Photo: Brian Roberts had a distinguished career as an administrator at club and State levels in Tasmanian football. [PlessPix] Brian
Roberts, a stalwart of South Hobart FC and a prominent figure in Tasmanian football,
passed away on Sunday in Hobart at the age of 86.
Brian
has been in deteriorating health in recent years and was rarely able to attend
matches this season.
Born
in Wales, Brian watched Wrexham as a youngster and played for his school team.
He
eventually became a passionate Everton fan and always followed the Toffees’ fortunes.
Brian’s
family moved to Tasmania when he was 16 and they owned a shop at Seven Mile
Beach.
Photo: Brian and Keith Roberts were honoured by the South Hobart FC in 2021 for their services to the club. [PlessPix]
Photo: Keith and Brian Roberts on that auspicious day last season. [PlessPix] Brian
eventually pursued a career in the insurance industry and his love of football
saw him begin his involvement with the game in Tasmania in his late teens.
He
tried out for Caledonians, one of the top sides in Tasmania, but admitted that
he couldn’t make the grade with the Scottish-backed club.
He
became the “club’s officer” with the Tasmanian Soccer Association and was
instrumental in the founding of the Dutch-backed club Hollandia.
He
played for Hollandia’s reserve side but moved on to the Hydro club, which
became Hobart Rangers.
He
played for Rangers’ first team but found himself in the reserves after the club
began to import Scottish recruits and challenge for top honours.
He
left the game briefly but was encouraged to join Austrian-based club Rapid as assistant
coach by Tom McLoughlin, whom he had met in the course of his work.
Photo: Brian Roberts as manager of a Tasmanian youth side coached by Colin Francis (right). He
played for Rapid reserves until he met Juergen Webb, who persuaded him to join
South Hobart and that is how his long association with the club began.
The
club immediately appointed him to their committee and he served as treasurer
for the next 14 years while also playing in the reserves.
Brian
played his final game aged 55 with ALPS, a subsidiary team under the South
Hobart banner.
One
of Brian’s fondest memories was of South Hobart winning the Southern Tasmanian
title under coach Tony Skaro in 1978.
Photo: Brian Roberts, as chairman of the Tasmanian Soccer Federation, presents University captain Craig Pitt with the State League trophy in 2001. [PlessPix] Brian
served as a director of the Tasmanian Soccer Federation for six years in the
1980s and was Chairman of that body for a time.
He
resigned from the TSF and returned to his first love, South Hobart, in an advisory
capacity.
He
credited Les Richardson with South Hobart occupying and developing the
Wellesley Park facilities, which have been considerably upgraded in recent
years. Brian assisted with much of the
physical work in erecting floodlights at the venue.
Brian
always paid tribute to Brett Anderton, Vicky and Ken Morton for turning the club
around and becoming a leading side in Tasmanian football.
He
always recognised the work done for the club by Pam Clarke, who was chair at
one time and whose son played for South Hobart, and he had nothing but praise
for Paul Roberts (not a relative), who did a lot of work on match days by putting
up the goal nets and taking them down after games.
A
regular at South Hobart games, Brian’s voice could often be heard echoing around
the ground with the advice: “Face, South! Face!
Options, South! Options!”
Photo: Brian Roberts (fourth from right) at the Governor's reception in honour of South Hobart's Centenary in 2010. [PlessPix]
Brian
was active as a junior coach at all his clubs and he was involved in the
development and promotion of junior football in the Huon Valley.
He
featured prominently in South Hobart’s centenary celebrations in 2010.
Brian
had a self-deprecating sense of humour and he was often at games with his brother,
Keith, a prominent statistician and historian of, not only South Hobart FC, but
of football in Tasmania.
Brian
will be missed by all who knew him.
I
shall certainly miss his insights into the Tasmanian game. He was often involved in writing match
reports and other observations on the game a decade and more ago.
He
always welcomed me warmly when I saw him at games with the question: “What news, Walter? What news?”
He
is survived by his wife, Peggy, and daughters Kirsty and Bronwen and their families.
Photo: Keith and Brian Roberts at South Hobart ground. [PlessPix] The
familiar sight of Brian with his brother Keith at South Hobart games was always
something to look forward to because of the anecdotes, information and statistics
that would be imparted.
Vale,
Brian.
Photo: Brian and Keith Roberts with Les Richardson (left) at South Hobart. [PlessPix]
Photo: Brian Roberts (left) with former South Hobart and Glenorchy Knights star striker, Neil Thomas. [Photo by John Skaro]
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