Roberts moved into coaching with a brief stint as player-coach with
Coventry City, and then in June 1975 he was appointed as manager of
Colchester United. He remained at the club for seven years, and led them to promotion to the
Football League Third Division in the
1976–77 season. Roberts also managed
Wrexham from 1982 to 1985 and
Grimsby Town from 1987 to 1988, relinquishing the role to
Alan Buckley. Whilst managing Wrexham, his starting goalkeeper was injured for a
1983–84 Welsh Cup 3rd round tie against
Worcester City on 29 November 1983, so he had to decide whether to play his reserve goalkeeper, who was a 16-year-old, or to put his own boots at the age of 43, and after choosing the latter, he helped his side to a 1–1 draw. He still holds this record by a large margin, since the next closest is
Ben Foster, aged 40.
Tottenham Hotspur,
Newcastle United and
Oxford City. ==Managerial statistics==