FOCUS
Graham Roberts has a fairly
simple attitude to his demands
of his career as a professional
footballer: he wants to win
every trophy his team plays for!
Consequently Graham sets
out this weekend with a whole
parade of challenges in front of
him and at least SIX competi
tions in his sights.-
The Glasgow International
Football Tournament is merely
an appetizer for the defence of
the Championship, the Skol
Cup, European Cup, Scottish
Cup and the Tennents Sixes
plus any others that might just
crop up unexpectedly.
"If we win three of the major
competitions we'll be satis
fied," he says and he's only
half joking as he looks forward
eagerly to his first full season
at Ibrox.
"I don't like losing any
games" he adds. "When I
came here last December I did
wonder how the Scots would
accept English people but
they have been absolutely
marvellous. My ambition now
is to win as many trophies as
possible to help repay the way
they have helped us to settle
here."
Graham, his wife Ann and
daughter Hollie are happily
and comfortably settled in
Helensborough having made
the move from London without
any problems in terms of
becoming 'acclimatised' to the
vastly different regions.
"We have two cocker
spaniels, a collie and a pony,"
adds the six-timed capped
England defender. "Also
everyone has been so friendly
that we couldn't be happier."
During the six-match tour of
Switzerland and Germany
Roberts picked up a couple of
injuries but he was fit enough
to start each of the games and
finished the trip completely fit
and ready for the opening
game against John Toshack's
Spanish team from Real
Sociedad.
During his seven year spell at
White Hart Lane he added two
GRAHAM ROBERTS
FA Cups and the UEFA Cup to
his international honours but
admits to having then got itchy
feet.
"I needed a new challenge
and when I knew the chance to
join Rangers was on I spoke to
Terry Butcher and was left with
no doubts that it was the right
move fo me.
"I had played with Terry for
England so I knew very well
that we could strike up the
right kind of partnership in the
centre of the defence. We have
a very effective central dia
mond with the manager in
front of us and Chris Woods
behind.
"Now we are ready to take on
the new pressure of being in
the European Cup and of the
supporters so badly wanting
us to do well. They have been
so fantastic during the time that
the team has built up to winn
ing the title that we want to give
them more."
Roberts admits, looking
back, that he took a bit of a
chance in that he would hardly
have been a big hit with the
public if his partnership with
Butcher had gone wrong but in
fact they settled as quickly as
he knew they would.
A look at the 'shut-out'
statistics since the turn of the
year are proof enough that
Graeme Souness's team build
ing ideas have been founded
on a mixture of experience
and sound judgement.
An additional help to
Roberts' settling-in period, if
he needed one, has been the
arrival of his former Spurs
buddy, Mark Falco. Are the
'Anglos' beginning to out
number the Scots in the first
team dressing room?
"We'll never do that," says
Roberts, "but in fact it isn't a
problem because we all get on
so well together. Mark has a lot
of ability plus experience in
Europe so he is bound to be a
big asset."
Falco, perhaps, felt slightly
strange for a few days as did
Roberts. "Walking through the
town in my early days it came
as a bit of a surprise when the
opposition supporters would
shout things in the street but it
is something you very quickly
come to terms with. I've en
joyed every minute of my time
with Rangers and I can't wait to
see what we can achieve this
season."
The combination of exciting
playing affairs, the challenges
ahead and an enjoyable
domestic life is making
Graham Roberts an extremely
fulfilled young man.
"Although we are only about
30 minutes from Ibrox we live
in what is really a country town
yet we are not very far from the
sea.
"On the professional side
everything is taking off these
days in Scottish football. We
have a great bunch of lads
here, the team spirit is first-
class and we're looking to
keeping last season's form
going and then improving on
it."
