Arsenal Head Groundsman Reece Watson has revealed in a post on social media that he’s going to leave the club in February to start a new company.

Watson posted the update on Instagram, stating that after 13 years with Arsenal, he’s decided ‘to move on to the next chapter’. He confirmed that he’ll leave in February 2019, and made sure to thank the club for the ‘amazing opportunities’ they gave him. Check out the full post below:

View this post on Instagram

After 13 years at the club, I have decided to move on to the next chapter. I will leave my position in February to start a new and innovative company which will approach things differently and I'm confident will have a great impact on our industry. I would like to thank Arsenal FC for the amazing opportunities they have provided me, for which I will be forever grateful. I leave behind a fantastic team and indeed some of my closest friends, all of whom have had such a positive influence on my life. We will be celebrating at the Highbury Barn on the 8th February, so please join us. I’m very excited for what the future holds, watch this space … #arsenal #emiratesstadium #groundsman

A post shared by Reece Watson (@reecewatson85) on Nov 27, 2018 at 8:55am PST

It’s a shame to see any of the Arsenal grounds staff leaving the club because they consistently do such an excellent job. The surface at the Emirates Stadium is always just as pristine as it was at Highbury, and they clearly take great pride in keeping it that way.

Still, after working under Arsene Wenger for so many years, and reportedly building up a relationship with the old boss, perhaps Watson felt that this was the right time for him to move on.

Hopefully, Watson has already had the chance to pass his expertise onto the rest of the staff at Arsenal, and they can continue winning the Premier League’s Grounds Team of the Season award just as regularly in the future.