Furman soccer standouts appear in Welsh series

Welsh TV station S4C airs a program, “Life Journey” (“Taith Bywyd”), which includes episodes featuring Furman University Men’s Soccer standouts from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Osian Roberts of Wales played for the Paladins from 1985 to 1988 under alumnus and Head Coach John Tart ’81 (business administration and economics) whose tenure included 10 Southern Conference championships from 1982 to 1995. In one clip of the show, Roberts describes his favorite pre-match meal while at Furman. In another clip, Roberts visits with his sister and receives a video message from Tart. Disclaimer: The clips make for good viewing, but the audio is in Welsh, except for Tart’s message. In a more manageable transcript appearing on S4C, Roberts reflects on the passing of his close friend Gary Speed in 2011.

Last month, Roberts was appointed caretaker manager for Serie B Como 1907, a soccer club based in Lombardy, Italy. He previously served as assistant manager at Crystal Palace and, before that, technical director of the Morocco national team. Tart, who also played for the Paladins (1977-1980), works for Lincoln Financial Services in Charlotte and coaches youth club soccer in the city. After leaving Furman in 1995, Tart served as head coach at UNC Charlotte until 2007.