Tony Roberts (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Anthony Mark "Tony" Roberts (born 4 August 1969) is a Welsh
footballer who plays for Dagenham & Redbridge
as a goalkeeper.
Roberts was formerly the goalkeeping coach at Championship
side Queens Park Rangers
until he was suspended by John Gregory. He is now a goalkeeper coach for Arsenal
's youth setup
, a role he has held since summer 2008.
.
but was forced to cancel after picking up an injury. Instead he was recommended to Queens Park Rangers
by Brian Law
at the age of sixteen.
, making his debut against Coventry City
in December 1987. He served as understudy to David Seaman
during his early years with the club before taking over as the clubs first choice goalkeeper after a number of years competing with Jan Stejskal
, following the departure of Seaman in 1990. A broken finger sustained in a match against Ipswich Town
in January 1998 saw Roberts fall out of favour with the club, resulting in a move to Millwall
at the end of the 1997–98 season. In 2003, he was given a testimonial match
by the club.
when he suffered a recurrence of his finger injury which forced him to end his League career. He spent seven months away from football, returning in 1999 with non-League side St Albans City
, making his debut in a 1–0 defeat to Slough Town
. He later moved to the United States
with the Atlanta Silverbacks
, where he spent three months before returning to England. While playing in America, Roberts began wearing a splint inside his glove in order to solve his finger injury problem. Tony announced his second retirement before a pre-season friendly before West Ham United, on the 26th July 2011. It comes after Roberts made over 400 appearances for the Daggers between the years of 2000 and 2011 scoring one goal against Basingstoke F.C in the 4th qualifying round of the F.A Cup in 2001, he still remains the one of three goalkeeper to have scored in the F.A Cup being the second to Alan Cooling of Hampton F.C in 1977, also he is the only goalkeeper to be sent off in the opposing box also in the F.A Cup, this was against Southend United in 2008 after Peter Clarke's theatrical fall.
, managed by his former St Albans boss Garry Hill
. Whilst playing for the club, Roberts became only the second goalkeeper ever to score a goal in an FA Cup
tie when he scored against Basingstoke Town
in a 4th qualifying round tie in October 2001. Remaining the club's first choice goalkeeper since his arrival, Roberts broke the appearance record at the club and was handed a testimonial match against West Ham United
in 2007. Roberts also holds the record for the only goalkeeper ever to be sent off in the FA Cup in the opposing area when he was red carded after a clash with Peter Clarke
during a 5–2 defeat to Southend United
in the 3rd round of the FA Cup on 5 January 2008.
In the 2006–07 season, Roberts was part of the side that achieved promotion to The Football League
after finishing as champions of the Conference National
, having missed out on two previous occasions, on goal difference to Boston United
in the 2001–02 season before losing the Conference play-off final to Doncaster Rovers
the following year. In order to return to The Football League, Roberts was forced to repay part of his £150,000 compensation package originally given to him on his retirement from professional football in 1998. Helping the club avoid relegation before reaching eighth position the following year, he made his 400th appearance for the club against Accrington Stanley
on 21 February 2009 and signed a new one year contract at the end of the season.. He took up the option of a further one-year contract with Dagenham in June 2011.
side on 5 December 1990 in a 0–0 draw with England
. His performance in the match earned him his first call-up to the senior
side one month later.
During his career, he won two full international caps as a substitute in matches against Republic of Ireland
on 17 February 1993 and San Marino
on 31 August 1996, as well as being selected 30 times as backup goalkeeper to Neville Southall
. He has also became the first Welshman to be capped at both full and semi-professional level as he helped his country win the non-league 'Home International' series twice.
youth academy goalkeeping coach and has done since the summer of 2008. He had previously worked as a goalkeeper coach at Queens Park Rangers.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
footballer who plays for Dagenham & Redbridge
Dagenham & Redbridge F.C.
Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club , informally known as Daggers, is an English association football club based in Dagenham, in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, East London. It was formed in 1992 after a merger between Redbridge Forest and Dagenham...
as a goalkeeper.
Roberts was formerly the goalkeeping coach at Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
side Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
until he was suspended by John Gregory. He is now a goalkeeper coach for Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
's youth setup
Arsenal F.C. Reserves
Arsenal Reserves are the reserve team of Arsenal Football Club.They have been members of the FA Premier Reserve League Southern Division since its foundation in 1999. They play their home games at Underhill Stadium, which is also the home of Barnet FC. The team mainly consists of Under-21 players...
, a role he has held since summer 2008.
Early life
As a child, Roberts attended Ysgol Thomas Elis and Holyhead County SchoolHolyhead High School
Holyhead High School was the first comprehensive school in England and Wales, opening in 1949 as Holyhead County School.-History:The school was formed in 1949 with the amalgamation of Holyhead Grammar and St Cybi Secondary school. Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones, Amlwch is said to claim the title of the...
.
Early career
Roberts first became involved in football with Bodedern before joining Holyhead United Juniors at the age of twelve. After impressing one of the club's scouts, he was offered a trial with ChelseaChelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
but was forced to cancel after picking up an injury. Instead he was recommended to Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
by Brian Law
Brian Law
Brian John Law is a Welsh former professional footballer and Wales international.-Club career:Law began his career with Queens Park Rangers but spent the majority of his time at Loftus Road in the reserve side before being forced into retirement in 1991 due to a tendon injury...
at the age of sixteen.
Queens Park Rangers
He progressed through the ranks at Loftus RoadLoftus Road
Loftus Road is a football stadium in Shepherd's Bush, London. It is home to the English football team Queens Park Rangers of the Premier League and has a capacity of around 18,500. The four stands are called the Loftus Road End , Ellerslie Road Stand, South Africa Road Stand and the School End,...
, making his debut against Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
in December 1987. He served as understudy to David Seaman
David Seaman
David Andrew Seaman MBE is a former English football goalkeeper who played for several clubs, most notably Arsenal. He retired from the game on 13 January 2004, following a recurring shoulder injury...
during his early years with the club before taking over as the clubs first choice goalkeeper after a number of years competing with Jan Stejskal
Jan Stejskal
Jan Stejskal is a retired Czech football goalkeeper. He played for Czechoslovakia and later the Czech Republic, for both he played a total of 31 matches, participating in the 1990 FIFA World Cup....
, following the departure of Seaman in 1990. A broken finger sustained in a match against Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
in January 1998 saw Roberts fall out of favour with the club, resulting in a move to Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
at the end of the 1997–98 season. In 2003, he was given a testimonial match
Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
by the club.
Retirement and return
Roberts played just eight times at The New DenThe New Den
The Den , is a football stadium and the home of Millwall FC. It is situated in South Bermondsey, South East London, almost directly adjacent to the railway line between London Bridge and New Cross Gate, plus the SELCHP incinerator. It is under a quarter of a mile away from original Den...
when he suffered a recurrence of his finger injury which forced him to end his League career. He spent seven months away from football, returning in 1999 with non-League side St Albans City
St Albans City F.C.
St Albans City Football Club is a football club based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. It was founded in 1908 and plays its home matches at Clarence Park, about 800 yards from the city centre. The club is in the Premier Division of the Southern League...
, making his debut in a 1–0 defeat to Slough Town
Slough Town F.C.
Slough Town F.C. is an English semi-professional football club. The club was officially founded in 1890 after the amalgamation of three local clubs, Swifts, Slough Albion and Young Men's Friendly Society, who between them forged a new club, Slough F.C....
. He later moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with the Atlanta Silverbacks
Atlanta Silverbacks
Atlanta Silverbacks is an American professional soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1995, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, having previously sat out the 2009 and 2010 seasons while the ownership...
, where he spent three months before returning to England. While playing in America, Roberts began wearing a splint inside his glove in order to solve his finger injury problem. Tony announced his second retirement before a pre-season friendly before West Ham United, on the 26th July 2011. It comes after Roberts made over 400 appearances for the Daggers between the years of 2000 and 2011 scoring one goal against Basingstoke F.C in the 4th qualifying round of the F.A Cup in 2001, he still remains the one of three goalkeeper to have scored in the F.A Cup being the second to Alan Cooling of Hampton F.C in 1977, also he is the only goalkeeper to be sent off in the opposing box also in the F.A Cup, this was against Southend United in 2008 after Peter Clarke's theatrical fall.
Dagenham & Redbridge
In 2000, Roberts joined Dagenham & RedbridgeDagenham & Redbridge F.C.
Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club , informally known as Daggers, is an English association football club based in Dagenham, in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, East London. It was formed in 1992 after a merger between Redbridge Forest and Dagenham...
, managed by his former St Albans boss Garry Hill
Garry Hill
Garry Hill is an English football manager, who resigned as manager of Rushden & Diamonds in February 2009. He is currently the manager of Conference South club Woking.-Career:...
. Whilst playing for the club, Roberts became only the second goalkeeper ever to score a goal in an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
tie when he scored against Basingstoke Town
Basingstoke Town F.C.
Basingstoke Town Football Club is an English football club based in Basingstoke, Hampshire. The club are currently members of the Conference South and play at the Camrose, named after their late benefactor, Lord Camrose. Their motto, 'Vestigia Nulla Retrorsum', means 'No stepping...
in a 4th qualifying round tie in October 2001. Remaining the club's first choice goalkeeper since his arrival, Roberts broke the appearance record at the club and was handed a testimonial match against 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...
in 2007. Roberts also holds the record for the only goalkeeper ever to be sent off in the FA Cup in the opposing area when he was red carded after a clash with Peter Clarke
Peter Clarke (footballer)
Peter Michael Clarke is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Huddersfield Town, where he is club captain....
during a 5–2 defeat to Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
in the 3rd round of the FA Cup on 5 January 2008.
In the 2006–07 season, Roberts was part of the side that achieved promotion to The Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
after finishing as champions of the Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
, having missed out on two previous occasions, on goal difference to Boston United
Boston United F.C.
Boston United Football Club are an association football club based in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. They currently play in the Conference North. The club is known as 'the Pilgrims' in reference to the Pilgrim Fathers, who fled from Boston to the USA and founded Boston, Massachusetts. The club's...
in the 2001–02 season before losing the Conference play-off final to Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
the following year. In order to return to The Football League, Roberts was forced to repay part of his £150,000 compensation package originally given to him on his retirement from professional football in 1998. Helping the club avoid relegation before reaching eighth position the following year, he made his 400th appearance for the club against Accrington Stanley
Accrington Stanley F.C.
Accrington Stanley is an English association football club from Accrington in Lancashire, in the North West of England, who play in Football League Two, the fourth-highest division in the English football league system....
on 21 February 2009 and signed a new one year contract at the end of the season.. He took up the option of a further one-year contract with Dagenham in June 2011.
International career
Roberts had previously been capped at under-18 level for Wales before earning his first cap for the under-21Wales national under-21 football team
The Wales national under-21 football team, also known as the Wales U21s, is the national under-21 football team of Wales and is controlled by the Football Association of Wales. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
side on 5 December 1990 in a 0–0 draw with England
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
. His performance in the match earned him his first call-up to the senior
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...
side one month later.
During his career, he won two full international caps as a substitute in matches against Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
on 17 February 1993 and San Marino
San Marino national football team
The San Marino national football team is the national football team of San Marino, controlled by the San Marino Football Federation...
on 31 August 1996, as well as being selected 30 times as backup goalkeeper to Neville Southall
Neville Southall
Neville Southall MBE is a former Wales international footballer, best known for his time with Everton. He has been described as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation and won the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 1985...
. He has also became the first Welshman to be capped at both full and semi-professional level as he helped his country win the non-league 'Home International' series twice.
Honours
Dagenham & Redbridge- Conference NationalConference NationalConference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
Winner: 1
-
- 2006–07
- Football League TwoFootball League TwoFootball League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
Play-Off Final Winner: 1
- Football League Two
- 2009–102010 Football League Two play-off Final-References:...
- 2006–07
Non-playing roles
Roberts currently serves as the ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
youth academy goalkeeping coach and has done since the summer of 2008. He had previously worked as a goalkeeper coach at Queens Park Rangers.
External links
- Encyclopedia HolyheadYeah entry on "Roberts, Tony" (from Caergybi.com)
- Photo of Tony Roberts with fellow Holyhead young professional footballer Deiniol GrahamDeiniol GrahamDeiniol William Thomas Graham is a Welsh former footballer who played as a forward for various clubs in the Football League after playing in the Manchester United youth and reserve teams.-Career:...