Page 10 - Raynes Park Vale v Welling Town (FA Vase)

T ODA Y ' S VISIT ORS
TODAY'S VISITORS
WELLING TOWN
Founded as recently as 2014,
Welling Town FC started out as a
Sunday side playing on a Coun-
cil pitch at Hall Place, Bexley in
the London and Kent Suburban
League. Achieving two promo-
tions in as many seasons, the club
then expanded to include a second competi-
Sunday side, with both playing in
the Woolwich and Eltham Sunday
Football Alliance.
Kent County Football League
The move to Saturday football was
inevitable and we were accepted in to
the Kent County Football League in
the summer of 2016 despite having
no past playing record in Saturday
regional football on the basis of our
good Sunday record, excellent con-
duct and professional set-up demon-
strating ambition and organisation
beyond many sides at that level.
First ever silverware
Our debut season in 2016/17 saw us
win promotion and the West Kent
Challenge Shield beating four teams
from higher divisions in the process –
our first ever silverware.
A rare treble
The 2017/18 season was extraordinary lengths in gaining entry just to make
– winning the Kent County Second
Division, as well as defending our
West Kent Challenge Shield. Howev-
other trophy and promotion. Gaining
er, the real
peak of
the season
was win-
ning the
Kent Jun-
ior Cup, a
tion with
over 160
entrants, ranking us as the top amateur
side in Kent. A rare treble had been
achieved, scoring over 130 goals in
the process, and losing just one match
in 53, over a 21 month period.
Success on the field
Meanwhile, our success on the field,
had been mirrored by an application
off the field to the FA to move in to the
semi-professional ranks for 2018/19.
After many months of paperwork,
calls and meetings, the agonising wait
was over, and we were approved for
membership of the Southern Counties
East Football League First Division,
Step 6 of the non-league pyramid, for
the new season ahead.
Pushing for another trophy
Not wanting to have gone to such
the numbers up, we were determined
to prove our worth and be up towards
the top of the table pushing for an-
the park, to semi-professional foot-
season and setting the early pace, we years, including numerous promo-
ball in stadiums, in a little over three
a huge points advantage early in the
were slowly clawed back as others
tions, title wins and cup victories
made up their games in hand, but a
strong run in the last two months of
the season ensured another historic
title win, lifting the Southern Coun-
ties East First Division title at the first
time of asking, and therefore pro-
motion to their Premier Division for
2019/20. As a result of our new found
level we were also drawn in the FA
Vase and FA Cup for the first time.
Losing at the first hurdle
During 2019/20 we made our debuts
in the FA Cup losing at the first hurdle
to AFC Uckfield, as well as the FA
Vase, where we faired better winning
four ties before being eliminated by
Chatham Town in a 1-0 away defeat
in the 3rd Round proper – in front of
nearly 300 people.
Covid-19 lockdown along the way, and we’re told moving
Our debut league season in the SCEFL from one to the other in such a short
Premier started well as we went on an period is unique, and now plays at it’s
8 game unbeaten run from Septem- highest ever level.
ber through November 2019, which Further expansion
including cup games, saw a significant In the last 36 months we have also
unbeaten run and a strong top 6 posi- branched out to include a reserve side,
tion, before a poorer run from De- an under 23s/academy side linked
cember until the Covid-19 lockdown with Charlton Athletic Community
ending the season prematurely, saw Trust, as well as a couple of youth
us finish in a highly commendable 9th teams, with further expansion planned
place above many established sides at for the future.
this level.
Highest ever level
The club has therefore progressed
from recreational Sunday football in