‘Rambo’ to fight on

Former Shrewsbury Town, Newtown and Technogroup Welshpool midfielder Mark Roberts has denied he is hanging up his boots, despite sustaining a dislocated shoulder.

 

The 39 year-old, nicknamed Rambo during his teenage Shrewsbury Town days due to his tenacious playing style, suffered the injury for a second time in 10 years last week while playing for Dyffryn Banw, prompting many to feel his playing career was over.

 

But Roberts has pledged to carry on, and has even said he could be back playing within a fortnight.

 

“I did think about it when I was in the doctors’ surgery and they were popping the shoulder back into place!” he said. “But it seems to have set really well so I will carry on; I know the mrs won’t be happy about it though.”

 

Roberts has enjoyed a glittering local career. After his Shrewsbury release he joined the memorable Welshpool side of 1991 which swept all before them in Welsh football, and later joined Newtown to help secure their first venture into European football in 1996.

 

He is currently playing for his brother Chris at Dyffryn Banw and has even hinted that his career could extend beyond this season.

 

“We’ll just have to see. I did promise this would be my last season but generally I feel very fit so we’ll just see how I feel at the end of it.”

 

Ironically, Roberts’s talented 11 year-old son, Callam, who is on Shrewsbury’s radar, has suffered a broken arm prompting dad to declare: “we’re a right pair!”