Phil Roberts

Phil Roberts
Personal information
Full name Phillip Stanley Roberts
Date of birth (1950-02-24) 24 February 1950 (age 74)
Place of birth Cardiff, Wales
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
1966–1968 Bristol Rovers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1968–1973 Bristol Rovers 175 (6)
1973–1978 Portsmouth 153 (1)
1978–1979 Hereford United 3 (0)
1979–1982 Exeter City 105 (0)
1982 Taunton Town
1982–1983 Yeovil Town 21 (0)
1983–1984 Ottery St Mary
1984 Weymouth 3 (0)
1984–1985 Chard Town
International career
1970–1973 Wales U23 6
1974 Wales 4 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Phillip Stanley Roberts (born 24 February 1950) is a Welsh former professional footballer whose four-club career spanned three decades. Born in Cardiff,[1] Roberts won six Wales Under 23 caps [2] whilst with his first club Bristol Rovers[3] (where he is still widely regarded [4]). In all Roberts was to make 175 appearances for Rovers[5] before moving to Portsmouth in the 1973 close season[6] as part of new chairman John Deacon's ambitious re-building plans.[7] He was to prove such an effective player on the south coast[8] that in 1974 he was awarded four full Welsh caps.[9] Roberts was to hold the right back spot at Fratton Park for four seasons, his final appearance being in the 5–1 thrashing which consigned the club to fourth division football for the first time in their history.[10] A very brief spell with Hereford United followed[11] before another 100-plus stint with Exeter City ended a successful Football League career.[12]

  1. ^ "Rothmans Football Year Book,1970-71" Peskett,R/Williams,T: Harpenden, QAP,1970 ISBN 0-362-00071-9
  2. ^ Between December 1970 and March 1973 AFS DataBase
  3. ^ Photo of Roberts (Rovers Era) Archived 11 July 2012 at archive.today
  4. ^ "Nomination for all-time Rovers team at full back". Archived from the original on 13 February 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2008.
  5. ^ "The PFA Premier League and Football League Players' Records 1946-98" Hugman,B: Harpenden, Queen Anne Press, 1998 ISBN 1-85291-585-4
  6. ^ £55,000 transfer
  7. ^ "Portsmouth, from Tindall to Ball" Farmery, C: Southend-on-Sea, Desert Island Books, 1999 ISBN 1-874287-25-2
  8. ^ "Pompey: The History of Portsmouth Football Club" Cooper,M/ Neasom,M/ Robinson,D: Portsmouth, Milestone Publications, 1984 ISBN 0-903852-50-0
  9. ^ Victories against Hungary and Luxembourg; defeats against England and Austria- AFS DataBase
  10. ^ "The News", 22 March 1978, article by Mike Neasom Where is Southport?
  11. ^ Details of transfer from Portsmouth
  12. ^ Details of match late in his career[permanent dead link]