Brian Roberts

Position
Defender
Nationality
Place Of Birth
Manchester
Date Of Birth
November 6, 1955
Age
69
Height (cm)
173
Games Played
249
-
Per Game
Games Started
241
1.0
Per Game
Minutes
21819
87.6
Per Game
Goals
2
0.01
Per Game
Assists
7
0.03
Per Game
Notes
Stats
Matches
Transfers
Gallery
Internationals

Brian, or ‘Harry’ as he was christened by team-mates soon after he arrived at Coventry straight from school, played in the same youth team as Jim Blyth and Don Nardiello. Gordon Milne gave his debut as a 20-year old but his first run in the first team came in 1977, and unusually his first ten appearances were all away from home. Although he was regarded as ‘Mr Dependable’ for his ability to play in several different positions, ‘Harry’ did not gain a regular first team place until the departure of Bobby McDonald in 1980 when he made the left-back position his own. An enigmatic player, at times he did not look good enough for First Division football but he nevertheless possessed a big heart, a good turn of speed and was extremely popular with City’s fans. As a 25-year old he was one of the veterans of Milne’s exciting young side that reached the League Cup semi-finals in 1981 and the following season at West Ham he scored his first goal for the club after 160 games. After the summer of discontent in 1983 he was one of the few first-teamers who stayed and was a regular in Bobby Gould’s first season in charge. On transfer-deadline the perennial joker joined Birmingham City on a free transfer and enjoyed enormous popularity at St Andrews. Coventry awarded him a testimonial in September 1984 and Harry later played for Wolves. In the 1990s he returned to City on Gordon Strachan’s coaching staff but swapped the risky life of football with a career in teaching. On match days he can be found as a host in the hospitality lounges at the CBS Arena.

Own goals (2)
1980-81
28 March 1981 v Tottenham Hotspur H
1982-83
2 February 1983 v Norwich City A

Football League First Division (England)
1983-1984
Coventry City
30
30
2700′
1
1982-1983
Coventry City
38
38
3420′
1
1 (0)
2
1981-1982
Coventry City
34
33
1
2949′
1
3
1980-1981
Coventry City
42
41
1
3724′
2
1
1
1979-1980
Coventry City
14
10
4
967′
2
1978-1979
Coventry City
17
17
1530′
2
1977-1978
Coventry City
26
26
2285′
1976-1977
Coventry City
12
12
1080′
1975-1976
Coventry City
2
2
180′
215
209
6
18835′
9
0
0
1 (0)
6
1
FA Cup (England)
1983-1984
Coventry City
4
4
365′
2
1
1982-1983
Coventry City
2
2
210′
1
1 (0)
1
1981-1982
Coventry City
1
1
90′
1980-1981
Coventry City
4
4
360′
1979-1980
Coventry City
0
0
0′
1977-1978
Coventry City
1
1
90′
1976-1977
Coventry City
1
1
90′
13
13
0
1205′
3
0
0
1 (0)
1
1
League Cup (England)
1983-1984
Coventry City
3
3
270′
1982-1983
Coventry City
2
2
210′
1981-1982
Coventry City
2
2
180′
1
1980-1981
Coventry City
9
9
810′
1
1979-1980
Coventry City
3
2
1
194′
1977-1978
Coventry City
2
1
1
115′
21
19
2
1779′
2
0
0
0 (0)
0
0
Totals:
249
241
8
21819′
14
0
0
2 (0)
7
2
Date
For
Against
H/A
Result
Canon League First Division 1983-1984
Canon League First Division 1983-1984
Coventry City
Queens Park Rangers
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
H
L 2:3
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
L 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Leicester City
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Watford
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
H
W 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Luton Town
A
W 2:4
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Queens Park Rangers
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
A
W 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
A
W 1:3
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Leicester City
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
A
L 5:2
90`
Coventry City
Notts County
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Everton
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Watford
A
W 2:3
90`
FA Cup 1983-1984
FA Cup 1983-1984
Coventry City
Sheffield Wednesday
A
L 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
H
W 3:0
90`
1
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
A
D 1:1
120`
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
H
D 1:1
65`
Milk Cup 1983-1984
Milk Cup 1983-1984
Coventry City
Everton
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Grimsby Town
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Grimsby Town
A
D 0:0
90`
Football League First Division 1982-1983
Football League First Division 1982-1983
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
L 2:4
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
A
W 0:3
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Watford
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Notts County
A
L 5:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
H
W 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Swansea City
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
H
W 2:0
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
A
W 0:3
90`
1
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
H
W 2:0
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Luton Town
H
W 4:2
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
H
W 2:0
90`
2
Coventry City
Watford
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Notts County
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
L 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Everton
H
W 4:2
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
L 0:2
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Swansea City
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
H
W 1:0
90`
FA Cup 1982-1983
FA Cup 1982-1983
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
L 2:1
120`
Coventry City
Norwich City
H
D 2:2
90`
1
Milk Cup 1982-1983
Milk Cup 1982-1983
Coventry City
Burnley
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Fulham
H
D 0:0
120`
Football League First Division 1981-1982
Football League First Division 1981-1982
Coventry City
Birmingham City
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
W 1:3
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
A
D 5:5
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
D 0:0
6`
Coventry City
Sunderland
H
W 6:1
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Everton
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
W 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Swansea City
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
A
L 2:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
L 3:2
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
H
L 0:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
H
L 0:1
63`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
W 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
H
W 3:0
90`
1
Coventry City
West Ham United
A
L 5:2
90`
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Swansea City
H
W 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
D 1:1
90`
1
Coventry City
Sunderland
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
H
W 4:2
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
A
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
H
W 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Notts County
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
W 2:1
90`
FA Cup 1981-1982
FA Cup 1981-1982
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
L 2:0
90`
Milk Cup 1981-1982
Milk Cup 1981-1982
Coventry City
Everton
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
D 1:1
90`
Football League First Division 1980-1981
Football League First Division 1980-1981
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
H
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
L 0:2
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Leicester City
H
W 4:1
90`
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
A
L 4:1
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
L 0:4
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Crystal Palace
A
W 0:3
90`
1
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
H
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
A
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
H
W 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
L 4:1
90`
Coventry City
Sunderland
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
H
L 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Leicester City
A
W 1:3
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
H
D 3:3
90`
Coventry City
Everton
H
L 0:5
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Crystal Palace
H
W 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
W 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
A
L 3:1
34`
FA Cup 1980-1981
FA Cup 1980-1981
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
L 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
H
W 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
A
D 1:1
90`
League Cup 1980-1981
League Cup 1980-1981
Coventry City
West Ham United
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
W 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Watford
H
W 5:0
90`
Coventry City
Watford
A
D 2:2
90`
Coventry City
Cambridge United
A
W 0:1
90`
Coventry City
Cambridge United
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Brighton & Hove Albion
A
W 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
W 0:1
90`
Football League First Division 1979-1980
Football League First Division 1979-1980
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Derby County
H
W 2:1
14`
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
A
W 1:2
Coventry City
Leeds United
A
D 0:0
6`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
L 4:3
28`
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
H
W 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
L 0:3
90`
Coventry City
Derby County
A
W 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
L 3:1
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
W 4:1
Coventry City
Southampton
A
W 2:3
Coventry City
Bristol City
A
L 1:0
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Bolton Wanderers
H
W 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
H
W 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
L 4:1
19`
FA Cup 1979-1980
FA Cup 1979-1980
Coventry City
Blackburn Rovers
A
L 1:0
Coventry City
Oldham Athletic
A
W 0:1
League Cup 1979-1980
League Cup 1979-1980
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
L 2:1
14`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
W 0:1
90`
Football League First Division 1978-1979
Football League First Division 1978-1979
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
H
W 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Queens Park Rangers
A
L 5:1
90`
Coventry City
Southampton
H
W 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Bristol City
H
W 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
D 3:3
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
A
D 0:0
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
H
L 1:3
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Derby County
H
W 4:2
90`
Coventry City
Bolton Wanderers
A
D 0:0
Coventry City
Birmingham City
H
W 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
L 2:0
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Chelsea
H
W 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Derby County
A
W 0:2
90`
Football League First Division 1977-1978
Football League First Division 1977-1978
Coventry City
Bristol City
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Manchester City
A
L 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Nottingham Forest
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
Queens Park Rangers
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Everton
H
W 3:2
90`
Coventry City
Newcastle United
H
D 0:0
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
H
W 4:0
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
W 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
L 2:3
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Leicester City
H
W 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
H
W 4:0
90`
Coventry City
West Bromwich Albion
A
D 3:3
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
H
W 1:0
35`
Coventry City
Leeds United
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Chelsea
H
W 5:1
90`
Coventry City
Derby County
A
L 4:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
H
W 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
H
W 5:4
90`
Coventry City
Aston Villa
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
H
L 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Everton
A
L 6:0
90`
Coventry City
Queens Park Rangers
H
W 4:1
90`
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
D 1:1
90`
FA Cup 1977-1978
FA Cup 1977-1978
Coventry City
Middlesbrough
A
L 3:0
90`
League Cup 1977-1978
League Cup 1977-1978
Coventry City
Liverpool
H
L 0:2
90`
Coventry City
Liverpool
A
D 2:2
25`
Football League First Division 1976-1977
Football League First Division 1976-1977
Coventry City
Stoke City
H
W 5:2
Coventry City
Aston Villa
H
L 2:3
90`
Coventry City
Queens Park Rangers
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
West Ham United
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Ipswich Town
A
L 2:1
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
H
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Newcastle United
A
L 1:0
90`
Coventry City
Leicester City
A
L 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Derby County
A
D 1:1
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
A
L 3:1
90`
Coventry City
Norwich City
A
L 3:0
90`
Coventry City
Stoke City
A
L 2:0
90`
Coventry City
Leeds United
A
W 1:2
90`
Coventry City
Manchester United
A
L 2:0
FA Cup 1976-1977
FA Cup 1976-1977
Coventry City
Arsenal
A
L 3:1
90`
Football League First Division 1975-1976
Football League First Division 1975-1976
Coventry City
Burnley
A
W 1:3
90`
Coventry City
Tottenham Hotspur
A
L 4:1
90`
Coventry City
Birmingham City
A
D 1:1
Club Out
Club In
Transfer Date
Fee
Club Out / Club In
Transfer Date / Fee
Coventry City
Birmingham City
Thu, 01 Mar, 1984
£10,000
Coventry City
Birmingham City
Thu, 01 Mar, 1984
£10,000
Coventry City
Hereford United
Sat, 01 Feb, 1975
Loan
Coventry City
Hereford United
Sat, 01 Feb, 1975
Loan
Apprentice
Coventry City
Thu, 01 Nov, 1973
Apprentice
Apprentice
Coventry City
Thu, 01 Nov, 1973
Apprentice