As the 2024/25 season nears its end, Welling United Football Club are able to share the below update from the club’s owner, Howard Prosser, who addresses a number of topics, including:

• The search for a new Manager
• Undergoing the process to install an artificial pitch at Park View Road
• The club’s financial footing and additional support from an investor 
• Stadium redevelopment plans

Dear Wings fans,

As the 2024/25 season winds down to a dramatic and tense conclusion, there’s no denying we have had some below par results over the season which leaves our club in the relegation zone with eight games to go.

I understand the frustrations felt by our fans and as Chairman, together with the Board, we also feel this too. Together we will fight for survival until the very last game of this disappointing season.

Survival as a football club in the National League South, and any other league for that matter, isn’t just about playing and winning games. The success, survival and long-term sustainability of any club is achieved both on and off the pitch and this, for our club, only started properly at the beginning of 2024/25 and has remained our goal throughout the season – this is not achievable over 46 games.

When this new Operational Board was being formed, Matt Mein and I wanted to attract a broad selection of talented and committed individuals who all brought a different skillset we lacked – we now have in place people with backgrounds in law, finance, operations, community engagement, commercial, sales, education, as well as football strategy and direction from different leagues and teams. The foundations needed have been set to help build a Welling United of the future.

Our Board was tasked with dealing with a number of legacy issues inherited, not only from the previous season, but also from many seasons prior. These matters were financial, structural and procedural. There have been a number of changes and improvements made already. It’s evident to see Welling United is lagging behind other clubs in this league in terms of squad budget and infrastructure – there has been significant investment made over the years, including £850k from me personally, but that’s helped us to just keep our heads above water and maintaining the status quo.

You, as fans, deserve more. Our players deserve more. This beloved badge of ours deserves more.

Not everyone is privy to conversations happening behind closed doors and for a multitude of reasons that has to remain the case. However, with that being said, I can share with you that we do have a plan and strategy we are looking to implement over the coming months and seasons.

No doubt you would have read the news that Rod Stringer has decided to step down as First-Team Manager and Brian Statham is acting as Caretaker Manager for our remaining games.  We are currently in discussions with a few potential replacements for the managers position, details of whom I cannot disclose for obvious reasons, but rest assured we are seeking someone who shares our short, mid and long-term visions. We plan to announce a replacement at the end of this current season.

Moving on to other matters; as mentioned above, our club needs to be brought in line with others in the league if we are to be serious about competing on and off the pitch and one of the key areas of focus is installation of an artificial pitch. This will change our club and outlook dramatically as it will make the pitch available to our team more often, eradicate game cancellations due to rainfall and also give the club a much-needed additional income stream.

We will be working closely with schools and community groups to make our facilities available to them, too. Discussions are happening right now with specialists, planning consultants and Bexley Council with a view to have this installed at the end of 2025/26 season and fully-functioning by August 2026. This new pitch will also see additional and improved changing facilities and restrooms as well as terrace and stadium upgrades.

All of the desired changes and improvements we want to make cost significant sums of money; a financial commitment difficult to be dealt with alone. This is why I am currently working very closely with someone who, like me, has a passion for football and shares the long-term vision and has recently expressed an interest in sharing this with me by purchasing some of my shares in the club –  funds of which will go towards settling some historic debts and also towards funding our growth and improvements.

Our community team continues to engage with many different organisations in the borough as this goes from strength to strength. The club’s affiliation with the University of Greenwich is growing and we’re building great relationships with the NHS, mental health charities like Mind and Talk Club and regularly hosting children from schools and other sports clubs in the area. This work will continue season after season as we look to maintain our family club status.

We now have a sales strategy in place and are working on sponsorship opportunities with local and national businesses. Our commercial offering was stagnant whilst we focused on getting on top of legacy financial issues but, with a lot of hard work by our finance team over the past few months, we’re managing to overcome these, the worst of which are behind us. Our sales team can now focus on targeting this stream of income properly.

The stadium redevelopment plans were hit with delays due to the proposed developer and Bexley Council having different visions and desired outcomes. This hasn’t stopped us as a club in pursuing this project but it will take time. Again, conversations and meetings continue and a consultancy partner has been tasked with re-surveying site and put together a revised proposal that, first and foremost, benefits the club and thereafter satisfies the local authority and developers. This remains our longer-term plan and will keep you updated on changes as and when they happen.

As I move to wrap up this update, I cannot do so without acknowledging the commitment of you – our fans. This club has one of the most loyal fanbases in this league and this is evident by our away following. You travel well in numbers and, despite our results, you continue to do so.

You’ve stood by our team during the highs and lows and we implore you to keep doing so. We want to climb the league, we want an even better atmosphere, we want away fans to feel outnumbered at PVR, we want the opposition to feel anxious when playing us and, most importantly, we want our fans to feel proud. We can only achieve success with you all on board – this is a unity and collaboration. Keep coming to the games, bring friends, bring family. 

Let’s go from strength to strength. Back the team, back the management and let’s make Welling United a team to be reckoned with.

Howard Prosser
Welling United Football Club Chairman