William Samuel Roberts (12 July 1908 – 22 February 1976) was a Welsh

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...

who played as a right back. He made over 170

Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...

appearances in the years before the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Career

Bill Roberts was born in

Bargoed Bargoed ( cy, Bargod) is a town and community in the Rhymney Valley, Wales, one of the South Wales Valleys. It lies on the Rhymney River in the county borough of Caerphilly. It straddles the ancient boundary of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, with ...

and began his footballing career in the Army. He signed briefly for

Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as Tottenham () or Spurs, is a professional association football, football club based in Tottenham, London, England. It competes in the Premier League, the top flight of English footba ...

in 1932.

Bob Hewison Robert Hewison (25 March 1889 – 1964) was an English footballer who filled various roles on the left of the pitch before going on to make his name as a manager. Playing career Born in Backworth, Northumberland, Hewison began his playing caree ...

signed tough tackling Roberts in September 1933 for

Bristol City Bristol City Football Club is a professional football club based in Bristol, England, which compete in the , the second tier of English football. They have played their home games at Ashton Gate since moving from St John's Lane in 1904. The ...

. Bill Roberts followed Ernie Brinton to Newport County in July 1938. Roberts was captured by the Germans in France during the Second World War. Later Bill Roberts was landlord of the "Elm Tree" pub in Bishopsworth, Bristol then worked locally for HM Customs & Excise. He died in

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

, aged 67.

Honours

;with Bristol City *

Welsh Cup The FAW Welsh Cup ( cy, Cwpan Cymdeithas Pêl-droed Cymru), currently known as the JD Welsh Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams in the Welsh football league system. It is considered the most ...

winner 1934 ;with Newport County *

Football League Third Division South The Third Division South of The Football League was a tier in the English football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran in parallel with the Third Division North with clubs elected to the League or relegated from Division Two allocated to on ...

winner: 1938–39

References

1908 births 1976 deaths People from Bargoed Sportspeople from Caerphilly County Borough Welsh men's footballers Men's association football fullbacks English Football League players Tottenham Hotspur F.C. players Newport County A.F.C. players Bristol City F.C. players {{Wales-footy-defender-stub