 Roberts playing forIpswich Town in 2007 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gareth Michael Roberts[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1984-03-18)18 March 1984 (age 41) | ||
| Place of birth | Liverpool, England | ||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Chesterfield (first team coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2001 | Liverpool | ||
| 2001–2002 | Denbigh Town | ||
| 2002–2003 | Bala Town | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003 | Rhyl | 2 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Bangor City | 22 | (1) |
| 2004–2005 | Welshpool Town | 20 | (9) |
| 2005–2007 | Accrington Stanley | 64 | (23) |
| 2006 | →Ipswich Town (loan) | 14 | (2) |
| 2007–2008 | Ipswich Town | 40 | (2) |
| 2008 | →Crewe Alexandra (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2008–2012 | Huddersfield Town | 162 | (31) |
| 2012–2013 | Swindon Town | 39 | (4) |
| 2013–2015 | Chesterfield | 74 | (17) |
| 2015–2017 | Portsmouth | 74 | (17) |
| 2017–2020 | Wigan Athletic | 54 | (3) |
| 2020–2021 | Bala Town | 4 | (1) |
| 2021 | Accrington Stanley | 2 | (0) |
| Total | 575 | (110) | |
| International career | |||
| 2005–2006 | England C | 4 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 2 March 2021 (GMT) | |||
Gareth Michael Roberts (born 18 March 1984) is an English professionalfootball coach and former player, who is a first-team coach atEFL League Two sideChesterfield.
Roberts has played in both theEnglish football league system (playing inthe Football League andConference) as well as playing in theWelsh Premier League, and has played in all three divisions of the Football League. Roberts wascapped four times forEngland C when playing at semi-professional level.
Born in Liverpool, Roberts begin his career with theLiverpool Academy but was dropped in 2001. He then went on to play for the youth teams at two Welsh clubsDenbigh Town andBala Town. He then went on to play first team football for three Welsh clubs. Signing forRhyl in 2003 where he played three times before moving on toWelsh Premier League sideBangor City where he played 22 times scoring once between 2003 and 2004. He then moving toWelshpool Town for the 2004–2005 season where he played 20 times scoring nine goals.
Roberts signed forConference National sideAccrington Stanley in the second half of the 2004–05 season. He made his Stanley debut in their 2–1 home win overMorecambe on 19 March 2005. His first goal for them came in their 2–2 home draw withYork City on 28 March 2005.
He made his first start of the 2005–06 season in their 1–0 home victory overCanvey Island on the opening day of the season. Roberts scored his first goal of the 2005–06 season in Stanley's 4–2 win overCrawley Town on 17 September 2005. Roberts was part of the Accrington Stanley side that won the2005–06Conference National Championship after playing 42 league games scoring 13 goals.
Roberts played his first game of the 2006–07 season for Stanley in on the opening day of the season in Stanley's 2–0 away defeat toChester City. His first goal of the season came in their 1–1 home draw withRochdale on 26 August 2006. Roberts was then loaned out toFootball League Championship sideIpswich Town, after making 14 league appearances and scoring eight times for Stanley in the 2006–07 season. The loan move was made permanent in the January transfer window of the same season.
He moved toIpswich Town on loan fromAccrington Stanley in October 2006. He made his debut in 3–2 loss at home toPreston North End on 17 October 2006. He scored his first goal for Ipswich againstDerby County in November 2006. He played 14 times scoring two goals during his loan spell there, impressing enough to earn a permanent four-year deal with the club in January 2007.
He started the2007–08 season with a goal in the 4–1 win overSheffield Wednesday but seen lost his place in the side having to settle for coming on as a substitute of being left on the bench.
On 12 February 2008, Roberts joinedLeague One sideCrewe Alexandra on a one-month loan, joining anotherGary Roberts at the club. He made his first appearances for the club in their 1–0 win overLeyton Orient on 12 February 2008. Roberts made four appearances for Crewe before returning to Ipswich in March. Roberts played an extra three matches for Ipswich before the end of the season, bringing his season total to 21 for the 2007–08 season with only 10 being start and 11 coming off the bench.
Roberts then left Ipswich in August 2008 to join League one sideHuddersfield Town after making 44 appearances scoring four times in the league between 2006 and 2008.
At the end of the 2007–08 season, Roberts was transfer listed and joinedHuddersfield Town on 29 July 2008 for a fee of around£250,000.
He along with five other players made his Huddersfield Town debut in the 1–1 draw againstStockport County at theGalpharm Stadium on 9 August 2008. On 12 August, he scored his first two goals in the 4–0 win against local rivalsBradford City in the first round of theLeague Cup to send Huddersfield through to the second round. His first league goal for Huddersfield was a consolation goal in their 3–1 defeat byMilton Keynes Dons on 23 August 2008.
On 25 April 2009, he won three awards at the club's Player of the Year Awards. He won the Best Goal for his goal againstHereford United in December, the Fan's Players of the Season and the Player's Player of the Season awards. As well as being top goal scorer with 11 goals in all competitions.
Roberts signed a new three-year deal withHuddersfield Town on 2 July 2009.[2]
Roberts made his first start of the 2009–10 season in Huddersfield's 2–2 opening day draw away atSouthend United, he scored his first goal of the 2009–10 season for the Terriers in their 7–1 home win overBrighton & Hove Albion.
Town won by a four or more goal margin on five occasion when Roberts scored in the 2009–10 season including a 7–1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion in August, a 4–0 win overLeyton Orient in October, two goals in Towns 6–1FA Cup win overDagenham & Redbridge in November, one week later in their 6–0 thumping ofWycombe Wanderers as well as in their 6–0 away win atStockport County in April 2010.
Roberts was given a retrospective red card after Town's game withBristol Rovers forcing him to miss the Terriers' next three games. He also scored an 85-minute equalizing goal overHuddersfield Town's local rivalsLeeds United. He also retained his Fan's Player of the Season award as well as picking up the Blue & White Foundation Player of the Season award. Roberts finished the season with 45 games in all competitions for Town and scoring nine goals making him joint third withAnthony Pilkington in Huddersfield's top scores table for 2009–10 with seven of his goals coming in the league.
At the start of the 2011–12 season, Roberts rejected a new contract at the club, however he made his first appearance of the season on the opening day scoring in the 1–1 draw at home toBury on 6 August 2011, with his second coming in the first round of theLeague Cup just three days later on 9 August 2011 in a 4–2 away win overPort Vale.
He left the club in June 2012, after not being offered a new contract by the manager,Simon Grayson.
Roberts signed for Swindon Town on 18 June 2012 and was included in their pre-season tour of Italy.On 19 February 2013, during a game againstTranmere Rovers, Roberts scored a contender for goal of the season: a 70-yard strike lobbed over the Tranmere goalkeeper from Swindon's own half.
Roberts signed forLeague Two clubChesterfield on a three-year contract on 22 June 2013. Roberts scored his first goal fortheSpireites during a 2–0 win over Cheltenham on his home debut, going on to become a popular figure among Chesterfield's fan base.[3] He also drew admiring glances from opposition managers, withRochdale managerKeith Hill describing Roberts as "The best player in the league" after his goal and assist against 'the dale'. He continued his form throughout the month of August, scoring 3 goals in six games as Chesterfield climbed to the top of the table, which saw Roberts named League Two player of the month, along with managerPaul Cook.[4] Roberts received his first red card for the Spireites against arch-rivalsMansfield Town in a 1–0 defeat. Roberts returned from his suspension in the midst of Chesterfield's worst run of the season, four matches without a win, until he scored in the home victory againstDaventry Town in a 2–0FA Cup win. Roberts scored twice againstOxford United on 15 March, and later that evening travelled to London for theFootball League Awards in which he wonLeague Two Player of the Year, beatingScott Hogan andSam Winnall to win the prize. After defeatingFleetwood Town over two legs in theFootball League Trophy area final, Roberts had the chance to play atWembley Stadium for the second time in three years, however the Spireites succumbed to and 3–1 defeat byPeterborough United.
On 17 June 2015 Roberts joinedPortsmouth on a three-year deal, stating that managerPaul Cook, Roberts' manager at Chesterfield, was the main reason for him signing for the club.[5] On 22 August 2015, he scored a free kick and one further goal at home against Morecambe to rescue a point in a 3–3 comeback.[6] In the 2016–17 season he scored twice in the second home game of the season against Colchester, one of which was a penalty and the other which was a deft chip over the Colchester goalkeeper. On 8 August 2017, Roberts left the club by mutual consent, after winning the League Two title on the final day of the season.[7][8]
On 29 August 2017, Roberts signed forLeague One sideWigan Athletic.[9] Wigan entered into contract talks with him at the end of the 2017–18 season.[10] On 9 November 2020 it was announced that Roberts had left Wigan Athletic after three seasons with the club. He blamed the club's financial problems for his exit.[11]
On 27 November 2020, Roberts joinedCymru Premier sideBala Town.[12]
On 4 January 2021, Roberts re-joinedEFL League One sideAccrington Stanley on a contract until the end of the season, 16 years after signing for them in 2005.[13] Roberts had already played for Wigan and Bala in the 2020–2021 season, usually meaning he wouldn't be able to sign for a third team as players can only play for two teams in one season – howeverFIFA changed the rules for that season to allow players to play for three teams, to alleviate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on football.[14] Roberts left the club by mutual consent in March 2021 to join former side Ipswich Town as first team coach, after which he retired from playing.[15]
In March 2021, Roberts returned to Ipswich Town as a first-team coach following the appointment of former managerPaul Cook.[16] Roberts left the role in December 2021 following the sacking of Cook as manager.[17] On 7 April 2022, Roberts joinedChesterfield as first team coach, once again as part of Paul Cook's backroom staff.[18]
Roberts has represented England as he was capped four times by theEngland C, the team which represents England at semi-professional level during his time atAccrington Stanley between 2005 and 2006. When he moved into theFootball League he became ineligible to play for them.
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Welshpool Town | 2003–04[19] | Welsh Premier League | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| 2004–05[20] | Welsh Premier League | 8 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 9 | |
| Total | 20 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 9 | ||
| Accrington Stanley | 2004–05[20] | Conference National | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2005–06[21] | Conference National | 42 | 13 | 3 | 3 | — | 0 | 0 | 45 | 16 | ||
| 2006–07[22] | League Two | 14 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 8 | |
| Total | 64 | 23 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 69 | 26 | ||
| Ipswich Town | 2006–07[22] | Championship | 33 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 37 | 3 | |
| 2007–08[23] | Championship | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 22 | 1 | ||
| Total | 54 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 4 | ||
| Crewe Alexandra (loan) | 2007–08[23] | League One | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Huddersfield Town | 2008–09[24] | League One | 43 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1[a] | 0 | 47 | 11 |
| 2009–10[25] | League One | 43 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | 50 | 9 | |
| 2010–11[26] | League One | 37 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 7[c] | 0 | 50 | 12 | |
| 2011–12[27] | League One | 39 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3[d] | 0 | 45 | 7 | |
| Total | 162 | 31 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 192 | 39 | ||
| Swindon Town | 2012–13[28] | League One | 39 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[e] | 0 | 44 | 4 |
| Chesterfield | 2013–14[29] | League Two | 40 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4[a] | 0 | 47 | 12 |
| 2014–15[30] | League One | 34 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2[e] | 0 | 42 | 8 | |
| Total | 74 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 89 | 20 | ||
| Portsmouth | 2015–16[31] | League Two | 33 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2[f] | 1 | 38 | 10 |
| 2016–17[32] | League Two | 41 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 10 | |
| Total | 74 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 80 | 20 | ||
| Wigan Athletic | 2017–18[33] | League One | 27 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 1 |
| 2018–19[34] | Championship | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 18 | 2 | ||
| 2019–20[35] | Championship | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21[36] | League One | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 54 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 3 | ||
| Bala Town | 2020–21[37] | Cymru Premier | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | |||
| Accrington Stanley | 2020–21[36] | League One | 2 | 0 | — | — | 1[g] | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 551 | 109 | 37 | 13 | 17 | 3 | 24 | 1 | 630 | 126 | ||
Accrington Stanley
Huddersfield Town
Chesterfield
Portsmouth
Wigan Athletic
Individual
