When Darren Fletcher unexpectedly departed West Bromwich Albion this summer for Stoke City, West Brom manager Tony Pulis had an ideal replacement in mind. In Gareth Barry, 36, three years Fletcher's senior, Pulis signed just about the only player who might replicate his dependability and experience in central midfield.
"There was a big void when we lost Fletch, and Gareth will fill that void," Pulis said after Barry was signed last week. Between them, two of the Premier League's most enduring figures have seen so much come and go. Both have played in the highest echelons, Fletcher as a trusted lieutenant in multiple Sir Alex Ferguson-inspired Manchester United triumphs and Barry as a member of the Manchester City team that helped establish that club's power.