Mark Roberts (footballer, born 1975)

Mark Roberts (born 29 October 1975 in Irvine) is a Scottish football player and coach.

Mark Roberts
Personal information
Full name Mark Roberts
Date of birth (1975-10-29) 29 October 1975
Place of birth Irvine, Scotland
Position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Troon
Youth career
1991–1992 Bellfield BC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–2000 Kilmarnock 101 (15)
1999 → Raith Rovers (loan) 3 (1)
2000–2001 Falkirk 25 (9)
2001–2002 Airdrieonians 36 (12)
2002 Shelbourne 27 (5)
2003 St Mirren 13 (3)
2003–2005 Airdrie United 62 (3)
2005–2009 Partick Thistle 104 (30)
2009–2014 Ayr United 136 (43)
2015–2016 Clyde 9 (1)
2016–2018 Hurlford United ? (?)
2020– Troon
Teams managed
2012–2014 Ayr United (player-manager)
2018–2019 Queen's Park
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 25 August 2018

Roberts' playing career was mainly based in Scottish football, with spells at Kilmarnock, Falkirk, Airdrieonians, Partick Thistle, St Mirren, Airdrie United and Ayr United. He also had a spell at Shelbourne in the Republic of Ireland. In 2012, Roberts was appointed player/manager of Ayr United, a position he held until his departure from the club in 2014. He then had a stint as head coach of Queen's Park.

Playing career

Roberts spent his youth career with Bellfield Boys Club in Kilmarnock during the 1991–92 season. He signed for Kilmarnock F.C. at the start of the 1992–93 season and stayed for 8 seasons. Roberts made 101 league appearances and scored 15 league goals. During 1999, Roberts was loaned out to Raith Rovers by Kilmarnock, where he made 3 league appearances and scored one league goal.

Roberts signed for Falkirk at the start of the 2000–01 season and stayed for one season, where he made 25 league appearances and scored 9 league goals. He then signed for Airdrieonians at the start of the 2001–02 season and made 36 league appearances and scored 12 league goals. Airdrieonians went out of business at the end of the season. He then signed for Dublin club Shelbourne. He played in the League of Ireland Premier Division in the summer of 2002.

Roberts signed for Paisley club St Mirren in the January 2003 transfer window for the remainder of the 2002–03 season. He made 13 league appearances and scored 3 league goals for the Paisley club. Roberts signed for Airdrie United at the start of the 2003–04 season and stayed for two seasons, where he made 62 league appearances and scored 3 league goals.

Roberts signed for Partick Thistle at the start of the 2005–06 season. Roberts scored a brace in his first game against Dumbarton. Roberts scored 22 goals during his first season at Firhill, as Partick Thistle gained promotion to the Scottish First Division via the play-offs. Roberts was one of 5 nominees for the Scottish First Division Player of the Year Award for the 2006–07 season. Roberts made 104 league appearances for Partick Thistle in his 4 seasons at the club and scored 30 league goals, as well as 17 goals in other competitions. His 47 goals for Thistle ensured that the Jags fans would hold him in high regard long after he left the club, particularly as many saw him as the player that led Thistle to promotion to the First Division.

Roberts signed for Ayr United in January 2009. On 18 September 2010, Roberts made history when he scored three penalty kicks for Ayr in a league fixture with East Fife. Roberts was sent off after a confrontation whilst celebrating his third.[1] On 18 January 2011, Roberts scored the goal that sent SPL side Hibernian out of the Scottish Cup.[2][3]

On 27 February 2015, Roberts signed for Scottish League Two club Clyde, having already played three times for the club as a trialist.[4]

After leaving a coaching role with Clyde in August 2016, Roberts resumed his playing career at Junior side Hurlford United.[5][6] He left the club in August 2018 to become assistant manager at Queen's Park.

On 5 February 2020, Roberts rejoined Hurlford United[7] before departing upon the expiry of his contract in the summer of 2020.

Roberts signed for Troon ahead of their debut in senior football in September 2020.

Coaching career

Ayr United

On 15 May 2012, it was announced that Ayr would not renew the contract of Brian Reid, and that Roberts would replace him as manager for the 2012–13 season.[8] Despite, winning the League 1 manager of the month award in August of the same year, Roberts was sacked by Ayr United in December 2014, with the club sitting in ninth place out of 10 clubs in Scottish League One.[9]

Queen's Park

Roberts joined Queen's Park in August 2018 as an assistant to Gus MacPherson. After MacPherson left the club to join St. Mirren in September 2018 he took caretaker charge[10] and was then appointed head coach on 12 October.[11][12] Roberts left Queen's Park by mutual consent in December 2019.[13]

Honours
Kilmarnock
Airdrieonians
Shelbourne
Partick Thistle
Ayr United

Statistics

Manager
As of 28 December 2019[15]
Team Nat From To Record
GWDLWin %
Ayr United May 2012 December 2014 102 35 14 53 034.31
Queen's Park September 2018 December 2019 59 17 17 25 028.81
Total 161 52 31 78 032.30
  • Spell at Queen's Park was initially caretaker until permanent appointment on 12 October 2018.

References
  1. "East Fife 2-3 Ayr United". BBC. 18 September 2010. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  2. "Ayr 1-0 Hibernian". The Guardian. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  3. "Ayr 1-0 Hibernian". BBC. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  4. "Slane and Roberts Sign". Clyde F.C. 27 February 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  5. "Mark Roberts Leaves Clyde". Clyde FC Official Website. 26 August 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  6. O'Donnell, Jim (7 September 2016). "Several clubs show interest in out-of-favour Pollok forward Carlo Monti". Evening Times. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  7. https://twitter.com/HurlfordUtd
  8. "Change in Manager". Ayr United F.C. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  9. "Mark Roberts dismissed from managerial role at Ayr United". STV Sport. STV. 15 December 2014. Archived from the original on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  10. "Roberts takes temporary charge". Queen's Park FC. 20 September 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  11. "Mark Roberts appointed Head Coach". Queen's Park FC. 12 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  12. "Mark Roberts: Queen's Park appoint replacement for Gus MacPherson". BBC Sport. 12 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  13. "Queen's Park: Boss Mark Roberts leaves Hampden club by mutual consent". BBC Sport. 31 December 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  14. "Airdrie retain Challenge Cup". BBC Sport. 14 October 2001. Retrieved 14 April 2020.}}
  15. A defeat to Peterhead on 15 November 2014 was invalidated due to Peterhead fielding an ineligible player.
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