Kentish Football 
RESULT: WELLING UNITED 1 THE TAX MAN 0
Friday 10th December 2010
WELLING UNITED have been SAVED from going out of business today by truly HEROIC football supporters - and we salute every single one of you, writes Stephen McCartney.
The Wings’ faithful had to raise around £60,000 in just fourteen days to prevent 47 years of history going down the toilet.
The club were founded in 1963 by the Hobbins’ family as an under 15 Sunday side and rose towards the top flight of non-league football, but the club were hit with an unpaid tax bill this season and following an adjournment fans were given a task to save their club from extinction.
Mr Dan Chapman, of Norwich based solicitors Leathes Prior, issued an alarming statement on the club's website (which has been very informative during the past couple of weeks), warning that it was a matter of life or death for the Kent club.
He said: “If the club fails to find the necessary funds to satisfy HMRCs petition debt by 15 December 2010 the court will have no realistic alternative but to grant a winding-up order.
“The consequence of a winding-up order being made are obvious; Welling United will join the list of clubs (which include Chester, Ilkeston Town and Kings Lynn) to have ceased to exist at the hands of HMRC.”
Fans didn’t want their club to fail and they contacted Mr Chapman to raise the necessary funds through loan agreements.
I was also alarmed by the news and during the snowy conditions here in Tunbridge Wells, I sent an email to Andy Townsend’s agency to see if he could help his first football club in their hour of need.
Whether he did or not, I don’t know, as his agency didn’t show the courtesy to reply to my email.
Keeping an eye on the decreasing target on the club‘s fans‘ forum, I contacted Mr Chapman last thing on Thursday night to ensure the club didn’t fail at the final hurdle, with only £6,311.75 left to find.
My email said: “I run a website (as a hobby) that covers non-league football in Kent and I have kept a very close eye on the situation at Welling United Football Club over the last couple of weeks, publishing articles on the sterling job that supporters have achieved in raising the funds to keep their club afloat.
“I am covering Sunday’s FA Trophy tie at Luton Town and as a football supporter (I don’t support any one side, but care passionately about all Kent football clubs), I don’t want the final whistle to sound and to realise that the club has just finished playing it’s last ever game.
“I don’t think I could live with myself that I haven’t done anything about it and has just witnessed one of my club’s demise.”
I contacted his office at 3 o’clock this afternoon and was concerned that Mr Chapman was in a meeting so had to wait until 16:30 before I could leave a team away day in the Barbican and rushed towards Liverpool Street to find my own bank to submit a last-minute Chaps payment before the bank closed at 5pm to ensure the club survived.
But at 16:39, Mr Chapman called and said the words that all Welling United supporters wanted to hear.
“Steve, it’s Dan Chapman here, hi there.” he said.
“The good news is about ten minutes ago, I think we hit the figure we need, so we don’t have a shortfall.”
To confirm, I replied, does that mean Welling United exist past Wednesday, Mr Chapman replied, “absolutely, they certainly do, yep!”
Mr Chapman added: “It will go live on the website, but we have got the funds that we need. We have got the full amount to settle the existing debt so we will be seeking the dismissal of the petition on Wednesday, which is a fabulous effort by the fans.”
When asked how many people submitted funds to bail out the club, Mr Chapman replied, “What I’m going to do is release a full statement with full details next week, once the court hearing has been dismissed. There’s various legal reasons I won’t bore you with. We don’t want to give that information out at this stage.”
Although Mr Chapman openly admitted that “he was just doing his job,” being a passionate football supporter pulled at his heartstrings to ensure Welling United survived, putting in long hours and answering emails way beyond normal office hours.
Praising supporters, Mr Chapman said: “They’ve been absolutely fabulous. I mean its’ been pretty incredible, fantastic.
“I don’t think there are many clubs of this sort of size that would have done so well so quickly. It’s absolutely overwhelming.
“I think it’s a lovely uplifting story just before Christmas, isn’t it? That in this current climate it shows just how much people feel about their local club that they’ve dipped into their pockets in a difficult time, they’re a credit.
“It’s been great working with these guys. I’m a football man mentally as well as a lawyer and it’s great coming across so many people who love their club sincerely - it’s been brilliant!
“I’m a Norwich City season ticket holder and I’m also the lawyer for Norwich City Football Club, so that’s my football club, but I’ll adopt Welling as my number 2 club.
“In my line off work it’s imperative to have an understanding of football with the various trials and tribulations that go with it. It’s unique, it’s unlike any other business, so it’s pretty special.”
Once the dust has settled, the club and it’s BRILLIANT supporters can raise the funds to pay the outstanding £20,000 bill.
Mr Chapman added: “It’s quite complicated but what we’re going to look at doing now is get next week out of the way.
“Things are looking a little bit positive. I think there are various plans in place to ensure that not only those debts will be settled but the club will be on a stable footing.
“We must remember there’s the Luton game and the Christmas fixtures (against Bromley and Dartford) and we haven’t dipped into any of those monies to settle the existing debts.
“There is money from big games over the next few weeks that will certainly help!
“What we’re saying is that we’re leaving our account open for another week so if any fans want to buy advanced season tickets then we’ll still collect the money because there’s all sorts of things we can do if we get a surplus.”
With his involvement with Norwich City, maybe Mr Chapman could arrange a lucrative pre-season friendly against the Canaries next summer.
“Yes, that would be good wouldn’t it?” he replied.
“I’ll certainly come to a Welling game in the not so distance future. I’ll look forward to that.
“I’m just doing my job.”
He praised the coverage that this website provided to promote the fundraising bid, something I did especially after a phone conversation with Micky Collins in pre-season, who recalled the depressing time that he played for Dartford in their last game before folding, where he witnessed grown men crying at the final whistle.
I did NOT want to experience the same painful feeling following Sunday’s FA Carlsberg Trophy tie at Luton Town, so I wanted to play my part through publicity and if it came to it, financially, as today was the last ideal day for bank transfers to go into the Solicitors’ bank account ahead of next Wedneday’s judgement day.
“Thanks for all your coverage, I know it’s been really good that there’s been some local coverage, I think it helps,” he said.
Welling United player, Jack Parkinson, added, “Yeah, great news, thanks for your support.”
Player-manager, Jamie Day, meanwhile, who serves a suspension against the Hatters, added. “Good news! See you Sunday!”
A club statement on www.wellingunited.com confirmed the news: “Dan Chapman has just confirmed that our client account now holds sufficient funds to clear the entirety of the HMRC's petition debt and costs. There is even a small surplus which will assist in meeting other liabilities.
“Dan has confirmed that his client account will remain open for another 7 days, should any fans still wish to make loans now which can be repaid by way of future season tickets. Why not be a part of history?
“Dan will still need to attend the High Court next Wednesday to ensure the petition is formally dismissed, but he has the HMRC's consent to that process and therefore we are assured it is a formality.
“There will be a very detailed statement released shortly after the petition has been formally dismissed providing more information about the exact sums that have been raised (a few small payments are yet to clear and we of course hope that some further monies may arrive), the number of lenders, explaining some of the efforts that have gone on behind the scenes in these last few weeks and also setting out detail on what happens now, and how the new constitution will be formed.
“We are sure you will appreciate that it would be inappropriate to make this statement prior to the formal dismissal of the winding up petition.
“So, until Wednesday, we thank you all for your overwhelming support. Whether you are there or not on Sunday, let's get behind the Team like never before.”
This news will certainly inspire the Welling players at Luton Town, and the Hatters’ official website confirmed that manager Richard Money is to change team personnel.
With a “small crowd” expected for the FA Carlsberg Trophy First Round tie at Kenilworth Road the Luton boss also called for supporters to come along and back his side against the Wings.
"I'd like to appeal to our supporters to show some empathy towards Welling and remember where this club have been over the last four or five years," Money told www.lutontown.co.uk.
"I know it might not be the most attractive game on a Sunday sandwiched between the Charlton and York games and I know it's coming up to Christmas, but if we can get 2,500-3,000 that would be fantastic.
"I appeal to anyone with a real footballing empathy to come along and help out Welling. It will also be a chance for our fans to come and see our new signings, and some young, exciting players
“We’re going to freshen it up and there will be a freshness about us on Sunday.”
As I mentioned in previous articles, Kent football fans are the best around, and all of you that played your part in Saving The Wings, I salute every single one of you - you can all be extremely proud of your efforts.
Let’s enjoy the big day out at Kenilworth Road!
Visit Welling United’s website: www.wellingunited.com
www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be covering Sunday’s game - and many more after that!
Luton Town v Welling United
FA Carlsberg Trophy First Round
Sunday 12th December 2010
Kick Off 3:00pm
At 1 Maple Road, Luton, Bedfordshire LU4 8AW
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd