Mallan Roberts

Mallan Roberts (born 6 June 1992) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a centre back.

Mallan Roberts
Roberts playing for Richmond Kickers in 2017
Personal information
Date of birth (1992-06-06) 6 June 1992
Place of birth Freetown, Sierra Leone
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Youth career
NAIT Ooks
2012–2013 FC Edmonton
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2016 FC Edmonton 46 (3)
2016 → Ottawa Fury (loan) 22 (1)
2017–2018 Richmond Kickers 43 (1)
2019 Tulsa Roughnecks 31 (0)
National team‡
2015– Canada 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 19, 2019
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 16 June 2015

Career

Youth

Born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Roberts began playing soccer in Sierra Leone before continuing to play the game in Edmonton, Alberta after he and his father fled from Sierra Leone due to the Sierra Leone Civil War.[1] While in high-school Roberts started to play Canadian Football for his high-school side and then for the local Canadian Junior Football League side, the Edmonton Huskies.[2] He also spent a few weeks training with Canadian Football League side, the Edmonton Eskimos before going back into soccer and playing with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology soccer team before joining the FC Edmonton reserves in 2012.[2]

FC Edmonton

On 20 February 2013 it was announced that Roberts had signed his first professional contract with FC Edmonton of the North American Soccer League.[2] He then made his professional debut for FC Edmonton in a Canadian Championship match against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC in which started and played the full 90 minutes as Edmonton lost the match 2–3.[3] Roberts then scored his first professional goal of his career on 30 June 2013 against Minnesota United FC in an NASL match in which he found the net in the 11th minute as FC Edmonton went on to win the match 3–1.[4]

Ottawa Fury

On 4 June 2016 Ottawa Fury FC announced it had acquired Roberts on loan to provide depth in the absence of defenders Kyle Venter and Rich Balchan due to injury.[5] In December 2016, the Fury announced that Roberts would not return to the team as the club moved to USL in 2017.[6]

Richmond Kickers

After 4 seasons in Edmonton, Roberts signed with Richmond Kickers of the United Soccer League in February 2017.[7]

Tulsa Roughnecks

On January 4, 2019, Roberts joined USL Championship side FC Tulsa.[8]

International

Roberts had said he was open to representing either Sierra Leone or Canada.

Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone attempted to call up Roberts twice in 2014 for Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, but due to the Ebola Epidemic in West Africa, and coaching issues with the team, he was unable to join the squad.[9]

Canada

Roberts was expecting to gain Canadian citizenship sometime during the summer of 2013.[1] Roberts finally received his Canadian citizenship on February 12, 2015.[10] On June 6, 2015 Roberts received his first call up from Canada coach Benito Floro to the senior squad for two 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Dominica as a replacement for an injured Dejan Jaković.[11] He made his debut in the return leg against Dominica as a late substitute on June 16 and as a result, became cap-tied to Canada.

Career statistics

Club
As of October 19, 2019[12]
Club League Season League League Cup Domestic Cup Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
FC Edmonton NASL 2013 1110020131
2014 1210020141
2015 2110040252
2016 20000020
Total 4630080543
Ottawa Fury (loan) NASL 2016 2210000221
Richmond Kickers USL 2017 3010000301
2018 1300000130
Total 4310000431
Tulsa Roughnecks USL 2019 3100000310
Career Total 142500801505

International
As of June 16, 2015[12]
Canada national team
201510
Total10

References
  1. Sandor, Steve. "FCE's Mallan Roberts: The top CB prospect in Canada is set to become Canadian". The 11. Archived from the original on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  2. "FC Edmonton Sign Five Reserves to Pro Contracts". North American Soccer League. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  3. Green, Darcy. "Vancouver Whitecaps FC defeat FC Edmonton 3-2 in the ACC semifinal first leg". Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  4. "FC Edmonton 3 Minnesota United FC 1". North American Soccer League. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  5. "Canadian defender Mallan Roberts joins Fury FC on loan". Ottawa Fury FC. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  6. Ottawa Fury FC Staff (December 13, 2016). "Fury FC would like to thank non-returning players". Ottawa Fury FC.
  7. Richmond Kickers (February 17, 2017). "Kickers sign Roberts, Wyatt, Fitch".
  8. https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/982150
  9. Levine, Matthew (February 13, 2015). "Mallan Roberts Receives Canadian Citizenship; Reunion With Family On Horizon".
  10. "Roberts is FC Edmonton's Latest Canadian". February 12, 2015.
  11. "Eddies defender Roberts to replace Dejan Jakovic for Canadian World Cup qualifying camp". June 6, 2015.
  12. Mallan Roberts at Soccerway
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