Nothing is ever normal at Welling United. On Saturday they recorded a well-deserved victory at strong-at-home Hemel Hempstead Town, then sacked their manager.

Danny Bloor and Garry Fiore, who had taken on the role of assistant manager, looked to be working well together. The Wings were very unfortunate to lose at Chelmsford City before their excellent win at Hemel. Therefore it came as a shock when Bloor was relieved of his duties during that evening. Fiore then resigned from both his roles of assistant manager and Director of Football.

In under forty-eight hours, a new manager was appointed with Rod Stringer taking on the role, assisted by former Ebbsfleet United manager Kevin Watson. Their first game will be a Tuesday night game at the J. Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium versus Hampton and Richmond Borough. 

Despite losing their only two league matches played in January, the Beavers are still well placed in the play-off zone. On Saturday, they lost one-nil at home to Chelmsford City through a goal scored by Charlie Ruff. Away from home, Hampton have won five, drawn six, and lost five. 

This will be the first meeting of the season between the two clubs with Welling due to travel to Hampton for a midweek game in March. When they met at Park View Road last season, on a Tuesday evening in April, the Wings won three-nil. Kyrell Lisbie score a second half brace either side of a Daniel Nkrumah penalty. That was only Welling’s second home win against the Beavers in their last six games at home.

How many of Welling’s starters from Saturday’s match remains to be seen as Stringer will have his own ideas and style of play that he will want to implement. 

Spectators should note that there will be an appreciation of former club owner Barrie Hobbins before the kick off. He was involved with the club when his father Sid started the club in 1963. Sadly, he passed away last week.

Two former players, Wings legend Wayne Brown, and Lenny Piper will also be remembered having also died within the last seven days. It will be an emotional evening for a number of reasons.  

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.