Eric Roy, the respected manager of French Ligue 1 side Brest and a former midfielder for Sunderland, has died at the age of 58. The club confirmed his passing on Wednesday evening, just a month after the conclusion of the French football season where Brest finished 11th.
Roy's death follows a private, three-and-a-half-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Throughout his career, he maintained a dignified silence about his illness, continuing his professional duties with dedication. His playing career saw him represent several French clubs, including Nice, Toulon, Lyon, and Marseille, before a stint in England during the 1999-2000 season with Sunderland in the Premier League.
After retiring as a player, Roy transitioned into various sporting director roles, including a brief period at Watford. He took the helm at Brest in January 2023, where he made an immediate and significant impact. He successfully guided the team away from relegation trouble, culminating in a remarkable third-place finish in the 2022-23 campaign, securing qualification for the Champions League play-off round. Under his leadership, Brest continued to perform strongly, achieving ninth and 11th-placed finishes in subsequent seasons.
Brest released an emotional statement via their official X account, expressing immense sadness. It read, in part: "It is difficult to find the words to express all the sadness we feel following the passing of our coach Eric Roy. The president, the management, and the entire Stade Brestois 29 share the pain of his family, his wife, his two children, as well as all his loved ones." The statement further praised Roy as an "inspiring person who brought so much to Stade Brestois" and credited him with helping to "write the most beautiful pages in the club’s history and enabled it to reach a historic level."
The club's tribute concluded by acknowledging the profound grief felt: "So many things could be said today, but above all, it is the emotion and grief of losing a loved one that overwhelm us. Eric, we will never forget everything you brought to the club, nor the man that you were. You will remain forever in our hearts and in the history of Stade Brestois 29." Roy's tenure at Brest saw him win 60 of his 143 matches in charge, leaving a lasting legacy at the club. He also worked as a pundit for broadcasters beIN Sports and France Televisions.
Source: Stade Brestois 29