Gareth Roberts

Early career

Roberts started his career as a trainee at Liverpool and played alongside future England internationals Michael Owen and Jamie Carragher in the 1996 FA Youth Cup winning side, who beat a West Ham United side featuring Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand. Roberts failed to make the grade at Anfield, however, and was released by the club which led to him being signed up by Ronnie Whelan, then manager of Greek side Panionios. His stay in Greece was very brief however, lasting just 15 league games, however he did feature in both of their legs of their Cup Winners Cup quarter final against eventual winners Lazio in March 1999, with Panionios losing 7–0 on aggregate, 4–0 in the home leg and 3–0 in the away leg at the Stadio Olimpico. Roberts returned to England with a loan spell to Tranmere Rovers in August 1999, which became permanent in November the same year.

Tranmere Rovers

Roberts spent nine years at Prenton Park and made almost 270 league appearances for the club. It was whilst at Tranmere that Roberts came closest to winning a major domestic honour, as he was part of the Tranmere side which reached the club's first ever major cup final, the 2000 Football League Cup Final, where they narrowly lost out 2–1 to Premier League side Leicester City whilst they were still in the second tier. After a midtable finish that campaign, however, Roberts first full season at the club saw Tranmere relegated in bottom place. After three years of narrowly missing…

Roberts won the first of his nine caps for Wales as a substitute against Finland in 2000. His last was as a last minute substitute against Slovenia in 2005.

Club

As of 13 November 2015

International

Liverpool Youth

FA Youth Cup: 1995–96 Tranmere Rovers

Football League Cup runner-up: 1999–2000 Doncaster Rovers

Football League One play-offs: 2008 Football League Trophy: 2006–07 Individual

PFA Team of the Year: 2005–06 Football League One