Welling United F.C.

Welling United Football Club is a professional football club, based in Welling in the London Borough of Bexley, England. The most prominent aspect of the club is its men's first team, which play in the National League South, at the sixth tier of English football. The club also has a men's U23 team and a women's senior team. History Formation and early years (1963-1976) Welling United Football Club was founded in 1963 by former professional footballer Syd Hobbins. It began as an U15 youth team, playing in the Eltham & District Sunday League on a park pitch from 1963–64 to 1970–71. From 1971–72 to 1974–75, they played in the Metropolitan-London League Intermediate/Reserves Division. In 1975–76, they played in the London Spartan League Reserve Division One. They gained senior status in the London Spartan League in 1976, while playing at Butterfly Lane, Eltham. London Spartan League and Southern League (1976-1981) Welling finished sixth in the London Spartan League Division 2 in 1976–77 and was promoted to the Premier Division. In 1977, Welling moved to the Park View Road ground, which had previously belonged to the then-defunct Bexley United. They joined the Athenian League in 1978. In 1981, they progressed to the Southern Football League Southern Division.