Fletcher 'Honoured' By New Deal

Darren Fletcher is aiming to follow in the footsteps of the other ‘lifers’ in the United squad after signing a new four-year contract.

Fletch, who joined the club as a 15-year-old trainee in 2000, is thrilled to have extended his stay and now hopes to spend his entire career with the Reds, emulating Gary Neville and, in all likelihood, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.

The 27-year-old is the seventh player to have committed his future to the club this season alone, following Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra, Giggs, Anderson, and, most recently, Michael Carrick.

"It is a great honour for me," Fletcher said. "I have been here for a long time now and to extend my stay for a few more years is great. Hopefully there will be a lot of success in those years.

"The time has flown by but I have loved every minute and there is no place I would rather be. There have been so many high points but lows as well – and those are the ones that give you strength and determination to go on and achieve more."

Fletcher appreciates the significance of his latest extension, which he accepts will be his last long-term deal before he joins the club's 'veterans' bracket.

"When this contract is finished, and hopefully I am still here, it will be onto the one-year rolling ones that seem to be the trend," he said. "It is an important contract for security as it will take me to 31. If I am still here, it will be a great achievement.

"Players like Gary, Ryan and Paul are inspirations on the pitch with what they have achieved and how they conduct themselves, but also by staying with the club for so long.

"We look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps. If I am fortunate enough to play for this great club all my career, I would count myself very lucky."

Fletch admits that moving from Edinburgh to Manchester as a teenager was daunting at first, but the club helped him settle quickly. It took him a few seasons to establish himself in the first team, but he hasn’t looked back since, winning eight major trophies with the Reds and developing into one of the world’s best midfielders.

"It was hard to come down from Scotland," Fletch said. "You are leaving your family behind. I was 15 – I thought I was a big man but I was still a young boy.

"But the club looked after me. Everything was in place for me to get a real education in football, and I have been one of the fortunate ones to break into the first team."

After playing in several teams in his decade as a Red, Fletcher believes the current crop of players can achieve similar successes to others of the Sir Alex Ferguson dynasty.

"I am confident in our ability and the experience we have gained," the midfielder added. I hope a new wave can create their own history and have their own achievements. The drive and determination to do it is definitely there."

Darren was speaking to PA Sport.