Roberts rejected Championship football for Town (From This Is Swindon Town FC)

SWINDON TOWN: Roberts rejected Championship football for Town

6:00am Tuesday 19th June 2012 in nPower League 2 News By Andy Warren

WINGER Gary Roberts has revealed he rejected the lure of Championship football to become part of Paolo Di Canio’s push for promotion from League One.

The 28-year-old was released by Huddersfield following the Terriers’ play-off final victory over Sheffield United, but chose to sign a two-year deal with Swindon despite an offer from an unnamed Championship club.

The left-sided player was impressed by Di Canio’s vision for the club, and jumped at the chance to be involved in another promotion push instead of fighting for survival in the second tier.

“I didn’t want to sign for a team that’s going to be at the bottom of the Championship, which was an option for me,” he said.

“Personally I thought they might struggle near the bottom of the Championship and I don’t want to be in a team like that.

“I want to be in a team which is going to be challenging and playing good football, and everything I wanted on a personal point of view the manager wanted the same and he wanted it from me.

“It really just fell into the plan, the meeting we had, and that’s the reason why I’m here.

“The manager doesn’t want to mess around here, he wants to get another promotion and that’s what I want to do, so that was a big part of the decision why I’ve come here.”

With the exception of a spell at Ipswich, Roberts has spent the majority of his career in the north, having also turned out for Crewe and Accrington Stanley.

But the winger is in the process of moving his young family to Wiltshire, which he believes demonstrates how seriously he has taken the decision to join the Robins.

“I’ve got a young family to move down here so I’m not here to mess around and make numbers up,” he said.

“I’m here to have a good go and try to get the club promoted.

“I was at Ipswich for a couple of years a few years ago, but that was when I was on my own, now I’ve got a small family.

“It’s a big move to move your family halfway across the country and I haven’t taken it lightly.”