Bournemouth's Steve Fletcher joins Plymouth on loan

Plymouth Argyle have signed AFC Bournemouth striker Steve Fletcher on loan until the end of the season.

Veteran front man Fletcher, 39, links up with former team-mate and current Argyle boss Carl Fletcher.

"I've played with him and I know what he can bring. He's been in this situation before with Bournemouth," Fletcher said.

"Big target men are hard to find in football, let alone in this division, and he's one of the best at it."

Fletcher continued: "I know he's Bournemouth through and through and that he'd love to be playing there week in, week out, but the situation is that we're lucky enough to get him.

"It's something that we've been working on for a few weeks now, so I'm delighted that I've managed to persuade him to come down and be involved and help us out.

"He's a real nice fella and he's got the experience and he knows what to do on the pitch."

The striker is AFC Bournemouth's record appearance-maker, having played 714 times in two spells at Dean Court.

Having started his career at Hartlepool United he joined Bournemouth in 1992 and stayed at Dean Court until 2007 before being released.

He signed for Chesterfield and scored five goals in 38 appearances before moving on a free transfer to Crawley Town a year later.

He rejoined the Cherries in January 2009 and became player-assistant manager to Lee Bradbury in January 2011, a role he relinquished that November to concentrate on his playing career.

He has scored 121 goals for Bournemouth and had a stand named after him in May 2010.

Fletcher is recovering from an injury and will not be fit in time to feature in Argyle's key relegation clash at Northampton on Saturday.