Revealed: Man United coach Darren Fletcher ‘had to be held back’ as he launched a string of f-word slurs at referee, as reasons behind his three-match ban are published

Darren Fletcher ‘had to be held back’ by another Man United staff member, according to a match official, with the coach accused of launching a string of insults towards a referee. 

Fletcher was handed a three-match ban and £7,500 fine for misconduct last week by the Football Association.

The sanction followed a furious half-time rant at officials against Brentford last month.

Fletcher had angrily protested against referee Samuel Barrott forcing Matthijs de Ligt off the pitch to receive treatment for a head wound that was bleeding profusely, with Brentford scoring from the resulting corner.

The Man United coach continued his protests in the tunnel at half-time to both Barrott and fourth official Gavin Ward.

Man United’s coaching team had protested Matthijs de Ligt being forced to leave the field for treatment against Brentford, with the Bees scoring from a subsequent corner

Written reasons for Fletcher’s sanction have now been revealed by the Independent Regulatory Commission, with Barrott, Ward and the two assistant referees detailing Fletcher’s conduct.

‘Following the half time whistle and as I made my way up the tunnel, I was approached by Darren Fletcher of Manchester United in an extremely aggressive manner pointing and shouting at me ‘you are all f***ing s***, that is a f***ing joke, every f***ing week,’ fourth official Ward told the Commission.

‘I asked him to calm down and highlighted that his behaviour was completely unacceptable at this point. 

‘He then needed to be held back by another member of staff, as he tried to get closer to me. With this, I turned away and continued to make my way to the match officials changing room. 

‘Once in the changing room and when the other match officials arrived, I made them aware of the conduct of Mr Fletcher.’

The Commission stated it had viewed video evidence from the tunnel of the incident, stating that Fletcher had become ‘agitated and starts to remonstrate with the Fourth Official, gesturing with his hands, shouting, and attempting to get closer to the Fourth Official in a confrontational manner. 

‘He is then held back and pushed away by a Manchester United colleague.’

The panel stated that while there was no sound on the camera footage, ‘it showed Fletcher ‘acting in a manner that we consider to be aggressive’.

Several United staff members were cautioned after De Ligt was forced to leave the pitch

Fletcher had apologised for his actions and claimed his reaction was triggered by the goal, claiming he would have acted differently had he had a period to calm down.

The Man United coach claimed his words were ‘criticism towards the process for managing medical treatment of the particular football player in this matter and in reference to an incident in a previous home game where at a similar stage of the game a red card was incorrectly issued to a Manchester United player.’

Fletcher’s good disciplinary record from his playing career and as a coach was noted by the Commission, but his other requests for mitigation were rejected.

The Commission ruled the three match touchline suspension was ‘a fair and reasonable sanction given the confrontational behaviour displayed on the video evidence and the fact that there was an opportunity to leave the remonstration with the Fourth Official, but Mr Fletcher decided to carry on.

Man United had come from behind in the match to win 2-1 against Brentford in one of the final matches of Erik ten Hag’s spell as manager.

Fletcher reportedly needed to be held back by staff as he continued his protests at half-time

Fletcher served the first man of his touchline ban against Leicester last weekend, but he will remained banned for Ruben Amorim’s first matches in charge against Ipswich and Everton. 

During a 13-year playing career at Old Trafford Fletcher made 342 appearances and scored 24 goals in all competitions for United.

In 2020 Fletcher returned to his boyhood club in a coaching role, and was later appointed technical director at the club before being replaced in the role by Jason Wilcox in April.

Fletcher’s twin sons both are part of United’s academy, with England youth international Jack named on the bench against Brentford.