A £40,000-a-week Premier League striker struggling for goals has been blasted by football fans after posing with his new £260,000 Lamborghini Aventador supercar.
Steven Fletcher, who has scored just seven times in two years for Sunderland, suffered a Twitter backlash after the photograph of him with the supercar on the driveway of his home went viral.
The 27-year-old footballer was criticised by fans who said the car was ‘undeserved’ and the timing of the photo was ‘really appalling’, after it began circulating three days before his team lost 4-0. Tweet photos after the cut...
However, his agent Scott Fisher told the Daily Record that Fletcher had not put the image on Twitter - adding that it was the company who sold the supercar who posted the picture online.
Mr Fisher said: ‘It wasn’t Steven that put the picture up. The company who were doing advertising on it done it. I don’t know what the problem is and what people are getting excited about.’
But Janet Rowan, from the Sunderland Supporters’ Association, said that ‘it was probably the straw that broke the camel’s back’ for low-income fans to see someone taking possession of such a car.
She told the Daily Mirror: ‘We know footballers have these big flash cars. I just think the timing was really appalling and I can really understand the way that people have felt about this.’
And Birmingham fan Michael Jabbari quoted a message from parody account BBC Sporf in a tweet, which said: 'Steven Fletcher: two seasons, seven goals, one new Lamborghini Aventador.'
Fletcher moved to a £670,000 five-bedroom home in County Durham with his beauty queen partner Rachel Monaghan, 24, in October 2013, and they live there with their daughter Darcy-Mae, one.
The four-wheel drive Aventador, which sells for between £242,000 and £295,000, has a top speed of 217mph, will return 17.6mpg and can perform 0 to 62mph in 2.9 seconds.
In response to the photo, Sunderland fan JamesTheMackem posted on Twitter: 'Steven Fletcher has a Lamborghini, the most undeserved Lambo for a football player, ever.'
Jack Liddell added: 'Tell me how Steven Fletcher (a striker) can score seven goals in two seasons yet have earned a Lamborghini Aventador and a Bentley Continental.'
Fletcher began his career at Hibernian in 2004, before moving to Burnley for £3million in 2009, Wolverhampton Wanderers for £6.5million in 2010, and Sunderland for £12million in 2012.
But while he scored 52 goals in five years for Hibernian, 12 in one year for Burnley and 24 in two years for Wolves, he has struggled for form at Sunderland since signing.
Fletcher scored 11 goals in his first season for the Black Cats, but only netted three last term - and has managed four this campaign. He has also played 18 times for Scotland, scoring once.
The club are now in 17th, one place and one point above the relegation zone, with their next fixture against Newcastle United in the 152nd Tyne-Wear derby next Sunday.
Fletcher, who was born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, spent his younger years at military bases as the son of soldier Kenny, before he died aged 38 after a battle with cancer.
This occurred when Fletcher was just ten, which saw his mother Mary move them to Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, to be closer to her family.
His partner Miss Monaghan, from Stepps, North Lanarkshire, is a 5ft 9in former Miss Scotland finalist - and in February 2013 was said to have been bought a £50,000 Mercedes 4x4 by Fletcher.
Sunderland sacked boss Gus Poyet last week after the 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa, before his replacement Dick Advocaat led the team to a 1-0 defeat at West Ham United on Saturday.
After he had left home, she moved to County Durham and has lived there with his stepfather Martin, a Sunderland fan, for more than a decade.
Fletcher's honours include the Scottish League Cup in 2007, and the Scottish Football Writers' Association Young Player of the Year in 2008 and 2009 - both while with Hibernian.
INSIDE THE 217MPH AVENTADOR
- Price: From £242,000 and £295,000
- Top speed: 217mph
- Fuel economy: 17.6mpg
- Acceleration: 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds
- Power: 700bhp
- Torque: 509 lb ft
- Engine: 6.5-litre V12