Hugh Roberts (talent scout)
Encyclopedia
Hugh Roberts was a talent scout for Manchester United F.C.
. His greatest discovery for the club was Mark Hughes
, the popular former Wales
striker and manager, nicknamed "Sparky".
Roberts spent most of his life in Caernarfon
, where he lived with his wife Nesta.He started working for the club a few years after the Munich crash of 1958. For many years he was the main talent scout for Manchester United in North Wales
. He spotted 12-year old Mark Hughes playing for local schoolboy teams Rhos Aelwyd under-16s and Wrexham schoolboys. Hughes went on to join Manchester United after leaving school in the summer of 1980. He made his first team debut three years later in a 1–1 draw away to Oxford United
in the FA Cup
in which he scored for his team.
Roberts remained involved with Manchester United all his life, making regular visits to the Old Trafford stadium. He died in April 2006, aged 84.
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. His greatest discovery for the club was Mark Hughes
Mark Hughes
Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE , is a former Welsh international footballer. As an international footballer, he made 72 appearances and scored 16 goals....
, the popular former Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
striker and manager, nicknamed "Sparky".
Roberts spent most of his life in Caernarfon
Caernarfon
Caernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...
, where he lived with his wife Nesta.He started working for the club a few years after the Munich crash of 1958. For many years he was the main talent scout for Manchester United in North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
. He spotted 12-year old Mark Hughes playing for local schoolboy teams Rhos Aelwyd under-16s and Wrexham schoolboys. Hughes went on to join Manchester United after leaving school in the summer of 1980. He made his first team debut three years later in a 1–1 draw away to Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
in which he scored for his team.
Roberts remained involved with Manchester United all his life, making regular visits to the Old Trafford stadium. He died in April 2006, aged 84.
External links
- Old Trafford scout Roberts dies, BBC News Website, April 19, 2006.