Former Barnsley Man Makes Championship Switch
Millwall have announced the capture of former Barnsley keeper Liam Roberts on a free transfer.
The 29-year-old was most recently with Middlesbrough, departing at the end of last season. However, he spent last season on loan at Oakwell in League One, appearing 40 times as they narrowly missed out on the play-offs.
“I think it’s the right move for me because it’s such a massive club,” Roberts told Millwall’s website.
“I spoke to Duncan Watmore [who played with Roberts during the 2022-23 season at Middlesbrough] before coming in and he said, ‘You’ll love it. As soon as you walk through the door you’ll get that feeling of family and that feeling of the lads wanting it together.’
“He wasn’t wrong at all.”
Roberts is likely to have signed as an understudy to another new keeper at the Den, Lukas Jensen, who joined from Lincoln City for a fee believed to be in the region of £500,000 a couple of weeks ago.
Roberts spent nine seasons with Walsall, making more than 150 appearances after no fewer than nine loan spells across the non-league scene. He departed the Bescot for Northampton in 2021/22, a season in which the Cobblers won promotion. He kept 20 clean sheets and was named the EFL Golden Glove winner, Northampton’s Player of the Year, and in the
PFA Team of the Year.
He left the club for Boro on the completion of his contract, but started just four Championship games, the last of which came in September 2022 against Cardiff City.
Both keepers will have huge shoes to fill, with popular Matij Sarkic passing away in the summer. An emotional tribute to their former keeper is planned for their opening fixture at home, which promises to be a touching event.
Site Opinion
It was widely believed Jensen would be the club’s number one, but Roberts won’t be happy sitting on the bench.
The big Dane is likely to start as the main stopper, but he’s going to have a huge amount of pressure being applied by Roberts, who is now experienced and in his prime. 29 is no age for a keeper, and he’ll be likely to take a chance in cup competitions.
It bodes well for Millwall to have two experienced and highly-rated stoppers fighting for that cherished place between the sticks.
