Gary Roberts

Gary Paul Michael Roberts (born 5 April 1960) is a Welsh retired professional footballer who played as a forward and winger. As a player, he is best remembered for his six years in the Football League with Brentford, for whom he made over 220 appearances and is a member of the club's Hall of Fame. After retiring as a player, Roberts turned to management and spent 13 years as manager of Cambridge City.

Club career

Brentford Roberts was born in Rhyl, Wales. He made 19 appearances and scored three goals in the 1980–81 season. He also served as the club's PFA representative. Roberts came to the fore during the 1982–83 season, scoring 17 goals and amassing a career-high 58 appearances. Roberts was transfer-listed by manager Frank McLintock and moves to Derby County and Bradford City fell through.

Non-League football In 1986, Roberts dropped into non-League football to sign for Conference club Barnet in 1986, but he was only a bit-part player during the 1986–87 season, which saw the Bees narrowly miss out on promotion to the Football League after as finishing runners-up to Scarborough. Spells with other Conference clubs Maidstone United and Welling United followed before Roberts dropped down to the Isthmian League Premier Division to sign for Hitchin Town late in the 1987–88 season. He signed for St Albans City in 1988 and three goals in five games before departing the club. Spells with Southern League clubs Cambridge City and Braintree Town followed, plus a second spell with Hitchin Town, A mid-table finish followed in the 2001–02 season, but the pair were sacked in December 2002, with the club top of the Isthmian League Premier Division table.

Roberts kept City in the Conference South for three further seasons before the club was demoted back to the Southern League Premier Division in 2008, due to irregularities with the club's Milton Road ground. He stepped down as manager during the 2016–17 pre-season.

Personal life Prior to becoming a professional footballer, Roberts worked as a bricklayer. Third Division 19 3 0 0 0 0

19 3 1981–82 0 50 15 1984–85 3 19 6 Hitchin Town 1987–88 Isthmian League Premier Division 18 9

1 0 19 9 St Albans City 1988–89 Isthmian League Premier Division 3 1

2 2 5 3

1988–89 1 7 1

13 5 2 0

2 1 17 6

1991–92 0 16 7

28 12 2 0

3 1 33 13

1995–96 Isthmian League Premier Division 19 3 2 0

7 3 28 6

37 12 2 0

8 3 47 15

267!!72!!17!!6 16 7 23 12!!323!!97

Manager

Honours Brentford Hall of Fame