And Braintree and Woking and none of those hold the all time consecutive wins record or won 11 on the trot at home or had Jamie Day managing them.

Wellingok will be a troll from Dartford dont bite, they just want to belittle and get you off the bridle, I am amazed at a decent reply from a dartford fan on there "Dartbored" he speaks a lot of truth.

Only need 13 comments below the article to get into the most commented table on the Newsshopper site. Already got 4 comments today so a good start.

Currently only fourth in the most shared column so we need more people to click on the 'like' and 'tweet buttons to the right of the article heading. Thank you.

Interesting little debate below the Newsshopper article. People claiming it isn't worth us going up because 'we'll only go back down like Ebbsfleet'

Funny that because I seem to recall people saying the same about Dirtford last year...

Yeah does help when your local council backs you instead of teams from other boroughs....

Going back to what this thread is for........

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/sport/2013/march/12/welling_v_tonbridge.aspx

http://www.bexleytimes.co.uk/news/welling_united_thrash_tonbirdge_angels_4_1_to_move_clear_in_blue_square_bet_south_1_1976205

http://www.kentsportsnews.com/welling-united-4-1-tonbridge-angels-12-03-2013/

OMERTA elb wrote:

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Dartford's ground is not to my taste, but it is well-appointed.  I suppose there was the land in the Dartford area to build such a stadium (I think it was Hall's ground originally) - and Bexley is not blessed with surplus land.  Nevertheless, you have to hand it to Dartford's loyal  band of supporters who pursued the dream of a home in the town when they were struggling without a ground of their own.  Also Dartford Borough Council and its leader, Jeremy Kyte, deserve plaudits for the determination and foresight behind the build - even though he is a Tory!  What a pity we do not seem to have a council prepared to back us with improved facilities or a new ground.  Even Thamesmead Town is about to benefit from a new stadium.  I still think we would garner more backing if we included Bexley in our name - Bexley Wings FC anybody?

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Nay, nay and thrice nay, it is Welling United. Name changes worked wonders for Langney Sports and Gravesend & Northfleet...

..or Headington United (Oxford United).

Or Dial Square (Arsenal).

The Manchester United name came into being 1902;
Gillingham in 1912;
Newcastle United in 1892;
Oxford United in 1960;
Arsenal in 1914 (Woolwich Arsenal 21 years earlier).

So, all over 50 years ago.

Gravesend and Northfleet changed to Ebbsfleet in 2007
Langney Sports decided Eastbourne needed three clubs with the town's name in 2001.

Times have changed and the (football) world is a very different place.

I think you'll find WUFC would garner far more backing if it paid its bills than if it changed its name to Bexley Whatever.

-- Edited by Russ on Thursday 28th of March 2013 07:53:49 PM

I appreciate your argument, Russ - but despite the intervening 50 plus years, these clubs changed their names for obvious reasons, to generate wider appeal and to build a brand rather than restricting their catchment area to a village, a road or a very local area.  Arsenal is obviously the exception, but it still has a massive following south of the River from its days as Woolwich Arsenal (and Woolwich was quite a big borough).  Charlton Athletic is another exception, which we know to our cost, but it has not only marketed itself beyond its boundaries to neighbouring boroughs but also to the whole of Kent.  The only time the Wings enjoyed reasonable attendances was when Charlton had to play its games at Crystal Palace.

Incidentally, to slightly contradict your theory about the passage of time and changing attitudes,  the second oldest club in the world, Cray Wanderers, has not exactly been enjoying the wider appeal of its contemporaries.

As for the Wings' debts, I cannot comment because I do not have detailed information about the nature of them.  If I had, I would restrict my comments to the more restricted supporters' forum so as not to give comfort to our rivals.

How about Bexley United? Or maybe Bexleyheath & Welling? It would explain why Bromley and Sutton get bigger crowds than us as well. Oh