Roberts started his career in his native North-East with the academy sides at Sunderland and Middlesbrough before he moved to Nottingham Forest.

[3] He was with the Sunderland and Middlesbrough football academies,[4] joining the latter in 2003 as a scholar and was part of Boro's FA Youth Cup winning squad in 2004 as back-up to David Knight.

[1] He joined local Northern Premier League First Division side Eastwood Town on loan in March 2006,[5] where he made 10 appearances.

[6] He joined Conference North club Alfreton Town on a season-long loan for the 2006–07 season in July,[7] which he finished with 42 appearances.

[5] Roberts rejoined Rushden for a second loan spell in October 2008 as cover for Alan Marriott who was out with a stomach injury that needed surgery.

[14] On 14 December 2010, just hours before he was due to play in an FA Trophy match against his former club Eastwood Town, it was announced that Roberts had died.

[19] Coroner Anne Pember recorded a suicide verdict at the closing of Roberts' inquest, which heard the goalkeeper had killed himself after struggling to come to terms with an injury and national media speculation about his fiancée's affair with Paul Terry.