I’ve been sacked from the role at Welling Town due to the budget being pulled three days into pre-season, says Louis Dean

LOUIS DEAN says he has been sacked by the owner of Welling Town after guiding the club to the Southern Counties East Football League First Division title after only 17 games in charge of the club.

 

Dean replaced his table-topping predecessor Richard Dimmock in late November 2018 and guided the club to the title after winning 12 and losing only two games whilst in charge of the Thamesmead based club.

“I’ve been sacked from the role at Welling Town due to the budget being pulled three days into pre-season,” said Dean.

“Now the club statement has been released, I will send out my own statement once I’ve met the players, but for the record I was sacked. I did not resign.”

Welling Town owner Kevin Oakes has now parted company with two managers whilst they were sitting at the top of the table.

Dimmock was sacked by the club on 24 November 2018, despite sitting four points clear of the table, having collected 39 points from their 17 league games. He was in charge of the side for 23 months.

“It is with regret that title winning manager Louis Dean leaves the club, along with his management team of Ryan Pacey, Rob Dillon and Marc Powell, following a successful 2018/19,” Oakes said in a statement, that was published on www.wellingtown.co.uk.

“Their efforts since arriving in November and performance achieving another promotion, do not go unnoticed or unappreciated.

“This decision has not been made based on their performance or conduct, which we have always found thoroughly professional. We thank them sincerely.

“The coaching and managing of the already successful squad of players at the club and excellent additions they made, were exactly as we would have expected and hoped and we thank them for helping deliver what everyone at the club wanted. They leave with our best wishes, respect and thanks, and with a credible promotion on their CVs and should rightly hold their heads high and be proud of their achievements.

“Following promotion, unfortunately, we have been unable to reach agreement on a sensible, sustainable budget moving forwards at a newfound level of football, that will allow us to be both competitive but also realistic, about the seasons ahead.

“We have progressed from a glorified Sunday pub side to the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division in three seasons, which we’re fairly confident is unique and that is to the credit of players and management, past and present and whilst the desire to keep pushing upwards is of course there, it is also limited in the short term by the self-inflicted successes we have had in those three seasons.

“We must be realistic. The ability to keep going up and up annually is not sustainable, or manageable, for now, for a club of our size, age and support. The time, effort and commitment to allow us to progress so fast, must also now be matched by some common sense and a period of stability, to allow us to build a club that will be here for the long-term and not just the short.

“Doing otherwise would jeopardise the long-term existence of the club and make all its achievements of the last five years meaningless and in the club’s best interests, that cannot be allowed to happen.

“Thank you again to Louis, Ryan, Rob and Marc and best wishes for the future.”

The Boots finished their title-winning campaign on 78 points from their 34 league games and finished just one point ahead of Erith & Belvedere, who were also promoted to the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division.

After around three hours of Dean's sacking, Welling Town played Meridian VP at the Harris Academy Falconwood and suffered a 5-1 defeat and travel to Kent County League Premier Division side Crockenhill next Tuesday 9 July (19:00).

The first team return to action when Kennington visit Bayliss Avenue on Saturday 13 July (15:00).

Visit Welling Town’s website: www.wellingtown.co.uk