Sheffield Wednesday striker Steven Fletcher has revealed he rejected a transfer to Norwich City at the eleventh hour, prior to joining the Owls.
Fletcher made the move to Wednesday in the summer of 2016, having been released by Sunderland.
Three years on, the Scottish striker remains at the club and he is expected to be a key man next season, as they push for promotion under Steve Bruce.
Things could have been very different, however, had it not been for Barry Bannan’s input.
Fletcher’s club and international colleague persuaded him to make the switch to Wednesday when he was driving to Norwich to secure a move.
Speaking to Open Goal, the 32-year-old says it was not a moment that went down well with Alex Neil, Canaries boss at the time:
It was Baz who got me to sign. I was going down to talk with Norwich. Alex Neil was the manager – he’s probably still not happy with me, I don’t think.
I was driving down and my agent had called me on the way down saying, listen, Sheffield Wednesday are keen.
I was looking at the sat-nav thinking, there’s still six hours left from Glasgow to Norwich – still a long way to go. I was half-way, I was thinking, Sheffield’s just there, do you know what I mean?
I texted him and said, what’s Wednesday like? He said, brilliant. I said, they want me to go speak to them. He said, you need to come. And I was like, right – sat-nav, changing it. I went in and signed that night.
I had to tell Alex Neil, aye. He wasn’t happy. I can’t even say (what he said) on camera! Nah, it wasn’t too bad, just, OK. That’s even worse, isn’t it?
In hindsight, Fletcher may regret his decision, with Norwich now on their way back to the Premier League.
He will be hoping to join them next year, with Wednesday expected to challenge in the Championship with Bruce at the helm.
