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Bob
Roberts |
West Bromwich Albion
FC
3 appearances,
5 goals against
two from free-kicks, no clean sheets
P 3 W 2 D 0 L 1 F 16:
A 5
67% successful
1887-90
captain: none
minutes played: 270 |
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Timeline |
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Robert James Roberts |
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Birth |
Friday, 18
December 1863 in 31 Queen Street, Wednesbury, West Bromwich, Staffordshire |
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registered in West Bromwich January-March 1864
Birthdate confirmed by 'The Athlete'.
Absolutely not 9 April 1859 |
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According to the 1871 census,
Robert J. is the middle of five children to James and Ada (née Griffiths) living at 31
Queen Street in the Wednesbury area of West Bromwich. His father is a
plasterer. |
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According to the
1881 census, Robert, now a plasterer like his father, is the oldest of
four children, one of which is a new sibling, still living at 31 Queen
Street. |
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First Marriage |
to
Martha Ann Grice on Tuesday, 12 April 1887, at Christ Church, West Bromwich. |
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registered in West Bromwich April-June 1887 |
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Children |
Bob
and Martha Roberts had one daughter together. Edith May (b.1888) |
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"BOB ROBERTS, the International
goalkeeper, has been keeping his public-house open longer than the law
permits, and on Saturday was brought up. Mr. Jackson, a prominent West
Bromwich Albionite, pleaded for him so well that he got off with a
caution. Bob must be careful if he is 'the best goalkeeper in the world,
as Mr. J. pleaded." - The Athletic News, Tuesday, 12 July
1887 |
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Bob cannot be found on
the 1891 census, although his wife, Martha,
and his single daughter, can be found living with her mother, Sarah, at 39
Ovenend Street in Sandwell. |
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Second Marriage |
to
Sarah Ann Whitehouse, in mid-1893 in West
Bromwich |
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registered in West Bromwich July-September 1893 |
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Children |
Bob
and Sarah Roberts had two daughters together. Millicent Maud
(b.1894) and Myra Ann (b.1895). |
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According to the
Newcastle upon Tyne electoral rolls, in 1898, Robert James Roberts is
living at 44 Parker Street in Byker, then from 1899 until 1911, Robert J.
is living at 50 Brinkburn Street in Byker. |
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According to the 1901 census,
Robert J. is a masons plasterer, married to Sarah, with three daughters,
Edith, Millicent and Myra. Living at 50 Brinkburn Street in Byker with his
sister, Ada, and her five children. |
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According to the 1911 census,
Robert James is a barman, still married to Sarah and still
with three daughters, now living at 60 Brinkburn Street, which, according
to the electoral rolls, is there only year in this property. |
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According to the
Newcastle upon Tyne electoral rolls, from 1912 until his death, Robert J.
is now living at 58 Brinkburn Street, along with Sarah Ann and Edith May. |
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According to the 1921 census,
Robert James is again a plasterer and still married to Sarah Ann and with
two of his daughters, now living at 58 Brinkburn Street. |
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Death |
Monday, 28 October 1929
at 58 Brinkburn Street in Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, after a long illness. |
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aged 65 years
314 days
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registered in West Bromwich October-December 1929 |
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Obituary |
"DEATH OF R. ROBERTS—Famous
Albion and England Goalkeeper.
"A stalwart of other days in
the ranks of West Bromwich Albion passed away at his home near Newcastle
yesterday in the person of Mr. Bob Roberts, one of the greatest
goalkeepers of his day. Roberts' association with the West Bromwich club
began in the days when goalkeepers may be said to have had more protection
in long trousers than in the rules, and opposing forwards were allowed a
good deal more latitude in regard to the liberties they took with their
opposing forwards invariably found they had caught a tartar.
"Bob
Roberts was one of the famous company of Albion internationals and cup
finalists who came from Christ Church School, West Bromwich, and his
career embraced the period when his club played in three successive
finals, in 1886, 1887 and 1888. He covered himself with great distinction
in these matches, and his reward was to be capped twice, against Scotland
in 1887 and against Ireland in 1890. He was associated with the Albion for
many seasons, and on his retirement fro the game after a brief spell with
a north eastern club he went to work as a plasterer at Sunderland. In his
retirement he never lost his love for Albion, and when they visited
Newcastle and Sunderland he not only went to the match but was generally
the guest of the club at dinner. Mr. Roberts was about 64 years of age,
and is survived by a widow and daughter." -
Birmingham Daily Gazette, Tuesday, 29 October 1929. |
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Source
|
 Douglas Lammings' An
English Football Who's Who [1990], Lan-opc &
Kevin Powell |
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Playing Career |
Club(s) |
Began with
Christ Church school FC and George Salter's Spring factory works team in
West Bromwich in 1878, which became the West Bromwich Strollers FC,
at first as an outfield player, before becoming a mainstay goalkeeper. The Strollers became West Bromwich Albion FC in 1880. After
twelve years, and over
four hundred games, Roberts joined Sunderland Albion FC
on 27 August 1890. He could not settle, so returned to West Bromwich Albion FC
in May 1891 for a year. He then moved onto Aston Villa FC in April
1892, before returning north and Sunderland Albion FC again in June 1893. |
League History
53 appearances |
West
Bromwich Albion FC 1888-90, forty appearances
debut: 8
September 1888 Stoke FC 0 West Bromwich Albion FC 2.
West
Bromwich Albion FC 1891-92 nine appearances
debut: 5
September 1891 West Bromwich Albion FC 4 Everton FC 0.
Aston
Villa FC 1892-93 four appearances
debut: 26 November 1892
Aston Villa FC 3 Preston North End FC 1.
last: 25 March 1893 Aston
Villa FC 6 Accrington FC 4. |
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Club honours |
FA Cup
runners-up 1885-86, 1886-87, winners 1887-88,
1891-92 (0ᵃ);
Football League Division One fourth place 1892-93 (4ᵃ); |
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Individual honours |
Football Alliance;
Birmingham FA; |
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Height/Weight |
6' 1" 15st 3lbs [1890],
although Lamming states 6' 4", without a year. |
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Source |
Douglas Lammings' An
English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & ENFA. |
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England Career |
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Player number |
139th
player to appear
for England. |
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Position(s) |
Goalkeeper;
seventeenth goalkeeper to appear. |
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First match |
No. 31, 19 March
1887, England 2 Scotland 3, a British Championship match at Leamington Street, Wagtail, Blackburn, aged
23 years 91 days. |
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Last match |
No. 38,
15 March 1890, Ireland 1 England 9, a British Championship match at
Ulster Cricket Ground, Ballynafeigh
Park, Belfast, aged
26 years 87 days. |
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Major tournaments |
British
Championship 1886-87, 1887-88, 1889-90; |
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Team honours |
British
Championship winners 1887-88; |
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Individual honours |
The North (two appearances 6ᵍᵃ, 1884-87)
The Players (one appearance 1ᵍ�ᵍ�, March
1886, withdrew in January 1886)
The Blues
(one appearance 2ᵍᵃ, March 1890) |
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Distinctions |
The
139th and final player to be given an England badge by Charlie Alcock's
Selection Committee. The first from West Bromwich Albion FC.
In his final outing, Roberts became England's
longest serving goalkeeper alongside Albemarle Swepstone. It was broken a
year later by Billy Moon.
Died eleven days after
Arthur
Henfrey. |
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Beyond England |
A plasterer by trade. He returned to
the Newcastle upon Tyne area after retiring to carry on his trade.
-
An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming
(1990). Hatton Press, p.124.
During his playing days, we was landlord
at the Three Crowns Inn in West Bromwich up until August 1890, and at the
Albion Inn, in Freeth Street in Oldbury, from May 1891. |
England
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