Welling United Official Website

Welling United Football Club were founded in 1963. An incredible journey in the early years has seen the club rise from an under-15 Sunday youth team to the heights of the Football Conference where the Wings remained for a remarkable 14 years. History has proved this to be one of the most astonishing journeys in the modern football era.

The Wings are now in their fourth season in the Nationwide Conference South, now named the Blue Square South, following that unbroken spell in the original Conference between 1986-2000. Originally formed in 1963 with just one youth team playing in local league football on a nearby park pitch, the club expanded it's youth system before embarking on a period of Saturday football in the London Spartan League. Membership of the Athenian League and Southern League (South) followed. For the first fifteen years Welling played on a sports ground at nearby Butterfly Lane, Eltham, before taking their present ground at Park View Road, after the demise of Bexley United who at the time were members of the Southern League.

After progressing from park football to senior football in a relatively short space of time, success was to continue with three promotions within five years. Initially winning the Spartan League and then after three more seasons in the Athenian League, progression and election to Southern League rounded off a marvellous period of success. This continued after just one more season when promotion to the Southern League Premier Division was secured after the league was re-organised. In the Fifth season in this division the Wings romped to the title by a record 23 points after an incredibly exciting season and were promptly promoted to the Conference.

Welling found life in the Conference much more of a challenge and although they were one of the most consistent sides during their fourteen year spell in non-league's top flight success in the Conference was limited to four County cup wins. Cup football produced many of the highlights during the late 80's and early 90's with six successive First Round FA cup appearances, and a Third Round appearance on one occasion at Park View Road, when Welling went out of the Cup by losing 0-1 to Blackburn Rovers.

The Wings dropped out of the top flight when they were relegated on the last day of the season in 1999/2000.

The club has become well known for the success of it's youth policy over the years, with no fewer than fourteen young players progressing to the professional football league. The most notable high profile players include Andy Townsend, who won dozens of caps for Eire, and who is currently fronting the football coverage for ITV. Another high profile ex-Wing is Liverpool's Steve Finnan, whose current credits include World Cup appearances and a famous victory in the UEFA Champions League final with Liverpool.

Season 2004-2005 was the second with former England World Cup player Paul Parker at the helm. The former Manchester United Premiership winner was one of the younger ambitious managers, and although little experience at non-league level guided Welling into the newly formed Conference South. The first season in the Conference South was proving to be a struggle, and with the Wings languishing near the bottom of the league for the first three months of the season Parker left the club by mutual consent.

Former Coventry and Republic of Ireland star, Liam Daish took charge of the team for four games before the permanent position was handed to former Norwich and Gillingham defender Adrian Pennock. Former Welling United midfield star Phil Handford joined Ade as Assistant Manager to complete an exciting young partnership.

Season 2005-06 was one where it was exciting to be following Welling again with notable success in the FA Cup where they lost in the First Round away to Huddersfield Town. The FA Trophy also proved rewarding where Welling drew Woking away and after a thrilling match narrowly missed out on a place in the Fourth Round when they let a 2 goal lead slip and finally went down 3-2. The Wings spent most of the season in the play-off places but a succession of draws, and a few defeats at the end of the campaign saw Welling finish the season in ninth place.

Last season saw Welling finish 8th and miss out on a playoff spot by four points. The Wings reached the Quarter Final of the FA Trophy, which had only been managed once before in the clubs history. Grays Athletic eventually knocked the Wings out with a 4-1 win at Park View Road. The final game of the season was the last for the management team of Adrian Pennock and Phil Handford who both departed. Adrian Pennock joined Stoke City whilst Phil Hanford went to Eastleigh.

During the last six years Welling have had four changes of manager in Bill Williams (ex Maidstone United), Paul Parker (ex Manchester United), Adrian Pennock (ex Gillingham), and now new Player Manager Neil Smith who took over in the summer of 2007. Neil was formerly with Gillingham and Reading, and spent fiver years at Woking, including a brief spell as caretaker manager last season. He brings with him the former Tottenham Hotspur defender Stuart Nethercott as his assistant.

In January 2008 Andy Ford was appointed the new manager of Welling United after Neil Smith and his assistant Stuart Nethercott departed Park View Road. Phil Handford joined Ford as the new assistant and the two kept the Wings in the Blue Square South division. In the summer of 2008, Handford left his position as assistant manager and former Sutton United boss Jimmy Dack was given the role.

Season 2008-2009 saw Welling United become a real force in the Blue Square South. Highlights of the season included a 1-0 defeat of AFC Wimbledon, ending the eventual champions 18 game unbeaten streak, a 4-0 win over promotion hopefuls Hampton & Richmond Borough and winning the Kent Senior Cup with a 6-1 defeat of Whitstable Town in the final. Summer signing Charlie Sheringham was the Wings top scorer, bagging 19 goals and helping his side finish 7th, the highest ever for the Kent side in this division.

Assistant Jimmy Dack departed in the summer of 2009, and thus Andy Ford had to appoint a new assistant. He eventually gave the position to Lee Protheroe.

Although Welling had a promising pre-season in 2009, it was a disappointing start to the 09-10 Blue Square South campaign, with the Wings lying in 18th position after 12 games. Andy Ford then resigned from his position as 1st Team Manager on Monday 12th October 2009, ending his reign as Wings Boss which had started in January 2008.