John Roberts (footballer, born 1946)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = John Roberts

| image =

| fullname = John Griffith Roberts

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1946|9|11|df=y}}

| birth_place = Abercynon, Wales

| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|1|4|1946|9|11|df=y}}

| height =

| position = Defender

| youthyears1 = 1961–1963 | youthclubs1 = Abercynon Athletic

| youthyears2 = 1963–1964 | youthclubs2 = Swansea Town

| years1 = 1964–1967 | clubs1 = Swansea Town | caps1 = 37 | goals1 = 16

| years2 = 1967–1969 | clubs2 = Northampton Town | caps2 = 62 | goals2 = 11

| years3 = 1969–1972 | clubs3 = Arsenal | caps3 = 59 | goals3 = 4

| years4 = 1972–1976 | clubs4 = Birmingham City | caps4 = 66 | goals4 = 1

| years5 = 1976–1980 | clubs5 = Wrexham | caps5 = 145 | goals5 = 5

| years6 = 1980–1982 | clubs6 = Hull City | caps6 = 26 | goals6 = 1

| years7 = 1982–1983 | clubs7 = Oswestry Town

| nationalyears1 = – | nationalteam1 = Wales U-21 | nationalcaps1 = 1 | nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = – | nationalteam2 = Wales U-23 | nationalcaps2 = 5 | nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 1971–1976 | nationalteam3 = Wales | nationalcaps3 = 22 | nationalgoals3 = 0

| manageryears1 = 1982–1983 | managerclubs1 = Oswestry Town (player manager)

}}

John Griffith Roberts (11 September 1946 – 4 January 2016) was a Welsh footballer who made nearly 400 appearances in the Football League and won 22 caps for Wales.{{Hugman|16826|accessdate=4 January 2016}}

Playing career

Born in Abercynon, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Roberts played football for local club Abercynon Athletic while working as a railway fireman. He joined Swansea Town as an apprentice in 1963, turning professional in 1964. Initially a striker who later switched to centre half, he moved to Northampton Town in 1967

Roberts moved to Arsenal in May 1969 on a transfer fee of £30,000. He played for Arsenal for three seasons, including 18 appearances in the 1970–71 season, when Arsenal won the First Division title, thus earning him a championship medal. Roberts however did not play in the FA Cup Final the same year, which Arsenal also won to complete the Double. He won the first of his caps with Wales in a game versus England in the same year.{{Cite book |last=Harris |first=Jeff |title=Arsenal Who's Who |publisher=Independent UK Sports Publications |year=1995 |isbn=978-1899429035 |location=London |pages=219 |language=en}}

Roberts left Arsenal in 1972, having played a total of 81 matches, scoring five goals.{{cite web | url=http://www.11v11.com/players/john-roberts-22964/ | title=John Roberts | website=11v11.com |publisher=AFS Enterprises | access-date=4 January 2016}} He joined Birmingham City for a transfer fee of £140,000 in March 1972. He went on to have spells at Wrexham and Hull City before trying his hand as player-manager of Oswestry Town. He also won 22 caps with Wales.

Later career

He went on to work as a stationery salesman and as a driving instructor.

Roberts' death at the age of 69 was reported on 4 January 2016.{{cite news |date=4 January 2016 |title=John Roberts: Former Wales & Arsenal defender dies aged 69 |publisher=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/35220161 |access-date=4 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221218012249/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/35220161 |archive-date=18 December 2022}}

References

;General

{{cite web | url=http://ds.dial.pipex.com/bob.dunning/caught14.htm#Roberts | title=Caught In Time: Arsenal 1971 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120817042409/http://ds.dial.pipex.com/bob.dunning/caught14.htm#Roberts |archive-date=17 August 2012}}
{{cite book |author=Matthews, Tony |title=Birmingham City: A Complete Record |year=1995 |publisher=Breedon Books |location=Derby |pages=120 |isbn=978-1-85983-010-9}}

;Specific

Category:1946 births

Category:2016 deaths

Category:Welsh men's footballers

Category:Wales men's under-23 international footballers

Category:Wales men's international footballers

Category:Sportspeople from Abercynon

Category:Footballers from Rhondda Cynon Taf

Category:Swansea City A.F.C. players

Category:Northampton Town F.C. players

Category:Arsenal F.C. players

Category:Birmingham City F.C. players