Roberts Voted Left-Back of the Decade
By Matthew Jones
January 30 2011
Stalwart defender eases into Tranmere Rovers' Team of the Decade....
Former Tranmere left-back Gareth Roberts has won Total Tranmere's vote as Tranmere's best left-back in our search to find Rovers' team of the decade.
In a poll in which 72 people voted, Roberts eased to victory, picking up 86.11% of the votes and beating off competition from Aaron Cresswell (2.78%), Shane Nicholson (1.39%), Andy Taylor (8.33%) and Carl Tremarco (1.39%) to join goalkeeper John Achterberg in the Team of the Decade so far.
Roberts played for Tranmere between 1999 and 2006 and really wrote his name in to the Rovers history books as he helped Tranmere reach the 2000 League Cup final, three F.A. Cup Quarter Finals (1999/2000, 2000/01 and 2003/04) and the League One play-off semi-finals (2004/05) during his time on the Wirral.
The Wrexham born defender came through the youth ranks at Liverpool, playing in the same team as future England and Liverpool stars Michael Owen and Jamie Carragher as he helped the club to win the 1996 F.A. Youth Cup.
However, Roberts didn't make the grade at Anfield and left the club in 1999, signing for Greek side Panionios who were at the time managed by Liverpool legend Ronnie Whelan.
His stay at Panionos was, thankfully, brief, as he played just 15 times for the club before become unsettled as home sickness set in for the youngster.
On the recommendation of Whelan, Tranmere manager John Aldridge, a former team mate of the Panionios manager, signed Roberts, initially on a three month loan spell in August 1999.
Over his loan spell with the club, Roberts impressed, netting once in fifteen games before making his move to the Wirral permanent, signing for the club on a free transfer.
The next seven years saw Roberts become one of Prenton Park's most favourite sons as he became one of only a handful of players to have played for the club between 2000 and the present day to have made over 300 appearances for the club.
He is joined on that exclusive list by names such as John Achterberg, Ian Goodison and Gary Jones - three over players who have indeed made great names for themselves on the Wirral.
Playing during one of the clubs most successful periods, Roberts was first choice left-back under three managers at Prenton Park - John Aldridge, Dave Watson, Ray Mathias and Brian Little, though Little also liked to play the pacy Welsh international on the left-wing.
He played a big part in a number of Tranmere's huge cup matches around the turn of the century, featuring in Rovers' cup wins over the likes of West Ham, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Coventry, Leeds and Southampton, though he did miss the 3-0 win at Goodison against Everton due to suspension.
On top of this, Roberts also, of course, featured in Tranmere's soul major cup final appearance to date and was pivitol in Tranmere's goal in their 2-1 League Cup final defeat to Leicester.
Following a foul on Alan Mahon, it was Roberts' long, lofted left-footed free-kick that was knocked down by Gary Jones to David Kelly, who nipped in front of the defender and smashed the ball in to the back of the net from a tight angle in side the area.
Later in the decade, Roberts was then also in Tranmere's starting XI in both their F.A. Cup third round game's against Bolton during the 2003/04 season, with Rovers winning the tie 2-1 at the Reebok after a 1-1 draw at Prenton Park, whilst in the Quarter Final against Millwall that season, he came close to scoring for Tranmere in a 0-0 draw at the New Den as his long range effort was saved by Millwall 'keeper Marshall.
A season later, Roberts was a key component in Brian Little's Tranmere side that finished third in League One, going on to play Hartlepool in the play-offs.
Over his seven years on the Wirral, then, Roberts firmly earned himself a place in the hearts of Tranmere fans, and, indeed, married a Rovers fan himself.
He won numerous inter-club awards at Tranmere during his time on the Wirral, including Player of the Season and Goal of the Season, but perhaps his greatest personal achievement was in the 2005/06 season, when his fellow professionals voted Roberts in to the League One team of the season, a thoroughly deserved reward.
It was then with a heavy heart that he left Tranmere in 2006, joining Doncaster Rovers, then a League One side, though soon to move up to the Championship, as he looked to further his career away from Prenton Park.
He joined Doncaster on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract at Prenton Park having, in total (including his loan spell) made 339 appearances for the club, scoring fourteen times.
Famous for his lung bursting runs down the wing, often on the overlap of the winger in front of him, Roberts, despite his height, was a wonderful full-back in his time at Prenton Park.
He was strong and solid in the tackle as well as being a wonderful crosser of the ball. On top of this, he scored some stunning goals in his time on the Wirral, none more so than a fantastic 35-yard free-kick at Chesterfield or a magnificent left-footed dipping volley from 20-yards against Wrexham, the third Tranmere goal in a famous 5-1 win at the Racecourse in January 2005.
It was in his time at Prenton Park that Roberts also made his debut for Wales, too, coming on as a substitute against Finland in 2000.
He has, to date, made nine appearances for his country, all of them during his time at Tranmere and the last of them coming against Slovenia in August 2005.
So fond were the Tranmere fans of Roberts' achievements on the Wirral, though, that, with Roberts having announced his intended departure some time before the end of the season, he got a wonderful reception at Prenton Park on the final day of the season as Rovers faced, ironically, Doncaster Rovers.
Some Tranmere fans in the Kop displayed a banner before kick off to the left-back that read "Thanks for the memories Gareth" whilst on the team's lap of honour around the pitch at full-time, the defender was clearly emotional as he fought to fight back the tears that were building up in his eyes.
Roberts was a remarkable, hard working professional and is, without doubt, one of the greatest (if not the greatest) left-backs Tranmere Rovers have ever found.
Since leaving Tranmere, the left-back has had some great success as a player, winning promotion into the Championship and the Football League trophy with Doncaster before leaving for Derby on a free transfer last summer having made 175 appearances for the club.
A player who always had time for the club and still holds Tranmere in high regard, Roberts was last seen at Tranmere when he returned with Doncaster Rovers during the 2007/08 season, a year in which Doncaster won promotion to the Championship.
His place in Tranmere's team of the decade is, without doubt, deserved and the left-back, who turns 33 on February 6th, would, I'm sure, be welcomed back at Prenton Park by Tranmere fans at any time.
Tomorrow, we start our poll for the Right-Back of the decade, so don't forget to check back to www.total-tranmere.co.uk to cast your vote over the next week.
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