He spent a short period out of the game before he joined Welsh Premier League side Gap Connah's Quay in January 2014.

Roberts signed as a professional with Dario Gradi's Crewe Alexandra in 2004, on his 17th birthday, a few months after making his First Division debut for the club in a 3–1 win over Burnley on 26 December 2003.

Roberts established himself in the Crewe first-team in the 2005–06 season, making 33 Championship appearances and scoring two goals – against Millwall and Hull City.

He made nineteen appearances during the season, scoring three goals – against Swansea City, Nottingham Forest and Yeovil Town.

His disciplinary problems off the pitch also first began to come to light, as he was left out of the squad for the March 2008 match with Nottingham Forest due to a "training ground incident".

[20] After impressing during his loan spell at Huish Park, Roberts completed a permanent transfer to Yeovil for a nominal fee on 31 October 2008, with the deal officially going through on 1 January 2009.

[23] On 5 August 2009, Roberts was suspended by Yeovil Town for a breach of club discipline and was released by mutual consent after reported drink and gambling problems,[24] the final straw coming when he "turned up at a club-organised family fun day with the stench of alcohol on his breath".

[23] After he admitted to suffering from drink and gambling addictions, he visited the Sporting Chance Clinic, determined to turn his life around.

[23] After his rehabilitation, he was originally offered a trial with League One side Brighton & Hove Albion, where he scored two goals in two reserve team games against Brentford and Leyton Orient.

[29] In his fifth appearance for Rotherham, a 4–2 win over Yorkshire rivals Bradford City, he scored his first goal for the club in 'sensational' fashion by finding the net with a free kick from 50 yards (46 m) out.

"[35] He joined the team on their July pre-season trip to Ireland, as Adams, already convinced of the player's talents, wanted to test Roberts' ability to stay away from his off-the-field demons.

[36] Roberts seemed to enjoy a good start to his Vale career, and after Adams' typically relentless pre-season fitness regime he claimed "I've turned the corner...I think I've got my act together but I've just got to keep living each day as it comes and as long as I wake up clean that's all that I need".

[38] He started the season well, maintaining discipline off the pitch, and his first-team place on it,[39] forging a midfield partnership with Anthony Griffith.

[43] However, Micky Adams left the club in December 2010, and Roberts did not enjoy a happy relationship with new manager Jim Gannon.

Gannon dropped him to the bench after Roberts admitted he did not enjoy playing in a more advanced position; Vale fans showed their support for the player by chanting his name throughout a 1–0 win over Rotherham.

[44] He then picked up a three-match ban after receiving a red card for violent conduct in a reserve match against Nottingham Forest.

[51] Gannon's reign was quickly terminated, but Roberts still struggled to regain his form under caretaker manager Mark Grew.

[66] He scored his first goals for the "Stags" on 28 January, in a 3–0 win over Ebbsfleet United at Stonebridge Road; after the game manager Paul Cox admitted that Roberts was too good a player for the Conference.

[67] Mansfield finished in third place at the end of the season, and qualified for the play-offs, losing to York City at the semi-final stage.

[69] After his recovery he disappointed in three league games and was dropped from the first-team, with manager Paul Cox saying that Roberts would have to show "hunger and desire" to win back his place.

[76] He returned to England later in the year to play for Witton Albion in the Northern Premier League Division One North, and left the club upon the expiry of his contract on 31 December having scored one goal in sixteen games.

[80] The "Citizens" finished in fourth-place in 2016–17, and qualified for the UEFA Europa League after beating Cardiff Metropolitan University 1–0 in the play-off final; Roberts said "It means everything to the club [to be back in Europe].

"[83] Roberts signed with National League North club Southport in July 2017, who were managed by former Floriana boss Alan Lewer.

[87] Roberts was sent off ten minutes into his debut in an FA Trophy loss at East Thurrock United, leaving him with a three-game suspension, though the club's Community Trust and Exiles supporters group stepped in to fund his wages for another month after the expiry of his initial contract.

He had aimed to help the club reach the play-offs after signing a one-year contract at the start of the campaign, though they ended up finishing two places and three points short of this target.

[90] He signed a new one-year deal with Chester in June 2019 after completing a training regime with the club's strength and conditioning coach set by joint-managers Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley.

"[92] He scored two goals in 25 appearances in the 2019–20 season, which was permanently suspended on 26 March due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, with Chester in the play-offs in seventh place.

[107] On 20 May 2006, Roberts scored the winning goal as the England under-19s beat Northern Ireland under-19s 2–1 in a UEFA European Under-19 Championship elite qualification game in Belgium.

[108] He also played in the 2–1 defeat to Belgium,[109] and 1–0 loss to Serbia and Montenegro;[110] as England finished a disappointing last place in their group, failing to qualify for the tournament.

He needs somebody around him who can maybe do the uglier things..."His manager at Rotherham, Ronnie Moore, also stated that Roberts has "talent and his passing ability is absolutely brilliant".