I am a great believer in the positive impact of junior/youth football not only for those who have potential but for those who just enjoy pulling on the shirt, being part of a team and taking part in an organised football match, hence my involvement in varying capacities over the last 17 years or so ranging from manager, chairman, spectator, match reviewer and running a website.When Welling United formed Welling United Youth (WUY) in partnership with Kingsmoor JFC I saw this as an initiative which had great potential though I had some reservations which were expressed at the time.
One year on and my views remain pretty much the same in terms of the community angle but my view on the potential for the development ofplayers for the benefit of Welling United and indeed the relationship between the Club and WUY hasbecome more jaundiced.This is not a criticism of those volunteers who have put in many, many hours of their free time to ensure that the opportunity to play football was there for as many local kids as possible with little or no thanks but what I perceive as a lack of a cohesive development structure for the benefit of Welling United FC.I am now more firmly convinced than I ever was that the only way forward if Welling are to home grow some of their future players is to have youth sides from U15 upwards outside of the Community Scheme and that these need to be owned by, and run for the benefit of, the Club and here is why.
This years Under 18s side effectively ceased to exist with the final fixture against Bromley.I believe that with or without Kens resignationthe writing was on the wall for them when WUY was formed without his being involved or made aware of what was happening.This was reinforced when I became aware that discussions about a reserve side and Blue Square youth side were held without him being aware or involved despite managing the senior youth side from which one would expect at least some of players to come.
The attitude of WUY to the side was amply demonstrated by their Chairman when he met last week with the parents of some of the lads who have not yet found other clubs and said among other things that the side were only using the name of Welling United, that they were not a very good side.
I would beg to differ with the view expressed and having seen all bar 2 of their matches this season and a substantial number of their games last season I feel I can do so with a bit more substance than someone who has watched just one match and presumably had a report from the Community Officer who attended a friendly against a Charlton side which involved a significant number of mid season trialists.I have also been able to observe the manner in which they conducted themselves as representatives of Welling United (Youth) and have spoken with and stood alongside supporters of opposing teams.
Here are some facts
On the field
3 of the lads were signed by Ade on non contract terms between November and March.
12 of the lads made appearances for Welling United in the County Cups and their contribution was recognised by Adrian Pennock, Phil Hanford, Barrie Hobbins (after the Cray Wanderers match), and the 1st team players who played and watched.
5 of the lads made regular appearances for the Kent FA U18 side despite being year 1s.
More than 2 of the players were regarded as having potential and they were continuing to develop as far as Adrian Pennock and Phil Hanford were concerned.
As a year one side they finished 4th in the strongest of the KYL U18 Divisions.
They reached the Semi Final of the League Cup and the Quarter Final of the John Ullmann Cup.
They scored more goals than any other side in their Division (averaging 2.6 goals per match.)
They were to my certain knowledge highly regarded for their quality of football by at least 5 of the managers of other sides within the division.
Off the field
The side represented Welling United for 3 years and certainly in the 2 seasons when I watched them represented Welling United in a totally professional manner and without doubt enhanced Welling Uniteds reputation.The image was enhanced with the suit and tie dress code for away matches.
They gave Welling United absolutely no problems with the Kent Youth League.
They won the Sportsmans trophy last season for the least number of cautions in the League.
Adrian Pennock and his team were very supportive, the only interest ever shown in the side by Welling United/WUY.Hence the side undertook pre season training with the 1st team and when the 1st team had Long Lane for 2 nights per week, they initially trained with them, then alongside them and latterly in small groups with them.
I firmly believe that the Club has failed to recognise the potential it had in front of its nose and its lack of awareness of what was happening at youth level in their name was very shortsighted.
As it is all the hard work and player development undertaken by Ken over the last 3 seasons and that of Ade Pennock and his team last season has evaporated into the ether as far as Welling United is concerned.
Four players have found that it is a very different world in the depths of Kent as Tonbridge Angels stepped in quickly when they realised that players were available and their treatment of these lads from the Chairman down shows just how important they see the role of youth sides, especially in this day of very limited budgets.
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YOUTH are the future
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"The worst thing you can do is make a committment and not meet it and I understand that." Barrie Hobbins 14 August 2010
As a father to one of the under 18 players who had the privilge to play in the Welling strip for the past couple of years, I am very pleased that, at last, someone has shown the Welling youth policy for what is it, a complete waste of other peoples time and effort!
Your posting is very accurate as I believe you have probably seen more U'18 matches that I have and know more about the set up at Welling than most.
Ken's hard work, with you help of a few of the parents, went completely unnoticed and even when Ken and Ade's partnership was at it's strongest the hierarchy at Welling totally ignored him!
The Head of youth at Welling, I think his name is Gary Livesy, although only seeing him once and not being introduced to him so I can't be sure, has treated the U'18's with total disregard. Seeing them play, just once and the last game of the season, against a Bromley side that are always a strong, technical and tactical side who, a majority of times, finish in the top three of a very demanding league. After going 2-0 down at half time and a strong come back from Welling to draw 2-2, Mr Livesy thinks, that with the exception of "perhaps a couple of players", his under 16 side is the way forward for the first team. Good luck if you don't mind the wait!
I have also been lead to believe that he has an input in a number of clubs, so the question begging to be asked is where does his true loyalty lie and why can't he concentrate on getting the youth at Welling going in such a way that it can only be a benefit to the first team.
On a personal note, i feel that the people at the top of Welling Utd have missed out on a great opportunity by just poo-poing the under 18's and might have had a brilliant reserve side had it been run by Ken Brookes!!
Unfortunately again, as it seems with the closed season activities with the first team at Welling, Welling's loss is someone else's gain.
As another father who has watched all the games I am of the opinion that they were a decent side who played good football. There were several of them that I believed could have progressed given the opportunity. They all had respect for Ady and Ken and could see a path for them to go down. If only one or two of them progressed to the first team it would had made the running of the whole team worthwhile. A lot of them are now in a state of limbo not knowing if they want to take a chance under a manager who wrote them off after watching one game or look for other teams. They all enjoyed representing Welling and it is a shame that when Ady left the dream seemed to die. An opportunity wasted by Welling if you ask me.
Its not Wellings Youth policy, its not welling youth now. Welling pay nothing towards it. And its obviously not even worth keeping going if the guy in charge thinks a team thats done well and produced players for the first team in "not very good"
He did tell me his main aim is for the boys to enjoy it!!! GREAT lose 11-0 but have fun.
To the guys on here who played and are in Limbo, i would look elswewhere as your developement will not be as good as last year under Ken and Adie and your new manager doesnt really care if you win or lose, when hes not at Dulwich or Millwall that is!!!
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Alexander O'Neal 1987 "I'm fed up cos all you wanna do is criticize "
