7:00am Saturday 10th May 2008
By Neil Perrett
CHERRIES legend Steve Fletcher is hankering after a move closer to his Bourne-mouth home - but admits his chances of a surprise return to Dean Court are "slim to none".
The popular Teessider, Cherries' record appearance-maker, joined League Two outfit Chesterfield following his release by Kevin Bond 12 months ago.
And despite being offered a new one-year contract by the Spireites, Fletcher has rejected the deal in favour of trying to find a club in the south.
However, although Cherries were relegated and Fletcher's experience could prove valuable in the bottom tier, the 35-year-old has all but ruled out the possibility of a comeback.
Fletcher told the Daily Echo: "I will love the club until the day I die and although the thought of coming back would be fantastic, the chances of it happening are probably slim to none.
"You hear of players going back to their previous clubs but, 99 times out of a 100, it's usually under a different manager. I can't see that Kevin would release me one year and then bring me back the next.
"He will have a budget to work with for next season and it's probably going to be a lot less than it was this season so he is going to have to find players to fit into his structure.
"But as much as Bournemouth is my club and always will be, the possibility of me coming back is extremely unlikely in the current circumstances."
Fletcher is hoping to continue to ply his trade in League One or League Two, but also says he would consider stepping into the non-league ranks for the first time in his career.
He turned down the chance of a second year at Chesterfield after triggering an appearance-related clause which entitled him to an extension. He hit five goals in 39 games for the Derbyshire club.
Fletcher, father to daughters Danni, 10, and seven-year-old Emily, added: "I turned it down because I want to be closer to home to be with my family.
"I was spending a lot of time here but it was still difficult while I was away and it was a strain on my family life. As the children get older, they get more demanding and my wife works as well.
"We made a huge decision for me to move away last summer and not many 35-year-olds are in a position to turn down a decent contract offer at a Football League club.
"I've spoken to a few clubs, a couple in the league and a couple in the Conference, but I've limited it to a certain radius. I don't want to be travelling more than an hour-and-a-half, otherwise it wouldn't justify moving back.
"As much as moving away last year was a massive decision to make, this year is probably more important. Every year is getting closer to the end of my career and, if I want to stay in the game in some capacity, the next move has got to be the right one with a chance of maybe doing a bit of coaching."
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