*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Jack Roberts
Appearances: 98 Goals: 0
Date / Year of birth: 30th December 1918
Position: Full-back
Season of first appearance: 1946/47
Season of last appearance: 1950/51
Also played for: Tottenham Hotspur (0), Northfleet Amateurs, Northfleet United, Chelmsford City, Canterbury Waverley, Ashford Town, 12th I.T.C. (Canterbury), Ramsgate Athletic, Snowdown Colliery Welfare, Sittingbourne, Canterbury City and Betteshanger Colliery Welfare
Hard tackling, 5' 11" tall defender born near Hersden in the Canterbury area who played for Sturry School and the Canterbury district's school side before joining the groundstaff at Tottenham in August 1933 aged 14.
Jack performed various chores around White Hart Lane as well as playing for the club's youth sides and Spurs sent him to their junior 'nursery' club Northfleet Amateurs for the 1935/36 campaign.
At the start of the 1936/37 season Jack made four appearances for Spurs' reserves before joining the club's senior nursery side Northfleet United for the bulk of the 1936/37 campaign. Northfleet won the Kent League and Kent League Cup and at the end of the season Jack made another appearance for Spurs' reserve side, helping them to win the London Challenge Cup by beating Arsenal Reserves 1-0 on 3.5.37.
Jack went back to Northfleet for 1937/38 and the club won the Kent Senior Cup as well as retaining the Kent League Cup.
In the summer of 1938 Ipswich tried to sign him ahead of their first season in the Football League but Northfleet held Jack's registration by that time and refused the offer. They gave him a professional contract for the 1938/39 campaign but after an injury-ravaged season he moved on to Chelmsford in May 1939.
Jack's spell with the Essex club was very brief and he joined Canterbury Waverley for the start of 1939/40 but when World War II broke out a few weeks later he signed up for the army. He saw service in Africa and Burma during the conflict and Jack was seriously wounded but happily recovered. He played football for various regimental teams as well as making appearances in wartime games for Ashford (during 1940/41 and 1941/42), 12th I.T.C. (Canterbury), Ramsgate and Snowdown Colliery Welfare (the latter two clubs both during 1944/45).
In February 1946 Jack resumed his football career by rejoining Chelmsford and he helped them secure the Southern League title and Southern League Cup before signing for Margate in March 1947.
Jack made his debut at right-back in a 3-0 win at Sittingbourne in the Kent League on 15.3.47 and became a fixture in the side during the remainder of the 1946/47 season as Margate won the Kent League title. He made 12 appearances and gained a reputation as a solid full-back who was hard for wingers to pass.
During the 1947/48 campaign Jack was virtually ever-present, always wearing the number two shirt, and made a further 43 appearances as Margate retained the Kent League title. He never grabbed the headlines but Jack was a rock in Margate's defence. On 6.5.48 he was part of the side that beat visitors Ramsgate 2-1 to win the Kent League Cup Final and on 8.5.48 Jack also featured as Margate won 4-1 at Gravesend & Northfleet to claim the Kent Senior Shield, completing a three trophy haul for the season.
Shortly after the end of the 1948/49 campaign he was approached by Sittingbourne to become their player-manager but Jack initially turned the offer down. However he soon changed his mind and left Hartsdown Park to take charge of the Brickies in the summer of 1948.
Jack resigned as Sittingbourne's manager in December 1948 and joined Canterbury City as a player, ironically making his debut in a 1-0 defeat at Margate on 25.12.48.
In February 1950 Jack rejoined Margate and played at left-back for the remainder of the 1949/50 season, making a total of 11 appearances.
He made a further 32 appearances during the 1950/51 campaign but left the club at the end of the season and became player-coach at Betteshanger Colliery Welfare. Jack continued in that role until retiring in 1952.
After his career had ended Jack worked in the insurance business and also played various other sports to a good standard - darts, cricket, golf and bowls.
In 1999 he was interviewed for Tottenham's 'Spurs Monthly' magazine and at that time Jack was aged 80 and living in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. Jack said that he still followed Spurs' fortunes with interest and he was still playing indoor bowls regularly.
He died in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex on 28.3.00 aged 81.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1946/47 (MFC) |
12 (38) |
N/A |
0 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (1ST OF 16) |
PR |
2R |
N/A |
SF |
|
Margate
won Kent League title. | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1947/48 (MFC) |
43 (47) |
N/A |
0 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (1ST OF 18) |
1QR |
1R |
W |
W |
|
Margate
won Kent League title. Played in Kent League Cup Final (06.05.48 - beat Ramsgate Athletic 2-1). Played in Kent Senior Shield Final (08.05.48 - beat Gravesend & Northfleet 4-1). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1949/50 (MFC) |
11 (40) |
N/A |
0 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (6TH OF 17) |
EPR |
1R |
2R |
SF |
|
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
|
FAC |
KSC |
KLC |
KSS |
|
|
1950/51 (MFC) |
32 (41) |
N/A |
0 |
KENT LEAGUE DIVISION ONE (6TH OF 17) |
EPR |
1R |
2R |
RU |
|
Played in Kent
Senior Shield Final (12.05.51 - lost 2-0 to Folkestone Town). | |||||||||