Welling United owner Barrie Hobbins is confident the club can find the £60,000 they need to survive.

A week ago they were given 14 days to raise the funds to fight a winding up order brought by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

Since then Wings supporters have helped raise £44,350 which is now in the hands of the club's solicitors.

Hobbins told the BBC's Non-League Show: "I'm quite optimistic and my confidence has been growing over the weekend."

Following a meeting to discuss the club's predicament on Saturday, around 30 fans have pledged between £500 and £3,000 each to help the club survive.

"We've had some wonderful responses from people who are still very much with us - the supporters have been magnificent," said Hobbins.

"So we have to be far more optimistic than we were this time last week.

They've done the business on the field. None of it is their fault and I've got no grumbles at all with the way they've reacted Barrie Hobbins on Welling's players

"I think we can certainly do it, but having been let down over the past three months by two investors at a very late stage I don't want to be making any promises to anybody."

If they do manage to fight off the winding up order, then Hobbins has promised those supporters who give financial aid a bigger say in the club's future.

He said: "Their money goes into a holding account until we see how much we've got.

"That money will not be lost - if the worst happened to the club and it did not survive Wednesday week then the supporters would have their money returned.

"The only sufferers will obviously be the football club.

"But in the event of us being successful and finding the necessary money then there would be a re-structuring and the supporters would have a say."

Hobbins - who with his brother - started Welling United as an Under-15 team in 1963, says their players and manager have dealt well with the club's situation.

"Jamie Day has been superb, as we're running on a registration embargo," said Hobbins.

"There's been no fuss from the players.

"They weren't paid this week as we didn't have a game at the weekend but they've been paid all the way along the line up to last week.

"They've done the business on the field - obviously none of it is their fault and I've got no grumbles at all with the way they've reacted.

"They appear to be fully behind the club and you can't ask more than what they've achieved this season - given the difficulties," Hobbins concluded.

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