The next departure for 1. FC Bocholt: The captain leaves the regional league club for professional reasons after seven years with the club.

The squad planning at 1. FC Bocholt is going from strength to strength. After the first new arrivals, the club, which recently clinched a place in the Regionalliga West, announced the departure of a deserving player.

Tim Winking will leave the Bocholt club in the summer. The captain has played at the Hünting since the beginning of 2014, with a one-year break, and has been a permanent member of the squad for seven years. The 29-year-old has terminated his contract for professional reasons.

Winking had been part of both the promotion to the Landesliga and the jump to the Regionalliga last year. The central defender was an “identification figure for our fans”, president Ludger Triphaus stressed in a statement. “We are very sorry that he is leaving us. We will miss Tim a lot, both athletically and as a person. But of course we accept his decision and will not put any obstacles in his way.”

The Münster native currently has 248 competitive appearances for Bocholt. Should he also be on the pitch in the remaining two games of the season, he would bid farewell with an anniversary. “That will be very special for me then,” says the defender.

And continues: “I’ve had a great time here and got to know a lot of great people. The promotions, cup games at the Hünting, the non-relegation and many other events will always remain positive in my memory. It was an honour to play for FC for almost nine years and to represent the club as captain for six years.”

At which club Winking will continue his career is open. He is already Bocholt’s seventh departure. Coach Marcus John is also leaving at the end of the season. On the other hand, there are two new arrivals (see infobox).