Bishop Auckland College’s football team is celebrating after winning the North East Colleges’ League.
A 3-1 victory over title rivals New College Durham in the last match of the season secured the championship for the first time in six seasons by six points, with the team having won all but one of their games.
The league also includes the Martin Gray Academy at Darlington College, Gateshead College, Darlington College, Wolsingham School and Community College, and Framwellgate School U18s.
The squad, which is coached by Iain Leckie, Andrew Dixon and Ben Trotter, will be presented with the league trophy at the annual staff v students charity match. This takes place at 6pm next Friday (May 19th) at Bishop Auckland FC’s Heritage Park Stadium, and is in aid of Cancer Research UK.
The staff team has won for the past three years, so a hotly contested match is expected. Tickets cost £2 and are available on the evening at the ground (under 10s are free). Entertainment includes sporting activities, a bouncy castle, face painter, half time penalty shoot-out with prizes, and a raffle with prizes including £100 in cash.
Top flight referee Nigel Miller from Esh Winning, who ran the line at the 2003 FA Cup final and has officiated at Premier League and Football League and cup matches for more than 20 years, will be returning to supervise the match alongside his team of professional match officials.
Andrew Dixon, sport lecturer and football coach at the college, said: “We are very proud of our football team, which won all but one of our matches this season – a magnificent achievement. The staff team will have to put on a strong performance to make it four wins in a row at next week’s charity match!”