Roberts joined Ipswich Town as an apprentice and was part of the team that won the FA Youth Cup in 1973 and 1975.
He was at Ipswich at the same time as other centre-half players such as Kevin Beattie, Allan Hunter, Russell Osman and Terry Butcher and therefore opportunities were limited.
During the 1982-83 season, he formed a partnership with Peter Skipper in defence, making 43 appearances, as Hull won promotion from the Fourth Division.
He was on the losing side in the 1984 Associate Members' Cup final and the following season he was involved in Hull's promotion to the Second Division.
[2] Many Ipswich supporters share the memory of Roberts and Burley dancing on the Wembley pitch just after Martijn Reuser had scored the fourth goal in the play-off final.