TLFG: 26 August - 1 September 2013

Hello there and thanks for taking the time to visit TLFG.

I'm really quite excited about this week's edition as the football watching opportunities in this great city over the next seven days are abundant and quite mouthwatering!

Tomorrow, Bank Holiday Monday, is jam packed with non-league action with most games also being derbies.

Thanks to the good people at Combined Counties League headquarters, who have scheduled all their games for 1130am, there are numerous groundhop 'doubles' to be done, mainly with Isthmian League sides.

The 'A3 derby' between Raynes Park Vale and Colliers Wood United in the morning followed by Kingstonian v Hampton & Richmond in the Isthmian Premier at 3pm looks very tempting.

How about Bedfont Sports v Hanworth Villa and then Wealdstone v Enfield Town?

A probably illegally fast car could even get you from Egham Town v Chertsey Town at 1pm (Southern League Div 1 Central) to Staines Town v Boreham Wood (Conference South) at 3pm but probably safer to drive at regulation speed and miss the first few minutes.

These are just three options - check the match map below for other combinations.

Former non-league player Charlie Austin, now at QPR, shows his support for Non-League Day

There are also Champions League and Europa League matches to look forward to plus the next rounds of the League Cup and, more excitingly from my point of view, the FA Cup. In the Premier League it's also Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur which is arguably the biggest London derby so it's a real week to savour.

In other news, Non-League Day preparations have continued for me again this week.

We've had a few more 'names' join the campaign this week most notably from a London point of view, QPR striker Charlie Austin. Until as recently as 2009 he was playing Wessex League football for Poole Town and has enjoyed a meteoric rise ever since.

We've also been lucky enough to get some competitions and giveaways arranged. The most high profile of which involves Sports Interactive who make the famous 'Football Manager' game, details can be found on our website.

We have continued to receive fan photos so if you're going to a game, heading off on holiday or just relaxing at home we'd love to receive a picture of you in either one of our t-shirts who holding up one of these.

There's still plenty to do but ultimately it's all about gaining publicity so make sure you tell your friends or if you've got your own website or blog and would like to support us by displaying one of our banners then I'd really appreciate it.

It's less than two weeks away!

News is also reaching us of deals that clubs will be offering on 7 September to attract new people along. I hope to publish a Non-League Day London special next week with all the details.

Anyway, that's enough about my week. Remember to let me know what you've been up to and if you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. Also keep the general correspondence coming, I enjoy answering your questions and offering advice if I can.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

Each week at TLFG we attempt to compile a list of what's on general sale to non-members at London's Premier League clubs and for other notable matches (click on the team name for details).

ENGLAND

Friday 6 September, 8pm - Moldova, World Cup qualifier, Wembley
Friday 11 September, 8pm - Montenegro, World Cup qualifier, Wembley
Tuesday 15 October, TBC - Poland, World Cup qualifier, Wembley

ARSENAL

Nothing currently available

CHELSEA
Sunday 6 October, 11am - Manchester City, U21 Premier League (must buy in advance)

CRYSTAL PALACE
Tuesday 10 September, 745pm - Oman, friendly

FULHAM
Saturday 14 September, 3pm - West Bromwich Albion, Premier League

Saturday 5 October, 3pm - Stoke City, Premier League
Saturday 23 November, 3pm - Swansea City, Premier League

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Thursday 29 August, 805pm - Dinamo Tbilisi, Europa League

Saturday 14 September, 3pm - Norwich City, Premier League

Saturday 28 September, 1245pm - Chelsea, Premier League

Saturday 5 October, 3pm - West Ham United, Premier League (on sale 29 Aug)

WEST HAM UNITED
Tuesday 27 August, 745pm - Cheltenham Town, League Cup

Saturday 31 August, 3pm - Stoke City, Premier League
Saturday 21 September, 3pm - Everton, Premier League

TICKET DEALS

This week the best prices are to be found at clubs who are playing in cup competitions.

Probably the most notable offer is to be found at West Ham who are charging only £10 for adults, if bought in advance, as they entertain Cheltenham Town in the League Cup.

QPR host Swindon Town with tickets starting at £15. It's also Watford v Bournemouth (£10) and Leyton Orient v Hull City (£15).

Up at White Hart Lane on Thursday, Tottenham Hotspur entertain Georgian side Dinamo Tbilisi in the Europa League. Tickets for this are £25 and £30 depending on whether you want to sit behind a goal or along the side of the pitch. If you didn't know, Spurs won the first leg 5-0 so there's little to play for.

A rather quirky fixture has been announced by Crystal Palace. The Eagles are hosting the Oman national team in a friendly on Tuesday 10 September at Selhurst Park. Tickets for this are £10 in advance or £12 on the day. If you really want to go to a game at this stadium this season it could be your only chance as tickets for most home games are restricted to guests of season-ticket holders and members only.

If you know of any other deals I may have missed or your club is running a promotion let me know.

There are over 100 matches in the London area this week so there's no excuse not to see a game, unless you've got a really good one.

As always, check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following match map. If you've never used it before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the left side of the map page to make sure you get all the information.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures

Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures

Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

Red pin - Sunday fixtures

View London match map 26 August - 1 September 2013 in a larger map

At this point I would normally give a list of recommendations as to what to watch in the week ahead but virtually every game is a corker, on paper at least, so I'll leave you to scour the map and make up your own mind.

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or email.

TLFG: 19-25 August 2013

Hello there one and all and welcome to the wonderful world of TLFG.

With the season already a couple of weeks old, I finally got to go to a game.

After watching dismal display after dismal display last year, I made it back to Loftus Road to see how QPR would fare against Ipswich Town in the Championship.

Harry Redknapp has spent the last few weeks offloading a lot of last season's costly flops, mainly on loan, in a bid to build a team better equipped to deal with the rigours of this division.

They came into this game having beaten Sheffield Wednesday, drawn at Huddersfield Town and seen off Exeter City in the cup.

I felt Ipswich would be tough but Rangers did look the better side throughout and with some high profile players still around the place (e.g. Joey Barton, Junior Hoilett etc) they seemed to have the edge.

However, it looked like the Suffolk club would grind out a draw until the final minute when a young substitute called Tom Hitchcock, who had cost the club nothing in transfer fees, came off the bench to snaffle a winner.

Former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher shows his support for Non-League Day

It certainly silenced the visiting supporters who made a point of vociferously chanting 'Who are ya?' when he entered the fray! Said supporters also gave QPR keeper Rob Green an unpleasant afternoon because of his connections to their arch rivals Norwich. He kept it together well, though, and made a couple of tidy saves while keeping a clean sheet. At the final whistle he turned and gleefully celebrated in their direction, even hurling the match ball into their midst.

After failing to see QPR win at all last season, it was great to get that feeling of post-victory joy back.

In other news, Non-League Day preparations have continued for me again this week.

After receiving the backing of Garth Crooks and Aaron Hughes last week, we followed that up with words of support from former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher and former England manager Graham Taylor among others.

Next week we hope to be able to announce some another big names so stay tuned to our social media channels or visit our website to find out who.

I finished off my week by spending part of my Saturday evening at BBC Broadcasting House near Oxford Circus in London as a guest on this week's Non League Football Show hosted by Caroline Barker.

The programme has been a big supporter of Non-League Day from the off and hopefully my appearance will help keep the momentum going.

A fellow guest on the show, who might not wished to be mentioned, in a conversation afterwards estimated that NLD has probably generated around £500,000 for non-league football around the country so far which is an amazing amount. Long may it continue!

Don't forget we also want plenty of fan photos so if you're going to a game, heading off on holiday or just relaxing at home we'd love to receive a picture of you in either one of our t-shirts who holding up one of these.

There's still plenty to do but ultimately it's all about gaining publicity so make sure you tell your friends or if you've got your own website or blog and would like to support us by displaying one of our banners then I'd really appreciate it.

It's less than three weeks away!

Anyway, that's enough about my week. Remember to let me know what you've been up to and if you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. Also keep the general correspondence coming, I enjoy answering your questions and offering advice if I can.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

Each week at TLFG we attempt to compile a list of what's on general sale to non-members at London's Premier League clubs and for other notable matches (click on the team name for details).

ENGLAND

Friday 6 September, 8pm - Moldova, World Cup qualifier, Wembley
Friday 11 September, 8pm - Montenegro, World Cup qualifier, Wembley
Tuesday 15 October, TBC - Poland, World Cup qualifier, Wembley

ARSENAL

Nothing currently available

CHELSEA
Saturday 24 August, 2pm - Leicester City, U21 Premier League (must buy in advance)

CRYSTAL PALACE
Tuesday 10 September, 745pm - Oman, friendly

FULHAM
Saturday 24 August, 1245pm - Arsenal, Premier League

Saturday 14 September, 3pm - West Bromwich Albion, Premier League
Saturday 5 October, 3pm - Stoke City, Premier League
Saturday 23 November, 3pm - Swansea City, Premier League

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Sunday 25 August, 4pm - Swansea City, Premier League
Thursday 29 August, TBC - Dinamo Tbilisi, Europa League (on sale 21 Aug)

Saturday 14 September, 3pm - Norwich City, Premier League
Saturday 28 September, 1245pm - Chelsea, Premier League

WEST HAM UNITED
Tuesday 27 August, 745pm - Cheltenham Town, League Cup

Saturday 31 August, 3pm - Stoke City, Premier League
Saturday 21 September, 3pm - Everton, Premier League (on sale 20 Aug)

TICKET DEALS

There's a bit more action in the U21 Premier League this week with Chelsea and West Ham hosting games at Stamford Bridge and Upton Park.

Details for West Ham's derby against Spurs on Friday have been hard to come by (they usually charge about £3) while Chelsea are asking £5 for adults and £3 for everyone else to watch their fixture against Leicester City on Saturday afternoon. The only slight snag with this excellent deal is that tickets will not be on sale on the day and must be bought in advance.

Looking further ahead, the next round of the League Cup at the end of August sees several London clubs playing at home.

The best deal is to be found at West Ham who are charging only £10 for adults, if bought in advance, as they entertain Cheltenham Town.

QPR host Swindon Town with tickets starting at £15. It's also Watford v Bournemouth (£10 - on sale 23 August) and Leyton Orient v Hull City (£15 - on sale 24 August).

A rather quirky fixture has been announced by Crystal Palace. The Eagles are hosting the Oman national team in a friendly on Tuesday 10 September at Selhurst Park. Tickets for this are £10 in advance or £12 on the day.

If you know of any other deals I may have missed or your club is running a promotion let me know.

There are over 100 matches in the London area this week. With all our local sides now in full competitive action there's absolutely loads to choose from with several FA Cup replays taking place alongside all the league action.

As always, check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following match map. If you've never used it before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the left side of the map page to make sure you get all the information.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures

Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures

Magenta pin - Friday fixtures

Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures

View London match map 19-25 August 2013 in a larger map

Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list a few games which I think could be worth a watch. Add your own in the comments section below.

TLFG TOP 10

CHELSEA v ASTON VILLA

At the time of writing, we don't yet know how Chelsea have done against Hull in their season opener but anything other than victory will be a considerable upset. Villa, on the other hand, defied the odds to win 3-1 at Arsenal in their first game but they are wildly unpredictable at Stamford Bridge. Over the last four seasons they've managed one fine win and a decent draw but the other two games saw them get absolutely stuffed. Last season they lost the corresponding fixture 8-0 and in 2009/10 got on the wrong end of a 7-1 drubbing. Overall you have to favour the Blues. (Premier League, Wednesday 21 August, 745pm. Ticket info)

FULHAM v ARSENAL

A short stroll from Stamford Bridge, we have this game at Craven Cottage. Following their undoing by Villa, the Gunners travel to west London for this tricky derby. Martin Jol's side are a match for anyone when playing at home and are improving on their travels too as Sunderland found out on Saturday. With a win under their belts and Arsene Wenger's side looking shaky, the perceived underdogs could be in for another good afternoon. (Premier League, Saturday 24 August, 3pm. Ticket info)

WATFORD v NOTTINGHAM FOREST

The match of the weekend in the Football League takes place at Vicarage Road where the top two (at the time of writing) go head-to-head. Both sides have made impressive starts with Forest the only team in the Championship to be able to boast a 100% record from their three games, with no goals conceded. The Hornets lost their perfect record on Saturday but fought back from being 2-0 and 3-1 down to draw 3-3 at Reading. In essence it's a game between the division's best attack and it's best defence - quite a prospect. (Championship, Sunday 25 August, 115pm. Ticket info)

BRENTFORD v WALSALL

As has been well documented, Brentford blew their chance of promotion to the Championship in pretty spectacular fashion last season with a last-minute defeat in their final match of the regular season and then defeat in the play-off final against Yeovil. They'll be desperate to make it up automatically this season and they've made a satisfactory start with five points from three games putting them in the top six. On Saturday, West Midlands club Walsall come to Griffin Park also with their unbeaten record intact and with a place in the top four. You'd expect the Bees to shade this with their home advantage. (League One, Saturday 24 August, 3pm. Ticket info)

LEYTON ORIENT v CREWE ALEXANDRA

The O's enjoyed a good season last time, finishing seventh to narrowly miss out on the play-offs. This time Russell Slade's team have come flying out of the blocks winning all three of their league matches and also their first round League Cup tie, scoring 12 goals in the process. Unsurprisingly they now find themselves at the top of League One and have become the team to beat. Crewe are the next team scheduled to visit and they've been the model of inconsistency this season with one win, one draw and one defeat. Looks like another three points for the hosts. (League One, Saturday 24 August, 3pm. Ticket info)

BARNET v NUNEATON TOWN

Following their relegation from the Football League, the Bees have begun life in the Conference Premier pretty well. Two wins and a draw from their first three games means they are currently ranked second with only one goal separating them from leaders Cambridge United. However, only a solitary goal is ensuring they stay just above Saturday's visitors Nuneaton who have had a similar start. Barnet are far more used to being in this sort of position but maybe Kevin Wilkin's side can upset them. (Conference Premier, Saturday 24 August, 3pm. Ticket info)

HARROW BOROUGH v WEALDSTONE

For a seventh tier match this is one of the most high profile of the season. The Harrow derby always draws a decent crowd, albeit mainly Stones fans whose club is historically and currently the more successful of the two. Boro will start this very much as the underdogs but at home they have a chance. Neither side have made a particularly good start to the campaign, with both having yet to win any of their three games. This could be the hosts' best chance of beating the old enemy for a while. (Isthmian League Premier Division, Saturday 24 August, 3pm. Ticket info)

EPSOM & EWELL v WHYTELEAFE

I recommended you go and watch the original playing of this FA Cup tie on Saturday and the thrilling 3-3 draw which ensued is making me strongly suggest you go to the replay. E&E have won all four of their games to sit atop the Combined Counties Premier Division table while the Leafe are a top six club over in the parallel Southern Counties East League. It's got to be the E's for me. (FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round replay, Wednesday 21 August, 745pm. Club info)

PHOENIX SPORTS v TUNBRIDGE WELLS

After winning the Kent Invicta League title last season, Phoenix have taken to life in the SCEFL like a duck to water. Having won their first three games, their biggest test so far is set to appear in the form of Tunbridge Wells, last season's FA Vase finalists. They may already be five points behind in the table but they do have a game in hand on Phoenix. They warmed up for this game on Saturday by beating Pagham 4-2 in the FA Cup. (Southern Counties East League, Saturday 24 August, 3pm. Club info)

SOUTHALL v SUN POSTAL SPORTS

Last up this week we have this Spartan South Midlands League Division 1 game between these two sides. The hosts enjoyed a decent start to life at this level last season, finishing ninth. They are there or thereabouts again this time round but out of relative mediocrity have sprung Sun Postal Sports who have thrashed all before them to rise to the summit of the table. In fact they have scored a staggering 19 goals in just three games meaning Southall will have to be at the top of their game to stand a chance. (Spartan South Midlands League Division 1, Wednesday 21 August, 745pm. Club info)

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or email.

TLFG: 12-18 August 2013

Hello there and welcome to this week's TLFG.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it's been all about Non-League Day preparation for me again this week.

The most significant development being the support of professional players from the past and present. So far we've been lucky enough to have received the backing of former Tottenham Hotspur player and now TV pundit Garth Crooks and Fulham and Northern Ireland defender Aaron Hughes.

On Monday we'll be announcing another big name so stay tuned to our social media channels or visit our website to find out who.

Garth Crooks shows his support for Non-League Day

We've also started to get some non-league players and we want plenty of fan photos too so if you're going to a game, heading off on holiday or just relaxing at home we'd love to receive a picture of you in either one of our t-shirts who holding up one of these.

Garth Crooks is of course also a trustee of Kick It Out who are once again getting involved on NLD and we'll have more details of which matches they'll be at in due course although one should be happening in London.

This afternoon was spent in another planning meeting, probably our last big one before the day itself.

There's still plenty to do but ultimately it's all about gaining publicity so make sure you tell your friends or if you've got your own website or blog and would like to support us by displaying one of our banners then I'd really appreciate it.

It's just over a month away!

Anyway, that's enough about my week. Remember to let me know what you've been up to and if you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. Also keep the general correspondence coming, I enjoy answering your questions and offering advice if I can.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

Each week at TLFG we attempt to compile a list of what's on general sale to non-members at London's Premier League clubs and for other notable matches (click on the team name for details).

ENGLAND

Wednesday 14 August, 8pm - Scotland, international friendly, Wembley
Friday 6 September, 8pm - Moldova, World Cup qualifier, Wembley
Friday 11 September, 8pm - Montenegro, World Cup qualifier, Wembley
Tuesday 15 October, TBC - Poland, World Cup qualifier, Wembley (on sale 13 Aug)

ARSENAL

Nothing currently available

CHELSEA
Wednesday 21 August, 745pm - Aston Villa, Premier League

CRYSTAL PALACE
Nothing currently available

FULHAM
Saturday 24 August, 1245pm - Arsenal, Premier League

Saturday 14 September, 3pm - West Bromwich Albion, Premier League
Saturday 5 October, 3pm - Stoke City, Premier League
Saturday 23 November, 3pm - Swansea City, Premier League

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Saturday 14 September, 3pm - Norwich City, Premier League
Saturday 28 September, 1245pm - Chelsea, Premier League (on sale 15 Aug)

WEST HAM UNITED
Tuesday 27 August, 745pm - Cheltenham Town, League Cup (on sale 17 Aug)

Saturday 31 August, 3pm - Stoke City, Premier League

TICKET DEALS

There's not much to report this week although it's only £3 to go and watch Fulham play Middlesbrough in the U21 Premier League at Craven Cottage on Friday night.

Looking further ahead, the next round of the League Cup at the end of August sees several London clubs playing at home.

The best deal is to be found at West Ham who are charging only £10 for adults, if bought in advance, as they entertain Cheltenham Town.

QPR host Swindon Town with tickets starting at £15. It's also Watford v Bournemouth and Leyton Orient v Hull City but I've yet to find any details for these games yet.

If you know of any other deals I may have missed or your club is running a promotion let me know.

There are well over 80 matches in the London area this week. The Premier League finally gets going as do the Conference South and Southern League to mean all our local sides are now in fully competitive action. Aside from this, the highlight for many people will the playing of the opening round of this season's FA Cup with many local clubs involved - the 'Road to Wembley' starts here.

As always, check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following match map. If you've never used it before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the left side of the map page to make sure you get all the information.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures

Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures

Magenta pin - Friday fixtures

Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures

View London match map 12-18 August 2013 in a larger map

Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list a few games which I think could be worth a watch. Add your own in the comments section below.

TLFG TOP TIPS

Monday 12 August

Hendon v Dulwich Hamlet - the early Ryman League leaders against the team who beat the pre-season favourites meet in what will be Hendon's first competitive game at their latest home. Club info

Kingstonian v Enfield Town - two more teams with 100% records in the Ryman Premier do battle at Kingsmeadow. Club info

Wealdstone v Bognor Regis Town - the Stones are expected to challenge for promotion again this season and began with a draw at title favourites Maidstone. Club info

Tuesday 13 August

Cray Valley PM v Tunbridge Wells - both sides recorded 3-0 wins in their opening games to go joint top of the Southern Counties East League. Club info

Phoenix Sports v Corinthian - they share the lead with these two who recorded less emphatic victories but could both be among the title contenders. Club info

Wednesday 14 August

England v Scotland - these two old rivals haven't played each other since 1999 when they met in a Euro 2000 play-off. I actually went to the nervy second leg at Wembley which Scotland won 1-0 but it ended 2-1 to the hosts on aggregate. The fact that tickets are still available shows the significance of this fixture has waned somewhat. Ticket info

Welling United v Cambridge United - this will be the Wings' first home match following promotion to the Conference Premier and for some reason it's been scheduled against England - strange. Club info

Grays Athletic v Leiston - again if England's not for you then a trip to Aveley might appeal where two of the Ryman Premier's early pacesetters come face to face. Club info

Friday 16 August

Enfield 1893 v London Tigers - the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round gets under way on Friday with this tie. The match is being played at Haringey Borough's ground on White Hart Lane. Club info

Saturday 17 August

Arsenal v Aston Villa - the Gunners get their Premier League campaign under way against a side who struggled last season. Ticket info

West Ham United v Cardiff City - the Hammers start their season against newly promoted Cardiff who have only won once at Upton Park since 1950. Ticket info

Queens Park Rangers v Ipswich Town - the hosts have made an encouraging start to life in the Championship but could find the visitors tricky. Ticket info

Welling United v Grimsby Town - another tough test of the hosts' Conference Premier credentials as this former Championship club travel to Park View Road. Club info

VCD Athletic v Aveley - at the time of writing, these are the top two in the Ryman Division 1 North so it should be worth a watch. Club info

Egham Town v Royston Town - the Sarnies have just been promoted to the Southern League after winning the Combined Counties and start with one of the toughest fixtures going as Royston are second favourites for the title. Club info

Cockfosters v Hanwell Town - two Spartan South Midlands League rivals meet again in the FA Cup in what should be a closely contested game. Club info

Whyteleafe v Epsom & Ewell - the visitors have got off to a flyer in the Combined Counties League winning all three games and will fancy their chances against the Leafe who only started their Southern Counties East League season with a draw. Club info

Sunday 18 August

Chelsea v Hull City - the first game back in charge for Jose Mourinho comes against newly promoted Hull who will probably feel like lambs to the slaughter. Ticket info

Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur - the Eagles have also just been promoted and also face a tough first game in this derby against Spurs. Ticket info

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or email.

TLFG: 5-11 August 2013

Hello there and welcome to this week's TLFG.

Pre-season is now moving into its final stages and most clubs will have their seasons off and running by this time next week. Only our local Premier League, Conference South and Southern League clubs will have to wait until 17 August.

My football week has gone back to being quiet, certainly in terms of live action. However, Non-League Day (NLD) preparations have continued.

On Monday we officially launched our new website which seems to have been received pretty well - many thanks to all those who have contributed to its development.

It's just over a month away!

The main feature, like TLFG, is the match map. However, the NLD one is far more flash in that you can search for games using your postcode. I'd love to do that on here but I'd have to hire a developer to install it and as that costs money I can't see it happening in the near future (I've had to part fund the NLD one as it is).

We've also got t-shirts available this year which have been designed by Cult Zeros. They've been good enough to donate 15% of the profits to our designated charity the Free Kicks Foundation so get buying!

Also, in order for NLD to succeed we need help in spreading the word so if you've got your own website or blog and would like to support us by displaying one of our banners then I'd really appreciate it.

Anyway, that's enough about my week. Remember to let me know what you've been up to and if you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. Also keep the general correspondence coming, I enjoy answering your questions and offering advice if I can.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

Each week at TLFG we attempt to compile a list of what's on general sale to non-members at London's Premier League clubs and for other notable matches (click on the team name for details).

ENGLAND

Wednesday 14 August, 8pm - Scotland, international friendly, Wembley
Friday 6 September, 8pm - Moldova, World Cup qualifier, Wembley
Friday 11 September, 8pm - Montenegro, World Cup qualifier, Wembley

ARSENAL

Nothing currently available

CHELSEA
Nothing currently available

CRYSTAL PALACE
Saturday 10 August, 3pm - Lazio, friendly (booking history required)

FULHAM
Saturday 10 August, 3pm - Parma, friendly
Saturday 24 August, 1245pm - Arsenal, Premier League

Saturday 14 September, 3pm - West Bromwich Albion, Premier League
Saturday 5 October, 3pm - Stoke City, Premier League
Saturday 23 November, 3pm - Swansea City, Premier League

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Saturday 10 August, 530pm - RCD Espanyol, friendly
Sunday 25 August, 4pm - Swansea City, Premier League
Saturday 14 September, 3pm - Norwich City, Premier League

WEST HAM UNITED

Saturday 10 August, 3pm - Paços de Ferreira, friendly
Saturday 17 August, 3pm - Cardiff City, Premier League
Saturday 31 August, 3pm - Stoke City, Premier League

TICKET DEALS

All of the club friendlies listed above offer significantly discounted tickets when compared to normal Premier League prices. The best prices can be found at Fulham where their games against Real Betis and Parma are only £10 if bought in advance (better be quick for Betis) or £15 on match day. You could buy a ticket bundle for both for only £15 - pretty good if you ask me.

Tottenham's game against Espanyol and West Ham's match versus Paços de Ferreira can both be accessed for £20 with family tickets (two adults, two kids) available for £40 at the former. Crystal Palace v Lazio starts at £20 too but you must have a booking history with the club to be able to buy one.

Other good deals this week can be found at clubs hosting League Cup ties. The best deal is probably to be had at Brentford where their London derby against Dagenham & Redbridge has standing tickets available for £10 and seats for £15. They're also running a two tickets for the price of one promotion - full details here.

Charlton Athletic have seats going for £10 for the visit of Oxford United but there's no two for one offer. 

Millwall entertain AFC Wimbledon in another London derby - tickets are £15 and there is a two for one offer but only for the first 350 people who buy. Whilst over at Brisbane Road, Leyton Orient are also offering tickets for £15 for the visit of Coventry City and there is, as far as I can tell, an unrestricted two for one offer.

Although not a special deal, the chance to see a Premier League club play for £10 is well worth a mention. That's apparently all you'll have to pay to watch the south-east London derby between Dulwich Hamlet and Crystal Palace on Tuesday night. The hosts managed to secure the friendly against an Eagles first team as part of the transfer of Michael Chambers.

If you know of any other deals I may have missed or your club is running a promotion let me know.

There are the best part 90 matches in the London area this week. The FA Community Shield tops the bill but there's also plenty of Football League, League Cup, Conference Premier, Isthmian, Combined Counties, Essex Senior, Southern Counties East, Spartan South Midlands and Kent Invicta League football too plus a considerable number of friendlies.  However, this number could change as friendlies, particularly involving non-league teams, are often arranged, cancelled or have their venue changed at quite short notice. Therefore, always check with clubs before you travel. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following match map. If you've never used it before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the left side of the map page to make sure you get all the information.

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures

Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures

Purple pin - Thursday fixtures

Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures

View London match map 5-11 August 2013 in a larger map

Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list a few games which I think could be worth a watch. Add your own in the comments section below.

TLFG TOP 10

1. FA Community Shield (Manchester United v Wigan Athletic) - the traditional 'Premier League winners versus FA Cup winners' season curtain raiser returns to Wembley on Sunday. This is possibly the biggest mismatch the annual fixture has seen for decades with the Latics being the first non top-flight team to contest it since West Ham in 1980. Although Wigan are now a Championship team they have only just come down from the Premier League where they enjoyed several good years. Consequently they are well used to playing United and did beat them for the only time in their history in April last year. They also began their season on Saturday with a resounding 4-0 win at Barnsley. Man Utd, on the other hand, have only been playing friendlies in Asia winning only two of their five matches so far. (Sunday 11 August, 2pm. Ticket info)

2. Watford v AFC Bournemouth - the Championship season got under way on Saturday and saw wins for both these sides. The Hornets got to last season's play-off final but suffered the heartbreak of losing to Crystal Palace. They are, among many bookmakers, second favourites to win the title this time round and you would struggle to find many to disagree. The Cherries finished runners-up in League One last season and now find themselves in the second tier for the first time since 1990. Their 2-1 home win over Charlton on opening day will fill them with confidence but they will still arrive at Vicarage Road as second favourites.  (Championship, 10 August, 3pm. Ticket info)

3. Leyton Orient v Shrewsbury Town - the O's enjoyed a decent season last time out, only missing a play-off spot by three points. On Saturday their new campaign got off to a dream start as they thrashed Carlisle United 5-1 away to become early League One leaders. Shrewsbury managed a more modest 0-0 draw against MK Dons and are among the favourites for relegation so the east London club could well remain top by teatime on Saturday. (League One, 10 August, 3pm. Ticket info)

4. AFC Wimbledon v Wycombe Wanderers - over at Kingsmeadow we have a derby of sorts. Given League Two is a national division, the 27 miles which separate these clubs makes them relatively local in my book. The Dons managed to avoid relegation from the Football League by the skin of their teeth last season thanks to a final day win over Fleetwood Town and sadly very little is expected of them this season either. A solid point at Torquay on Saturday should allay the gloom for now but a loss to Wycombe, managed by former Wimbledon player Gareth Ainsworth, could put the naysayers back in business.  (League Two, 10 August, 3pm. Ticket info)

5. Barnet v Chester - while Wimbledon stayed up last season, the Bees fell through the trapdoor to return to non-league football for the first time since 2005. On Saturday they entertain another former Football League club, albeit a reborn one, in what will be the first competitive match at their new stadium - The Hive. It should be quite a game with both sides among the favourites for promotion and the visitors usually among those whose fans travel in relatively large numbers. (Conference Premier, 10 August, 3pm. Ticket info)

6. Dulwich Hamlet v Lowestoft Town - the Isthmian League also gets under way this week with title favourites Lowestoft heading to London. The Suffolk club have come unstuck in the play-offs for the last two seasons so will be desperate to claim automatic promotion this time round. Dulwich had suffered several play-off disasters themselves until they took the Isthmian League Division 1 South crown last season to finally get back to the top division. For seventh tier clubs, these are two of the best supported around and I would be disappointed if there was much less than 600-700 in attendance and there could well be more.  (Isthmian League Premier Division, 10 August, 3pm. Club info)

7. Thurrock v AFC Sudbury - the 'will they or won't they be relegated' saga surrounding Thurrock finally came to an end earlier this week. In short, they were penalised three points for fielding an ineligible player and got relegated. Thurrock appealed, got turned down and finally went to arbitration where their claims were dismissed again. Consequently they will start the new season in the Isthmian League Division 1 North where they will join AFC Sudbury as one of the favourites for promotion so a good game looks likely. (Isthmian League Division 1 North, 10 August, 3pm. Ticket info)

8. Waltham Forest v VCD Athletic - the Stags are another team to be moving grounds this season but they're going from being tenants at Ilford back to their home at Wadham Lodge which they were forced to leave in 2008. Newly promoted VCD provide the opposition for the first competitive game back at the stadium with a special commemorative programme being produced for the occasion. (Isthmian League Division 1 North, 10 August, 3pm. Club info)

9. Chipstead v Hastings United  - the Chips ended up having a pretty poor season last time out, finishing third from bottom. They'll hope for much more this year but in Hastings opening fixtures don't get much tougher. The Sussex club have just come down from the Isthmian Premier and have been installed as title favourites. Head down to the capital's most southerly club to see if they live up to their billing. (Isthmian League Division 1 South, 10 August, 3pm. Ticket info)

10. Croydon v South Park - last season the Trams had a very unspectacular midtable campaign so their 4-1 drubbing of newly promoted Frimley Green on Saturday which put them top of the Combined Counties League came as a bit of a surprise. On Wednesday they entertain South Park who hail from leafy Reigate rather than the wilds of Colorado. The Sparks finished in the top four last season and comfortably saw off Hanworth Villa 3-1 on Saturday to surely install themselves among the title contenders. (Combined Counties League Premier Division, 7 August, 745pm. Club info)

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or email.