 He played for Cleveland Juniors Football Club and attended Easington Comprehensive School with fellow academy footballer Adam Johnson.He was with the Sunderland and Middlesbrough football academies, joining the latter in 2003 as a scholar and was part of Boro's FA Youth Cup winning squad in 2004 as back-up to David Knight.Roberts began his senior career with Nottingham Forest after signing as a professional in 2005.