Jason Roberts: on Goals On Sunday

I was really inspired by the work that the community departments of Premier League clubs had been doing and how they had been influencing kids around the country.

Jason Roberts on setting up the Jason Roberts Foundation
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Players

• Jason Roberts

Jason Roberts joined Kammy and Paul Boardman on the Goals On Sunday sofa having played in Blackburn's goalless draw against Reading at the Madejski Stadium on Saturday.

And in midweek, Roberts played for Greneda against the US Virgin Islands -'We just scraped the game 10-0'.

He said: "I scored a couple in the first 10 minutes so after that the game was dead, we played them off the park after that.

"It's been up and down, but it's been a good week. It was good to get a couple of goals (in midweek), pity I couldn't get one yesterday but it's been an amazing week."

Roberts, enjoying life at Blackburn Rovers after an injury affected first half of the season, started his career and non-league Hayes.

He moved up the leagues with Torquay and Bristol Rovers before reaching the Premier League with West Brom, and he has since played there with Wigan and now Blackburn.

"It's been a long journey," continued Roberts, "but to be playing in the Premier League now I'm really happy."

Roberts has followed in the footsteps of his uncles who were professional footballers in the 70s and 80s, most notably Uncle Cyrille Regis!

"I had three uncles who played football so I had a lot of back-up and guys to speak to, they've always been positive for me.

"I don't know if I'm anywhere near that standard (Cyrille Regis), he was different class. It's good to have his influence around me, he's my agent so it's great to have him around.

"He's been looking after me since I was a kid so in football terms I can give him a call and we can speak about things and he has been a real asset to have.

"He's one of the reasons why I have been able to make it in the football game."

Foundation

One of Roberts' extra-curricular activities has been to set up his own football foundation: the Jason Roberts Foundation.

His foundation aims to "to provide a range of sporting opportunities for children and young people in the UK and Grenada".

"I was really inspired by the work that the community departments of Premier League clubs had been doing and how they had been influencing kids around the country.

"So I thought if I could help in that respect and show people through sport they can achieve a lot in their life.

"And also try and give kids in the Caribbean another avenue because where we have other avenues to do sport here, there's no avenue for them.

"It's about improving conditions and giving people opportunity to enjoy sport and if I can help the next Dwight Yorke or somebody from the Caribbean to have a career then that's something I would like to do.

"But it's more about girls and boys, young and old, just getting them involved and showing them all the things they can get from football.

"There's no organised structure for kids' football, there's no real avenues to get your football out there.

"There's scholarships to be won in America where you can go out and get an education through your sporting prowess so it's trying to give these kids an avenue."