It was a sad day among the Freezers' faithful today as midfielder Johan Nix was sold to fellow CSL club the Manitoba Moos for a $550,000 transfer fee. The 34 year old Nix has served as the team captain for FC Whitehorse for its first 3 seasons in the top flight. In that time, he scored 22 goals in 85 league matches while serving as the team's primary free kick specialist.
At the press conference announcing the decision, manager Raley Treffle spoke highly about his former captain. "Johan was a pro's pro" said Treffle. "He always worked incredibly hard in training, was a positive influence in the locker room, and really showed his talents on the pitch. We are certainly going to miss him here, and wish him the best for the Moos. It was a really difficult decision to move on, but we wanted to get younger in the middle, and felt we could grow a young group there together like we did in the back. That is the plan this year."
As for Nix himself, the newest member of the Manitoba Moos posted a note on Twitter thanking the team and the fans for his time in Whitehorse. "This city has been a wonderful home for me the past 3 years" Nix's post read. "Joining a team that is just starting out in this league was a new challenge for me. The coaching staff and my teammates made it into a fun challenge that I looked forward to being a part of every single day. And a huge thank you to our fans. Your support through these past 3 seasons was always immense, and my memories of playing at the Ice Box are so very positive. I was honoured to be your captain."
Nix will join former Freezers John Bryan and Fitz Patrick Scott in Western Manitoba.