Footballer Alex Fletcher, 25, retires after horrific collision with advertising hoarding left him in a coma

ALEX FLETCHER retired from football at the age of 25.

The football player overcame a coma and a fractured skull after colliding with an advertising billboard in 2022.

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The striker suffered the horrific incident whilst playing for Bath City in a National League South clash against Dulwich Hamlet.

Fletcher had to undergo emergency surgery before he could relearn how to walk.

After nine months, he returned to the field for the first time since the incident and joined Weston-super-Mare last October.

However, he has now confirmed that he has ended his social media career.

He wrote: “For me to continue playing football would be a step too far and I am really devastated about it.

“I think I owed it to myself to get back on the field, it really boosted my recovery.

“I felt like if I had had the opportunity to return to the field taken away from me, I wouldn’t have been able to deal with it emotionally.

“Since I recovered on the field, there was something that was missing in my game.

“All three of these components of football are a big part of what made me a good player.”

Fletcher insisted he did not “feel the same” as the collision left him with problems with balance, timing and coordination.

He also has to deal with permanent deafness in his left ear.

Fletcher began his career with Plymouth Argyle and made 24 appearances for the club.

He had two loan spells from the Pilgrims at Torquay United and Aldershot Town.

He then moved to Tiverton Town before signing for Bath in 2021.

Weston-super-Mare manager Scott Bartlett hailed Fletcher after he announced his retirement.

He added: “He is an intelligent person with a great family who recently had a very important addition.

“That’s obviously the most important thing.

“I haven’t known Alex for long, but he’s made a good impression on me and the rest of our club.”

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