Ian Roper

Football player infobox
playername = Ian Roper


fullname = Ian Robert Roper
nickname =
height = height|ft=6|in=3
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1977|6|20
cityofbirth = Nuneaton
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Luton Town
clubnumber = 5
position = Defender
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1995–2008
2008–
clubs = Walsall
Luton Town
caps(goals) = 325 (7)
001 (0)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = 09:00, 21 August 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate =

Ian Robert Roper (born June 20, 1977 in Nuneaton, England) is an English footballer who plays for Luton Town. He made over 300 appearances in the Football League for Walsall between 1995 and 2008.

Career

Roper worked his way up through the Bescot Stadium ranks to sign professional forms in May 1995 and gave sterling service to the club over the years. Dominant in the air and strong in the challenge, he was a reliable figure who put in many solid and no-nonsense displays during his Saddlers career. He collected the 2002–03 Player of the Year award to add to the Young Player of the Year prize that he earned a couple of years earlier. He was an important member of the back-line who did well to get his Saddlers' career back on track after falling out of favour for a spell under former boss Ray Graydon, which saw him placed on the transfer list. He completed his resurgence by signing a new three-year deal at the end of the 2003–04 season,but suffered at the hands of suspension and injury for much of 2004–05. He returned to the side in early February 2005 and was soon back to his solid best with some commanding displays in the heart of the back-line.

Roper joined Luton Town in August 2008.cite news| url=http://www.lutontown.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10372~1360794,00.html|title=After the wait, here's the first eight!|date=August 7, 2008|publisher=Luton Town FC|accessdate=2008-08-08]

Honours

*League 2 (Level 4): 2007
*Division 2 (Level 3): Runner-up 1999, Playoffs 2001

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=6877|name=Ian Roper