City players past and present give to Fletcher fundraiser

FORMER Bristol City academy leftback Joe Bryan has donated £1,000 to the fundraiser for injured Bath City player Alex Fletcher, writes Richard Forrester.

Robins goalkeeper Max O’Leary has also donated £100 to help support Fletcher’s family following his horrific accident last week. The 23-year-old remains in a critical condition in hospital but has shown signs of improvement.

The forward collided head first with an advertising board that was enforced with concrete five minutes into Bath’s National League South game with Dulwich Hamlet on November 8. He was taken to hospital where he underwent emergency neurosurgery.

Fletcher’s parents issued a statement on Sunday with an update on his condition that read: “Alex remains in a critical condition in intensive care but is starting to show small signs of improvement.

“The care and treatment he is receiving from the doctors and nurses is beyond words and the love, support and messages of goodwill that the whole football world has sent to Alex has been completely overwhelming.

“We sincerely thank each and every one for sending them and we pray that Alex will continue to make progress in the days ahead.”

A fundraiser was set up by a Bath supporter and yesterday more than £13,500 had been raised with 558 donations, smashing the original £500 target.

Bristol-born Bryan, currently on loan at French Ligue 1 side Nice from Fulham, contributed £1,000 to that total. The 29-year-old had a temporary spell with Bath in the 2011/12 campaign while coming through the City academy. O’Leary also spent the 2016/17 season on loan with hometown club Bath, making 37 appearances.