JASON ROBERTS has a real Royal Family.
The Reading striker, 34, is one of FOUR members of his clan to pick up an MBE.
His uncles — ex-West Brom and Coventry striker Cyrille Regis, former Olympic sprinter John Regis and unsung arts hero Ken Roberts — have all been granted an audience with the Queen.
And Jason is certainly getting the Royals’ seal of approval at the Madejski, having scored three goals in four starts since signing from Blackburn last month.
But while the spirited chatterbox is not known for being shy, he turned to Royal jelly at the Palace when Her Majesty honoured him for his work with the Jason Roberts Foundation, which helps young sportsmen and women.
He said: “I’ve been in so many pressure situations in my career. But I totally lost it for the first time in my life and was so nervous.
“Her Majesty knew much about me and asked about my career, my charity and how I played for Grenada.”
Roberts quit football in his late teens until his uncle Cyrille set up a trial for him at non-league Hayes.
And he admits having such an illustrious sporting family, which also included two other uncles in ex-Stoke striker David Regis and Grenada ace Otis Roberts, gave him a big advantage.
The Royals star has now played 487 games in a career spanning Torquay, Bristol City, Bristol Rovers, West Brom, Portsmouth, Wigan and Blackburn, firing 163 goals. Not to mention 22 caps for Grenada, his father’s homeland. He added: “One of the reasons I became a footballer was I had those people around me.
“I stopped playing, thinking it wouldn’t happen for me. But Cyrille got me that trial and the rest is history.”
Roberts started up his charity because he wanted to help others the way he was aided by his family.
He said: “They had this kid on TV who was involved in gangs. He revealed he turned things around after I visited his school while at West Brom and told him to listen to his teacher, do the right things and make good decisions.
“I thought ‘Wow, I’ve made a big impact’. So I set up the foundation and I make myself as accessible to kids as my uncles were to me.”
He is now after a quick return to the Prem with Reading, who were boosted this week by boss Brian McDermott snubbing Wolves and signing a new 3½-year deal.
Roberts said: “I always knew he’d stay, just from the kind of man he is and how people at the club view him. He has great respect from everyone.”
Roberts has recently become a presenter of radio call-in show 606.
He declared: “I find interacting with the fans therapeutic.”
