French Ligue 1 side, FC Brest, has announced the passing of its manager, Eric Roy, who has died during a battle with pancreatic cancer.
The club management expressed sadness over the demise of Roy in an issued statement lauding his contributions to the club’s successes, citing his fairness and humanity.
”It is difficult to find the words to express all the sadness we feel following the passing of our coach, Eric Roy,” the circular released yesterday reads.
”The president, the management and the entire Stade Brestois 29 share the pain of his family, his wife, his two children as well as his loved ones,” it added.
The Gallic man’s family also wrote, ”Dad was deeply kind, tender, upright and honest. He knew how to encourage, to pass on knowledge, to push others to surpass themselves, to become the best version of themselves.
”He had that demanding nature, that fairenes and humanity.”
Roy, who had playing spells in Marseille, Lyon and English club, Sunderland, to mention few, fought the cancer in his pancreas for three years and a half years before succumbing to the disease.
He was also a sporting director at Watford in 2019 when the club were in the Premier League and thereafter joined Brest in January 2023, guiding them to UEFA Champions League qualification, their first ever campaign as well as winning the Ligue 1 manager of the Season award as well as the French Manager of the Year award.