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Bryan Roy
Bryan Roy
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Bryan Eduard Steven Roy (born 12 February 1970) is a Dutch football manager and a former professional player.

Key Information

As a player he was a winger and notably played for Ajax, Nottingham Forest and Hertha BSC. His spell at Forest culminated in three Premier League seasons with his debut year resulting in a 3rd-place finish and qualification for the following seasons UEFA Cup. He also played professionally for Foggia. He was capped 32 times by the Netherlands, scoring nine goals.

Following the end of his playing career, Roy moved into coaching and was appointed head coach of Ajax's youth teams – formerly Ajax E1. He was later appointed to a similar position with the Ajax B team in 2010, a position he remained in until 2015.

Club career

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Black and white portrait photograph of a 19-year old Bryan Roy in his Ajax jersey
Roy in 1989

Born in Amsterdam, Roy started his professional playing career in Ajax in 1987, winning the UEFA Cup in 1992. In November 1992, Roy was sold to the Italian club Foggia and replaced as left winger by Marc Overmars. During his time there, he represented his country at the 1994 World Cup, scoring once as the Netherlands reached the quarter-finals. After the World Cup, he moved to England after Nottingham Forest paid their record fee of £2.5million for his services.[2]

Roy's first season at the City Ground was a success, as he provided a strong partner for Stan Collymore.[3] He helped the newly promoted side finish an impressive third in the Premiership and qualify for the UEFA Cup – the first time Forest had achieved European qualification in the post-Heysel era. Collymore was sold to Liverpool in the summer of 1995, although Forest did reach the UEFA Cup quarter-finals. His first-team opportunities were limited by injury and disappointing form in 1996–97, and Roy decided that he had seen enough of England.[4][5][6]

After Forest's 1996–97 season ended in relegation from the Premiership, Roy moved to Germany in a £1.5 million switch to Hertha BSC. His 24 career goals for Forest stood as the Club's Premier League record until it was surpassed by Chris Wood on 7 December 2024.[7]

In 2000, he returned to his homeland and turned out for NAC Breda, where he remained until hanging up his boots in 2002.

Vink, Roy and Lindenbergh for "Ajax Legend" in HK7 soccer 2012

International career

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Roy picked up 32 international caps for the Netherlands national team, scoring nine goals. He played at the 1990 and 1994 FIFA World Cups and at UEFA Euro 1992. His only goal across these tournaments came in the first round of the 1994 World Cup, netting the late match-winner in a 2–1 victory over Morocco.[8]

Coaching career

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Roy worked as head coach of the AFC Ajax E-Youth before becoming head coach of Jong Ajax in the summer of 2010.[citation needed]

Controversies

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Roy began spreading numerous conspiracy theories through his Twitter-account, many concerning the pandemic.[9] In October 2020, Roy tweeted threats to journalist Chris Klomp, who has publicly criticised the spreading of COVID-19 conspiracy theories.[10]

In April 2021, Roy replied to a tweet about prime minister Mark Rutte, stating that Rutte would be shot through the head soon.[11] After this Roy was questioned by the police, to whom he declared that he believes Rutte should be executed, because of QAnon-conspiracy theories concerning him.[12] Because of his tweet, Roy was convicted of threatening the prime minister and sentenced to 80 hours of community service under two years' probation. Should Roy not fulfill his community service, he would have to serve 40 days in prison. In case Roy violated the terms of his probation, he would have to serve an additional prison sentence of four weeks.[13][14] After Roy failed to fulfill his community service, he was arrested to serve 40 days in prison.[15]

Career statistics

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No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 29 June 1994 Citrus Bowl, Orlando, United States  Morocco 2–1 2–1 1994 FIFA World Cup

Honours

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Bryan Steven Roy (born 12 1970) is a Dutch football manager and former professional player who primarily operated as a winger. Roy began his professional career with Ajax in 1987, appearing in 126 matches and scoring 17 goals while contributing to the club's successes, including the 1992 UEFA Cup victory and a Dutch championship. He later transferred to in in 1992, followed by stints with Hertha Berlin in Germany and Nottingham Forest in England from 1994 to 1997, where he recorded 24 goals in 85 appearances. Internationally, Roy earned 32 caps for the national team between 1989 and 1995, netting nine goals, and featured in the and 1994 FIFA World Cups as well as UEFA Euro 1992.

Early life

Family background and upbringing

Bryan Roy was born on 12 February 1970 in , . His parents were of Surinamese origin, with his father immigrating to the at the age of 14. Roy was raised in the Osdorp neighborhood of -West, an area with a diverse population during his childhood. He has described playing football alongside white children in this environment, reflecting the multicultural dynamics of his upbringing in post-war immigrant communities. This early exposure to street football in 's urban setting laid the foundation for his development as a player, though specific details on family or siblings remain undocumented in available sources.

Youth career in football

Bryan Roy commenced his youth football career at local clubs Vlug & Vaardig and Blauw-Wit, amateur teams that served as initial development grounds for aspiring players in the city. He later progressed to Blauw-Wit , recognized as a talent breeding ground, before being scouted and integrated into the . There, Roy developed his technical abilities and pace as a left winger, rising through the ranks in a system renowned for producing technically proficient players. At Ajax, Roy's rapid advancement culminated in his senior debut on 18 October against , where he entered as a substitute in a 2–1 victory, at the age of 17. His first starting appearance followed on 1 November in a 3–1 win over , marking the transition from youth prospect to first-team contributor. This early breakthrough underscored the effectiveness of Ajax's youth development pathway, though specific youth team statistics or milestones prior to remain sparsely documented in available records.

Club career

Ajax Amsterdam (1987–1992)

Bryan Roy made his professional debut for Ajax Amsterdam on 6 September 1987, in a 6–1 victory over . Born on 12 February 1970, he was 17 years and 206 days old at the time, marking him as one of the youngest players to feature for the club in the top flight. That year, Roy received the Talent of the Year award, recognizing his early promise as a left winger. Over five seasons from 1987 to 1992, Roy appeared in 140 matches for Ajax, scoring 19 goals and providing 6 assists. He also featured in 20 European competitions games, netting 2 goals, and 15 Dutch Cup ties with 3 goals. His development occurred under coaches including , who took over in 1985 and instilled a possession-based style that suited Roy's technical skills and pace on the flank. Ajax secured the Eredivisie title in the 1989–90 season during Roy's tenure, finishing seven points ahead of . The highlight came in 1991–92 with victory in the UEFA Cup, defeating Torino 2–2 away and 3–0 at home in the final for a 5–2 aggregate win; Roy contributed to the campaign with appearances across the knockout stages. In November 1992, shortly after this triumph, Roy departed for in , ending his Ajax spell with a club-record youth product transfer.

Foggia and transitional clubs (1992–1993)

In November 1992, Roy transferred from Ajax to in Italy's for an undisclosed fee. The move came midway through the 1992–93 season, with Roy joining a side managed by , who employed an attacking 4–3–3 formation emphasizing high pressing and width from wingers. Roy primarily featured on the left wing, adapting to the physical and tactical demands of Italian football after his development in the . During the 1992–93 Serie A campaign, Roy recorded 20 appearances for , accumulating 1,396 minutes of playing time and scoring 3 goals. His goals came in a 1–1 home draw against on 22 November 1992, a 2–2 draw at on 18 April 1993, and a 3–1 home win over Internazionale on 23 May 1993. concluded the season in 12th place with a 10–12–12 record, securing mid-table stability but without European qualification. This stint marked Roy's initial foray abroad, bridging his Ajax tenure and subsequent moves, though no additional club affiliations occurred within the 1992–93 timeframe.

Nottingham Forest (1993–1996)

Bryan Roy transferred to Nottingham Forest from Foggia in July 1994 for a club-record fee reported between £2.5 million and £2.9 million, becoming the Reds' most expensive signing at the time. Manager Frank Clark, fresh from Forest's promotion to the Premier League, repositioned the Dutch winger centrally in attack rather than on his accustomed left flank, pairing him effectively with striker Stan Collymore. Roy made his league debut on August 20, 1994, scoring the only goal in a 1–0 away victory over Ipswich Town. In the 1994–95 Premier League season, Roy contributed significantly to 's surprise third-place finish, their highest in the competition to date, which secured qualification for the —the club's first European campaign in five years. His partnership with Collymore yielded a combined 44 league goals, with Roy providing pace, technical skill, and key assists from midfield. Over three seasons with Forest through 1996, Roy amassed 24 goals and 15 assists in 85 appearances, establishing himself as the club's all-time leading scorer in the competition. The 1995–96 season saw finish ninth in the while competing in , where Roy featured in six Cup matches, scoring once. He also netted in the , including a goal in six appearances as Forest reached the fifth round. Despite the domestic and continental demands, Roy maintained consistent output, logging 28 league appearances with eight goals that campaign. His tenure through highlighted adaptability to English football's physicality, though Forest's form dipped amid managerial transitions following Clark's departure in .

Hertha BSC and career end (1996–1999)

In July 1997, after Nottingham Forest's relegation from the , Roy transferred to for a fee reported as £1.5 million. , newly promoted to the for the 1997–98 season, featured Roy primarily as a right winger, where he recorded 3 goals and 3 assists across 58 total appearances in all competitions during his tenure through 1999. In play specifically for the 1997–98 and 1998–99 campaigns, he made 50 appearances and scored 3 goals. Roy's output at Hertha marked a sharp decline from his prolific spell at , with limited starts and minimal influence on matches, described in retrospective accounts as a disappointing period in . This underwhelming performance, amid Hertha's mid-table finishes (12th in 1997–98 and 7th in 1998–99), highlighted challenges in adapting to the league's physical demands and tactical setup, effectively curtailing his elite-level prominence by the close of the decade.

International career

Senior national team appearances

Bryan Roy earned 32 caps for the senior national team, scoring 9 goals between his debut in 1989 and his final appearance in 1995. His debut came on 6 September 1989 in a 2–2 friendly draw against at the Olympisch Stadion in . Roy's last cap was on 29 March 1995, substituting in a 4–0 victory over in . The majority of his appearances occurred in friendlies and qualifiers, with Roy starting 28 matches and entering as a substitute in 4, accumulating approximately 2,500 minutes on the pitch. He received one yellow card and no red cards during his international tenure.
CompetitionAppearancesGoals
Friendlies125
qualifiers83
qualifiers30
UEFA Euro40
51
Total329
Roy scored his goals against a variety of opponents, including multiple strikes in friendlies against and , and his sole goal in a 2–1 group stage win over on 29 June 1994.

Key tournaments and contributions

Bryan Roy was included in the Netherlands squad for the in , but did not make any appearances during the tournament, in which the team advanced to the round of 16 before elimination by . At in , Roy featured in all three group stage matches for the , starting each and playing the full 90 minutes against (1–0 win on June 12), the (0–0 draw on June 15), and (1–3 loss on June 18). Despite his involvement, the failed to progress from the group stage, finishing second behind with four points. Roy recorded no goals or assists in the competition. Roy's most notable international contributions came at the in the United States, where he appeared in all five matches for the , who reached the quarter-finals. He scored his sole goal in a 2–1 group stage victory over on June 29 in Orlando, netting the winner in the 77th minute after entering as a substitute; had opened the scoring earlier, with Morocco equalizing before Roy's finish secured the result and helped top Group F. Roy also substituted in the 2–1 win over (June 20), started the 1–0 loss to (June 25), played briefly in the 2–0 round-of-16 win against (July 4), and featured for 36 minutes in the 2–3 quarter-final defeat to (July 9). His goal against Morocco proved pivotal in advancing the team, though sources vary slightly on total goals attributed to him in the tournament (one confirmed via records).

Playing style and legacy

Technical attributes and strengths

Bryan Roy, primarily deployed as a right winger, was renowned for his exceptional pace, which enabled him to outrun defenders and deliver direct, penetrating runs along the flanks during his time at Ajax and . His speed was complemented by strong balance, allowing him to maintain control under pressure and execute quick changes of direction. Technically proficient, Roy demonstrated adept ball control and dribbling skills, frequently beating opponents one-on-one through skillful maneuvers rather than relying solely on athleticism. This technical ability extended to precise crossing and finishing, as evidenced by his 11 goals in during the 1993–94 season with , where he operated effectively from wide positions. His flair for audacious shots, including curling efforts from distance, added unpredictability to his contributions, making him a versatile threat capable of both creating and converting chances.

Criticisms, injuries, and unfulfilled potential

Roy's tenure at Nottingham Forest was marked by persistent injuries that restricted his contributions despite initial promise. In the 1994–95 season, he endured a spell of injuries alongside striker , which Roy later attributed as a factor that might have kept Forest from mounting a serious title challenge, stating, "you had a spell of injuries and I had a spell of injuries and, maybe if that hadn’t happened, we might have come close." The 1996–97 campaign exacerbated these issues, with injuries limiting his first-team appearances to a mere handful amid Forest's ultimately unsuccessful fight against relegation from the ; he managed only sporadic outings following an eight-goal haul the prior season. These setbacks, compounded by patches of disappointing form, prompted Roy to depart England for that summer, effectively curtailing his Premier League trajectory at age 26. Such injury proneness is frequently invoked as the primary barrier to Roy realizing his potential as an elite winger, given his technical flair evident in 41 appearances for Ajax (10 goals) and 22 outings for (4 goals) prior to . His international career similarly reflected unfulfilled promise, yielding just 9 caps for the between 1992 and 1995 despite national team selection amid a talented cohort. No prominent public criticisms of his work ethic or attitude emerged from contemporaries, though the physical toll of his pace-driven style likely amplified vulnerability to recurrent soft-tissue problems.

Post-playing career

Coaching roles at Ajax

After retiring from professional football, Roy joined AFC Ajax's youth academy as a coach, initially heading the E-Youth team (under-12 level), where he focused on foundational skill development for the club's youngest prospects. This role marked the start of his approximately 13-year tenure in Ajax's renowned , emphasizing technical training aligned with the club's philosophy. In July 2010, Roy advanced to of Jong Ajax, the in the Dutch , succeeding the previous manager and overseeing a squad blending academy graduates with fringe first-team players; he held the position until December 31, 2010, during which Jong Ajax recorded mixed results in competitive fixtures. Following his stint with the reserves, Roy served as an individual technical coach for Ajax from the 2009/10 season through the 2015/16 season (ending December 15, 2015), providing specialized one-on-one guidance to high-potential talents on , positioning, and tactical awareness—skills drawn from his own playing experience as a versatile winger. His contributions supported Ajax's pipeline of producing first-team contributors, though he did not oversee any major trophy wins at the youth levels. Roy departed the academy around 2016 to explore business opportunities outside coaching.

Business ventures and financial setbacks

After retiring from professional football, Bryan Roy ventured into entrepreneurship by founding 3D-Stars, a company based in Uithoorn, , focused on producing and selling lifelike 3D figurines of renowned football players. The enterprise secured licensing rights from at least 16 football clubs to create these collectible dolls, with ambitions to expand across . Roy partnered with Dutch television presenter Nada van Nie in the operation, which marketed the products as high-quality, detailed replicas aimed at fans. Despite initial plans for global conquest through innovative football-themed merchandise, 3D-Stars struggled with low sales, as consumers showed limited interest in the figurines. The company's inventory, including items featuring players like , was liquidated at drastically reduced prices—such as one euro per unit—indicating severe financial distress. On December 1, 2006, the District Court declared 3D-Stars bankrupt, marking a significant financial setback for Roy amid a series of unsuccessful investments post-retirement. This failure contributed to broader personal financial difficulties, though Roy has not publicly detailed subsequent ventures or recovery efforts in verified reports.

2021 threat against

In April 2021, former Dutch international footballer Bryan Roy posted a threatening message on targeting then-caretaker . On April 3, Roy replied to a tweet urging Rutte's resignation by stating that Rutte would "soon get a headshot," implying an intent to shoot him. The post was reported to police, prompting an investigation by the Dutch into the threat as a potential to . Roy's statement stemmed from his personal beliefs regarding the , where he accused Rutte of and claimed the was part of a group using the to reduce global population. He later argued in documents that Rutte "really needs to be executed" for these alleged crimes, framing the tweet as an expression of frustration rather than a literal threat. On September 30, 2021, the district in convicted Roy of threatening a public official via . He received a sentence of 80 hours of and a one-month term suspended for two years, with the emphasizing the severity of threats against democratic leaders amid heightened political tensions. Roy did not attend the hearing and has not publicly appealed the verdict.

2022 community service violations and aftermath

In April 2022, Bryan Roy was taken into custody by police after failing to complete his 80-hour sentence, which had been imposed in September 2021 for threatening Prime Minister via . Roy had publicly stated his intention not to perform the service, citing disagreement with the original conviction. On May 3, 2022, a Dutch court converted the unfulfilled into a 40-day term, which Roy began serving immediately following his . The ruling stemmed from Roy's deliberate non-compliance, as confirmed by probation authorities who reported zero hours completed despite multiple opportunities and reminders. Roy completed the 40-day sentence by early June 2022, after which no additional legal proceedings related to this matter were reported in contemporaneous coverage. The incident drew attention to Roy's ongoing public criticisms of government policies, though court documents emphasized the violation as a straightforward breach of probation terms rather than ideological grounds.

Career statistics and honours

Club and international statistics

Bryan Roy's professional club career, spanning 1989 to 2001, yielded 336 appearances and 75 goals across domestic leagues, cups, and European competitions.
ClubYearsCompetition(s)AppearancesGoals
Ajax Amsterdam1989–1992, , 17524
Foggia1992–19945015
Nottingham Forest1994–1997, , 9927
Hertha BSC1997–2001, 543
Additional league appearances included 14 matches and 2 goals for in the 2000–2001 season. In the specifically, Roy recorded 84 appearances and 24 goals for Nottingham Forest. Roy earned 32 caps for the Netherlands national team from 1989 to 1995, during which he scored 9 goals.
CompetitionAppearancesGoals
51
40
World Cup Qualifiers30
European Qualifiers83
Friendlies125
His international debut occurred on 6 September 1989 against in a 2–2 friendly draw, and his final appearance was on 29 March 1995 versus in a 4–0 qualifier win. Roy featured in the , starting in group stage matches against and before appearing as a substitute against (where he scored) in the round of 16, and in subsequent knockout games against and . He also participated in the 1992 UEFA , making four appearances as the reached the semi-finals.

Individual and team honours

Bryan Roy secured one league title and one European trophy with Ajax Amsterdam. He contributed to the club's victory in the 1989–90 season, appearing in 25 league matches and scoring 7 goals during that campaign. Additionally, Roy featured in Ajax's triumph in the 1991–92 season, playing 9 matches across the competition as the team defeated Torino on away goals in the final. No further major team honours were achieved with subsequent clubs, including Nottingham Forest, where his tenure from 1994 to 1997 yielded mid-table finishes without silverware. On an individual level, Roy was recognised as the most talented player of the year by the Amsterdam press in 1989, early in his professional breakthrough at Ajax. This award highlighted his emerging pace and skill as a winger, though no additional personal accolades, such as top scorer or player of the season honours, were recorded across his career.

References

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