Fletch: Hayter was my favourite

AFC Bournemouth legend Steve Fletcher has praised former team mate James Hayter ahead of the Cherries facing him for the first time since his departure five years ago.

Hayter scored 107 goals in over 400 appearances for Cherries after making his senior debut in April 1997.

Hayter broke into the media spot light in 2004, Hayter came off the bench against Wrexham, within moments he scored and 140 seconds later he had picked up two more goals to score the fastest hat-trick in post war football league history.

He left AFC Bournemouth during the summer of 2007, to re-join former manager Sean O'Driscoll at Doncaster.

Doncaster Rovers were believed to have broken their record transfer fee for Hayter and although the fee was undisclosed, it is believed the fee was around £200,000.

Fletch told the Daily Echo...

'...He is a great finisher but it is not just about his goals. Of the 60 or 70 strike partners I`ve probably had in my career, he has been my favourite because he is just so unselfish.

"He doesn`t moan about anything. He helps you out, does his defensive duties, chases back with full-backs and then gets on the end of flick-ons. In a strike partnership, you can`t ask for much more than that."

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