Player Profile

Liverpool scout, Paco Herrera discovered Roque at Lleida in the Spanish second division. Roque later commented: "I don't mind where I play as long as I can play football which I love. I can play centre-half and central midfield and like both positions."  Roque's progress was rewarded when he was named amongst Liverpool's substitutes for their Champions League return to the Ataturk stadium in Istanbul against Galatasaray in December 2006. With only a few minutes remaining, Roque came on for Xabi Alonso. Roque had a brief spell with Oldham Athletic at the end of the 2006/07 season, after which he returned to Spain where, still on loan, he represented Xerex Club Deportivo and Cartagena. In the summer of 2009 Roque was released by Liverpool, along with three of his contemporaries, namely Ronald Huth, Godwin Antwi and Gary Mackay-Steven. Roque played for the reserve team in his first year at Real Betis and then moved up into the first-team squad for the 2010/11 season. In March 2011 came the sad news that Roque had been diagnosed with pelvic cancer and he had to suspend his playing career to concentrate on treatment. On 24 June 2012 Miki Roque lost his greatest battle of all at the tragically early age of twenty-three.