Pune, Jan 20 (IANS): New I-League club Bharat FC Tuesday acquired the services of marquee player Romuald Boco for the 2014-15 season.

The 29-year-old joins Bharat FC from English League One side Chesterfield FC. Boco is a midfielder but prefers to play in advanced positions, having been mostly deployed as an attacking midfielder through a large part of his career.

Born in Bernay, France, Boco holds dual French-Beninese citizenship. He has collected 48 international caps for Benin, playing for them in the 2004 and 2010 African Cup of Nations and captaining the side in the 2008 edition.

He has also had a chequered club career, having played for a host of English sides. Boco began his career in France in the 2004-05 season playing for Chamois Niortais. In June 2005, he was transferred to Accrington Stanley FC where he spent three seasons, logging 73 appearances and scoring seven goals.

He then moved to Ireland, plying his trade for Sligo Rovers in the Irish Premier Division for two seasons, making 57 appearances and scoring eight goals. Further spells at Burton Rovers, a return to Sligo Rovers was followed by a season in the Chinese Super League where Boco turned out for Shanghai East Asia.

After his return from China, Boco played once again for Sligo Rovers moving on to Accrington Stanley, Plymouth Argyle and Chesterfield FC.

“I have observed (head coach) Stuart Watkiss’ work at a number of English clubs. People back in England say only good things about his managerial approach and I am very excited to be working with him. I have played earlier in Asia and I hope to transfer that experience here and help the team achieve some good results,” Boco said.

Bharat FC will play their first ever I-League fixture against Dempo SC Jan 24 at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Mahalunge-Balewadi.