Welling United F.C.

Formation and early years (1963–1975)

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 at Butterfly Lane, Eltham.

London Spartan, Athenian and Southern Leagues (1975–1986)

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. 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 by-that-time-defunct Bexley United. The club joined the Athenian League in 1978, and in 1981 progressed to the Southern Football League Southern Division. After just one season at this level the club found itself in the Southern League Premier Division after the league was re-organised. In 1985–86, they won the league title by 23 points and were promoted to the Football Conference.

Football Conference (1986–2000)

Although the team struggled in the Conference, only twice finishing above 11th place in 14 seasons, they did enjoy cup success during this period, qualifying for the first round proper of the FA Cup in the six successive seasons between…

Welling United's first trophies were in the 1985–86 season, where they won both the Kent Senior Cup and the Southern League, earning themselves a promotion to the Conference South. Subsequent seasons saw them winning the London Senior Cup in the 1989–90 season and the London Challenge Cup in the 1991–92 season, as well as winning the Kent Senior Cup again in the 1998–99 season. After the turn of the millennium, they won the Conference South in the 2012–13 season, as well as once again winning the Kent and London Senior Cups in the 2008–09 and 2018–19 seasons respectively. They won the Kent Senior Cup for a fourth time in 2025, defeating Ebbsfleet United 1–0 in the final. League

Conference South (level 6) Champions: 2012–13 Southern League Premier Division Champions: 1985–86 Cup

Kent Senior Cup Winners: 1985–86, 1998–99, 2008–09, 2024–25 London Senior Cup Winners: 1989–90, 2018–19 London Challenge Cup Winners: 1991–92