Fleetwood, Stuart

Birth Date

23rd April 1986

Birthplace

Gloucester

Occupation

Forward

Biographical Text

In a long career spent largely in the Football League, and the tier immediately below, Stuart Fleetwood had two separate periods on loan at Exeter City appearing in a promotion-winning side in the process. Of his many clubs, Stuart scored most frequently for Forest Green Rovers, Hereford United and Luton Town. 

Hailing from near Gloucester, Stuart played both football and rugby union before settling for the former and signing schoolboy forms for Cardiff City. Making no more than a dozen appearances for the Bluebirds, Stuart dropped to the Conference when he joined Hereford United in January 2006 only for the Bulls to be promoted through the play-offs. Then, after a good start to the following season, Stuart was loaned to Accrington Stanley prior to returning to the Conference with Forest Green Rovers in June 2007. Netting 28 league goals in 2007/08 Stuart was back in the fully-professional ranks with a move to Charlton Athletic in June 2008.

Stuart’s career at the Valley never got started and, after loans to Cheltenham and Brighton and Hove Albion, he arrived at St James’ Park on a similarly temporary basis in March 2009. Debuting at Accrington Stanley on 21 March 2009, Stuart found himself part of a Grecians squad pushing for promotion to League One. He was to participate in nine games, scoring three times, and was in the City side that clinched promotion at Rotherham United on 2 May 2009.        

Stuart returned to Exeter in September 2009 on a loan deal that spanned the remainder of the season. Starting at Gillingham on 5 September, he made 31 league and cup appearances scoring five times. After signing off at Hartlepool in May 2010 Stuart returned to Charlton - for whom he only ever made a single substitute appearance - before promptly rejoining Hereford United. 

After scoring fourteen league goals for the Edgar Street outfit Stuart was tempted by an offer from Luton Town, then in the National League. In nearly two seasons in Bedfordshire Stuart scored around twenty times before moving to Eastleigh and - following a return to Forest Green on loan in January 2015 - then appeared for Sutton United, Weymouth and Bath City in fairly quick succession. By 2017/18 Stuart was at Merthyr Town and was soon to feature for Redditch United, Swindon Supermarine and Yate Town. Serving briefly as Yate’s caretaker manager during autumn 2022 Stuart then played for Cinderford Town whilst becoming involved in the academy at Gloucester City. Later, in May 2023, he took over as Goucester’s first-team coach (alongside continuing his academy duties) prior to becoming head coach of Swindon Supermarine in September 2023.

Appearances

Exeter City

League 36; Cups 3 (39)

Goals

League 7; Cups 1 (8)

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