Midfielder Olly Hotchkiss has left CW following Saturday’s FA Vase win against Campion FC to join Bishop Auckland FC. The influential midfielder had made the choice purely for footballing reasons.
Hotchkiss joined CW after spells in a Player/Manager role at both Durham and Washington FC. The latter making Olly question if he wanted to remain in football. A spell away from the game allowed Olly to work on his own fitness and when he returned to the pitch he was as sharp as ever with a desire to make his mark. He did just that when CW were drawn against former club Garforth Town in the FA Vase and then Washington FC in the League Cup where Hotchkiss was instrumental in both wins, scoring a hat-trick against Washington, putting any ghosts to bed.
It is a testament to his professionalism and desire to play one final match for the club and good friend and manager Gary Pearson, Olly made the trip down to Bradford to join his teammates as one final favour for the squad at the request of Gary due to limitations of squad availability. Originally happy to be a body on the bench, Olly was put in the starting 11 following a pull up in the warm up, putting on a fine show to assist the team with a 4 goal thriller whilst earning his 7th assist this season!
Olly had already agreed terms prior to the game on Friday night with Bishop and moves there for a new challenge and made his farewells in the dressing room following our win on Saturday as Gary made the announcement to the squad. Leaving Campion in tears, Olly describes his two and a half years at CW as brilliant and as he said his goodbyes to the management and committee, he leaves with the gate wide open for a return if he chooses as Joint Manager Gary Pearson reminds him, he is always welcome back to CW. Pearson has always spoken highly of Hotchkiss as they remain good friends off the pitch and hope to reunite again in the future.
All at the club would like to wish Olly all the best in his move to Bishop Auckland and thank him for his two and a half years service!
We spoke to Olly after the FA Vase match