Fletcher joined Manchester United as a trainee in July 2000 and he signed a professional contract in February 2001. He was initially seen as a right midfielder in the David Beckham mould - in fact Shoot! Monthly tipped him as the next David Beckham - and was tipped by many to break into the first team with ease and stay there for many years to come. His first few seasons at the club, however, were marred by injury, and as he developed he came to be viewed more as a central midfielder.

Fletcher broke into the Manchester United team during the 2003-04 campaign, playing a number of important matches. He started in United's FA Cup Final win over Millwall in May 2004.

Despite a slow start to the 2004-05 campaign, in which in the early part of the season he made very few competitive appearances, Fletcher again broke into the United first team. On 1 January 2005, Fletcher scored his first goal at club level, (he had already scored twice for Scotland). The goal was the opener in the Premiership match against Middlesbrough.

Fletcher was one of the players singled out for harsh criticism by club captain Roy Keane in the wake of United's embarrassing 4-1 defeat to Middlesbrough in October 2005. Keane reportedly said, "I can't understand why people in Scotland rave about Darren Fletcher." However, Keane later attempted to set the record straight stating, "If you listen to any of my comments over the last two or three years, if I've given any player credit over the years it would be Fletch. Fletch will tell you that himself." Fletcher went some way towards answering his critics on 6 November 2005, with his performance in the vital league match at home to Chelsea, scoring the only goal of the game with a looping header.His winning goal ended Chelsea's 40-match unbeaten run in the Premier League.

In 2006-07, he retained his starting position in the first team at the start of the season and scored in an away win over Charlton Athletic, as well as scoring the headed winner in the away game with Middlesbrough in December and another headed goal in the home win against Charlton in February, making it a double against the club that season. As the season progressed, Alex Ferguson preferred the midfield quartet of Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick and Ryan Giggs, limiting Fletcher to substitute appearances. However, due to Paul Scholes's suspension, he made a starting appearance in Manchester United's 7-1 rout of AS Roma in the Champions League quarter-final.

During the semi-final first leg against AC Milan at Old Trafford, Fletcher almost scored his first Champions League goal only to be denied by Dida. United eventually saw themselves eliminated from the Champions League after Milan beat them 3-0 in the second leg of the tie.

He faces a new threat to his first team place for the 2007-08 season after the arrival of Owen Hargreaves from Bayern Munich. But wheter as a substitute or as a starter, Darren Fletcher will always be a good addition for the Manchester United squad’s depth in the midfield area.

 

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