Roberts: “I feared for my family’s safety.”

Christian Roberts has told The Incider the REAL reason he didn’t celebrate his goal at Cardiff.

The Incider crew met up with Christian after the Luton game to present him with a special memento.

The Welsh striker showed what a good sport he is by accepting the framed photo of our classic Issue Six image showing him as Superman to hang on his wall.

Hundreds of fans in the Centenary Lounge cheered as The Incider’s Editor RedTop made the post-match presentation after being introduced by City’s matchday host Paul Cheesley.

Christian then revealed his maturity in an exclusive interview by telling how he had made the tough decision not to celebrate against his old club for his family’s safety.

He also told how he had spent extra time on the training pitch to rediscover his scoring touch.

Here’s the full interview – complete with Christian’s trademark “Y’know” catchphrase…

Christian accepts the framed Incider photo from RedTop

When you first came to the club and the goals weren’t going in you got a bit of criticism from some fans. How does that affect a player like yourself?

To be fair, y’know, I’d say that early on that, y’know, goals are important – very important – but I was never going to pressurize myself and, y’know, worry about the goals because I always thought that they’d come. Luckily enough I got a couple, y’know, in my game against Barnsley and then I’ve just moved on, y’know. I’ve gradually crept up and now I’m looking and, y’know, I’ve got 11 goals and I’m enjoying my football a bit more. Y’know as a centre-forward you are judged by goals but I always thought there was a little bit more to my game which, y’know, lets me get allowed a bit more time.

When the goals aren’t going in, what do you do on the training pitch to get over it?

You do go back to the training ground. Y’know, I’ve done a bit more finishing with Lee. Y’know, we all kept on practicing finishing but then I would just go back and just do a little bit more. It is important, y’know, so it was a matter of, y’know, working hard on the training ground and hopefully it will all come to you on the pitch. And luckily enough it’s been coming.

Do you work together in training as a partnership with Lee?

We’ve done some work with pairs but mostly, y’know, we are just trying to understand each other as players, y’know. I’ve been here now, y’know, since March, y’know, and I’ve played alongside a few different people, y’know. I’ve played with Lee Peacock, Lee Matthews, Peter, y’know, so it is a team effort. Then you’ve got to cut it down and work in groups. Y’know, your midfield working as a pair, your defence working as a unit.

Who do you feel more comfortable playing up front with?

To be honest, y’know, I’m comfortable playing, y’know, with anyone. I think me and Peter work well and I think me and Lee work well. Y’know I haven’t really had a chance to work with Lee Matthews in abundance, y’know, because he picked up a nasty injury, y’know, against QPR. I just like to get on and work with whoever, to be honest.

How’s the atmosphere in the dressing room at the moment?

It’s absolutely fantastic. Seventeen games unbeaten at the moment [after the Luton game]. I think that just speaks for itself. Y’know, all the lads are just, y’know, wanting to play. Y’know, you’ve got players who haven’t been playing at the moment like Peter Beadle, who can come on and score and who want to get in there, y’know. The atmosphere is fantastic and it’s just growing intensely because when you go on a run like we have, y’know, it’s hard not to enjoy it. People say it’s hard to enjoy it. Well, it’s hard not to enjoy it.

There’s inevitably going to come a time in the season when things start going wrong and things just aren’t happening. We’ve got a lot of youngsters in our team, so what will pull us through that period?

I think you’ve seen today, y’know. It wasn’t going in today, k’now. It wasn’t. And we just keep working and keep going because we honestly, honestly believe that the goals will come, y’know. And if you look we scored in the 94th minute again, y’know. That just proves to people that, y’know, we do mean business this year, y’know, and you say about youngsters but they said Man United wouldn’t win anything with youngsters and they just ripped the whole world apart. So why can’t we do it? Y’know, there are a lot of youngsters in the squad but there are also the select few with experience and I think that, y’know, when all combined together that’s what is pushing us this season.

And at the end of the season, where do you think we are going to finish?

I would honestly say in the top two, y’know, with our performances. Y’know, we go to Cardiff and we win, y’know. Okay, people say: ‘Well you drew with Luton.’ If you were to swap the results around – draw at Cardiff and beat Luton – you would accept it, y’know, so we’ve taken some vital points and we are just going to keep going.

Tell us about the Cardiff situation. There has been a lot made of the fact that you are a Cardiff boy and supported Cardiff. What do you make of the rivalry between the fans?

I always knew playing for Cardiff that Bristol against Cardiff was, y’know, a rival game. Y’know, it’s probably the closest team in England to Wales. When I signed for the club I was a bit wary what people would say or do to myself because I had a mate who signed for Swansea, and that’s just as bad. And he ended up getting beaten up a few times, y’know, so I was a bit sceptical. But, y’know, now the first game’s out the way, y’know, and I’m just delighted that we came out with the result and I’m just going to keep my head low and, y’know, I’m not going to get involved in it.

Was that one of your concerns when you didn’t celebrate your goal?

Y’know, I just decided at the start of the season. I knew the fixture was around. I was hoping to play in the fixture and I just decided if I did score I wasn’t going to celebrate. I really think that Bristol City fans will understand why I never celebrated. It’s not because I didn’t want to score, because I’m paid to score goals. It’s just that I thought, y’know, that for the safety of my family and things like that it’s really not worth it.

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