Tony Roberts (footballer)

Football player infobox
playername = Tony Roberts


fullname = Anthony Mark Roberts
height = height|ft=5|in=11
nickname = Robbo
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1969|8|4
cityofbirth = Holyhead
countryofbirth = Wales
currentclub = Dagenham & Redbridge
clubnumber = 1
position = Goalkeeper
years = 1987–1998
1998
1999–2000
2000–
clubs = Queens Park Rangers
Millwall
St. Albans
Dagenham & Redbridge
Total
caps(goals) = 122 (0)
008 (0)
044 (0)
316 (1)
490 (1)
nationalyears =
nationalteam = Wales U21
Wales
nationalcaps(goals) = 002 (0)
002 (0)
pcupdate = 10 October 2008

Anthony "Tony" Mark Roberts (born August 4, 1969 in Holyhead, North Wales) is a Welsh professional football player, currently plays for Dagenham & Redbridge as a goalkeeper and wears shirt number 1.

Roberts was formerly the goalkeeping coach at Championship side Queens Park Rangers. He now combines his playing role with coaching the goalkeepers in Arsenal's youth setup, a role he has held since summer 2008. [cite web | url=http://www.arsenal.com/reserves-youth/coaching-staff/tony-roberts | title=Tony Roberts | work=Arsenal.com]

Club career

Roberts attended Holyhead County School [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/3044730.stm QPR honours Holyhead hero] , BBC, 4 July 2003, accessed 12 August 2008] and then began his professional career at sixteen years of age as a trainee at Queens Park Rangers after playing for Holyhead United Juniors as a child. He was known to everyone in Holyhead by the nickname 'Froggit'. He progressed through the ranks to play 145 games in his eleven years at Loftus Road.

Roberts then spent a season at the New Den with Millwall before a knuckle injury in 1998 forced him to end his League career. He moved into the semi-professional game where he joined St Albans City. In 2000, after manager Garry Hill left to join Dagenham, Roberts followed him.

Roberts is extremely popular with the Dagenham faithful, not only for his longevity and contribution to the club's success, but also for his eccentricity which occasionally extends to performing a dance for the home fans.

International career

Roberts has been capped at Youth level and has also won two full international caps as goalkeeper for Wales as well as being selected 30 times as substitute 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. He also holds two U-21 caps.

Honours

*Conference National (V): 2007

Trivia

*Roberts became the first Welshman to gain caps at both Pro and Semi-Pro level when he played in the Wales Semi-Professional team against England at Rushden in February 2002.
*Roberts holds the distinction of being the only goalkeeper ever to score a goal in an FA Cup tie when he netted for Dagenham at Basingstoke Town in a 4th qualifying round tie in October 2001.
*Roberts also holds the record for the only goalkeeper ever to be sent off in the FA Cup in the opposing area. This occurred after his scuffle with Peter Clarke against Southend United at Roots Hall in the FA Cup 3rd round on the 5 January 2008.

References

External links

* [http://www.holyheadian.com/encyclopaedia.php?viewword=453 Encyclopedia HolyheadYeah entry on "Roberts, Tony" (from Caergybi.com)]
* [http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=6776 Statistics] at Soccerbase.com