Bill Roberts (footballer, born 1897)

William Laurence Roberts (9 May 1897 – 7 September 1960) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]

Bill Roberts
Personal information
Full name William Laurence Roberts
Date of birth (1897-05-09)9 May 1897
Place of birth Broken Hill, New South Wales
Date of death 7 September 1960(1960-09-07) (aged 63)
Place of death Fitzroy, Victoria
Original team(s) Traralgon / Trafalgar
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1923 South Melbourne 1 (1)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1923.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Roberts played a single game for South Melbourne in Round 2 of the 1923 season against Fitzroy. During the game, one of the Fitzroy players recognised him as a man who, under the name “Williams” had been at Fitzroy two or three seasons previously.[2] Investigations revealed he had been granted a permit to move from North Adelaide to Fitzroy using the name “W. Reidy”.[3] Roberts claimed he had no knowledge of this 1921 permit but the League refused his request for a permit to move to Port Melbourne and his senior football career ended.

In early 1922, Roberts was arrested for stealing a £10 note,[4] and subsequently sentenced to 12 months hard labour in Goulburn gaol.[5]

Notes

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  1. ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. p. 754. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
  2. ^ "BILL ROBERTS'S DILEMMA". The Herald. No. 14, 410. Victoria, Australia. 20 July 1923. p. 10.
  3. ^ "CLUB PROSPECTS". The Herald. No. 14, 074. Victoria, Australia. 22 April 1921. p. 3.
  4. ^ "Apprehensions". New South Wales Police Gazette And Weekly Record Of Crime. No. 7. New South Wales, Australia. 15 February 1922. p. 100.
  5. ^ "TELEGRAMS COOTAMUNDRA SESSIONS". Tocumwal Guardian and Riverina Stock Journal. Vol. 24, no. 8. New South Wales, Australia. 24 February 1922. p. 1 (Supplement to Tocumwal Guardian).
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