Man Utd midfielder given six-match ban for using homophic slur

Martin Macdonald

• 4 Mar 2026 09:00 CST
• 2 min read

News

Manchester United academy star Jack Fletcher has been banned for six games for using a homophobic term during a match.

Jack is the son of former Man Utd midfielder and current head coach of the under-18s squad, Darren Fletcher, who spent a few matches in charge of the first team on a caretaker basis earlier this season.

Jack and his twin brother Tyler were previously part of Manchester City's academy before making the switch to United for a reported combined fee of around £1.25m.

He made his first team debut in a loss against Aston Villa in December and with Tyler also debuting this campaign, that marked the first time in history that two twins and their father had played in the English top-flight.

Fletcher is highly-rated at Old Trafford but finds himself in hot water currently after an incident during an EFL Trophy fixture against Barnsley in October. He was given a straight red card in that match and there was confusion at the time as to what his offence was.

An investigation has now determined that he used a homophobic slur against a Barnsley player.

Fletcher has not disputed the six-match ban, but in his defence, he claimed that he was targeted with physical challenges throughout the match, including a stamp on his heel, while the Barnsley player in question is alleged to have abused Fletcher about his father, Darren, and twin brother, Tyler.

In response to those perceived jibes, Fletcher admitted to saying: 'You seem to know a lot about me, are you a gay boy?'.

In a statement today, Fletcher said: "I am truly sorry for the offensive word that I used in the heat of the moment. Despite the fact that I had no intention to use the term as a homophobic insult, I completely understand that such language is unacceptable and immediately apologised after the game. I want to be clear that this momentary lapse of character absolutely does not reflect my beliefs or values."

In addition to his six-match suspension and a £1,500 fine, Fletcher must attend a face-to-face educational programme.

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