COWDENBEATH assistant manager Mark Fotheringham has left the club to take up a coaching role in Germany.

The 35-year-old, who joined the Blue Brazil in 2017, has joined Bundesliga 2 outfit Ingolstadt on a deal until the end of the season.

Fotheringham, who leaves Central Park with Gary Bollan's team eighth in League Two, spent a year in Germany with SC Freiburg during his playing career, which also saw him play in Switzerland and Cyprus, as well as represent clubs such as Celtic, Dundee and Norwich City.

In a statement released last night (Wednesday), the club said: "Following discussions with assistant manager Mark Fotheringham yesterday, the club agreed to release him from his contract with Cowdenbeath FC with immediate effect so that Mark could return to Germany and take up a coaching position with Ingolstadt 04 in the Bundesliga 2. 

"Our thanks go to Mark for all the dedication and work he put in to his role at Central Park - we are sorry to see him go but wish him every success in his new role."

Fotheringham joins the coaching staff of an Ingolstadt side that are currently bottom of German football's second tier, seven points from safety.

The club, which won promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in its history as recently as 2015, parted company with head coach Jens Keller following a 2-1 loss to Sandhausen earlier this week.

The game against the team occupying 15th place - immediately above the play-off and drop zone - was their fifth successive loss, and prompted them to appoint Tomas Oral and Michael Henke, with Fotheringham joining them in Bavaria.