Ben James Roberts (born 22 June 1975) is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Since being forced into early retirement in 2005 at the age of 29 through injury, he has become a goalkeeping coach. He is currently employed in this capacity at Chelsea. Early Career at Middlesbrough Roberts began his career at Middlesbrough F.C. on the Youth Training Scheme in 1991, aged 16, and quickly graduated through the ranks, making his first team debut aged 19 in the Anglo Italia Cup in Ancona. Loan spells at Hartlepool United in 1994, Wycombe Wanderers during the 1994/1995 season and Bradford City in 1996 preceded his Premier League debut against Sheffield Wednesday in February 1997. Also in 1997, Roberts made one appearance for England at under-21 level. After an injury to Mark Schwarzer, Roberts finished the ill-fated 1996/97 season as Middlesbrough's first-choice goalkeeper, notably playing in the 1997 FA Cup Final, League Cup final replay and the club's remaining Premier League games (Schwarzer was cup-tied for the FA Cup run anyway). He is remembered among Middlesbrough supporters for conceding a goal after only 43 seconds by Roberto Di Matteo of Chelsea in the FA Cup Final. Roberts' remaining time with Middlesbrough saw him struggle with fitness and injuries, and between back operations he spent time on loan at Millwall and Luton Town in 1999 and 2000. He helped Millwall reach the 1999 Football League Trophy Final, where they lost to Wigan Athletic. Later career Roberts transferred to Charlton Athletic in the summer of 2000. While with Charlton, he had further loan spells at Reading, Luton and Brighton & Hove Albion, before making a permanent move to Brighton in 2003. His only appearance for Charlton had come on the last day of the 2002/2003 season, Roberts playing as a substitute against Fulham after Dean Kiely was sent off. Roberts contributed to Brighton's promotion-winning season in 2003–04, making 35 appearances as first-choice goalkeeper, the season culminating in victory in the 2004 Second Division play-off final at the Millennium Stadium against Bristol City. However, in 2005, a recurrent back injury forced him to retire from playing at the age of 29. After retirement After retiring, Roberts went to university, graduating from Roehampton University with a first class honours degree in sports science and coaching, and won the Adidas 'Pursuit of Excellence' award for his dissertation, which was entitled 'A Biomechanical Analysis