Welling United FC are a non league club on the border of Kent, located around eleven miles south east from the centre of London. 'The Wings' were formed in 1963 by a gentleman called Sydney Hobbins, who was a former goalkeeper for Charlton Athletic for his sons Barrie and Graham.The club began as a youth side playing on a community sports ground at Butterfly Lane in Eltham before they progressed to Saturday football and joined the London Spartan League. In 1977 Welling moved into Park View Road, which was formerly home to the defunct Bexley United. In 1978 they joined the Athenian League and by 1981 they had progressed to the Southern League Southern Division.After one season the league was re-organised as Welling found themselves in the Premier Division. In 1986 they lifted the title and were promoted into the Football Conference. Although they struggled in the league, they reached the FA Cup first round for six consecutive seasons, with Blackburn Rovers visiting Park View Road to win 1-0 in the third round.In 1999 neighbours Erith & Belvedere moved into Park View Road as permanent tenants.In 2000 United were relegated back to the Southern League before they gained a place in the newly formed Conference South in 2004 under the management of former England star Paul Parker. The floodlights at Park View Road were badly damaged in storms, which meant early kick offs and a costly exercise in replacing them. Several more managers took charge in the ensuing years as Welling remained in the division.
In 2010 the club were issued with a winding up order from HMRC, but the club continued thanks to the remarkable efforts of their supporters who raised the £60,000 arrears. The club were deducted five points by the Football Conference because of the debt. Welling United competed in the Conference South play offs in the 2011-12 season but ended up losing the final to local rivals Dartford. However, The Wings bounced back the following season and lifted the league title, winning promotion to the Conference National.division.
Welling United FC will play in the Football Conference in the 2013-14 season.My visitsThursday in April 1984I was in the last few weeks of my time studying Land Surveying and Cartography in Borehamwood, but I'd just about had enough. I decided to have a day away from the unintelligible maths and calculations and go groundhopping. I had been to several grounds in the area before arriving at Park View Road.
The gates were open and I found a decent enough ground for the standard the club were competing at. The Park View Road End had open terracing as did the far end, which was raised slightly behind the goal. The terracing continued down the Cricket Ground Side, which had a rickety roof over the half way line. Crush barriers were jotted around the terraces. The Main Stand had a section of terracing at each end, with old seating in the central sections. It had an undulating roof and many thin pillars along the front.I continued on my way further south down to Sutton United and Carshalton Athletic.Welling United 2 Scarborough 1 (Saturday 4th December 2004) Football Conference By now I was living in London and working at Lord's Cricket Ground. As was usual at the time I'd had a good drink after work the previous evening and found myself taking the train from London Bridge on a cold and damp day in a rather fragile condition.I walked from Welling station and continued past a couple of pubs before entering the Guy, Earl of Warwick next door to the ground. I got chatting to some friendly home fans and soon got back to form. I decided to go into the ground and use the social club, even though I was advised against it by my new pals who said the beer was awful. However, I knew there'd be a few Seadogs in there who I could catch up with.I entered the club and got the shock of my life as the barman was a lookalike of my pal from Lord's, Alain Le Ker. Thank goodness he wasn't as thirsty as him! The lads were right. The beer was rubbish, which was rather apt for what I was about to see from Boro.We had a decent team, but were outbattled and outthought by The Wings in a very wet afternoon. The ground hadn't changed as far as I could remember. I huddled in a seat in the Main Stand and did my best to keep warm and keep my spirits up.At full time I returned to the pub to drown my sorrows, and what a good decision that was. The home fans were naturally jubilant and in the mood to celebrate. I joined in with them as we chatted football and generally had a good laugh. Around 7pm a bus eventually turned up to take us to Lewisham, from where we caught the DLR to Cutty Sark to try a few pubs out in Greenwich.I left around 10pm as I was full and still had a long journey home to Willesden Green. After changing onto the Jubilee line at Canary Warf I nodded off and woke at Kingsbury. Fortunately for me there was still a train in service to take me back down to my home station.The game was rubbish as a Boro fan, but the day out excellent. How many times have I said that!Wednesday 4th October 2006I was out and about around South East London and Kent on a groundhop exhibition. After visiting VCD Athletic in Crayford I took the bus up the A207 which dropped me outside the stadium on Park View Road.
By now the scene had changed as Erith & Belvedere had been given the Cricket Ground Side of the ground. They had their own turnstiles and had erected a smart new seated stand to replace the old cover as well as building a new clubhouse and club rooms with a roof designed in such a way that the stand could be extended over it at a later date if and when required.It gave the ground a new badly needed dimension. The Main Stand had also been smartened up with extra seating installed.I continued on to my next venue, the home of Greenwich Borough.Erith & Belvedere 0 Lancing 2 (Sunday 14th November 2010) FA Vase Round Two (att: 96)See the Erith & Belvedere page for full details.
Erith & Belvedere are a non league football club who were formed in 1922, who represent the town of Erith in South East London. The club were formed following the restructuring of Belvedere & District FC who were formed in 1918. They immediately became members of the Kent League.At the end of World War Two 'The Deres' became founder members of the Corinthian League before joining the Athenian League in 1963 when it expanded to three divisions. They progressed up that league but decided to rejoin the Kent League in 1978. They lifted the title in 1982 and were promoted to the Southern League.
In 1997 their Park View ground in Belvedere suffered a fire which destroyed the Main Stand. The club moved to Park View Road to share with Welling United. On the pitch the side struggled constantly for twenty or so years before eventually being relegated to the Kent League in 2005, which was the clubs first ever demotion.After several years of rebuilding and attempts on promotion, The Deres achieved their aim at the end of the 2012-13 as they lifted the Kent League title on the final day of the season.
Erith & Belvedere will play in the Isthmian League Division One North in the 2013-14 season.My visitsThursday in April 1984I was still at Borehamwood at college struggling to get my head around my course and failing badly. Light relief was needed so I set out on a days groundhopping south of the river.I had been to The Valley at Charlton as it looked likely that they may have been close to going out of business and I wanted a chance to see the old place, before heading to Belvedere by bus. 
Park View had seen better days to be honest. The Main Stand down one side was wooden and low with bench seating. The side opposite had a low cover with the rest of the ground being made up of flat open grass and hard standing.Wednesday 4th October 2006I went past where the ground once stood on another groundhopping day when travelling from the grounds of Thamesmead Town to Erith Town. A large DIY superstore stood where the ground was once situated. It had been rumoured for several years that the club were keen to sell the ground and look to move with the proceeds, but they struggled with planning permission until the fire.
I also went on to Park View Road, The Deres new home later that day. For full details visit the Welling United page.Erith & Belvedere 0 Lancing 2 (Sunday 14th November 2010) FA Vase Round Two (att: 96)I had the day off work so I eagerly looked at the Non League Paper for possible fixtures that day. Epsom & Ewell were at home, or at least at Merstham FC where they were residing. However, the chance of seeing the facilities in action at Park View Road seemed more attractive at the time.The rain was lashing down putting the game in doubt, so my brother Nick kindly rung the ground for me while I waited for a definite reply at Charing Cross before I set off. The groundsman told him personally that it would be on, so I set off on the train through the gloomy suburbs on the train.
I plumped for the bus ride to the ground. I struggled to see through the window as I looked out for my stop, such was the rain, but the display on board helped me out. The coach from the Sussex coast had already dropped off the team, officials and supporters. I paid what I thought was quite an expensive admission charge at the gate (I can't remember exactly how much, but it was more than usual for that level) and bought a programme.I took shelter in the cold clubhouse and ordered a very average pint of bitter. It seems the standard of the ale was also shared with their hosts judging by my experiences at the ground. At least they had Sky TV so the live match was on. I went onto the Guinness and chatted to some of the Lancing supporters who seemed intent on having a very jolly day out. They were certainly thirsty!
I went outside and took a seat in the stand and sat with a friend of mine from Lord's, Bob Gunton who also does some scouting and enjoys his non league football. We had a good chat as ever, with several others around us chatting about the game and non league in general.The open end to our left was closed. The open Park View Road End was open but the weather meant that only the hardiest of supporter stood there. The stand opposite which contained all of Welling United's facilities had one or two fans sat in it. Our stand offered an excellent view, with the changing rooms below and clubhouse to the side with a bit of open terracing at either side.The game was competitive with both sides giving their all in treacherous conditions. The teams went in level at half time, but Lancing scored soon into the second half which really interested me as I had a golden goal ticket, which I thought was pretty close to when the ball went in. I went to see the PA man and he told me I was a minute out!Nevermind, I went downstairs to the clubhouse for a warming medicinal whisky before enjoying the catering before the second half. The Deres pressed, but Lancing were the better side on the break. It didn't shock me when they doubled their lead.
At full time I caught the bus back to the station and then caught the train to Charing Cross. After a quick pint in the excellent but Crowded Harp, I found a traditional old pub near Leicester Square where I got talking to a dispondent Chelsea and Dartford fan. He had seen both his teams take a heavy beating over the weekend but still remained optimistic and was looking forward to travelleing to Port Vale with The Darts that week.It was a lovely end to a good day out.
AFC Darwen are a non league, and former Football League club from the market town a few miles south of Blackburn in East Lancashire. The club were formed in 1870 as Darwen FC, originally playing rugby union and cricket before turning to football in 1875.In October 1878 Darwen played against a representative team from Blackburn under floodlights, in one of the first ever instances of a game under lights. They became the first northern club to feature heavily in the FA Cup, reaching the quarter finals of 1879, causing great controversy along the way by signing what were believed to be the first ever two professional players from Partick Thistle.In 1881 they reached the FA Cup semi finals and a decade later became members of the Football League. They were relegated to the newly formed second division after just one season, in which they lost one game to a joint record top flight score of 12-0 to West Bromwich Albion. 'The Salmoners' spent one more division in the top flight but subsequently resigned from the League in 1899 to join the Lancashire League and also move into The Anchor Ground.Having won the title in their new surroundings, Darwen moved to the Lancashire Combination in 1902 where they were crowned as league champions on four occasions. After the final triumph of 1976 the club joined the Cheshire County League where they remained until becoming founder members of the North West Counties League in 1982. The club has spent the majority of itsd time in the lower reaches of this league up to 2012.In 2002 the Carlsberg Tetley brewery attempted to wind up the football and social club but were thwarted. In 2008 more companies filed for liquidation over unpaid bills. The club tried to make an offer through a CVA but this was rejected, so the club was wound up on the 14th May 2009 in the High Court.Almost immediately the club was reformed as AFC Darwen and entered the West Lancashire League, where they spent just one season before returning to the North West Counties League.AFC Darwen will compete in the North West Counties League Division One in the 2013-14 season.
My visitWednesday 14th September 2011I was in East Lancashire for the day after attending the Accrington Stanley v Rotherham United match the previous evening. I had visted a few clubs earlier in the day, with my most recent being Blackburn Rovers.Elaine, my guide at Ewood Park had given me a good time scale of how long I'd need to get to the Anchor Ground and thankfully a bus had soon arrived to take me down Bolton Road and under the M65 motorway to a stop outside The Anchor pub. The ground was a hundred metres or so up Anchor Road by the side of the Crown Paints factory.
The gates of the ground were open and shouting could be heard from within. There was a match being played between two colleges and the clubhouse door was open so I popped in and asked for permission to take my photos. Three chaps were decorating the rooms and I was told I was more than welcome to grab a brush! The Anchor Ground was one of the better ones I'd seen at this level. The changing rooms were in the corner by the turnstiles with the clubhouse by the touchline. The rest of this side was filled with a long stand with red plastic seats and room for fans to stand under cover. The remaining three sides all had three steps of terracing, with grass coming through down the far touchline. At least there were raised areas on all sides for spectators to gain a decent view.I went back down the road and saw a bus whizzing past. The timetable said another was due, so I waited. It turned out to be an error as I ended up missing my intended train to Manchester because the next bus was so late in arriving. However, not all was lost as I stayed on the bus to Bolton, rather than being tempted to the Alexandra Hotel which was once a minute away from the original Barley Bank home and where the club signed their players. 
From Bolton I caught a connecting train which dropped me virtually outside my hotel by Salford Central station to complete a lovely day in the extremely hospitable East Lancashire cotton belt.
Worcester City FC hail from the pretty and historic county town thirty miles south west of Birmingham. The club were formed in 1902 after taking over the fixtures of local side Berwick Rangers in the Birmingham League.Three years later, City moved into their St George's Lane ground but had to wait several years before claiming their first league title. In 1938 City became members of the Southern League. They had a short spell back in their previous league during the war years when the club were able to field several professionals as guest players.
In 1957 Welshman Roy Paul took over as player manager. He had been captain of Manchester City when they lifted the FA Cup on two occasions a few years earlier, and he immediately brought success to Worcester. In his first season the club reached the FA Cup First Round where they took Aldershot to a second replay, which saw a record crowd for a City game of 22,926 flocked to the match at St Andrews Birmingham.The following season City reached the Third Round of the FA Cup and then defeated Liverpool 2-1 at St George's Lane before going out at home to Sheffield United in the next round. However, success did not continue and the club nearly went out of business in the early 60's until the supporters rallied round.Some former big names of the game turned out for the team but it took until 1974 and the appointment of Nobby Clark as manager for the glory days to return. In 1977 City lifted the Southern League Division One North title, losing just one game along the way, before winning the Premier Division championship two years later. In 1979 City became founder members of the Alliance Premier League, which later became the Football Conference.
Clark was dismissed in 1984 and the club were relegated back to the Southern League the following year. Former City and Everton star John Barton took over the reigns after a few seasons of consolidation in 2001, with City becoming founder members of the Conference North in 2004.City spent one season in Conference South to assist with the geographical locations of the clubs, before reverting back to the North. Seasons since then have been pre-occupied with a proposed move to a new ground at Nunnery Way and financial problems, with new board members doing their best to steady the ship.
Time ran out for City at St Georges Lane at the end of the 2012-13 season, as the club were forced to make a temporary move to Aggborough, the home of Kidderminster Harriers. Worcester City FC will play in the Conference North for the 2013-14 season.
My visitsWorcester City 2 Scarborough 0 (Saturday 30th August 1980) Alliance Premier League (att: 1,865)It was the second season of the Alliance Premier League and I was getting to an age where I was old enough to travel to matches on the Supporters Club coach. There was always a nice sensible crowd on board so my Dad let me travel south west.It was interesting for me going such a distance as the coach went past the old grounds of Coventry City and Walsall. The older folk were disappointed that they couldn't gain entry into the clubhouse at the ground, but City were updating facilities for their new found status.City at the time wore sky blue and white stripes, a bit like Argentina and looked very smart. I sat in the Main Stand with the kind folk off the coach as Boro were gradually beaten by the better side.
St George's Lane was a fine traditional old ground with huge corner floodlights. The Main Stand ran the full length of the pitch with a terraced paddock at the front. The Brookside opposite had a large covered area for standing with a seated stand at the back of an open terrace filling the other half. Both ends, The Canal End and Flats End were open standing areas. In the corner between the Flats End and Main Stand stood a pavilion which contained the changing rooms and club offices.The Brookside also had a fine programme shop and secondary snack bar which saw service from myself. I remember the burgers being particularly good with a bowl of complimentary raw onions on offer to add to the taste!Worcester City 2 Scarborough 4 (Saturday 21st November 1981) Alliance Premier League (att: 1,403)Again I travelled with the Supporters Club with a few schoolmates also traveling. The ground hadn't changed so I once again took advantage of the good view from the Main Stand seats.
It really was an excellent game of football as Boro raced into a two nil lead through Colin Williams and Pat Olney, before City dragged it back to equalise in the second half. This upset one of my travelling companions because they announced the names of the home scorers, but not Boro's. However, we were to have the last laugh as Mitch Cook and Terry Eccles scored to take the points home to North Yorkshire, much to the disgust of a few home fans who were best avoided on the way back to the bus!Worcester City 3 Scarborough 2 (Saturday 18th November 2006) Conference North (att: 1,053)I was now living in London and had the day off work on the tube, so this was an obvious game for me to travel to. The pleasant train journey took me through Oxford and Evesham before dropping me off at the city's Foregate Street station.I was keen to try a few real ales in the fine traditional pubs on the wa to the ground. One pub served fine local beer and advertised a conker championship, which was a first for me. My mate Butch texted me to say a few Seadogs were in the pub next to the ground, so I set off to meet them.The Cavalier Inn had two or three good beers and a very friendly landlord. I needed to get back to Shrub Hill station after the game, which was a bit of a trek. He gave me a walking route alongside the canal or he offered to order me a taxi while I had a pint and saw the full time scores.We went into the ground and then the clubhouse as I wanted to catch up on the latest news as Boro were in real trouble off the pitch. Chairman Ian Scobbie told me how the local Evening News was being most uncoperative, after I asked him why fans weren't being updated as many wanted to help. Many of the things he told me that day just didn't add up and sure enough many didn't come to fruition. I'm not sure whether the information I was given was meant to lead me along, but it was the day I stopped believing in him, after giving him many months of benefit of the doubt.I was asked to take part in a half time competition to hit the crossbar from the penalty spot against a local fan, but I'd had a good drink so I gave the opportunity to someone else.oro were really up against it. They couldn't fill the subs bench because they weren't allowed to sign players on because of their financial situation. They had been deducted ten points because of the state of the books before the season started, but boss Mark Patterson had put together a really attractive football team. It's just there was no back up.
The game ebbed and flowed up until half time with goals going in rapidly in a period in the middle of the half. Boro's goals came from Jamie Vermiglio and Lee Whittington. My mate Simon in Gillingham asked if the goalies had gone home as I sent him news of yet another goal going in.St George's Lane had been tidied up since my last visit, with all the standing areas now terraced. Unfortunately the Brookside seated stand had been a victim of the severe measures introduced after the Bradford Fire Disaster and had now gone. It was still one of my favourite venues.Boro pressed but couldn't get a valuable equaliser in the second half. I remember posting on the Surfing Seadog at full time that I couldn't believe that we hadn't grabbed at least a draw.I went back with plenty of others to the pub and sure enough the landlord ordered me a taxi so I could enjoy a fine pint and take in the scores while shaking my head in disappointment at what I'd witnessed next door.
Nelson FC are a non league club formed in 1881 from the East Lancashire mill town east of Burnley who were once members of the Football League. After playing local football 'The Admirals' or 'The Blues' became founder members of the Lancashire League in 1889, before moving to the Lancashire Combination in 1902. They closed in 1916 after the bailiffs came calling, before reforming in 1918 at the end of World War One.  |
| Seedhill towards the end |
After a couple of seasons in the Central League, the Football League expanded in 1921 and Nelson were founder members of Division Three North at their Seedhill home. Two years later they won the title and were promoted into the second tier of English football. In preparation for that solitary season, Nelson had embarked on a pre season tour of Spain, where they defeated Real Oviedo and Real Madrid. Their stay lasted just one season but they did defeat Leeds United and then Manchester United at Old Trafford. A record crowd of 14,143 saw the game with Bradford Park Avenue in 1927, which was a remarkable figure in a town with a population of just 40,000. However, the club started to struggle financially and were voted out of the League in 1931 to be replaced by Chester after having to apply for re-election for a second consecutive season. They rejoined the Lancashire Combination but folded in 1936 when the hastilly formed Nelson Town FC took over in local football. They joined the West Lancashire League but had their spell cut short after just two games as World War Two abandoned the season.In 1946 the club were once again reformed as Nelson FC and rejoining the Lancashire Combination. They were successful and won the title on a couple of occasions with future Liverpool manager Joe Fagan at the helm, as well as reaching the FA Cup Second Round for the first time as a non league club. In 1968 Nelson left Seedhill as it was purchased for the construction of the M65 and moved to their new Victoria Park home. Seedhill wasn't demolished until 1980.
I awoke in a very budget Burnley hotel after spending the previous evening at the Accrington Stanley v Rotherham United match. The weather was still windy with occasional heavy showers peppering the rugged landscape and old stone buildings.My original plan was to go to Colne first and then stop off at Nelson on my way back. However, curiosity got the better of me so I jumped out at the St Mary's Church stop on Manchester Road and headed for Victoria Park. Te walk took me down terraced streets and then underneath the M65 motorway onto Lomeshaye Way. From there I walked down the lane to the ground.
Victoria Park was locked up but the banks around it afforded me a good view of everything. The near end had turnstiles and the main gate, was flat open gravel used mainly for car parking. The right hand side hd the only covered accommodation by way of a neat stand containing seats and standing room. The left hand side of the ground was bordered by the back gardens of the terrace houses of Ecroyd Street. If any householders happened to be Nelson fans they would have the best views of the action! The far corner contained the changing rooms and the clubhouse. The reast of the ground consisted of open flat grass and hard standing. It was a functional ground, pretty in some ways, but a fair walk out of the town centre. |
| Seedhill in 2011 |
I walked back along the lane to the site where Nelson's old Seedhill ground once stood. There is certainly still scope for a return if the money was available. The location is definitely more favourable. That said it was still a good stiff walk up the hill to the town, of maybe ten minutes. I arrived at the bus and rail interchange, where I decided to take the train that was due to Colne. It arrived late, but I was doing well for time.
