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{{Short description|Welsh footballer (1936–2021)}}
:''For other persons named Ken(neth) Roberts, see [[Kenneth Roberts|Ken(neth) Roberts]]''
{{For|the Australian rules footballer|Ken Roberts (footballer, born 1952)}}
{{BLP sources|date=February 2010}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox Football biography
{{Infobox football biography
| playername = Ken Roberts
| fullname = Kenneth Owen Roberts
| name = Ken Roberts
| fullname = Kenneth Owen Roberts
| dateofbirth = {{Birth date and age|1936|3|27}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1936|3|27}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|2|6|1936|3|27|df=y}}
| cityofbirth = [[Cefn Mawr]], [[Wrexham]]
| birth_place = [[Cefn Mawr]], [[Wrexham]], Wales
| countryofbirth = [[Wales]]
| position = [[Winger (association football)|Winger]]
| nickname = [[K.O.]]
| years1 = 1951–1953
| position = [[Midfielder#Winger|Winger]]
| clubs1 = [[Wrexham A.F.C.|Wrexham]]
| years = 1951&ndash;1953<br>1953&ndash;58
| caps1 = 1
⚫
| clubs = [[Wrexham F.C.|Wrexham]]<br>[[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]]
| goals1 = 0
| caps(goals) = 1 {{0}} {{0}}(0)<br>38 {{0}} (3)
| years2 = 1953–1958
| manageryears = 1968&ndash;1976<br>c.1981&ndash;1984
⚫
| clubs2 = [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]]
⚫
| managerclubs = [[Chester City F.C.|Chester]]<br>[[Oswestry Town F.C.|Oswestry Town]]
| caps2 = 38
| goals2 = 3
| totalcaps = 39
| totalgoals = 3
| manageryears1 = 1968–1976
| managerclubs1 = [[Chester City F.C.|Chester]]
| manageryears2 = 1983–1984
⚫
| managerclubs2 = [[Oswestry Town F.C.|Oswestry Town]]
}}
}}


'''Kenneth Owen Roberts''' (born March 27, 1936, [[Cefn Mawr]] near [[Wrexham]]) was a professional footballer with [[Wrexham F.C.|Wrexham]] and [[Aston Villa]]<ref name=fl>[http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/villa/villa.htm Football League Stats - Aston Villa players]</ref> who later achieved managerial success with [[Chester City F.C.|Chester]].
'''Kenneth Owen Roberts''' (27 March 1936 – 6 February 2021) was a Welsh professional [[association football|footballer]] who played as a [[winger (association football)|winger]] with [[Wrexham A.F.C.|Wrexham]] and [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]].<ref name=fl>[http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/villa/villa.html Football League Stats - Aston Villa players]</ref> He later achieved managerial success with [[Chester City F.C.|Chester]].


==Playing career==
Roberts made his solitary [[Football League]] appearance for Wrexham when aged just 15 in [[1951-52 in English football|1951-52]] during a player availability crisis. At 15 years and 158 days old, he equalled the 1929 record of [[Bradford Park Avenue F.C.|Bradford Park Avenue]]'s [[Albert Geldard]]; this record stood until beaten by [[Reuben Noble-Lazarus]] of [[Barnsley F.C.|Barnsley]] in 2008. Two years later he joined Villa and added 38 league outings and three goals to his tally<ref name=fl/> before retiring due to a knee injury.
Roberts made his [[Football League]] debut for Wrexham in 1951, when aged just 15 years and 158 days old, equalling the 1929 record of [[Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.|Bradford Park Avenue]]'s [[Albert Geldard]] for the youngest League player. This record stood until beaten by [[Reuben Noble-Lazarus]] of [[Barnsley F.C.|Barnsley]] in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/7645562.stm|title=Barnsley schoolboy makes history|date=1 October 2008|publisher=BBC|accessdate=23 May 2012}}</ref>


He later joined Aston Villa and added 38 league outings and three goals to his tally.<ref name=fl/>
After spells on the coaching staff with [[Oswestry Town F.C.|Oswestry Town]], [[Wrexham F.C.|Wrexham]] and [[Bradford Park Avenue]], Roberts became manager of [[Chester City F.C.|Chester]] in March 1968 following the departure of [[Peter Hauser]].


==Managerial career==
==Chester's Greatest Season==
Roberts became manager of [[Chester City F.C.|Chester]] in March 1968, and remained in charge until September 1976 when he became general manager.<ref name=manager>[http://www.soccerbase.com/managers/manager.sd?search=Ken+Roberts&manager_id=879&type=manager Roberts' Football League managerial career at Soccerbase]</ref> The highlight of this reign came in 1974–75, when Chester reached the [[Football League Cup]] semi-finals and won promotion from [[Division Four]].
Chester had never won a [[Football League]] promotion when Roberts arrived and six years later this was still the case, having missed out by a single point in [[1970-71 in English football|1970-71]]. But working alongside shrewd coach [[Brian Green]], all that was to change in [[1974-75 in English football|1974-75]] as Chester finished fourth in [[Division Four]] and won promotion on [[goal average]]. The season was though best remembered for Chester's incredible [[Football League Cup]] run, as they disposed of [[Leeds United]] and [[Newcastle United]] to reach the semi-finals before suffering a 5-4 aggregate loss to Roberts' former club [[Aston Villa]].


He later returned to the dugout as manager of Oswestry Town in 1983, spending a year in the role.<ref name=Managers>[http://www.tnsfc.co.uk/former-oswestry-town-managers/ Oswestry Town managers]</ref> He also coached at Wrexham and Roberts would later rejoin Chester as chief scout.
Roberts steered the club to a mid-table finish the following season in [[Division Three]] but opted to move upstairs to an administrative role early in the [[1976-77 in English football|1976-77]], working with new team boss [[Alan Oakes]].


Roberts died on 6 February 2021 aged 84.<ref name="BBCFeb20">{{cite web |title=Ken Roberts: Wrexham's record youngest player dies aged 84 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55964042 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=7 February 2021 |date=6 February 2021}}</ref>
Roberts never managed again professionally but he had a spell in charge of [[Oswestry Town F.C.|Oswestry Town]] in the early 1980s. He then became an established football scout, for clubs including [[Chester City F.C.|Chester]] and [[Shrewsbury Town F.C.|Shrewsbury Town]].


==References==
==References==
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{{Chester City F.C. managers}}
{{Chester City F.C. managers}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Roberts, Ken
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = March 27, 1936
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Cefn Mawr]], [[Wrexham]], [[Wales]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Ken (Footballer)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Ken (Footballer)}}
[[Category:The Football League players]]
[[Category:1936 births]]
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[[Category:2021 deaths]]
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[[Category:Welsh men's footballers]]
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[[Category:Men's association football wingers]]
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[[Category:Footballers from Wrexham]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:Wrexham A.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Aston Villa F.C. players]]
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[[Category:Welsh football managers]]
[[Category:Chester City F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Chester City F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Oswestry Town F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Oswestry Town F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Wrexham F.C. players]]
[[Category:Association football coaches]]
[[Category:Aston Villa F.C. players]]
[[Category:Association football scouts]]
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[[Category:1936 births]]
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[[Category:People from Wrexham]]
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[[Category:Welsh football managers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
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[[Category:Association football wingers]]
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[[Category:Welsh footballers]]

Latest revision as of 08:34, 3 February 2024

For the Australian rules footballer, see Ken Roberts (footballer, born 1952).

Ken Roberts
Personal information
Full name Kenneth Owen Roberts
Date of birth (1936-03-27)27 March 1936
Place of birth Cefn Mawr, Wrexham, Wales
Date of death 6 February 2021(2021-02-06) (aged 84)
Position(s) Winger
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1951–1953 Wrexham 1 (0)
1953–1958 Aston Villa 38 (3)
Total 39 (3)
Managerial career
1968–1976 Chester
1983–1984 Oswestry Town
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Kenneth Owen Roberts (27 March 1936 – 6 February 2021) was a Welsh professional footballer who played as a winger with Wrexham and Aston Villa.[1] He later achieved managerial success with Chester.

Playing career

[edit]

Roberts made his Football League debut for Wrexham in 1951, when aged just 15 years and 158 days old, equalling the 1929 record of Bradford Park Avenue's Albert Geldard for the youngest League player. This record stood until beaten by Reuben Noble-Lazarus of Barnsley in 2008.[2]

He later joined Aston Villa and added 38 league outings and three goals to his tally.[1]

Managerial career

[edit]

Roberts became manager of Chester in March 1968, and remained in charge until September 1976 when he became general manager.[3] The highlight of this reign came in 1974–75, when Chester reached the Football League Cup semi-finals and won promotion from Division Four.

He later returned to the dugout as manager of Oswestry Town in 1983, spending a year in the role.[4] He also coached at Wrexham and Roberts would later rejoin Chester as chief scout.

Roberts died on 6 February 2021 aged 84.[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Football League Stats - Aston Villa players
  2. ^ "Barnsley schoolboy makes history". BBC. 1 October 2008. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  3. ^ Roberts' Football League managerial career at Soccerbase
  4. ^ Oswestry Town managers
  5. ^ "Ken Roberts: Wrexham's record youngest player dies aged 84". BBC Sport. 6 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
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