BIO

Clive Roberts was born at Glenelg on 13 October 1897, the third son of Alfred Jabez Roberts and his wife Isabelle. Clive's father Alfred, a former club captain, played 104 games for Norwood from 1883 to 1891 in a career that included four premierships. Clive attended Glenelg Grammar School and St Peter's College. 

Newspaper reports suggest that Roberts joined Norwood in 1912 from the Athelstone Football Club and played with the Norwood B team. His name first appears in a retrospective summary of Norwood’s 1912 season and their prospects for 1913;  “ Next year… C Roberts of Athelstone will also help them retrieve their fortunes “ (The Advertiser 30 Sept 1912, p 13). 

The following year a number of experienced players departed the club including Millhouse , Perry, Chamberlain and Bahr, and Roberts is listed as one of the promising recruits. He featured in the club’s pre-season trials  as “… one of Norwood II s best followers last year “  (Daily Herald 30 April 1913 p 7)  

Roberts’ form for the B team in 1912 and the 1913 pre-season trials led to his selection in the opening round for the league team against South Adelaide at Norwood on the 3rd May. Norwood narrowly lost by three points: 8.11 to 8.8. 

Roberts may have been injured as his name does not re-appear until he is listed in the B team squad for the game against North Adelaide on the 5th July 1913.

On the 26th July 1913 Roberts was listed for the B team against Torrens at Hindmarsh, however a report of the league game against South at the Adelaide Oval on the same day suggests he was a late inclusion for the senior team.  “ They reckoned to beat South’s ruck whereas with Packham and Perry away their own ruck looked none too strong. Roberts, Miller and Parnell were included in their team” (Saturday Mail 26th July 1913, p1) Norwood again narrowly lost to South 3.8 to 3.5. 

In 1914 Roberts played in the pre-season trials at Norwood and was named intermittently in the B team squads for games during May and June but was unable to regain selection in the league team.

Roberts enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) in February 1915 and served with the Light Horse Regiment in Egypt. He was killed in action at Rafa in Egypt on 9 January 1917.

W Heading June 2022, February 2024