John Roberts

Date of birth11 September 1946
Place of birthAbercynon
NationalityWelsh
PositionDefender
Died04 January 2016

A classic no nonsense centre-back, John Roberts was Frank McLintock's partner at the heart of the Arsenal defence in the first half of the 1970-71 double-winning season.

Club history

Team Joined Left Loan / Trialist
Swansea City 01 Jul 1964 01 Nov 1967
Northampton Town 01 Nov 1967 01 May 1969
Arsenal 01 May 1969 01 Oct 1972
Birmingham City 01 Oct 1972 01 Aug 1976
Wrexham 01 Aug 1976 06 Aug 1980
Hull City 06 Aug 1980 30 Jun 1981

Club stats

Season Team Competition Apps Subs Goals Y R
1969-70 Arsenal League Cup 2
1969-70 Arsenal League Division One 11
1
1970-71 Arsenal Fairs Cup 5
1970-71 Arsenal League Cup 5
1
1970-71 Arsenal League Division One 18
1971-72 Arsenal European Cup 4
1
1971-72 Arsenal League Cup 4
1971-72 Arsenal League Division One 21
2
3
1972-73 Arsenal League Cup 1
1972-73 Arsenal League Division One 6
1


Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.

Club matches

Date Match Result Competition Round
02 Sep 1969 Southampton v Arsenal D 1-1 League Cup 2nd round
04 Sep 1969 Arsenal v Southampton W 2-0 League Cup 2nd round replay
04 Oct 1969 Arsenal v Coventry City L 0-1 League Division One
07 Oct 1969 Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion D 1-1 League Division One
11 Oct 1969 Stoke City v Arsenal D 0-0 League Division One
17 Jan 1970 Arsenal v Chelsea L 0-3 League Division One
31 Jan 1970 Coventry City v Arsenal L 2-0 League Division One
07 Feb 1970 Arsenal v Stoke City D 0-0 League Division One
14 Feb 1970 Everton v Arsenal D 2-2 League Division One
18 Feb 1970 Manchester City v Arsenal D 1-1 League Division One
21 Feb 1970 Derby County v Arsenal L 3-2 League Division One
28 Feb 1970 Arsenal v Sunderland W 3-1 League Division One
02 May 1970 Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal L 1-0 League Division One
15 Aug 1970 Everton v Arsenal D 2-2 League Division One
17 Aug 1970 West Ham United v Arsenal D 0-0 League Division One
22 Aug 1970 Arsenal v Manchester United W 4-0 League Division One
25 Aug 1970 Arsenal v Huddersfield Town W 1-0 League Division One
29 Aug 1970 Chelsea v Arsenal L 2-1 League Division One
01 Sep 1970 Arsenal v Leeds United D 0-0 League Division One
05 Sep 1970 Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur W 2-0 League Division One
08 Sep 1970 Ipswich Town v Arsenal D 0-0 League Cup 2nd round
12 Sep 1970 Burnley v Arsenal W 1-2 League Division One
16 Sep 1970 Lazio v Arsenal D 2-2 Fairs Cup 1st round 1st leg
19 Sep 1970 Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion W 6-2 League Division One
23 Sep 1970 Arsenal v Lazio W 2-0
Agg: 4-2
Fairs Cup 1st round 2nd leg
26 Sep 1970 Stoke City v Arsenal L 5-0 League Division One
28 Sep 1970 Arsenal v Ipswich Town W 4-0 League Cup 2nd round replay
03 Oct 1970 Arsenal v Nottingham Forest W 4-0 League Division One
06 Oct 1970 Luton Town v Arsenal W 0-1 League Cup 3rd round
10 Oct 1970 Newcastle United v Arsenal D 1-1 League Division One
17 Oct 1970 Arsenal v Everton W 4-0 League Division One
21 Oct 1970 Sturm Graz v Arsenal L 1-0 Fairs Cup 2nd round 1st leg
24 Oct 1970 Coventry City v Arsenal W 1-3 League Division One
28 Oct 1970 Crystal Palace v Arsenal D 0-0 League Cup 4th round
31 Oct 1970 Arsenal v Derby County W 2-0 League Division One
04 Nov 1970 Arsenal v Sturm Graz W 2-0
Agg: 2-1
Fairs Cup 2nd round 2nd leg
07 Nov 1970 Blackpool v Arsenal W 0-1 League Division One
09 Nov 1970 Arsenal v Crystal Palace L 0-2 League Cup 4th round replay
14 Nov 1970 Arsenal v Crystal Palace D 1-1 League Division One
16 Dec 1970 Beveren v Arsenal D 0-0
Agg: 0-4
Fairs Cup 3rd round 2nd leg
20 Apr 1971 Arsenal v Burnley W 1-0 League Division One
28 Aug 1971 Arsenal v Stoke City L 0-1 League Division One
04 Sep 1971 West Bromwich Albion v Arsenal W 0-1 League Division One
08 Sep 1971 Arsenal v Barnsley W 1-0 League Cup 2nd round
11 Sep 1971 Arsenal v Leeds United W 2-0 League Division One
15 Sep 1971 Strømsgodset IF v Arsenal W 1-3 European Cup 1st round 1st leg
18 Sep 1971 Everton v Arsenal L 2-1 League Division One
25 Sep 1971 Arsenal v Leicester City W 3-0 League Division One
29 Sep 1971 Arsenal v Strømsgodset IF W 4-0
Agg: 7-1
European Cup 1st round 2nd leg
02 Oct 1971 Southampton v Arsenal W 0-1 League Division One
06 Oct 1971 Arsenal v Newcastle United W 4-0 League Cup 3rd round
16 Oct 1971 Chelsea v Arsenal W 1-2 League Division One
20 Oct 1971 Grasshoppers v Arsenal W 0-2 European Cup 2nd round 1st leg
23 Oct 1971 Derby County v Arsenal L 2-1 League Division One
26 Oct 1971 Arsenal v Sheffield United D 0-0 League Cup 4th round
30 Oct 1971 Arsenal v Ipswich Town W 2-1 League Division One
03 Nov 1971 Arsenal v Grasshoppers W 3-0
Agg: 5-0
European Cup 2nd round 2nd leg
06 Nov 1971 Liverpool v Arsenal L 3-2 League Division One
08 Nov 1971 Sheffield United v Arsenal L 2-0 League Cup 4th round replay
13 Nov 1971 Arsenal v Manchester City L 1-2 League Division One
20 Nov 1971 Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal L 5-1 League Division One
24 Nov 1971 Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal D 1-1 League Division One
27 Nov 1971 Arsenal v Crystal Palace W 2-1 League Division One
18 Dec 1971 Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion W 2-0 League Division One
01 Jan 1972 Arsenal v Everton D 1-1 League Division One
29 Jan 1972 Sheffield United v Arsenal W 0-5 League Division One
22 Mar 1972 Arsenal v Ajax L 0-1
Agg: 1-3
European Cup 3rd round 2nd leg
25 Mar 1972 Leeds United v Arsenal L 3-0 League Division One
01 Apr 1972 Arsenal v Nottingham Forest W 3-0 League Division One
11 Apr 1972 Crystal Palace v Arsenal D 2-2 League Division One
25 Apr 1972 Arsenal v Manchester United W 3-0 League Division One
08 May 1972 Arsenal v Liverpool D 0-0 League Division One
11 May 1972 Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur L 0-2 League Division One
15 Aug 1972 Arsenal v Wolverhampton Wanderers W 5-2 League Division One
19 Aug 1972 Arsenal v Stoke City W 2-0 League Division One
09 Sep 1972 Newcastle United v Arsenal L 2-1 League Division One
16 Sep 1972 Arsenal v Liverpool D 0-0 League Division One
23 Sep 1972 Norwich City v Arsenal L 3-2 League Division One
26 Sep 1972 Arsenal v Birmingham City W 2-0 League Division One
30 Sep 1972 Arsenal v Southampton W 1-0 League Division One
03 Oct 1972 Arsenal v Rotherham United W 5-0 League Cup 3rd round


Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.

International stats

Season Team Competition Apps Subs Goals Y R
1966-67 Wales Abandoned 1
1967-68 Wales Abandoned
1
1967-68 Wales Under-23 1
1968-69 Wales Amateur 1
1968-69 Wales Under-23 1
1969-70 Wales Under-23 1
1970-71 Wales British Home Championship 3
1970-71 Wales UEFA European Championship 1
1971-72 Wales British Home Championship 2
1971-72 Wales UEFA European Championship 1
1972-73 Wales British Home Championship 3
1972-73 Wales FIFA World Cup 2
1973-74 Wales British Home Championship 3
1973-74 Wales FIFA World Cup 1
1
1974-75 Wales British Home Championship 2
1974-75 Wales UEFA European Championship 2
1975-76 Wales British Home Championship 1
1975-76 Wales Centenary Match 1
1976-77 Wales Under-21 1


Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.

International matches

Date Match Result Competition Round
22 Feb 1967 Northern Ireland v Wales L 2-1 Abandoned
01 Nov 1967 Wales v England L 1-2 Under-23
20 Mar 1968 Wales v Northern Ireland L 0-1 Abandoned
02 Oct 1968 Wales v England L 1-3 Under-23
11 Jan 1969 Wales v Northern Ireland W 1-0 Amateur
01 Oct 1969 England v Wales L 2-0 Under-23
15 May 1971 Wales v Scotland D 0-0 British Home Championship
19 May 1971 England v Wales D 0-0 British Home Championship
22 May 1971 Northern Ireland v Wales L 1-0 British Home Championship
26 May 1971 Finland v Wales W 0-1 UEFA European Championship Group 1
13 Oct 1971 Wales v Finland W 3-0 UEFA European Championship Group 1
20 May 1972 Wales v England L 0-3 British Home Championship
27 May 1972 Wales v Northern Ireland D 0-0 British Home Championship
24 Jan 1973 England v Wales D 1-1 FIFA World Cup Group 5
28 Mar 1973 Wales v Poland W 2-0 FIFA World Cup Group 5
12 May 1973 Wales v Scotland L 0-2 British Home Championship
15 May 1973 England v Wales L 3-0 British Home Championship
19 May 1973 Northern Ireland v Wales L 1-0 British Home Championship
26 Sep 1973 Poland v Wales L 3-0 FIFA World Cup Group 5
11 May 1974 Wales v England L 0-2 British Home Championship
14 May 1974 Scotland v Wales L 2-0 British Home Championship
18 May 1974 Wales v Northern Ireland W 1-0 British Home Championship
04 Sep 1974 Austria v Wales L 2-1 UEFA European Championship Group 2
16 Apr 1975 Hungary v Wales W 1-2 UEFA European Championship Group 2
17 May 1975 Wales v Scotland D 2-2 British Home Championship
21 May 1975 England v Wales D 2-2 British Home Championship
24 Mar 1976 Wales v England L 1-2 Centenary Match
06 May 1976 Scotland v Wales L 3-1 British Home Championship
15 Dec 1976 England v Wales D 0-0 Under-21


Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.