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28 February 2025
 
 

Charlie Roberts

Manchester United FC

 3 appearances, 0 goals

P 3 W 2 D 1 L 0 F 5: A 2
83% successful
1905

captain: none
minutes played: 270

Timeline
  Charles Roberts
Birth Friday, 6 April 1883 in Rise Carr, Darlington, County Durham
  registered in Darlington April-June 1883
Baptism Wednesday, 2 May 1883 in St. Paul's Church in Darlington
  "Born at Darlington on April 6th, 1883, he left school at the tender age of twelve, and for the ensuing six years was engaged in the ironworks as a mill furnace man." - The Football Echo, Saturday, 24 April 1909
 

According to the 1891 census, Charles, attending school, is the youngest of four children to Jacob and Elizabeth (née Beech). They live at 8 Spring Street in Darlington. His father is a puddler in the local ironworks.
 

According to the 1901 census, Charles is a furnaceman's labourer in the ironworks, and is the only one living with his parents, at 7 Low Boyne Street in the Harrowgate Hill area of Darlington. His father is now a labourer in the scrap yard of the ironworks.
His mother died in early 1904
Marriage to Mary Elizabeth Cammiss, in spring 1906 in Selby
  registered in Selby April-June 1906
Children Charlie and Mary Roberts have nine children together. Charles (b.January 1907), William (b.28 January 1908), Margaret (b.1909), another Charles (b.1910), Mary, John James, Hilda (b.10 June 1917), Richard (b.13 September 1919) and Christopher (b.13 July 1922).
 

Their eldest son, Charles, died as a nine month old on 28 October 1907.
His father died in mid-1908.
According to the 1911 census, Charles is a professional footballer, married to May. They have three children, William, Margaret and Charles. Another had tragically died after being born. They also have one servant and they live at 36 North Road in the Clayton area of Manchester.
  "Charlie Roberts, the Oldham Athletic leader, is seriously ill. Pleurisy is the complaint, and everyone will hope that the doctors attending him will succeed in recovering for him his wonted strength." - The Liverpoiol Echo, Tuesday, 22 February 1916
  "Everybody will be glad to hear that Charlie Roberts, who, as I stated in my last Tuesday's notes, has been laid up with pleurisy and pneumonia, is now out of danger and on the high road to recovery." - The Grimsby News, Friday, 3 March 1916
 

According to the 1921 census, Charles, a wholesale and retail tobacconist, is still married and has four more children, Mary, John James, Hilda and Richard, and with their three older siblings and one servant, they all still live at 36 North Road.
On 4 October 1930, their eldest daughter Margaret married a police constable, William Cartwright. They were all stilling at 36 North Road at the time and Charles is still a tobacconist.
  "A famous Grimsby Town player of other days, Charlie Roberts, is lying seriously ill in the Manchester Royal Infirmary, a victim of nerve trouble." - Grimsby Evening Telegraph, Wednesday, 28 June 1939
"OPERATION 24 YEARS AFTER  ALTHOUGH it is twenty-four years ago since  he played football, a one-time famous international is to undergo a serious operation soon because of the game, He is Charlie Roberts, the former captain of Manchester United. Sitting in a private room at Manchester Royal Infirmary, Charlie told the Daily Mirror yesterday: 'Afraid I won't be up and about in time for the football season—worse luck. They have found a growth at the back of my skull which has developed as a result of heading heavy balls so often over twenty years ago and are going to extract it. I have been almost like the living dead for the  last two years, especially after my active life'." - The Daily Mirror, Saturday, 5 August 1939.
"On Sunday he had undergone a 7½-hour operation on the brain"
Death Monday, 7 August 1939 at the Royal Infirmary, Oxford Road, Manchester, Lancashire, living at 19 Kingsley Grove, Audenshaw, at the time
aged 56 years 123 days registered in Liverpool North October-December 1939

Obituary
"GRIMSBY PLAYER WHO WON HIGHEST HONOURS
"THE older generation of football players in Grimsby and Cleethorpes will learn with regret of the death of Charlie Roberts, regarded by many as the greatest centre half-back of all time, who played for Grimsby Town before being transferred to Manchester United. Charlie Roberts was a native of Bishop Auckland, and after playing a season for Darlington as an amateur he came to Grimsby nearly 37 years ago to take part in a trial match. He came again the following Saturday, and this time the Town club signed him as a professional. In 1904 Grimsby transferred Roberts to Manchester United for £600—a record fee at that time, and within three years he had won every honour the game had to offer. He was capatin of Manchester United when they won the Cup exactly thirty years ago, led them to the League Championship twice, and played international against Scotland, Wales and Ireland. After playing with United until 1913 he was transferred to Oldham Athletic at a fee of £1,500. His departure broke up the famous half-back line of Duckworth, Roberts and Bell, considered by many to be the finest middle line ever played together for the club.
"Mr. Roberts was a trustee and vice-resident of the Players' Union, of which he was the first chairman, after taking a leading part in its formation in stormy days. During the nine years he was with United he was captain of the first team for eight. Under his captaincy United gained promotion to the First Division, won the League Championship twice, the F.A. Cup once, the Manchester Cup five times, the F.A. Shield twice, and the Lancashire Cup—every honour open to the club.
"Mr. Roberts created a football record by being the first Second Division player to represent his country in all three international games in one season. That was in 1905, and it was said that his refusal to go to South Africa had something to do with the later internationals, but he played against the Scottish League in 1907, 1909, and 1911, and against the Irish League in 1907. Illness brought to a close his playing career while he was still with Oldham Athletic, but later he had eighteen months as manager of that club. Fifty-six years of age, Roberts had walked with the aid of a stick for about twenty years following injury on the field." - Evening Telegraph, Tuesday, 8 August 1939
 
 "CHARLIE ROBERTS IS DEAD.
"CHARLIE ROBERTS, ex-international footballer and former Manchester United captain, lived for the game. Now he has died for it at the age of fifty-six. Two years ago Charlie began to feel the effects of his strenuous football career,  which ended over twenty years ago. Since then he had suffered from dizziness, and specialists told him there was a growth near the brain brought about by heading the ball so often when filling the position of centre half. He died following an operation at Manchester infirmary. A few hours before: 'For the last two years I have been helpless. When I was told I was to have an operation I refused point blank, but when I thought it over I decided that anything was better than going on as I have for the last two years. A month in here and a few weeks' holiday, then I will be able to go see United play again." - Daily Mirror, Tuesday, 8 August 1939
Funeral Thursday, 10 August 1939 at St. Cross Churchyard, Ashton New Road, Clayton in Manchester
 

According to the 1939 register, widow Mary E. is now living with her children, Hilda, Richard and Christopher at 21 Kingsley Grove in Audenshaw.
Probate "ROBERTS Charles of 19 Kinglsey-grove Audenshaw near Manchester died 7 August 1939 at Royal Infirmary Private Patients Home Manchester Probate Manchester 5 April to Mary Elizabeth Roberts widow and William Roberts company director. Effects £3854 14s 1d." [2025 equivalent £213,496]
  His wife, Mary Roberts, died on 31 December 1956.
Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &

Playing Career

Club(s)		 "His first club was Rise Carr, and his companions thought it best to place him in goal as he was nearly as tall in those youthful days as he is now [1909]. Scarcity of money killed that boys' club in two years. He was about to give the game up altogether when Darlington St. Augustine's persuaded him to appear at centre-back He remained a 'Saint' until he joined the sinners of Bishop Auckland. His play was so excellent that Middlesbrough heard of him, and they decided to give him a trial at two hours' notice after he had been participating in the revels of a wedding. Roberts wisely declined. His chance came, and was taken, Grimsby Town had been advised of his existence of Roberts and told of his skill. The Grimsby explorers watched him. Roberts played a trial for them, was signed as a professional in 1903."
Manchester United FC signed him on 23 April 1904 ['he was signed the night before Manchester City won the Cup'] for a record £600 transfer fee, becoming captain after one full season from the 1906-07 season. Rivals Manchester City FC attempted to sign Roberts in the 1912 summer break, but their £1500 offer was refused. However, Oldham Athletic FC signed him as their captain on 24 August 1913 for another club record fee, £1500. United had refused to guarantee Roberts a second benefit match, so he was allowed to leave. He missed the early part of 1916 because of pneumonia. He then played in a game against Stoke in 1918 and "received such severe injuries", that he never played again. He retired in the early part 1920, although he had been on the sick list for some time, having undergone a variety of operations.

League honours
374 appearances, 29 goals		 Grimsby Town FC 1903-04 31 appearances, five goals
debut (division two): 1 September 1903 Grimsby Town FC 2 Bradford City FC 0.
Manchester United FC 1904-13 271 appearances, 22 goals
debut (division two): 23 April 1904 Manchester United FC 2 Burton United FC 0.
Oldham Athletic FC 1913-15 72 appearances, two goals
debut: 6 September 1913 Bolton Wanderers FC 6 Oldham Athletic FC 2
last: 24 April 1915 Oldham Athletic FC 0 Liverpool FC 2.
Club honours FA Amateur Cup winners 1899-1900, runners-up 1901-02;
Northern League winners 1898-99, 1900-01, 1901-02;
Durham Challenge Cup winners 1898-99;
Lincolnshire Cup winners 1902-03; ('Roberts displaced Ben Hall (Derby County) and offered him the medal, but Hall declined to accept the present')
Football League Division Two third place 1903-04 (2ᵃ), 1904-05 (28ᵃ 5ᵍ), runners-up 1905-06 (34ᵃ 4ᵍ), Division One Champions 1907-08 (32ᵃ 2ᵍ), 1910-11 (33ᵃ 1ᵍ), runners-up 1914-15 (34ᵃ);
Manchester Senior Cup winners 1907-08, 1909-10, 1911-12, 1912-13, 1913-14, runners-up 1910-11;
FA Cup winners 1908-09 (6ᵃ);
FA Charity Shield winners 1908, 1911;
Lancashire Cup winners 1912-13;
Individual honours Football League (nine appearances, 1905-14)
Distinctions Founder of the Player's Union and later its chairman until September 1921.
Cousin of Bill Hooper (Darlington FC, Rochadle FC), Carl Hooper (Lincoln City FC, Chesterfield FC, Norwich City FC), Danny Hooper (Oldham Athletic AFC), Mark Hooper (Darlington FC, Sheffield Wednesday FC and Rotherham United FC).
Height/Weight 5' 11½", 12st. 7lbs [1909]. 'Roberts had the build of a heavyweight boxer—he was six feet and weighed 14st.'

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

Management Career
Club(s) Appointed manager at Oldham Athletic FC from 24 June 1921 until he resigned on 15 December 1922.
League honours
 P 65 - W 18 - D 16 - L 31.		 Football League Division One best nineteenth place 1921-22;

England Career
Player number One of six who became the 302nd player (305) to appear for England.
Position(s) Centre-half
First match No. 83, 25 February 1905, England 1 Ireland 1, a British Championship match at Ayresome Park, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, aged 21 years 325 days.
Last match No. 85, 1 April 1905, England 1 Scotland 0, a British Championship match at Sports Arena, Crystal Palace, Sydenham, London, aged 21 years 360 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1904-05;
Team honours British Championship winners 1904-05;
Individual honours The North (two appearances, February 1905-January 1909);
England trial (one appearance, January 1913)
Distinctions None

Beyond England
During his playing days, he was a Sunday School teacher, and was the owner of stationery and newsagents' shops in the Manchester area. During his recuperation, Roberts gave lectures to Scottish players, in hope of setting up a union in the Scottish field. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.209.


The Numbers
parties Appearances comp. apps minutes captain
3 3 3 270 0 none
The minutes here given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an approximation.
P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
3 2 1 0 5 2 +3 0 1 1.667 0.667 83.3 +2
All of his matches were played at a home venue and in the British Championship competition

Tournament Record

British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1904-05 3 2 1 0 5 2 +3 0 1 1.667 0.667 83.3 +2
BC All 3 2 1 0 5 2 +3 0 1 1.667 0.667 83.3 +2

All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 3 2 1 0 5 2 +3 0 1 1.667 0.667 83.3 +2
3 2 1 0 5 2 +3 0 1 1.667 0.667 83.3 +2

Match History

 Club: Manchester United F.C. - three full appearances (270 min) F.A. International Select Committee - three full appearances (270 min)x

apps match match details comp res. rundown pos

Age 21 trial  
one appearance - The South vs. The North, 13 February 1905;

1 83 25 February 1905 - England 1 Ireland 1
Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough		 BC HD   ch

one of six who became the 302nd player (305) to appear for England
the first Manchester United FC player to represent England
the third player from the second tier of the Football League to represent England

2 84 27 March 1905 - England 3 Wales 1
Anfield Road, Liverpool		 BC HW   ch
3 85 1 April 1905 - England 1 Scotland 0
Sports Arena, Crystal Palace		 BC HW   ch
 

first player from the second tier of the Football League to represent England for the entire season

Age 25 trial  
one appearance - The South vs. The North, January 1909;

Age 25    
one appearance - The North vs. England, January 1913 (originally selected to play for The North);

  

 
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