Moment Steven Fletcher threw ‘toys out the pram’ over dream move to Celtic
STEVEN FLETCHER has bagged goals for eight clubs throughout his career but it was Celtic he really wanted.
Coming through the youth system at Easter Road, Fletcher made his senior Hibs debut in 2004.
He would go on to have a glimmering five years in Edinburgh, making over 160 appearances and having over 50 goal involvements.
His performances gained the attention of Gordon Strachan who wanted to bring the hit man to Glasgow.
But a breakdown in negotiations saw the move called off with Fletcher left disappointed it didn't transpire.
Speaking to Open Goal, he said: "When I was at Hibs and Strachan tried to sign me in the January, that was when I really, really wanted to go.
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"Toys were out the pram and everything. I thought my football career was over when I never got to go.
"I think they were just negotiating over a couple of hundred grand at the time, that was the difference. And nothing materialised.
"And then Coyley came in in the summer, you can't turn down Owen Coyle."
Fletcher opted to move South of the border to team up with Coyle at Burnley.
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He spent a single season there contributing to 17 goals before earning a move to Wolves for £6.5million - their record transfer fee at the time.
A loan move to French giants Marseille was sandwiched in between stints at Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday.
He finished his time in England with two years at Stoke City before returning to the Scottish Premiership with Dundee United last summer.
He made 38 appearances under THREE managers at Tannadice - Jack Ross, Liam Fox and Jim Goodwin.
He had 16 goal involvements last season but the club's relegation to the Championship prompted a squad revamp and his contract was terminated by mutual consent.
Fletcher's international career was also covered in glory as he scored TWO hatricks for the Scotland national team against Gibraltar in 2015.
This was the first time a player had scored three goals in a single match for Scotland since Colin Stein against Cyprus in 1969.
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