'Magnificent' Hotchkiss praised by Easington Colliery committee after impressive season

The Easington Colliery committee have praised the ‘magnificent work’ of manager Olly Hotchkiss after he led the club to their highest ever league finish this season.

The Colliers enjoyed an overwhelmingly positive first year in Northern League Division One last time out as they secured a thirteenth place finish and lifted the Brooks Mileson Memorial League Cup with a final win against Shildon. The momentum from that remarkable performance continued into the current campaign as Hotchkiss’ side flirted with a play-off push at times during the season before having to settle for a ninth placed finish.

Far from being viewed as a negative, that marks a high points in the Colliers history and has earned Hotchkiss and his coaching staff major praise from the Welfare Park committee.

In a statement released via the club’s social media outlets, the Colliers said: “The 2025/26 season came to an end with a 2-1 victory against Marske United. We have finished in ninth in Northern League Division One, and that is the highest this football club has finished in the football pyramid in its history.

“Massive credit must go to Olly and his team of Alan, Dom, Marc, Amber and Kyle for their magnificent work in helping achieve this feat. Days like Good Friday when we scored a last minute winner against Horden CW in front of a crowd of 770 make everyone’s efforts behind the scenes worthwhile, and all of those efforts have contributed to finishing as high as we have.”

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