Relegation was already a formality by the time Mark Goldberg took the reins at Park View Road and the new Welling United manager has wasted no time in rebuilding his squad for the new season.

Whilst Sam Corne and Barney Williams still have a year remaining on their contracts it is unlikely that the Wings supporters will recognize too many other players as Goldberg has gone for a complete overhaul.

George Porter and Joey Taylor were named on his retained list but, so far, only the latter has signed for another year.

When speaking after their dismal final home defeat at the hands of Boreham Wood, Goldberg declared that he wanted to have the majority of his new squad in place prior to the first pre-season friendly.

Three of the first four new signings to be named were signed from Dulwich Hamlet.

Danny Waldren was captain of Goldberg’s Bromley side that won promotion to the Vanarama National in 2014-15 but left the club soon after as he was not able to commit to the increased travel. He gives much needed experience to the team.

Also signing from Dulwich are full backs Jordan Brown (24) and Mitchell Nelson (26). Brown normally plays on the left and numbers Crewe Alexandria, Barnet and Boreham Wood amongst sides played for previously. Nelson, whose other former clubs include Sutton United and Lincoln City is a right back.

His other signing announced on that day was 22 year old Oliver Sprague from Ryman League Premier club Hendon. He is able to play left back or left midfield. The former Chelsea academy player previously represented Northwood and reports suggest he has been watched recently by several league clubs.

Jonte Smith from Lewes was in the next batch of announcements. He is a full international for Bermuda and has a good goals to games ratio. Whilst at Crawley Town he had loan spells with Eastbourne Borough and Havant and Waterlooville amongst others. Following a prolific spell in Finland, he returned to play for Gloucester City before joining Lewes for whom he scored ten in fifteen matches.

Centre back George Allen signed from Bishop’s Stortford. Having represented them on loan from Stevenage Borough, he signed for them permanently at the start of last season and made 30 appearances, scoring twice.

Another centre back, Rickie Hayles, has joined from newly promoted East Thurrock United. Previous clubs include AFC Hornchurch, Bishop’s Stortford, Canvey Island and Lowestoft Town. He had the unfortunate spell of three consecutive dismissals last season, but prior to that, he had only been sent off once in his career.

Pierre-Joseph Dubois is a player well known to Goldberg. The midfield/winger was signed by him for Bromley and the now Welling manager wasted no time in claiming his signature again upon his release by the Ravens. Having been released by Reading as a youngster, he played for Crawley Town, Hayes and Yeading and Weymouth before helping Bromley win promotion.

Bobby Devyne is another former Chelsea academy player where he played under the name of Bob Kirobi. He is a striker signed from Enfield Town who had picked him up from Brimsdown F.C.

Centre back Sean Francis is another signed from Bromley. Before joining them he played for Bishops’s Stortford, Dover Athletic and Chester.

Experienced striker Jamie Slabber is further player well known to Goldberg as he was also part of his Vanarama National South championship winning side. He made one appearance for Tottenham Hotspurs before being released and picked up by Aldershot. He soon moved on to Grays Athletic. A brief spell at Stevenage Borough was followed by a move to Havant and Waterlooville before returning to Grays. He has since played for Eastleigh, Chelmsford City, Sutton United and Bromley.

Welling supporters know there is at least one more signing to come as no goalkeeper has yet been named in the squad but the players that have been added are a mixture of experience and youth  who promise exciting times ahead.

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.