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ANDY ROBERTS was born
in Northampton in 1962 and has followed the Cobblers from a young age.
His first game at the County Ground, at the age of nine, was against
Cambridge United in March 1972, the late Frank Large scoring in a 2-1
defeat.
His first away game was also against Cambridge United, John Farrington and
George Reilly netting in a 2-2 League Cup tie at the Abbey Stadium in August
1978.
The first away league match came four years later, the opening game of the
season at Wimbledon’s Plough Lane ground in August 1982, Dave Syrett the
Cobblers goalscorer in a 1-1 draw and goalkeeper Neil Freeman sent off for a
professional foul.
After leaving Northampton School for Boys to pursue a career in journalism,
he joined the Northampton Chronicle & Echo in 1984 and as a sports writer
covered Northamptonshire cricket and Luton Town football before becoming the
newspaper’s Cobblers correspondent from 1994 to 2000.
Andy was in the Wembley press box for Northampton Town’s successive play-off
final appearances, against Swansea City in 1997 and Grimsby Town the
following year.
He is now freelance and has crossed the divide to work in the field of press
and public relations for Northamptonshire Police.
Incidentally, the aforementioned Freeman is currently an officer with
Northamptonshire Police – so too another former goalkeeper Carl Jayes and,
until recently, also Andy Poole.
Thanks For The Wembleys is Andy’s first venture into books although he has
edited local football and cricket brochures.
He also co-wrote Northampton Town’s official centenary publication in 1997 –
On A Wing and a Prayer – with friend and former colleague Mark Beesley.
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