Education
Ben started out at Middlesbrough F.C. on the Youth Training Scheme in 1991 aged 16 and quickly graduated through the ranks before making his first team debut aged 19 in the Anglo Italia Cup in Ancona.
Ben started out at Middlesbrough F.C. on the Youth Training Scheme in 1991 aged 16 and quickly graduated through the ranks before making his first team debut aged 19 in the Anglo Italia Cup in Ancona.
He is an ex-professional player who was forced in an early retirement, aged 29, by a reoccurrence of a long-standing back injury. Loan spells at Hartlepool United (1994), Wycombe Wanderers (1994/95) & Bradford City (1996), preceded him making his Premier League debut against Sheffield Wednesday in February 1997. His remaining time with Middlesbrough saw him struggle with fitness and injuries and between back operations he spent time on loan at Millwall and Luton Town.
Later Roberts transferred to Charlton Athletic in the Summer of 2000.
Whilst with Charlton he had further loan spells at Reading, Luton Town again and Brighton & Hove Albion, before a permanent move to Brighton in 2003. His only appearance for Charlton came on the last day of the 2002-2003 FA Premier League season, as he came on as a substitute against Fulham after Dean Kiely was sent official
After helping Brighton to promotion in the 2004 League One Play-Office Final at the Millennium Stadium against Bristol City, a recurrent back injury forced him to retire in 2005 at the age of 29. He was also capped for England at under-21 level
Coaching In June 2009 he was appointed as goalkeeper coach and chief scout at Yeovil Town.
Roberts also occasionally stood in if the club had injuries, and he made his Yeovil Town debut in the 3 - 3 draw with Swindon on 30 October 2010, replacing Stephen Henderson at half time who suffered a head injury. He combined his first full-time coaching role at Yeovil Town in 2009, with that of Chief Scout. During the two seasons at Yeovil Town, he was instrumental in the development of Alex McCarthy (2009/10) and Stephen Henderson (2010/11).
During his tenure at Charlton, Ben has played a pivotal part in advancing the careers of Robbie Elliott, Ben Hamer, David Button & Nick Pope.
On 23 June 2015, Roberts returned to Brighton & Hove Albion as Goalkeeping Coach, replacing Antti Niemi who had left for Finland that summer. After retiring from football in 2005, Ben took a year out before university to backpack around the world, which included a 6-month spell living in Brazil where he closely studied Brazilian training methods.
He is also a keen runner, taking part in the London Marathon and Great North Run for the Asthma United Kingdom charity.