Bert Roberts
Encyclopedia
Albert "Bert" Roberts was an English professional footballer who played as a full-back for Southampton
in the 1930s.
, South Yorkshire
and played his youth football with Goldthorpe United and Ardsley Athletic, where he was spotted by scouts from Southampton
.
moving to the left as a replacement for Keeping. After two matches, he swapped places with Arnold and played on the left for another two matches before Keeping's return.
In each of the next two seasons, Roberts made only a handful of appearances. When Keeping moved to Fulham
in February 1933, Arthur Tilford
moved to The Dell from Craven Cottage
on a short-term contract and stepped into Keeping's position. It was only in August 1933, with Tilford having returned to Fulham, that Roberts was finally able to make the No. 3 shirt his own.
In the 1933–34 season, Roberts made 39 appearances at left-back alongside Bill Adams
. He soon established a reputation as a consistent, reliable full-back as Saints ended the season in 14th position in the Second Division. For the start of the following season he lost his place to Charlie Sillett
and it was not until February that he once again became a regular member of the team. Once he regained his place in the side, Roberts became the preferred left-back, although he missed substantial parts of each of the seasons from 1935 to 1938 through injury.
In May 1938, he and the club were unable to agree terms for a new contract and he was transfer-listed at a fee of £500. He spent a total of nine years with the Saints, making 161 appearances in all competitions.
After World War II
, Roberts made one appearance for York City
in 1946, before settling in South Yorkshire
where he died in 1957, on his fiftieth birthday.
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in the 1930s.
Early life
Roberts was born in GoldthorpeGoldthorpe
Goldthorpe is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, in South Yorkshire, England. Anciently a small medieval farming village, Goldthorpe is recorded in the Domesday Book and was under the Manor of Bolton upon Dearne which was once owned by Roger de Busli.Goldthorpe railway station...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
and played his youth football with Goldthorpe United and Ardsley Athletic, where he was spotted by scouts from Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
.
Southampton
He joined Southampton in August 1929 as an understudy to Mike Keeping. It was not until 28 February 1931, 18 months after joining the "Saints", that he made his debut (at right-back in a 2–1 defeat against Swansea Town), with Arthur BradfordArthur Bradford (footballer)
James Arthur Bradford was an English footballer who played his entire professional career as a half back with Southampton...
moving to the left as a replacement for Keeping. After two matches, he swapped places with Arnold and played on the left for another two matches before Keeping's return.
In each of the next two seasons, Roberts made only a handful of appearances. When Keeping moved to Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
in February 1933, Arthur Tilford
Arthur Tilford
Arthur Tilford was an English professional footballer who played as a full-back for various clubs in the 1920s and 1930s.-Football career:...
moved to The Dell from Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage is the name of a football stadium in the Hammersmith and Fulham area that has been the home ground of the association football team Fulham F.C. since 1896....
on a short-term contract and stepped into Keeping's position. It was only in August 1933, with Tilford having returned to Fulham, that Roberts was finally able to make the No. 3 shirt his own.
In the 1933–34 season, Roberts made 39 appearances at left-back alongside Bill Adams
Bill Adams (English footballer)
William Adams was an English footballer who played for Southampton, West Ham United and Southend United....
. He soon established a reputation as a consistent, reliable full-back as Saints ended the season in 14th position in the Second Division. For the start of the following season he lost his place to Charlie Sillett
Charlie Sillett
Charles Thomas "Charlie" Sillett was an English professional footballer who played as a full back for Southampton in the 1930s...
and it was not until February that he once again became a regular member of the team. Once he regained his place in the side, Roberts became the preferred left-back, although he missed substantial parts of each of the seasons from 1935 to 1938 through injury.
In May 1938, he and the club were unable to agree terms for a new contract and he was transfer-listed at a fee of £500. He spent a total of nine years with the Saints, making 161 appearances in all competitions.
Later career
After leaving the Saints, Roberts spent one season with Swansea Town, but was unable to displace Len Emmanuel at left-back. Emmanuel's brother, Tom, moved to Southampton in September 1938 as Roberts' replacement.After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Roberts made one appearance for York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
in 1946, before settling in South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
where he died in 1957, on his fiftieth birthday.