Dave Roberts (full name David Robert Roberts; born 31 July 1964 in Middlesbrough, England) is a UK-based former TV executive and ex-presenter and commentator specialising in association football. He previously worked for Fox Sports News and ESPN Star Sports in Singapore, ESPN in the USA and Sky Sports in the UK as well as a host of UK radio stations. As well as his broadcast work, he is a fully qualified International football referee. He owns and operates his own UK based broadcast production company X-Cel Broadcast Limited. Roberts was also the BBC commentator on West Indian cricketer Brian Lara's world record breaking innings of 501 not out. He now provides coach travel for Middlesbrough’s away matches. The early days Born in Middlesbrough, UK, Dave left school in 1980 to start as an electrician with ICI plc at its Wilton Works on Teesside. In 1981 he started working at BBC Radio Cleveland, now BBC Radio Tees in Middlesbrough. Ahead of moving to Teesside's commercial station, Radio Tees, now TFM Radio. There he was a programme assistant for DJ Graham Robb on the late night phone-in show and played a character called 'The Priesfield Pest'. The radio work progressed with on-air responsibilities For the Saturday sports programme, and at BBC Radio Cleveland, where a mid morning programme he presented about living with HIV & AIDS was submitted for UK national broadcasting awards. He began freelancing for Capital Gold Radio in London providing reports and commentaries on football games as well as ITV Sport. Roberts was also an electrician before moving into research within ICI's Research and Technology division as an Experimental Physicist – but left ICI in 1989 to focus on his broadcasting career. Radio career Local radio Roberts took up a broadcast journalist position with Radio Tees (renamed TFM) paired with his existing football commentary role covering Middlesbrough FC. This further expanded to presenting the Late Night Phone-In from 10 pm until 2 am. Roberts then left the newsroom to take on a role as Sponsorship & Promotions Manager for TFM's owners, Metro Radio Group, also retaining his late night presenters role. In 1993 he rejoined the BBC to cover Durham County Cricket Club for both radio and TV. At the same time he presented both the Late Night Phone-In and the Late Night Love Affair for Hallam FM in Sheffield. It was during his BBC cricket reporting that he