Andwélé Slory

Andwélé Slory
Born	(1982-09-27) September 27, 1982 Paramaribo, Suriname
Occupation	Professional footballer (retired)
Years active	2001–2011, 2015
Known for	Right winger for Feyenoord, Excelsior, and Netherlands national team

Andwélé Cedric Slory (born 27 September 1982) is a retired Dutch professional soccer player who operated primarily as a right winger.

Slory began his professional career with Stormvogels Telstar at the age of 18 before moving up to the Eredivisie by joining Excelsior. While at Excelsior, he emerged as the club's leading scorer with 12 goals, earned his first call-up to the Netherlands national football team, and secured a transfer to Feyenoord. Although early injuries hampered his start at Feyenoord, he established himself as a regular starter during the 2009–10 campaign. Subsequently, he continued his career in England, Bulgaria, and Australia prior to retiring. After stepping away for three years, Slory briefly returned to professional football with FC Dordrecht in 2015, retiring again after half a year.

He was capped twice by the Netherlands at the international level.

Early life

Born in Paramaribo, Suriname, Slory lived there until he was seven years old. His father had played as an attacking midfielder for Surinamese side S.V. Robinhood and represented the Suriname national football team. The family relocated to the Netherlands when his mother commenced her studies there.

Initially settling in Zaandam, North Holland, they soon moved to Heemskerk, where a family acquaintance introduced him to organized amateur football by enrolling him in his first local club.

Youth career

Slory started playing at local Heemskerk club ODIN '59 before progressing to Stormvogels, a regional team competing at the highest youth levels nationally. He drew attention from Dutch Eerste Divisie teams such as AZ and Telstar, ultimately choosing Telstar due to friendships he had formed there.

At 15 years old, he nearly departed Telstar but experienced significant growth following an evaluation by coach Toon Gerrits, who played a pivotal role in his development.

Early years (2000–2003)

Slory was included in Telstar’s senior squad during the 2000–01 season but did not feature in any matches. After Telstar merged with Stormvogels in 2001 to become Stormvogels Telstar, he made his professional debut on 18 August 2001 as a substitute in a 1–3 loss against Excelsior.

That season, he started once—in a home game versus HFC Haarlem which ended 0–1—and made nine appearances overall without scoring. His involvement decreased further the following season, appearing just twice for the first team in 2002–03.

Emergence (2003–2005)

Slory’s breakthrough occurred during the 2003–04 season. On 5 September 2003, after coming on in the 44th minute, he scored his first two professional goals in a 2–1 victory over Heracles Almelo. He went on to play in 35 league matches that season, tallying 12 goals.

In the subsequent season (2004–05), Slory cemented his position at Telstar by scoring 9 times across 31 league appearances. Pursuing higher-level opportunities aligned with his ambitions, he transferred to Excelsior Rotterdam on 21 February 2005 on a two-year deal. As part of this arrangement, Feyenoord secured first refusal rights on the player.

Surprise advancement (2005–2006)

During the 2005–06 campaign at Excelsior, Slory rapidly established himself as a regular starter. His first appearance came on 12 September 2005 against Cambuur Leeuwarden, and he netted his inaugural goal for the club a week later in a match versus FC Emmen.

Guided by coach Mario Been, Excelsior surpassed expectations by challenging for the Eerste Divisie crown. On 31 March 2006, they clinched the title and secured promotion to the Eredivisie after a decisive 3–1 triumph over VVV-Venlo. Slory played a pivotal role throughout the season, scoring 14 goals across 36 games, including the vital equalizer in the title-deciding fixture.

Struggle against relegation (2006–2007)

After their unexpected promotion, Excelsior entered the 2006–07 Eredivisie season as one of the prime candidates for relegation, hampered by the smallest budget in the league and limited experience at the top level. Nevertheless, winger Slory made an immediate impact by scoring five goals and assisting four times within the opening ten matches. He made his Eredivisie debut on 19 August 2006 against Roda JC and found the net for the first time in the division a week later against RKC Waalwijk.

His impressive performances drew attention from scouts both domestically and abroad. On 27 October 2006, Feyenoord activated their option to acquire him, and by December, Slory had agreed to a two-year deal commencing after the season’s conclusion.

Slory remained influential for Excelsior throughout the campaign, delivering important goals against Ajax (securing a 1–1 draw), Heracles Almelo (contributing to a 6–1 victory), and ADO Den Haag (scoring twice in a 2–2 stalemate), all teams also battling relegation. On the final day of the season, Slory’s skill forced AZ’s goalkeeper to be sent off, leading to a penalty that helped Excelsior achieve a 3–2 win—indirectly aiding PSV Eindhoven in capturing the Eredivisie title.

Excelsior ended up in 16th place, entering promotion/relegation playoffs. Slory scored two goals against BV Veendam and netted the decisive goal versus RBC Roosendaal, ensuring Excelsior’s survival in the Eredivisie for another year.

Challenging start (2007–2009)

Slory’s tenure with Feyenoord began in the 2007–08 season starting on 15 June 2007. Prior to his debut with Feyenoord, rival club Ajax attempted to sign him; however, newly appointed Feyenoord manager Bert van Marwijk declined to entertain their offer.

His first appearance came on 19 August 2007 during an Eredivisie match against FC Utrecht that ended in a 0–3 loss. Unfortunately, after just 17 minutes on the pitch, Slory collided with goalkeeper Franck Grandel, resulting in a fractured metatarsal that sidelined him for nearly eight weeks. While recovering, Feyenoord extended his contract on 4 October 2007 through summer 2010, with an option for an additional year.

Slory returned to action on 11 November 2007 in the Klassieker against Ajax (2–2), entering as a substitute in the 69th minute. Despite creating two significant scoring opportunities late in the game, he was unable to convert them. Following this match, Slory received a threatening letter at his residence and subsequently reported it to law enforcement authorities. He scored his first league goal for Feyenoord on 2 December 2007 during a commanding 6–0 win over Heracles Almelo.

Injuries coupled with personal challenges restricted Slory to just 17 appearances during his inaugural season at Feyenoord. The subsequent season (2008–09) proved similarly difficult; he missed preseason due to a hamstring injury and then sustained another muscle strain during the opening Eredivisie fixture that kept him out for six weeks. Ultimately, he featured in only 20 league matches that year and recorded one goal.

Final opportunity (2009–2010)

For the 2009–10 campaign, Feyenoord appointed former Excelsior manager Mario Been as head coach, providing a crucial last chance for Slory following two seasons hindered by injuries. Nevertheless, Slory's season commenced with controversy; on 17 July 2009, during pre-season training in Óbidos, Portugal, he became involved in an altercation with teammate Karim El Ahmadi. He issued an apology to both teammates and staff the next day.

Early in the season, Slory secured a regular spot in the starting lineup, netting four goals across thirteen appearances and surpassing expectations. Despite this promising form, disciplinary challenges continued. On 25 October 2009, he was substituted at halftime during a match against VVV-Venlo after an on-pitch dispute with midfielder Denny Landzaat. Subsequently, on 22 November, Slory was fined for signing autographs at a school while reportedly ill and absent from training sessions. With his contract approaching its end, these incidents led to him being made available for transfer during the winter period.

West Bromwich Albion (2010)

On 1 February 2010, Slory joined English Championship club West Bromwich Albion on a free transfer. He made his debut as a substitute in the 52nd minute of a 3–2 victory away at Blackpool on 3 February and featured at home for the first time in a 2–0 win against Scunthorpe United on 9 February. His initial start came on 16 February during a 1–1 draw with Cardiff City. Throughout the remainder of the 2009/10 season, Slory appeared in six league matches, primarily off the bench. On 5 May 2010, West Brom decided not to renew his short-term contract and released him.

Levski Sofia

After successfully completing medical examinations, Slory signed a two-year deal with Bulgarian outfit Levski Sofia on 30 August 2010. However, he struggled to become a consistent starter and eventually ended his contract prematurely.

Adelaide United

Slory joined A-League club Adelaide United on 20 December 2010 as a guest player under an agreement permitting up to ten appearances. He became eligible to play once the international transfer window opened in January and made his official debut on 2 February 2011. The club considered extending his contract beyond the 2010/11 season, and Slory indicated that he had agreed to remain through the 2011/12 campaign; however, this extension was never formally confirmed.

His stint concluded amid public tensions with manager Rini Coolen, who excluded him from the squad for Round 7 against Wellington Phoenix. Reports emerged suggesting Slory planned to retire from professional football due to this disagreement. Adelaide United officially announced his retirement on 22 November 2011. Slory cited diminished enthusiasm and dedication to football as reasons for stepping away and revealed intentions to return to the Netherlands to pursue business ventures.

Return to Netherlands

Upon returning home, Slory played for amateur sides BVV Barendrecht and VDL Maassluis while undertaking coaching qualifications. More than three years after his last professional appearance, he signed an eighteen-month contract with Eredivisie club FC Dordrecht in January 2015, having trained with them since August 2014. On 10 April, head coach Jan Everse relegated Slory to the reserve squad alongside Mart Lieder and Jordy van Deelen.

International career

Originally from Suriname, Slory had the option to represent either the Surinamese or Dutch national teams. He opted to play for the Netherlands, joining the ranks of other Surinamese-born Dutch internationals such as Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

Following impressive displays during the 2006–07 Eredivisie campaign with SBV Excelsior, Slory received a call-up from Netherlands manager Marco van Basten for a summer tour in Asia in 2007. He made two appearances: his debut took place on 2 June 2007 in a friendly match against South Korea in Seoul, which ended in a 0–2 defeat; during this game, he committed a foul that resulted in a penalty converted by Rafael van der Vaart. His second and final cap came on 6 June 2007 when the Netherlands secured a 3–1 victory over Thailand in Bangkok.

Personal life

His son, Jaden Slory, is a youth international for the Netherlands and currently plays for Feyenoord.

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season, and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Stormvogels Telstar	2000–01	Eerste Divisie	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2001–02	Eerste Divisie	9	0	0	0	—		9	0
	2002–03	Eerste Divisie	2	0	0	0	—		2	0
	2003–04	Eerste Divisie	35	12	0	0	—		35	12
	2004–05	Eerste Divisie	31	9	0	0	—		31	9
	Total		77	21	0	0	0	0	77	21
Excelsior	2005–06	Eerste Divisie	36	14	2	0	—		38	14
	2006–07	Eredivisie	29	12	1	1	—		30	13
	Total		65	26	3	1	0	0	68	27
Feyenoord	2007–08	Eredivisie	17	2	0	0	—		17	2
	2008–09	Eredivisie	20	1	0	0	1	0	21	1
	2009–10	Eredivisie	13	4	1	0	—		14	4
	Total		50	7	1	0	1	0	52	7
West Bromwich Albion	2009–10	Championship	6	0	0	0	—		6	0
PFC Levski Sofia	2010–11	A Group	5	0	0	0	—		5	0
Adelaide United	2010–11	A-League	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
FC Dordrecht	2014–15	Eredivisie	5	0	0	0	colspan="2"|—	5	0

International

Netherlands || 2007 || 2 || 0

National team	Year	Appearances	Goals
Total			2	0

Honours

Excelsior

• Eerste Divisie: Eerste Divisie 2005-06

Feyenoord

• KNVB Cup: KNVB Cup 2007-08

Trivia

• Despite Feyenoord securing the KNVB Cup 2007-08, Slory chose not to lift the trophy, as he did not participate in any minutes during the cup matches that season.

External links

• Voetbal International: Andwélé Slory
• Official profile of Andwélé Slory on Feyenoord.nl