Robert Roberts 1937

[roberma]

Hi all would really like your help i'm looking for as much information, picture, paperwork and thing that has my great grandad in it. His name is Robert Roberts. Played at wembley in 1937 in the challenge cup and they won. I don't know much about him apart from his stats and a tiny little picture on the web please help me. Anything would help. thanks

[Steve Fox]

Bob Roberts

First game 17 April 1933 Barrow (A) at centre.

No further 1st team games til 1935/36 at prop or 2nd row.

Played in the Championship final v Hull 1936 (lost 21-2).

Played in the Chalenge Cup final v Keighley 1937 (won 18-5)

Last game 27 September 1947 v Bradford (A)

Total games for Widnes 217. 4 goals, 36 tries.

Sold to St Helens in October 1947. The Widnes programme says the fee was ?800 - a Saints history website (www.saints.org.uk) refers to a St Helens club record of ?1000.

First game for Saints 4 October 1947 v Swinton

Last game for Saints 23 October 1948 v Keighley

Total games for Saints 26. 1 try.


From the Widnes Player Register:

1933/34 resident at 22 William Street

1937/38 resident at 7 Knowles Street

1946/47 resident at  32 William Street


Pen Picture from 1937 Wembley programme:

5ft 10in, 13st 7lb.
His accuracy in touch finding is pronounced and he is entrusted with all the penalty kicks. Made great advance this season in all-round forward play. Age 25.

[Peter]

Hi all would really like your help i'm looking for as much information, picture, paperwork and thing that has my great grandad in it. His name is Robert Roberts. Played at wembley in 1937 in the challenge cup and they won. I don't know much about him apart from his stats and a tiny little picture on the web please help me. Anything would help. thanks

I watched Bob Roberts play on quite a few occasions. I remember him as a fast and robust second row forward who took all the kicks out of the hands, often putting the ball [we only had one] over the stand [we only had one of them also] in the last minutes if we were ahead. I do recall one incident in whick the hooker of the opponents gave him a sriff arm tackle which flattened him. When the penalty was to be taken in those days the hooker stood on the mark, usually with his hand behind his head, and the only time I saw Bob miskick was that occasion when the ball went straight into the back of the offending hooker.