.C..[2] 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 F.C. He headed the team for at least four seasons.[3] 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.[4]

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

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References
  1. Jose, Colin (1998). American Soccer League, 1921-1931 (Hardback). The Scarecrow Press. (ISBN 0-8108-3429-4).
  2. The Year in American Soccer – 1925
  3. "July 28, 1924 The Globe". Archived from the original on 26 October 2009. Retrieved 11 October 2010.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  4. Encyclopedia Brunoniana: Soccer
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