William Laurence Roberts (9 May 1897 – 7 September 1960) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]
| Bill Roberts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | William Laurence Roberts | ||
| Date of birth | 9 May 1897 | ||
| Place of birth | Broken Hill, New South Wales | ||
| Date of death | 7 September 1960 (aged 63) | ||
| Place of death | Fitzroy, Victoria | ||
| Original team(s) | Traralgon / Trafalgar | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1923 | South Melbourne | 1 (1) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1923. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Roberts played a single game for South Melbourne in Round 2 of the 1923 season against Fitzroy. During the game, one of the Fitzroy players recognised him as a man who, under the name “Williams” had been at Fitzroy two or three seasons previously.[2] Investigations revealed he had been granted a permit to move from North Adelaide to Fitzroy using the name “W. Reidy”.[3] Roberts claimed he had no knowledge of this 1921 permit but the League refused his request for a permit to move to Port Melbourne and his senior football career ended.
In early 1922, Roberts was arrested for stealing a £10 note,[4] and subsequently sentenced to 12 months hard labour in Goulburn gaol.[5]
Notes
edit- ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. p. 754. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
- ^ "BILL ROBERTS'S DILEMMA". The Herald. No. 14, 410. Victoria, Australia. 20 July 1923. p. 10.
- ^ "CLUB PROSPECTS". The Herald. No. 14, 074. Victoria, Australia. 22 April 1921. p. 3.
- ^ "Apprehensions". New South Wales Police Gazette And Weekly Record Of Crime. No. 7. New South Wales, Australia. 15 February 1922. p. 100.
- ^ "TELEGRAMS COOTAMUNDRA SESSIONS". Tocumwal Guardian and Riverina Stock Journal. Vol. 24, no. 8. New South Wales, Australia. 24 February 1922. p. 1 (Supplement to Tocumwal Guardian).
External links
edit- Bill Roberts's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- Bill Roberts at AustralianFootball.com