Welling United are delighted to confirm Lee Martin as the club’s new First-Team Manager.

38-year-old midfielder Martin enjoyed a successful playing career having began as a youngster with Manchester United, making three first-team appearances for the Premier League giants, while enjoying loan spells with Royal Antwerp, Rangers, Stoke City, Plymouth Argyle, Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest.

He made a permanent move to Ipswich Town in 2009 where he made well over 100 appearances over a four-year spell which included a loan stay with Charlton Athletic during the 2010/11 campaign.

A three-year stint with Millwall followed before Martin also represented Northampton Town, Gillingham, Exeter City, Ebbsfleet United, Dover Athletic, Ashford United and, most recently, Ramsgate, where he rounded off his playing career by helping his side to the Isthmian League Division South East title.

He now turns his attention to management as he looks to help the Wings rebuild following relegation from the National League South in 2024/25.

Speaking after putting pen to paper at Park View Road, Martin said: “I’m making that transition from playing into management and I’m delighted to get it over the line – I can’t wait to get started.

“The rebuild has started. We’re ahead of the curve in terms of recruitment, we’ve highlighted some good players and the big thing we’re going after now is character. We want good characters around the place because we want to merge the players and supporters back together.

“The fans are fundamental to what we want to create here. By all accounts, there’s been a disconnect and we want them to feel a part of us so we can be one team together.”

“We want to have control of possession,” added Martin.

“We want to be aggressive, play through the thirds and create goalscoring opportunities. We want supporters to be coming here excited to watch an entertaining game of football and one in which we score plenty of goals.”

Martin has signed a two-year deal, with an optional third, and will be assisted by his former teammate, Welling-born Billy Bingham who enjoyed a career as a midfielder for Dagenham & Redbridge, Crewe Alexandra, Gillingham, Bromley and Faversham Town.

The new Wings boss will meet supporters at a ‘Meet the Manager’ event at Park View Road, with full details to be announced in due course.