Wings CEO Paul Barnes shares his programme notes ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Cray Wanderers at Park View Road, in which he discusses: 

• The pending appointment of a new Manager
• The ‘pink’ matchday at Park View Road
• The formation of the club’s new youth setup
• Rod Stringer’s final game in interim charge

Welcome everyone to what promises to be a fantastic day and a special occasion for our football club.

Today is not just about football – it’s about community, compassion, and connection. This afternoon gives us an opportunity to showcase who we are as a club: one that goes far beyond the 90 minutes on a Saturday. It’s about recognising the real-life challenges that many face, whether directly or indirectly and ensuring that people know there is help, support, and a safe space available to them – both inside and outside the football club. Campaigns like today’s highlight the true power of football — how it can unite people through a shared passion and create a platform for awareness, hope, and solidarity.

Today also carries an extra sense of reflection, as we mourn the passing of one of our loyal supporters, Peter Beasley. Peter followed this club for many years and our terraces will be a lesser place without him. On behalf of everyone at Welling United, I send our deepest condolences to his family and friends. He will be greatly missed – a true gentleman and a true Wing.

Our supporters are the heartbeat of this club and we are incredibly fortunate to have some of the most dedicated among us. Today’s Ladies’ Day would not have been possible without the tremendous efforts of Marie Webber, who has worked tirelessly with local businesses and community members to organise the event in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. Thank you, Marie – your energy and commitment embody the very best of what this club stands for.

A huge thank you as well to our brilliant volunteers – Ray Francis, Dave Winchester and Alex Short – who have given their time to help us clear and redevelop spaces to create our new Physio Suite and Meeting Room. Your dedication and selflessness make an enormous difference.

Staying on the theme of community, this week we also released our official Equality and Diversity Statement, reaffirming our unwavering commitment to inclusion. We will not tolerate any form of hate or discrimination at this football club. This stance is more important than ever as we prepare to welcome over 500 new families and young players into our community. It is vital that every single one of them feels safe, supported, and proud to represent a club that values respect and equality in everything we do.

That brings me to some very exciting news. From June 2026, we will proudly welcome Danson Sports FC into our family, as they become Welling United Youth & Development FC. This merger marks a major step forward in our long-term vision for ‘Football for All’ – creating clear, inclusive player pathways and expanding opportunities for young people across our community. I’d like to thank Steve Rayner and Dave Kelly from Danson Sports for their collaboration over the past six months. Together, we share a vision that football should develop people, not just players, and we look forward to an exciting new chapter together.

On the footballing front, our search for a new First-Team Manager has now concluded and we’re delighted to have appointed our chosen candidate. We received an overwhelming number of applications from talented managers, including some with strong experience at Step 3. Ultimately, we’ve selected someone whose values align with ours – a fierce competitor with integrity, professionalism and a hunger to restore our fortunes on the pitch. We’re confident this appointment will mark the beginning of a new era for the club and we hope to make a formal announcement in due course.

Finally, I want to take a moment to pay tribute to Rod, who has stepped up for this club when few others would have. Rod answered the call – quite literally – just hours before a game and simply said, “Let me grab my boots — I’ll see you at the ground.” That’s the type of person he is: loyal, humble and full of heart.

Rod and his staff have faced an enormous challenge over these past six weeks. The circumstances were far from ideal – with an unbalanced squad, limited resources and difficult conditions – but they gave everything to steady the ship and allow the next phase of our journey to begin. Without Rod’s leadership, dedication, and resilience, this transition would have been 10 times harder.

On behalf of myself, Howard, Sam, Matt, Dervis, Lisa, and Andrew, I want to personally thank Rod for everything he’s done. He will forever be part of the Welling United family and there will always be a warm welcome, and a pint waiting for him, here at Park View Road.

Here’s to Rod’s final game. Let’s send him off with the result he deserves – three points and a win.

Enjoy the game.

Paul Barnes
Chief Executive Officer
Welling United Football Club