Toe, heel or head, pass the ball to Fred

Born in Ballymacarrett prior to the First World War Fredrick Roberts was to become the greatest goal-scoring machine in the history of Irish football. The record books say he was 6ft 2ins tall, but on the 4th of May 1931 he stood 10ft tall when he broke the league’s all-time scoring record, one that he holds to this day and which is unlikely to be bettered.

Fred was signed by Glentoran from Broadway United, in 1928 and that first season he scored 66 goals in 44 matches, including five hat-tricks, four goals in three games, and five goals in two other games, yet he failed to win any medals.

Nor were there any trophies gained in the following season, a fact that was particularly galling because the year belonged to Glentoran’s great cross-town rivals Linfield. Their centre forward, Joe Bambrick broke the Irish goal scoring record finding the net 94 times during the season. He also managed to score seven times for Northern Ireland against Wales at Windsor Park, a feat never to be broken since by any other British or Irish International player.

The 1930-31 season was to be Fred Roberts’ response to the record set by Joe. He started in August with a brace against Coleraine, and did not stop scoring until the end of the season. In December of 1930 Fred hit 19 goals in 5 games including three hat-tricks and 4 goals in another two games. In February he scored six against Larne bringing his total to ten in the two league games against them.

With only one game to play, Fred had scored 94 goals to equal Joe’s record. The Glen men had only one target in sight, to win the record for Fred. They had to wait until half an hour into the game when a pass from Geary found Callaghan on the right. He crossed and Fred nodded in goal number 95 to break the record.

The press at the time reported that the roar was heard on the Newtownards Road. He added a second as the Glens were beaten 3-2 but no one cared. Fred had at last given them something to cheer about. At the full time whistle the Glentoran supporters invaded the pitch and they and his teammates carried Fred on their shoulders as a tribute to his wonderful scoring prowess.

During the season Fred had hit 8 hat-tricks, four fours, one five, and a double hat-trick once, and at last he was rewarded with an Irish league and County Antrim Shield medal.

Including friendly games, Fred scored 105 goals for the Glens that year.

Fred Roberts played for Glentoran for five seasons before being given a shock free transfer. He never lost his love of the Glens and could be seen on the terraces right up to his death in 1988.