Frank Roberts
Encyclopedia
Frank Roberts was a footballer
who played for Manchester City
between 1922 and 1928. He could play either as an inside forward
or a centre forward.
and in 1914 Bolton Wanderers
paid £200 for his services. Roberts guested for West Ham United
during World War I, scoring 18 goals in 20 appearances between 1917 and 1919. Roberts was suspended and transfer listed by Bolton in the 1922–1923 football season 'for taking over one of the principal hotels in that town'.
paid £3,400 for him (a huge sum at the time). He scored his first goal for City in a 2–0 victory over his former team Bolton Wanderers
. He scored ten goals in his first season with the team and was City's third highest goalscorer behind Horace Barnes
who scored 21 and Tommy Johnson who scored 15. In the 1923–1924 football season Roberts scored 14 league goals and 4 goals in the FA Cup including a brace against Halifax Town in a second round replay. City reached the semi final of that years competition but were defeated 2–0 by Newcastle United
. In the 1924–1925 football season scored 31 league goals making him the first divisions top scorer. Roberts' goalscoring exploits earned him a call up to the England
team. Roberts made his début for England in a 4–0 victory over Belgium in December 1924 with braces from Joe Bradford
and William Walker
securing England victory. Roberts earned four caps in total for his national team.
In the 1925 British Home Championship
Roberts scored twice in a 2–1 victory against Wales
. Fred Keenor
scored the goal for Wales. Roberts also played in England's 2–0 defeat to Scotland
which secured the latter the championship that year. Hughie Gallacher
scored both goals for Scotland. Roberts won his last cap for England in a 3–2 victory over France
in May 1925. The French player, Philippe Bonnardel scored an own goal in this game while Vivian Gibbins
and Arthur Dorrell
scored the other goals for England.
In the 1925–1926 football season Roberts scored 9 goals in the FA Cup and Manchester City reached the final of that years competition. In round 5 of the FA Cup in 1925–26 he scored 5 goals as Manchester City demolished Crystal Palace
11–4. Roberts' former team, Bolton Wanderers
, defeated City 1–0 in the final with David Jack
scoring the only goal. Roberts was City's top scorer in the league that season with 21 goals. Two of these goals came in a record 6–1 victory against Manchester United
at Old Trafford
. Despite this victory and the acquisition of Jimmy McMullan
from Partick Thistle
, City came twenty-first in the league and were relegated to the second division.
In the 1926–1927 football season Roberts scored 14 goals and City came third in the second division behind Middlesbrough
and Portsmouth
. In the 1927–1928 football season Roberts was City's top scorer with 20 goals as the team came first in the second division earning them promotion into the first division. The team were aided in their endeavour for promotion by the acquisition of Eric Brook
and Fred Tilson
from Barnsley
.
In the 1928–1929 football season City finished eighth in the first division, seven points behind champions Sheffield Wednesday
. Roberts made only 14 league appearances that season and scored 6 goals. In the same season, his team mate Tommy Johnson scored 38 league goals for the team which is a club record. The season was to be Roberts' last with Manchester City. In total he made 216 league appearances for City and scored 116 league goals. He ended his career playing for Manchester Central and Horwich RMI.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played for Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
between 1922 and 1928. He could play either as an inside forward
Inside forward
In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forwards, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes...
or a centre forward.
Early life
Roberts was born in Sandbach and began his football career playing for Sandbach Villa and Sanbach Ramblers. He was transferred to Crewe AlexandraCrewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
and in 1914 Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
paid £200 for his services. Roberts guested for West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
during World War I, scoring 18 goals in 20 appearances between 1917 and 1919. Roberts was suspended and transfer listed by Bolton in the 1922–1923 football season 'for taking over one of the principal hotels in that town'.
Manchester City
In October 1922, Manchester CityManchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
paid £3,400 for him (a huge sum at the time). He scored his first goal for City in a 2–0 victory over his former team Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
. He scored ten goals in his first season with the team and was City's third highest goalscorer behind Horace Barnes
Horace Barnes
Horace Barnes was an English Football Inside Forward who played for Derby County, Manchester City, Preston North End andOldham Athletic.-Early life:...
who scored 21 and Tommy Johnson who scored 15. In the 1923–1924 football season Roberts scored 14 league goals and 4 goals in the FA Cup including a brace against Halifax Town in a second round replay. City reached the semi final of that years competition but were defeated 2–0 by Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
. In the 1924–1925 football season scored 31 league goals making him the first divisions top scorer. Roberts' goalscoring exploits earned him a call up to the England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
team. Roberts made his début for England in a 4–0 victory over Belgium in December 1924 with braces from Joe Bradford
Joe Bradford
Joseph "Joe" Bradford was an English professional footballer who played as a centre forward. Born in Peggs Green, near Coalville, Leicestershire, Bradford made nearly 450 appearances for Birmingham in all competitions, scoring 267 goals...
and William Walker
William Walker
William Walker may refer to:* William Walker , sometime chief of the Wyandot Nation in Ohio and Kansas* William Walker * William Walker , an early governor of British Guiana...
securing England victory. Roberts earned four caps in total for his national team.
In the 1925 British Home Championship
1925 British Home Championship
The 1925 British Home Championship was a football tournament played between the British Home Nations during the 1924/25 season. It was one of six tournaments in seven years won by the strong Scottish team of the early 1920s, and was achieved with a whitewash of all three rivals, including England...
Roberts scored twice in a 2–1 victory against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
. Fred Keenor
Fred Keenor
Frederick Charles 'Fred' Keenor was a Welsh professional footballer and Wales international best known for captaining the Cardiff City team to success in the 1927 FA Cup Final...
scored the goal for Wales. Roberts also played in England's 2–0 defeat to Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
which secured the latter the championship that year. Hughie Gallacher
Hughie Gallacher
Hugh Kilpatrick "Hughie" Gallacher was a Scottish football player in the 1920s and 1930s. In 624 senior games, Gallacher scored 463 times....
scored both goals for Scotland. Roberts won his last cap for England in a 3–2 victory over France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
in May 1925. The French player, Philippe Bonnardel scored an own goal in this game while Vivian Gibbins
Vivian Gibbins
William Vivian Talbot Gibbins was an English amateur footballer who played as a striker....
and Arthur Dorrell
Arthur Dorrell
Arthur Reginald Dorrell was an English international footballer. He was the son of former Villa player William Dorrell.-Playing career:...
scored the other goals for England.
In the 1925–1926 football season Roberts scored 9 goals in the FA Cup and Manchester City reached the final of that years competition. In round 5 of the FA Cup in 1925–26 he scored 5 goals as Manchester City demolished Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
11–4. Roberts' former team, Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
, defeated City 1–0 in the final with David Jack
David Jack
David Bone Nightingale Jack was an English footballer, the first player ever to score at Wembley, and the first footballer in the world to be transferred for more than £10,000...
scoring the only goal. Roberts was City's top scorer in the league that season with 21 goals. Two of these goals came in a record 6–1 victory against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
. Despite this victory and the acquisition of Jimmy McMullan
Jimmy McMullan
Jimmy McMullan was a Scottish football player and manager. McMullan won 16 Scotland caps as a player at half-back and was part of the famous "Wembley Wizards" side of 1928.-Early life:...
from Partick Thistle
Partick Thistle F.C.
Partick Thistle Football Club are a professional association football club from Glasgow. Despite their name, the club are based in the Maryhill area of the city, and have not played in Partick since 1908...
, City came twenty-first in the league and were relegated to the second division.
In the 1926–1927 football season Roberts scored 14 goals and City came third in the second division behind Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
and Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
. In the 1927–1928 football season Roberts was City's top scorer with 20 goals as the team came first in the second division earning them promotion into the first division. The team were aided in their endeavour for promotion by the acquisition of Eric Brook
Eric Brook
Eric Fred Brook was an English footballer who played in the outside left position. He is the all time record goalscorer for Manchester City in all competitions and was an England international. Brook was a muscular player with 'one of the fiercest shots in pre-war football' and was a good penalty...
and Fred Tilson
Fred Tilson
Samuel Frederick "Fred" Tilson was an association football player for Manchester City and England. He was born in Swinton, South Yorkshire. He was part of the City team that won both the FA Cup and the League Championship in the 1930s...
from Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
.
In the 1928–1929 football season City finished eighth in the first division, seven points behind champions Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
. Roberts made only 14 league appearances that season and scored 6 goals. In the same season, his team mate Tommy Johnson scored 38 league goals for the team which is a club record. The season was to be Roberts' last with Manchester City. In total he made 216 league appearances for City and scored 116 league goals. He ended his career playing for Manchester Central and Horwich RMI.
Legacy
Roberts is listed as the sixteenth greatest ever City player in Ian Penney's book The Essential History of Manchester City.International goals
| Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Competition | Scored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 February 1925 | Vetch Field Vetch Field The Vetch Field was a multi-purpose stadium in Swansea, Wales. It was used mostly for football matches and was the home ground of Swansea City until the Liberty Stadium opened in 2005. Opened in 1912, the ground held around 12,000 at the time of its closure, but upwards of 30,000 at its peak... , Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
2–1 | British Home Championship 1925 British Home Championship The 1925 British Home Championship was a football tournament played between the British Home Nations during the 1924/25 season. It was one of six tournaments in seven years won by the strong Scottish team of the early 1920s, and was achieved with a whitewash of all three rivals, including England... |
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