Welling United FC - Dare To Dream

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This story starts in 2014, Welling United have been relegated to Skrill South.





After a frankly disappointing one year stint with Dundee United, Thompson resigned with immediate effect. Dundee United finished the season in 6th place and knocked out of the Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup in rounds 3 and 4 respectively both by lower league teams Morton F.C and Raith Rovers. There were positives for Thompson and he found himself winning manager of the month in October of 2013.

Amazingly, despite a poor showing in the Scottish premier division – Thompson found himself with offers from Sunderland F.C, Stoke City and Nottingham Forest, to name a few. However, it was Semi-professional team Welling United that caught the young Scottish managers eye. Thompson has been quoted as “Looking for a long-term project” and there is no longer term project than managing a team that has just been relegated to Skrill South. It is also been reported that Paul Thompson is taking a major wage-cut going from around £4000 a week to a merely £200. Moreover, it is estimated that the transfer budget for the wings is £0 and the remaining wage is sitting lowly at £6000.

Thompson has had little to show for himself in the one year of managing, maybe he could be the one to bring glory to the London side and get them out of the lowest division in England.

bbc SPORT : A Look at Welling United's History



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.

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.

At the start of the 2010-11 season, the Wings were rocked by the news of a winding up order by HRMC on the 12th August. Given 14 weeks to pay the outstanding debt the Wings’ fans showed their devotion to the club raising almost all the £60,000 needed to avoid the club going bust. Despite this they were still deducted five points by the Conference and were handed a transfer embargo lasting until March 2011.

Against all the odds, Jamie Day’s side were in the playoffs positions for the majority of the season playing wonderful attacking football. A fantastic run of results against the Wings’ main rivals looked to have secured their place in the top five but fatigue eventually caught up on the small squad and dropped points at the end of the season proved costly as the Wings missed out on the playoffs by one point. They still finished sixth, their highest position in the Conference South ever and their highest league position for ten years.



2011/12 saw the Wings climb to their highest league position for 26 years finishing third in the table thanks to the early season goals from Andy Pugh and fantastic all round performances by Loui Fazakerley, Jack Obersteller, Loick Pires and captain Jack Parkinson. After reaching the playoff final with a 2-1 aggregate win over Sutton United, the Wings were defeated by their arch rivals Dartford by a score of 1-0 at Princes Park meaning another year in the Conference South.

A few Seasons ago saw Welling United finally regain their place in the Conference Premier after Jamie Day’s team set a new Conference South league record of 12 consecutive wins and overcame a 10 point deficit by runaway leaders Salisbury City to win the league away at Boreham Wood on 20th April 2013.



This sadly only lasted one season and in 2014 Welling were relegated back to Skrill South. Paul Thompson could write the latest chapter in The Wings history.

WELLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great updates, shame they got relegated

2014-03-21 06:52#165587 AlexTHFC : WELLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great updates, shame they got relegated

Let's hope I can turn that around

Relegation Aftermath



Relegation. Even hearing the word sends shivers down even the most hardened of football fans. It is a word that crushes dreams, drives managers to insanity, and it is a long way back.

The aftermath of relegation stretches much further than a drop into the lower divisions – a wilderness in itself where you either make it back or spend a long time in the coldness, praying to return to the warmth of a higher division. It ruins clubs, yes it’s that simple. The financial loss is enough to make the chairman take notice, players have to take wage-drops or pack their bags (many choose the latter), and staff cuts.

Paul Thompson is facing this very crisis right now and it seems like dark days have already shrouded the club before Thompson has kicked a single ball in training. Several key players have opted out of signing new contracts, hoping to find their way into more successful clubs – leaving on free transfers. Thompson did however manage to salvage a tiny profit of £800 by selling Toby Ajala to Gateshead just days before his contract ran out. With plenty of out of contract players in the footballing world, Paul should be able to pick a few to replace the recently departed. This does not appear to be the case. The sad truth about football is even the most desperate out of contract players aren’t willing to play for a club in England’s lowest professional league. “I’m not interested in opening talks with you” is a phrase Thompson will have ringing in his ears as he has managed to sign no player as of yet.

However, good news is also here as Thompson has brought in coach Martin O’Connor to join his ranks. Martin will be seen to many as an ‘unknown’ figure – but this staff signing seems to be a bit of gold dust for the club as his reputation of being a fantastic attacking coach is well documented.



With the club only apparently keen to hold onto two staff members at one time, Thompson has been forced to sack Goalkeeping coach Stacey Beckham whom agreed a mutual termination of his contract last week for a sum of 2.5k.



Above : Martin O'Connor