MEN 1873-1895
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Bert Roberts

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
02-11-1888
N/A
04 -09-1919
Unknown.
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
06-09-1913 v Runcorn
Featherstone Rovers
1922-
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1913-1921
106 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
24
2
0
76

Biography of Bert Roberts



HERITAGE NO : 231
Bert Roberts by Alex Service

By all accounts, Bert Roberts was a more than useful utility back and a stalwart in Saints’ colours too. Not many played for the club before, during and after the First World War. He racked up over 100 games, together with 36 matches in the War Emergency League.

Bert came from Barnsley rugby union club initially as a full-back. The Athletic News on 1st September 1913 also indicated that he could play in the threequarter line. Starting initially as a left winger, he made his debut on 13th September 1913 against Runcorn at Canal Street. Saints lost 5-10 but his centre that afternoon was one of the great wingers himself, Jimmy Flanagan, who partnered him on several occasions on First Team duty with great effectiveness. The Athletic News after the game against Leigh, commented on his “fine turn of speed and plenty of dash, while his knowledge of the Northern Union game is improving and he should prove a great acquisition.” Although not a prodigious try-scorer, he ran in a hat-trick against Runcorn in the Lancashire Cup first round at Knowsley Road on 1st November, in a 26-6 victory over the Linnets. A truly rousing display, according to the press. Once again, Flanagan was his centre. The Athletic News again was fulsome in praise and repeated the mantra: “Roberts played brilliantly on the wing, scoring three tries in succession, one of which was improved by Barton. Roberts improves in every game. He has speed and dash and any amount of resource.”

During the 1914-15 season, however, he played increasingly as a full-back. Jum Turtill, the former incumbent had retired and Bert went on to play in the custodian role in the last game of the season, the infamous Challenge Cup final defeat against Huddersfield’s Team of all the Talents, at Watersheddings, Oldham.

After his adventures in the War Emergency League, Bert returned to normal fayre at right centre in a 0-9 defeat at Leigh, on 29th March 1919. His winger was Henry Greenall, who played in the 1915 final with him, whose younger brothers both went on to play scrum-half for rivals St Helens Recs in the next decade. After continuing for a spell on the right side of the threequarter line, Bert returned to his full-back role, playing his last game for the Saints on 1st April 1922 at Featherstone. It was very much a team in transition and the visitors lost 4-11. He was in the centres with a young man called Les Fairclough, who was destined to become an all-time great at Knowsley Road as a stand-off. Bert’s wing partner was Harold Bradbury. Bert was later transferred to Warrington at the start of the 1921-22 campaign.

According to the Rugby League Registers, Bert’s address after the war was Eversley Street, Princess Park, in Liverpool. Indeed, his family history is quite potentially interesting. Initial research has suggested that Bert was born in St Helens in 1888 and the 1911 Census has him as a boarder living in Queens Road, Barnsley, where he worked at a music hall, although in the background, not as a performer. This involved operating a bioscope to project pictures. His brother George followed this employment track before running the Hole in the Wall pub in Burnley.This would perhaps account for his stint at Barnsley RUFC.

In 1921 Bert was living In Eversley Street, Liverpool with his wife Ada and daughter Audrey. He worked as a Cinema Operator on London Road, Liverpool. Bert died in Liverpool in 1933, aged just 44. Thanks to Joanie McNally, a friend of Bert’s daughter Audrey, for sending us images of a medal Bert won in 1913 and the splendid image of Bert in his smart civvies. Joanie also confirmed that Bert died on the 17th of December, 1933.

PLAYER HONOURS

SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1913~1414 1 0 25
1914~153 1 0 34
1918~19 0 0 0 2
1919~20 7 0 0 23
1920~21 0 0 0 19
1921~22 0 0 0 3
TOTALS:24 2 0 106
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1915~16 07027
1916~170003
1917~180001
TOTALS:07031

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
6th Sep 1913 1
W
 5 Runcorn L A 10 5 VIEW
13th Sep 1913 2
L
 5 Oldham L H 13 21 2 VIEW
20th Sep 1913 3
L
 5 Salford L A 4 17 VIEW
27th Sep 1913 4
W
 5 Dewsbury L H 16 12 VIEW
4th Oct 1913 5
L
 5 Warrington L A 11 22 2 VIEW
11th Oct 1913 6
L
 5 Widnes L A 0 25 VIEW
18th Oct 1913 7
W
 5 Leigh L H 37 7 1 VIEW
1st Nov 1913 8
W
 5 Runcorn LC1 H 26 6 3 VIEW
8th Nov 1913 9
W
 5 Broughton Rangers L H 18 8 VIEW
15th Nov 1913 10
L
 5 Oldham LCSF A 5 17 VIEW
19th Nov 1913 11
W
 5 Wakefield Trinity L A 24 8 1 1 VIEW
22nd Nov 1913 12
L
 5 Barrow L H 11 18 VIEW
29th Nov 1913 13
L
 5 Hunslet L A 11 20 1 VIEW
6th Dec 1913 14
W
 5 Swinton L H 19 5 1 VIEW
13th Dec 1913 15
W
 5 Runcorn L H 18 5 1 VIEW
20th Dec 1913 16
L
 5 Rochdale Hornets L A 2 31 VIEW
25th Dec 1913 17
W
 5 Widnes L H 10 3 VIEW
26th Dec 1913 18
L
 5 Wigan L H 3 17 1 VIEW
31st Jan 1914 19
W
 5 Dewsbury L A 12 11 VIEW
2nd Feb 1914 20
L
 5 Hull L H 7 15 VIEW
21st Feb 1914 21
L
 5 Warrington L H 8 22 VIEW
28th Feb 1914 22
W
 5 Wigan Highfield CC1 H 27 4 1 VIEW
4th Apr 1914 23
L
 1 Oldham L A 5 32 VIEW
10th Apr 1914 24
L
 5 Wigan L A 2 30 VIEW
13th Apr 1914 25
L
 2 Huddersfield L A 8 10 VIEW
10th Oct 1914 26
W
 1 Widnes L H 12 5 VIEW
17th Oct 1914 27
L
 1 Swinton LC1 A 11 13 VIEW
24th Oct 1914 28
L
 1 Bradford Northern L A 3 28 VIEW
31st Oct 1914 29
L
 1 Broughton Rangers L H 5 6 1 VIEW
7th Nov 1914 30
L
 5 Bramley L A 16 22 VIEW
21st Nov 1914 31
W
 5 Dewsbury L H 26 16 VIEW
28th Nov 1914 32
L
 5 Warrington L A 6 15 VIEW
5th Dec 1914 33
W
 1 Keighley L H 11 6 VIEW
12th Dec 1914 34
W
 5 Oldham L A 9 5 VIEW
19th Dec 1914 35
W
 1 Bramley L H 24 0 VIEW
26th Dec 1914 36
L
 1 Wigan L H 6 15 VIEW
1st Jan 1915 37
W
 1 Runcorn L A 10 4 VIEW
2nd Jan 1915 38
W
 5 Warrington L H 25 0 1 VIEW
9th Jan 1915 39
W
 1 Salford L A 9 3 VIEW
16th Jan 1915 40
W
 1 Leigh L A 6 2 VIEW
23rd Jan 1915 41
W
 1 Hull L H 11 9 VIEW
30th Jan 1915 42
W
 1 Keighley L A 20 2 VIEW
6th Feb 1915 43
W
 1 Salford L H 23 2 VIEW
13th Feb 1915 44
L
 1 Barrow L A 0 10 VIEW
20th Feb 1915 45
W
 1 Swinton L H 10 0 VIEW
27th Feb 1915 46
W
 1 Featherstone Rovers CC1 A 6 0 VIEW
6th Mar 1915 47
L
 1 Dewsbury L A 3 13 VIEW
13th Mar 1915 48
W
 1 Swinton CC2 A 5 0 VIEW
20th Mar 1915 49
W
 1 Leigh L H 14 8 VIEW
27th Mar 1915 50
W
 1 Keighley CC3 A 3 2 VIEW
29th Mar 1915 51
W
 1 Rochdale Hornets L H 12 3 VIEW
2nd Apr 1915 52
L
 1 Wigan L A 11 13 VIEW
3rd Apr 1915 53
W
 1 Bradford Northern L H 19 3 1 VIEW
5th Apr 1915 54
L
 1 Hull L A 6 46 VIEW
10th Apr 1915 55
D
 1 Rochdale Hornets CCSF N 5 5 VIEW
14th Apr 1915 56
L
 1 Broughton Rangers L A 8 31 VIEW
17th Apr 1915 57
L
 1 Widnes L A 0 21 VIEW
24th Apr 1915 58
W
 1 Rochdale Hornets CCSF(rep) N 9 2 1 VIEW
1st May 1915 59
L
 1 Huddersfield CCF N 3 37 VIEW
4th Sep 1915 --
L
 1 Swinton * Fr WEL A 5 26 1 VIEW
11th Sep 1915 --
L
 1 St. Helens Recs * Fr WEL A 5 10 VIEW
25th Sep 1915 --
W
 1 Broughton Rangers * Fr WEL H 11 5 1 VIEW
2nd Oct 1915 --
W
 1 Swinton * Fr WEL H 7 3 VIEW
9th Oct 1915 --
W
 1 Salford * Fr WEL H 27 8 VIEW
16th Oct 1915 --
W
 1 Oldham * Fr WEL A 13 0 VIEW
23rd Oct 1915 --
W
 1 St. Helens Recs * Fr WEL H 12 5 VIEW
30th Oct 1915 --
D
 1 Broughton Rangers * Fr WEL H 11 11 VIEW
7th Nov 1915 --
D
 1 Runcorn * Fr WEL A 0 0 VIEW
14th Nov 1915 --
L
 1 Salford * Fr WEL A 5 18 VIEW
11th Dec 1915 --
W
 1 Runcorn * Fr WEL H 6 2 VIEW
18th Dec 1915 --
L
 1 Wigan * Fr WEL A 8 11 VIEW
25th Dec 1915 --
D
 1 St. Helens Recs * Fr WEL H 0 0 VIEW
26th Dec 1915 --
W
 1 Wigan * Fr WEL H 8 2 VIEW
1st Jan 1916 --
W
 1 St. Helens Recs * Fr WEL *AB A 2 0 VIEW
8th Jan 1916 --
L
 1 St. Helens Recs * Fr WEL A 3 8 VIEW
22nd Jan 1916 --
L
 1 Wigan * Fr WEL H 0 6 VIEW
29th Jan 1916 --
L
 1 St. Helens Recs * Fr WEL H 3 6 VIEW
12th Feb 1916 --
L
 1 Hull * Fr WEL A 3 22 VIEW
17th Mar 1916 --
W
 1 Runcorn * Fr WEL H 19 11 2 VIEW
24th Mar 1916 --
L
 1 Swinton * Fr WEL A 3 11 VIEW
8th Apr 1916 --
L
 1 Barrow * Fr WEL H 3 16 VIEW
15th Apr 1916 --
W
 1 Runcorn * Fr WEL H 12 2 VIEW
21st Apr 1916 --
L
 1 Wigan * Fr WEL A 16 29 2 VIEW
22nd Apr 1916 --
L
 1 St. Helens Recs * Fr WEL A 3 11 VIEW
24th Apr 1916 --
L
 1 Barrow * Fr WEL A 0 23 VIEW
29th Apr 1916 --
W
 1 Swinton * Fr WEL H 5 3 1 VIEW
2nd Sep 1916 --
L
 1 St. Helens Recs* Fr WEL H 0 24 VIEW
2nd Jan 1917 --
W
 1 St. Helens Recs* Fr WEL H 15 0 VIEW
17th Mar 1917 --
W
 1 Barrow* Fr WEL H 6 3 VIEW
20th Oct 1917 --
L
 1 Broughton* Fr WEL A 2 20 VIEW
29th Mar 1919 60
L
 3 Leigh L A 0 9 VIEW
5th Apr 1919 61
W
 4 Warrington LC1 H 11 5 VIEW
4th Oct 1919 62
L
 2 Widnes L A 0 13 VIEW
11th Oct 1919 63
W
 2 Barrow L H 27 13 2 VIEW
18th Oct 1919 64
L
 2 Widnes LC1 A 8 16 1 VIEW
20th Dec 1919 65
W
 4 Halifax L H 5 0 VIEW
25th Dec 1919 66
L
 4 St. Helens Recs L A 6 21 1 VIEW
26th Dec 1919 67
W
 2 Wigan L H 13 5 VIEW
27th Dec 1919 68
L
 2 Broughton Rangers L A 0 15 VIEW
3rd Jan 1920 69
D
 4 Wakefield Trinity L A 9 9 VIEW
10th Jan 1920 70
L
 2 Salford L H 6 13 1 VIEW
17th Jan 1920 71
W
 2 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 17 5 1 VIEW
24th Jan 1920 72
W
 2 Widnes L H 12 2 VIEW
7th Feb 1920 73
L
 2 Barrow L A 5 25 VIEW
14th Feb 1920 74
L
 2 Batley L A 3 6 VIEW
21st Feb 1920 75
D
 2 Wakefield Trinity CC1 H 2 2 VIEW
24th Feb 1920 76
D
 2 Wakefield Trinity CC1(rep) A 2 2 VIEW
26th Feb 1920 77
L
 2 Wakefield Trinity CC1(2nd rep) N 3 12 VIEW
6th Mar 1920 78
W
 2 Warrington L A 11 2 VIEW
13th Mar 1920 79
L
 2 Batley L H 0 6 VIEW
20th Mar 1920 80
L
 2 Rochdale Hornets L H 0 8 VIEW
2nd Apr 1920 81
L
 2 Wigan L A 5 20 VIEW
3rd Apr 1920 82
W
 2 Wakefield Trinity L H 49 2 1 VIEW
5th Apr 1920 83
D
 2 Warrington L H 8 8 VIEW
10th Apr 1920 84
L
 2 Salford L A 5 7 VIEW
28th Aug 1920 85
L
 1 Broughton Rangers L A 11 13 VIEW
4th Sep 1920 86
W
 1 Widnes L H 18 8 VIEW
11th Sep 1920 87
L
 1 Leigh L A 0 5 VIEW
18th Sep 1920 88
W
 1 Warrington L H 26 6 VIEW
25th Sep 1920 89
W
 1 Swinton L A 17 8 VIEW
2nd Oct 1920 90
W
 1 Bradford Northern L H 38 3 VIEW
9th Oct 1920 91
W
 1 Widnes L A 10 2 VIEW
16th Oct 1920 92
W
 1 Askam LC1 H 26 2 VIEW
23rd Oct 1920 93
L
 1 Rochdale Hornets L A 8 15 VIEW
30th Oct 1920 94
L
 1 Broughton Rangers LC2 A 2 6 VIEW
6th Nov 1920 95
L
 1 York L A 0 8 VIEW
13th Nov 1920 96
W
 1 Barrow L H 8 5 VIEW
27th Nov 1920 97
W
 1 Salford L H 14 5 VIEW
4th Dec 1920 98
L
 2 Swinton L H 2 6 VIEW
11th Dec 1920 99
W
 1 Keighley L H 14 0 VIEW
18th Dec 1920 100
W
 1 Bradford Northern L A 16 0 VIEW
25th Dec 1920 101
L
 1 St. Helens Recs L H 0 5 VIEW
26th Dec 1920 102
L
 1 Wigan L H 4 22 VIEW
5th Feb 1921 103
L
 1 Rochdale Hornets L H 0 10 VIEW
11th Mar 1922 104
L
 3 Wakefield Trinity L A 5 17 VIEW
18th Mar 1922 105
W
 3 York L H 17 8 VIEW
1st Apr 1922 106
L
 3 Featherstone Rovers L A 4 11 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 63 | LOSSES : 66 | DRAWS : 8

GALLERY





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