Roberts Set to Move to Pastures New
By Deadly Submarine
February 3 2006
Lorraine Rogers has tonight told Rovers fans that long-serving player, Gareth Roberts will be leaving the Club in the Summer. Rogers used her programme notes for tonight’s game against Huddersfield to confirm that the Club have been informed of Gareth’s decision to seek a fresh challenge elsewhere.
Roberts to Leave Rovers
Following the departure of Paul Hall, Ryan Taylor and of course Iain Hume last year, it now looks as if Rovers fans will have to endure the departure of a further popular figure at Prenton Park with the announcement that Gareth Roberts is seeking leave the Club at the end of this season when his contract expires.
Chairman Lorraine Rogers used her matchday programme notes to inform the Rovers faithful that the Welsh International is looking to move onto a fresh challenge when his contract expires at the end of the current season.
The news will be a blow to Rovers fans who thought that the chances of Roberts staying had increased after a bid from Hull City was turned down during the transfer window but it appears that Roberts’ future lies away from Prenton Park.
Lorraine said in her programme notes, “Gareth and his advisers told us last month that he would like to move to a fresh challenge in the summer. They have been very fair and decent in telling us this in the January window so that we could take this into account when we received an offer of £50,000 plus add-ons from Hull City. As you know we rejected the offer.”
Explaining the reasons for turning down the offer she said “The offer simply wasn’t enough to cover the risk we’d be taking by losing a player of Gareth’s quality for the second half of the season, particularly given how tight the table is and the number of players available in the January transfer window.” Left Back is a notoriously difficult position to fill and in Gareth we have someone who is reliable and versatile.”
Lorraine also added that they are still trying to see if they can persuade Gareth to stay but what it will take to tempt him to stay is unclear.
Rovers fans can hope for a change of heart but at the same time will have to start to look towards a future without Gareth Roberts.