Wings extend links with Premiership neighbours

Charlton Athletic assistant manager Keith Peacock was at Park View Road on Wednesday to mark the launch of closer links between hosts Welling United and their Premiership neighbours, reports www.wellingunited.com

The two clubs have agreed a range of new initiatives to enable Charlton to support Welling’s community and commercial activities, as well as encouraging Addicks fans to watch the Wings in Conference South action when their own team are not playing.

Charlton season-ticket holders will be able to gain admission to the Welling v Histon fixture on February 28th (7.45pm) for the reduced prices of £5 adults and £1 juniors on production of their season-ticket books. The offer will be extensively promoted at the Addicks’ Premiership game against Aston Villa three days earlier.

In addition, Charlton’s community staff will co-ordinate their work in Bexley Borough with Welling’s new community officer, the Addicks will use their commercial contacts to encourage businesses to work with both organisations and the clubs will issue a joint fixture list next season. The clubs already play an annual pre-season friendly at Park View Road.

The deal was brokered by Welling Labour councillors Rick Everitt and Wendy Perfect, who both work for Charlton, in response to concerns that the non-League club was missing out because of the scale of the Premiership outfit’s operation in the area.

The Conference South club, who host Basingstoke Town at Park View Road on Saturday, suffers a significant drop in attendance when the two teams’ home fixtures clash and Charlton have thousands of season-ticket holders in Bexley borough, as well as a substantial programme of community work.

Welling general manager Graham Hobbins said: “We have always had an excellent relationship with Charlton at all levels and we are delighted that they have agreed to work with us in this way to make it even more productive. I am grateful to their chief executive Peter Varney and to Rick and Wendy, as well as community liaison manager Ben Tegg, for the time and effort they have put in already to the discussions.”

Sports Minister MP Rick Everitt said: “Charlton and Welling are competitors for spectators when they play at the same time but the clubs are not rivals and there is a large overlap between the crowds. We have as many season-ticket holders in Bexley Borough as we do in Greenwich, so it is a key area for us. But we believe there is also an opportunity to use some of the clout we have as a Premiership club to assist our neighbours and we’re very pleased to do so.”