Captains Courageous
The Manchester United midfielder is having to take to take an extended break from the game - to recover his health after revealing that he is suffering from ulcerative colitis - a chronic bowel condition.
One which also affected the hugely successful Olympic rower - Steve Redgrave.
But Fletcher must have been playing through the pain barrier for a long time before conceding defeat - temporarily at least - and putting his own health and fitness first.
So along with the rest of the nation - and football fans everywhere - I would like to wish the Scotland captain well - and hope he makes a full recovery.
Fletcher is one of those players who just gets on with things - he plays for the team in good times and bad - doesn't have hissy fits and never hides from the ball.
The Scotland team and Manchester United will miss him - that's for sure - but if Fletcher's spirit and attitude rubs off on the other players - then that will surely bring its own reward in the longer-term.
So I take my hat off to Scotland's Captains Courageous - haste ye back!
Captains Courageous, by the way, is also the title of a famous film from the 1930s - starring Spencer Tracy.
The film tells the story of a highly unlikeable and wealthy little boy - Harvey - who falls off an ocean liner after a foolish prank and nearly drowns - before being rescued by a fishing boat.
The spoiled little brat - whose father is wealthy beyond the dreams of the fishermen - tries to bribe them into turning around - and taking him back to shore.
But the crew are proud men and have a job to do - so young Harvey has no option but to grow up - and to find out what life is really all about.
The Spencer Tracy character - a Portuguese fisherman - befriends young Harvey and teaches him things that his millionaire Dad never could - that's life's about strong human values and hard work.
Never fails to bring a tear to my eye - here's a You Tube link to one of the key scenes:
http://youtu.be/Khdsopx102Y
