Marc Roberts interview: Barnsley FC defender on coaching, leadership, unfinished business and becoming a goalscoring centre-half

BACK in the day, there was a maxim among seasoned managers that if you wanted a centre-half of note, then all you had to do was whistle down a pit shaft in South Yorkshire and one would arrive up in the next cage.

In Barnsley, the capital of coal, that notion has always carried particular resonance.

The list of fine central defenders from the town is legion. From Mark Jones and Pat Howard to Brian Greenhoff and Mick McCarthy.

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In the modern-day game, John Stones, aka ‘The Barnsley Beckenbauer’, is doing the town proud on the national and world stage.

Barnsley defender Marc Roberts. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.Barnsley defender Marc Roberts. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.
Barnsley defender Marc Roberts. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.

For the town’s football team, the sight of a Barnsley lad in the heart of defence is reassuring. Some things just feel right and proper.

Which brings us nicely to Marc Roberts.

The Penistone-raised centre-half, in his second spell at Oakwell, is showing that the footballing notion of ‘never go back’ is bunkum.

In the winter of his career at 34 he may be, but his calm authority, consistency and leadership has shone through of late as the nights draw in.

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DAY TO REMEMBER: Marc Roberts celebrates winning the League One play-off final with manager Paul Heckingbottom after beating Millwall at Wembley in May 2016. Picture: Tony Johnson.DAY TO REMEMBER: Marc Roberts celebrates winning the League One play-off final with manager Paul Heckingbottom after beating Millwall at Wembley in May 2016. Picture: Tony Johnson.
DAY TO REMEMBER: Marc Roberts celebrates winning the League One play-off final with manager Paul Heckingbottom after beating Millwall at Wembley in May 2016. Picture: Tony Johnson.

Experience counts and while Barnsley went top-heavy down the buy-young-for-sell-on-profit route in previous seasons, the decision to bring in Roberts this summer has the air of shrewdness.

Roberts himself is enjoying the ‘elder statesman’ role, which has even whetted his appetite for coaching a bit further down the line, potentially.

He told The Yorkshire Post: "I am really enjoying it. We have got a young team who have not played that many games which is pretty inexperienced, so I like to bring that (experience) to the team.

"Before the game or whatever, wherever I feel like I can help anybody, I try to do. Even in training, if we are watching videos, I try and put my point across to players or have words with players if something needs to be in the open. I am enjoying that aspect."

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LOWER LEVELS: Marc Roberts wins a header while playing for FC Halifax Town in the Conference Play-Off Semi Final 1st Leg against Cambridge United in April 2014. Picture: Jonathan GawthorpeLOWER LEVELS: Marc Roberts wins a header while playing for FC Halifax Town in the Conference Play-Off Semi Final 1st Leg against Cambridge United in April 2014. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
LOWER LEVELS: Marc Roberts wins a header while playing for FC Halifax Town in the Conference Play-Off Semi Final 1st Leg against Cambridge United in April 2014. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

On the prospect of coaching one day, he continued: "I would have said no before I came back here.

"But since I’ve been back, I’ve really enjoyed it. Being back in this environment at a club I really like, the gaffer has been really good and having that responsibility put on me to help players in that aspect is maybe changing my mind in moving into that role when it comes about.

"But hopefully, I’ve a few more years to go yet."

In his mid-thirties he may be, but in many respects Roberts is still making up for lost time.

A late starter in the professional ranks, the stopper, who cut his teeth at the likes of Wakefield FC before moving into the Conference at FC Halifax Town, still has things he’d like to tick off.

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A second promotion in Barnsley colours – he was part of the side who won twice at Wembley in the space of 57 days in 2015-16 – is the obvious one, while his hard yards at non-league level will always mean that he will never take his role as a professional footballer for granted.

A decade ago, he would have been forgiven for wondering if he would make it, in truth.

Roberts continued: "I didn’t sign here until just before my 25th birthday and it does get to that point.

"I was just playing part time and hoping to make it.

"But I have always been grateful for Barnsley giving me that chance. I hope I repaid that when I was here before, but feel like I want to repay that still. I feel like I’ve still a lot to give.

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"I say it all the time. Whatever level you are at, it’s got to mean a lot and you’ve got to want it. That’s a lot of football.

"You can do all the tactics, but it doesn’t always work out how you want it and is not always perfect.

"It does come down to desire, character, athleticism and being willing to work hard for the team. It counts for a lot.

"Even at this level, when you are not playing great or are great on the ball, you need to have that desire to win a game, however that comes.

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"Whether that’s just accepting we are having an off day, let’s just be horrible and get together and do the basic things right.”

Another string has been added to Roberts’ bow of late by way of his penchant for goals in the opposition’s net as opposed to the ‘day job’ of keeping them out at the other end.

He has already netted four times this term, equalling his best-ever tally at league level, with Barnsley in 2016-17 and Birmingham City in 2020-21.

Roberts added: "It’s always something I’ve looked to add to my game. Before I signed (first time with Barnsley), I always scored a lot of goals in the Conference.

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"Not so much since I’ve turned professional; I think my best season was four when I left Barnsley, so I’ve already equalled that and can hopefully get a few more and beat that.

"It’s nice to contribute, but it doesn’t matter where it comes from. Everyone is going to have to contribute from different areas to get to where we need to be.

"Conor (Hourihane) is really good with the attacking set-pieces and working on what we have got to do and exploiting teams’ weaknesses.

"You have got really good set-piece takers in Luca (Connell) and Corey (O’Keeffe) and the balls in are really good and it makes your job a lot easier.”

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