Lee Martin has been unveiled as the new manager of Welling United.

As a player, he spent time in England, Scotland and Belgium early in his career before making one hundred appearances for Ipswich Town. He then moved to Millwall, followed by Gillingham, and after a spell with Exeter City, before returning to Kent for Non-League football with Ebbsfleet United.

Dover Athletic was his next port of call, followed by Ramsgate, Ashford United, before returning to Ramsgate where he finished the season with a league champions medal.

He has now taken his first step into management by taking on the vacant role at Welling. Martin explained how it all came about. “We had contact when Rod (Stringer) left. I was still playing at that time. I hadn’t decided what I wanted to do. I’ve completed my A licence so there was that concept of what was next, and I was sold.

“I’ve done coaching before. Now days it’s more of a head coach. The detail around session designs and things like that are part and parcel of being a manager in the new age now. Before that, they probably took more of a step back, the running of the club and things like that. This one will be a bit more on the training field and trying to incorporate what we want.”

Brian Statham, who finished the season as Welling’s caretaker manager will take on the role of Director of Football in a restructure of the club’s hierarchy. Martin sees that as part of how clubs are moving, even at Non-League Level. “You’ve got good people around you, and that’s the way the game is where it’s at now.” he said. “Essentially, you’ve got a lot more technical nous now rather than just designing a hard working team. Even in the lower leagues now, there’s a lot more football being played, more of a game of chess essentially.”

His assistant manager will be Billy Bingham, who played for four years at Bromley during his playing career. Martin said “We played together at Gillingham. I had Bill in midfield with me. He’s a fantastic footballing man. A man that I can trust first and foremost, and a great football IQ, and how the game should be played essentially. 

“We’re going to bounce off each other. I like some of his ideas on how he wants to play and that’s the key thing that we both want to play the right style of play. It would be difficult if he had a different vision to what I did so it was important that I married that up with the assistant manager.

“We’re good friends first and foremost, so that was always an easy conversation really. I reached out to see what he was up to and he was willing to come in and help out.”

Whether Martin and/or Bingham register to play, remains uncertain. Martin confirmed “Dependent on how many players we get in, ideally not, but there will be options to play cup games. We spoke about that but we haven’t decided so far. He’s a lot younger than me. He can do the running so if anyone’s going to play, it will be Bill.”

In the last few seasons, the pitch has become difficult to play passing football, but the intention is to lay an artificial surface after one more season. Martin is a fan. “I think that helps. The big pull for me was moving into a 3G pitch as well. For me, I think that you can really go after that style of play a bit more. I know (owner) Howard (Prosser)’s doing the best he can with the pitch, hopefully, it’s the best possible outcome but there are times that you’ve got to be adaptable and when winter turns, it will be difficult to play the style of play but there’s always ways that we can look to adapt.”

Picture supplied by Olly Groome.