Welling United Football Club was founded in 1963, with one youth team playing in a local park. With a rapid move to Saturday football home was a sports ground at nearby Butterfly Lane, Eltham, before taking their present ground at Park View Road, after the demise of Bexley United.

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, culminating in promotion to the Southern League Premier Division. In the fifth season in this division the Wings romped to the title by a record 23 points.

Welling found life in the Conference much more of a challenge during their fourteen-year spell in non-league’s top flight and silverware was limited to four Kent and London 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, including a third round tie when Welling were defeated 0-1 by Blackburn Rovers at a packed Park View Road.

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

After four years back in the Southern League Premier, Welling finished just high enough to qualify for the inaugural season of the newly formed Conference South. Initially, success was limited to decent runs in the FA Cup and the Trophy but in 2011/12 the Wings finished third in the league before losing the play-off final to Dartford. The following season the Wings won the league under Jamie Day by 4 points, having overcome a 10 point deficit and winning 12 consecutive league matches.

Relegation followed after 3 seasons in the Conference. 2018/19 saw Welling reach the play-off final which ended in defeat to Woking.

Howard Prosser took over the reins as chairman at Welling for the 2022/23 season. Welling looked doomed to relegation the following year but were saved by a remarkable turnaround following Rod Stringer’s appointment. Sadly, relegation followed the next season, ending Welling’s 40 year plus stay at step 2 or above in non-league football. A fourth Kent Senior Cup was some small consolation for a disappointing season.

The first season in the Isthmian League didn’t go to plan and when Ryan Maxwell was appointed manager in mid-November, Welling were well adrift at the bottom. Slowly, but surely, results improved and relegation was avoided by six points.


1	Carshalton	12	4
2	Enfield Town	9	4
3	Welling Utd	9	4
4	Chatham	9	4
5	Dartford FC	9	4
6	Aveley	7	4
7	Eastbourne Borough	7	4

Welling United

Match Outlook

Premier Division