We are fiercely ambitious and looking to progress up the non-league ladder as quickly as possible and if opportunities present themselves we would like to take them, says Welling Town chairman Kevin Oakes

WELLING TOWN chairman Kevin Oakes says the club are trying to gain election into the Southern Counties East Football League First Division next season.

The club took advantage of Thamesmead Town’s departure on a five-year deal at Vanarama National League South club Dartford to hire Bayliss Avenue and they are currently unbeaten in all 14 games this season under boss Richard Dimmock, who has enticed a squad full of players who have dropped down the leagues to be involved in this project.

The Boots eased to a comfortable 4-1 home win over FC Elmstead Reserves yesterday, courtesy of an opening tap-in by captain Chris Ware, followed by a hat-trick from former Glebe and Erith Town striker Ryan Golding.

Welling Town remain in second-place in the Andreas Carter Joma Kent County League Division Two West table with 27 points from their 11 league outings, four points behind leaders Sydenham Sports but with a game in hand.  These two sides won promotion from Division Three West together last season.

Welling Town are currently three tiers below the Southern Counties East Football League First Division but that division only has 19 clubs and there is a vacancy of at least one club at that level next season.

“The club was only formed three-and-a-half years ago and we’ve come on leaps and bounds in that time both on and off the field,” said Mr Oakes.

“The time and effort taken to get us so far in a short space of time is testament to the excellent support I have had from the management, players and many other volunteers, both Saturday and Sunday, who have all bought into what we are trying to do and everyone at the club is generally excited for what the future will hopefully bring.

“It would be wrong to go into too much detail as we have no desire to be disrespectful to our current rival clubs and/or the Kent County Football League.

“We have placed on record many times we are incredibly grateful to the Kent County Football League for accepting us in to their competition last summer when we had no previous playing record and we trust we have delivered on all our promises since then, as they have to us.

“At the same time, we would assume that is fairly clear with the facilities that we have secured at Bayliss Avenue, that we are fiercely ambitious and looking to progress up the non-league ladder as quickly as possible and if opportunities present themselves we would like to take them.

“This obviously starts on the field and to date we’re unbeaten this season, which we’re very proud of, but know that nothing is won yet and we must continue to perform week-in-week-out.

“However, off the field we’re very confident that the facilities already in place and other plans we’re working on to be concluded before the end of the season, will set us up well for next season and the future in general.

“We’re often asked if we have an application submitted directly to the Southern Counties East Football League.  To date we do not partly as The FA have not yet issued any forms and the deadline to do so is still months away, but we have had dozens of conversations in recent months with numerous League officials and FA departments and as we have quoted before, it remains our intention to apply if the opportunity were to present itself.

“Whether we will be successful or not is not for us to decide but we will do things the right way and continue to work as hard as possible to meet the criteria and would hope that this will give us a positive outcome.”

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