William Henry Roberts (22 July 1910 – 8 December 1973) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL).Holmesby & Main (20140, p.754.
Family The son of Charles George Roberts (1881–1961), and Ellen Louisa Roberts (1884–1972), née Harris, William Henry Roberts was born at Nhill, Victoria on 22 July 1910.
He married Gwen Molloy (1919-2004) in 1937.
Football Recruited from the Nhill Football Club in 1931.Nhill Players for Essendon, The Weekly Times, (Saturday, 27 September 1930), p.74.
Essendon (VFL) He played for the First XVIII in six consecutive home-and-away games in 1931,Football: Essendon v. Collingwood, The Argus, (Friday, 10 July 1931), p.11.Collingwood Defeated: Outplayed in Second Quarter, The Argus, (Monday, 13 June 1931), p.11. and in 3 consecutive home-and-away games in 1933."It was evident throughout 1933 that a number of [Essendon's] players were not living up to [the Club's] expectations. Thirty-seven players were tried during the year in a vain endeavour to lift the side." (Maplestone, 1996, p.119). Roberts did not play in either of the only two matches that Essendon won in the 18-game 1933 home-and-away season.
Horsham (WFL) In 1946 he was appointed non-playing coach of the Horsham Football Club in the Wimmera Football League.Horsham Appoints Non-Playing Coach: Bill Roberts Accepts Position, The Horsham Times, (Tuesday, 19 March 1946), p.4.
Military service Roberts served in the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II.Nominal Roll.
Death He died at Seville, Victoria on 8 December 1973.Deaths: Roberts, The Age, (Monday, 10 December 1973), p.18.
Notes
References World War Two Nominal Roll: Aircraftman 1 William Henry Roberts (53856), Department of Veterans' Affairs. A9301, 53856: World War Two Service Record: Aircraftman 1 William Henry Roberts (53856), National Archives of Australia.
Maplestone, M., Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996, Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996.
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