WELLING United owner Barrie Hobbins has confirmed the club do not expect to have a new sponsor unveiled by the time the Wings kick-off the 2009-10 campaign against Woking on Saturday.

Bookmakers Coomes ended their long-term arrangement with the Blue Square South outfit during the summer and Mr Hobbins was initially hopeful a replacement would be quickly found.

The club are still in negotiations with three separate parties to take over the sponsorship but Welling may have to wait a little longer than hoped before a new deal is finalised.

Mr Hobbins said: “We are still very hopeful one will be found and there are three potential candidates at the moment.

“But we can’t make it happen when we want it to happen.

“Although the start of the season is obviously a huge thing for a football club, it isn’t necessarily such massive issue for businesses when you bear in mind a lot of people go away on holiday at this time of year.

“There is no deadline on this, it is just a case of staying patient.”

Coomes have continued to have their logo displayed across the club shirt in the interim period and Mr Hobbins confirmed this will continue for now.

“We will have Coomes on our shirts against Woking on Saturday and probably will do until a deal has been done,” he added.

The Wings owner also took the opportunity to praise Millwall after last night’s quickly arranged friendly attracted an impressive crowd of 714.

He said: “Millwall should be thanked for agreeing to play here and I would definitely be keen to look at the possibility of making this game a regular pre-season fixture.

“Bearing in mind it was arranged at such short notice, an attendance of 714 is extremely good.

“If we have more time to organise and prepare for it in future then I’m sure it could become a bigger thing in future pre-seasons.”