England Football Online
Players Index Page Last Updated
2 September 2018
 
 

Herbie Roberts

Arsenal FC

1 appearance, 0 goals

P 1 W 0 D 0 L 1 F 0: A 2
0% successful

1931

captain: none
minutes played:
90

Profile

Full name Lieutenant Herbert Roberts
Born 19 February 1905 in Oswestry, Shropshire [registered in Oswestry, March 1905].
Attended Oswestry Boys School

Census Notes

According to the 1911 census, six year old Herbert is the third of four children to John Owen and Margaret Anne. His father is an insurance agaent and they live at 2 Glanaber Terrace at Oswestry.
According to his school admission records, Herbert began Oswestry Boys School on 3 September 1912. He was living at Herbert Villas in Oak Street at the time. He left school on 26 March 1918.

Cannot be found on the 1939 register.
Married to Edith Kenyon, on 10 July 1934 at St. James' Church, Blackburn [registered in Blackburn, September 1934]. One son, Peter K. [b.1936].
"After being married quietly at St. James', Blackburn, yesterday, Herbert Roberts, the Arsenal and international footballer, and his bride, Miss Edith Kenyon, of Shear. Brow, Blackburn, were accidentally imprisoned in a photographer's studio. The lock had jammed. Pressmen waiting outside the studio heard knocking, but did not realise anything was wrong until a girl signalled through a window. Eventually a Press photographer and two reporters forced the door. A six-year-old bridesmaid was also locked in the studio." - Wednesday, 11 July 1934, The Daily Mail
Died: 17 June 1944 in North Middlesex Hospital, Edmonton, aged 39 years 119 days [registered in Edmonton, June 1944].
Died from erysipelas while he was on wartime service with the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). Possibly as a direct result of the career-ending injury he received. He was living at Southgate in Middlesex at the time.
Date of death confirmed by the Army roll of honour & The Commonwealth War Graves. Most newspapers reported his death on the 19th, a Monday.
Buried in Southgate Cemetery, Brunswick Park Road, Enfield, with the inscription:- ALWAYS THOUGHTFUL ALWAYS KIND A BEAUTIFUL MEMORY LEFT BEHIND (left).
Height/Weight: 6' 0", 11st. 10lbs [1931].

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990], FindMyPast.com & Commenwealth War Graves

Club Career

Club(s) Began his career with Oswestry Town FC in 1921, before he was transferred to Arsenal on 8 December 1926 for a £200 transfer fee. Injured his leg in a match against Middlesbrough FC on 30 October 1937, an injury that enforced his retirement after 297 league appearances, scoring four goals.
Club honours FA Cup runners-up 1926-27, 1931-32, winners 1929-30, 1935-36; FA Charity Shield winners 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, runners-up 1935, 1936; Football League Division One Champions 1930-31, 1932-33, 1933-34, 1934-35, 1937-38, runners-up 1931-32;
Individual honours None
Distinctions Nicknamed the 'Policeman', because he became the first of the 'stopper' pivots, staying put and never being drawn upfield.

Source

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

England Career

Player number One of two who became the 558th players (558) to appear for England.
Position(s) Centre-half
Only match No. 175, 28 March 1931, Scotland 2 England 0, a British Championship match at Hampden Park, Mount Florida, Glasgow, aged 26 years 37 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1930-31;
Team honours British Championship shared 1930-31;
Individual honours None
Distinctions None

Beyond England

Employed as a gunsmith before he became a Gunner. - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.210.

 

Herbie Roberts - Career Statistics
Squads Apps comp. apps Mins. Goals goals ave.min comp. goals Capt. Disc.
1 1 1 90 0 0 min 0 none none
minutes are an approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stick to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors.

 

Herbie Roberts - Match Record - All Matches - By Type of Match
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
Away - British Championship 1 0 0 1 0 2 -2 1 0 0.00 2.00 0.00 -1
All 1 0 0 1 0 2 -2 1 0 0.00 2.00 0.00 -1

 

Herbie Roberts - Match Record - Tournament Matches
British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1930-31 1 0 0 1 0 2 -2 1 0 0.00 2.00 0.00 -1
BC All 1 0 0 1 0 2 -2 1 0 0.00 2.00 0.00 -1
All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1 0 0 1 0 2 -2 1 0 0.00 2.00 0.00 -1
All 1 0 0 1 0 2 -2 1 0 0.00 2.00 0.00 -1


Herbie Roberts - Match History
 

 Club: Arsenal F.C. - one full appearance (90 min)

F.A. International Selection Committee - one full appearance (90 min)x

Age 26
1 175 28 March 1931 - Scotland 2 England 0, Hampden Park, Glasgow BC AL Start ch

Notes

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CG