TLFG: 19 December 2016 - 2 January 2017

Well we've made it to the end of 2016 and what a year it's been for Britain and the world.

I won't say any more than that but I'm still grateful to be here and I hope I'll have enough to stumble over the line into 2017.

The football world has been rocked by scandals again with the still unfolding abuse story overshadowing things as the new year beckons.

My personal highlights were Harrow Borough making the FA Cup First Round, organising another successful Non-League Day, see friends get their football books published and making a couple of trips overseas to watch some European football.

The first half of 2017 will see my two favourite clubs have to fight out a relegation battle as QPR and the aforementioned Harrow are in trouble.

I'm also looking forward to the second Non-League Finals Day at Wembley in May and I'm debating whether to go to the Women's European Championships in the Netherlands in July.

I'd be interested to hear about your highs and lows and hopes for the year ahead.

This week's blog is the now customary festive special edition which will cover you for the next two weeks. There are loads and loads of games, many of them derbies - although, as you'll see below, the Premier League and EFL are a bit lacking in terms of real blockbusters which is disappointing.

There are games spread right across the period with kick-offs varying too, allowing groundhoppers to take in at least two matches on some days.

It's just gone 0300 GMT so I think it's time to hit the hay and wrap things up for another year. I hope you've enjoyed the blog and found it useful. Have a great festive period and see you back here in early January.

TRAVEL ADVISORY

Please be aware that public transport will be significantly affected over the Christmas period, especially on Boxing Day (26 December).

There will be virtually no national rail services, including London Overground, and a significant chunk of the District Line will be shut too.

This means that getting to matches at Brentford, Chelsea, Millwall and Watford will be less straightforward than normal but good London Underground alternatives, with a bit of walking, are available instead.

For full details of festive services, including those on New Year's Eve, see the TFL website.

THE WEEKS AHEAD

There are 130+ matches in the London area over two weeks with action in the Premier League, EFL, National League and several minor league and county cup competitions.

However, please make sure you 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 on the following match maps. If you've never used them 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 drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

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.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

Match map 19-25 December
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

Match map 26-30 December
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

Match map 31 December - 2 January
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Orange pin - Sunday fixtures
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 19 December

Ryman League Premier Division
Kingstonian v Dulwich Hamlet @745pm - a fine game to start the week as two sides with play-off ambitions from south of the river meet at Kingsmeadow

----------------------------------------------------

Tuesday 20 December

National League
Boreham Wood v Braintree Town @745pm - ninth in this division, The Wood are London's second highest ranked non-league club and should fancy themselves against relegation threatened opposition from Essex

Ryman League Premier Division
Harrow Borough v Tonbridge Angels @745pm - both sides are in slightly artificial positions at either end of the table with several games in hand on most of the teams above them. Tonbridge would be top of the league if they won theirs so will start as favourites

Ryman League Division 1 North
Thurrock v VCD Athletic @745pm - after several disappointments in recent years, Thurrock look all set to mount another promotion bid and are currently second, a position that should make them confident of victory here

London Senior Cup First Round
Corinthian Casuals v AFC Wimbledon @745pm - an attractive local derby between an amateur club and one from League One. The Dons are highly unlikely to field a full strength team but there could be one or two notables in their line-up

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Oxhey Jets v Sun Sports @745pm - simply put, this is the Watford non-league derby

-----------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday 21 December

League One
Millwall v Charlton Athletic - in the quiet time before Christmas, this is definitely the match of the week. Re-arranged after an initial postponement, these two near neighbours from south-east London should put on a decent display

-------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday 22 December

Middlesex Charity Cup Second Round
Cockfosters v Hayes & Yeading United @745pm - the hosts are having a fine season in the ninth tier SSML Premier while HYU are having a bit of a stinker two divisions above - real cupset potential here

--------------------------------------------------------------

Friday 23 December

Ryman League Division 1 North
AFC Hornchurch v Aveley @745pm - the pre-Xmas period ends with this rather randomly scheduled Essex derby towards the far end of the District Line. Both clubs have very realistic promotion ambitions so it could be a cracker

---------------------------------------------------------------

Monday 26 December - Boxing Day

Premier League
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion @3pm - the festive fixtures get underway on Boxing Day with a bumper programme of games. However, the Premier League and EFL offering in the capital is a little underwhelming with this match, albeit between two top eight sides, unlikely to get many pulses racing
Chelsea v Bournemouth @3pm - again, a bit of 'meh' game on paper, with the Blues overwhelming favourites to win. However, if the visitors have a real go it could be exciting
Watford v Crystal Palace @1230pm - the only derby of the day in the top flight is this one but there's no particular rivalry between them so don't expect fireworks

Championship
Brentford v Cardiff City @1pm - this is the best you'll find in the second tier on Boxing Day but neither side are having a good season

League One
Millwall v Swindon Town @3pm - another uninspiring midtable versus strugglers contest

League Two
Leyton Orient v Crawley Town @1pm - the O's badly need a win in their fight to avoid relegation and midtable Crawley could well be beaten (I'm clutching at straws to try and build this up too)

National League
Bromley v Sutton United @3pm - when you drop into the non-league ranks, things start to get far more interesting with this derby between clubs from south London likely to draw a decent crowd

National League South
Dartford v Ebbsfleet United @3pm - although a division below, this is arguably an even bigger derby, both sides are also in the top five
Wealdstone v Maidenhead United @3pm - the Stones welcome the runaway league leaders for what is likely to prove to be a very tough encounter

Ryman League Premier Division
Hendon v Harrow Borough @3pm - it's also north-west London derby time where these two old rivals meet for the first time at Hendon's new ground, it's also a relegation 'six-pointer'

Ryman League Division 1 South
Carshalton Athletic v Tooting & Mitcham United @3pm - a south London derby between two promotion contenders

----------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday 27 December

Ryman League Premier Division
Grays Athletic v Dulwich Hamlet @3pm - a lot of non-league clubs have decided to give their players an extended Xmas and play today which is also a Bank Holiday. This seventh tier match is the highest level game on offer and Dulwich should win

Southern League Division 1 Central
Hanwell Town v Uxbridge @1pm - at the time of writing, the hosts are the best London has to offer in this division. If they can string two or three wins together then they could find themselves in the top five. Although not disastrous, Uxbridge's season looks over already

Combined Counties League Premier Division
Bedfont & Feltham v CB Hounslow United @1130am - the CCL always do groundhoppers proud on Bank Holidays by giving the bulk of their games late morning kick-offs meaning you can easily catch another game or two elsewhere. This match, next to Heathrow airport's runway, is a groundshare derby
Walton & Hersham v Westfield @1130am - the game of the day in this division pits fourth against second and with the visitors hailing from Woking there's a touch of a derby about this one too

Combined Counties League Division 1
AC London v Banstead Athletic @1130am - we've got another groundshare derby between one side who were top and one who currently are top

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Cockfosters v Hadley @3pm - up in third, Cockfosters are the best London have to offer in the SSML and should therefore feel confident going into this local derby
Edgware Town v Wembley @3pm - elsewhere in the division we have another local derby which should be worth a watch

Spartan South Midlands League Division 1
Hillingdon Borough v Harefield United @3pm - another derby between two Middlesex clubs who effectively play on the same road. If you've got a car, this could be combined with the 1pm kick-off between Broadfields and Kensington at Harefield's ground

---------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday 28 December

Ryman League Division 1 North
Romford v Thurrock @745pm - the pick of the day's action is this groundshare derby where Thurrock will look to win to close the gap on leaders Maldon & Tiptree

---------------------------------------------------------

Friday 30 December

League One
Millwall v Gillingham @745pm - for the last couple of years Gillingham have been Millwall's geographically closest opponents so there is definitely a derby feel to games between the two

Ryman League Division 1 North
Aveley v Haringey Borough @745pm - if you fancy a non-league alternative then this game between two clubs who could make the play-offs might tickle your fancy

---------------------------------------------------------

Saturday 31 December

Premier League
Chelsea v Stoke City @3pm - the year comes to an end with another fairly average looking fixture at Stamford Bridge, one the Blues should win to maintain or extend their lead at the top

Championship
Brentford v Norwich City @530pm - the Bees provide the 'best of the rest' entertainment again as they take on the out-of-form Canaries who have won only two of their last 10 games

League Two
Leyton Orient v Cambridge United @1pm - with the visitors chasing promotion, it looks like another tough afternoon for the O's. The early kick-off makes this another good one for groundhoppers

National League
Boreham Wood v Eastleigh @1pm - having seen off Halifax to make the third round of the FA Cup, Eastleigh arrive with a bit of national recognition

Ryman League Premier Division
Dulwich Hamlet v Wingate & Finchley @1pm - the biggest crowd of the day in this division is likely to be at Champion Hill for this south versus north London clash

----------------------------------------------------------

Sunday 1 January

Premier League
Arsenal v Crystal Palace @4pm - at last, a half-decent derby to get excited about with both teams needing the points at either end of the table
Watford v Tottenham Hotspur @130pm - another derby which should be a bit more even than the one above

National League
Sutton United v Bromley @3pm - it seems to be the custom in the National League to play one of your nearest rivals on Boxing Day and then play the reverse fixture the following week

----------------------------------------------------------

Monday 2 January

Premier League
West Ham United v Manchester United @515pm - this will be the third time in a little over a month that the Hammers will have played Jose Mourinho's side. They got thrashed in the EFL Cup but managed to draw the arguably more important league game 1-1

Championship
Fulham v Brighton & Hove Albion @3pm - tickets will be very hard to get for the match above but this game provides a very good alternative. Being located just outside the capital, all matches against London clubs are effectively derbies for Brighton so they should come close to selling out their allocation. They could also be top of the table by kick-off

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Millwall @1pm - there's another cracking London derby to look forward to here but you must be a member or on the club's 'fan register' to buy a ticket

League Two
Barnet v Plymouth Argyle @3pm - the Bees play host to the team who are currently top

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Braintree Town @745pm - an Essex derby between sides at opposite ends of the table

Ryman League Premier Division
Metropolitan Police v Kingstonian @3pm - a local derby at the well appointed Imber Court but don't expect much rivalry as the hosts don't have many fans

Ryman League Division 1 North
Phoenix Sports v VCD Athletic @1pm - these two are very local rivals so much so that when I went to watch Phoenix a few years ago, you could hear the crowd watching the match at VCD's ground

Ryman League Division 1 South
Tooting & Mitcham United v Corinthian Casuals @3pm - a derby between two sides who are also fighting for promotion
Walton Casuals v Whyteleafe @3pm - yet another groundshare derby

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Erith Town v Erith & Belvedere @3pm - the Erith derby, it's just a shame neither of them play there and have to groundshare with other clubs

Southern Counties East League Division 1
Sutton Athletic v Kent Football United @3pm - third versus fourth at the time of writing

Spartan South Midlands League Division 1
Southall v Hillingdon Borough @3pm - two former FA Vase finalists meet at Hanwell Town's ground as the festive season comes to a close

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

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

TLFG: 12-18 December 2016

I don't think I've got a huge amount to write about this week as I've been working every night and haven't had a chance to see any live football.

My teams, QPR and Harrow Borough, both suffered further defeats to leave them going into Christmas in a relegation battle. With Boro that's the norm but for Rangers, their squad and resources should see them nowhere near the bottom three. With back-to-back home games against vastly improved Derby and Aston Villa sides over the next few days, it could get even worse.

More generally, from a London perspective, the Premier League is showing signs of becoming a two-horse race between Arsenal and Chelsea as they both won again while Liverpool, Manchester City and Spurs all dropped points.

In all the divisions of the EFL we have several teams pushing for a play-off place but title challenges look unlikely for most of them.

In non-league, keep on eye on the eighth tier Ryman League Division 1 South where things are really hotting up. Six of the top eight clubs are from the London area and several meet each other this week.

It's late on Sunday night so I'll keep this brief and wrap things up now. Enjoy your week and let me know what you've been up to.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are well over 100 matches in the London area over the next week with action in the Premier League, EFL, National League and several minor league and county cup competitions.

However, please make sure you 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 on the following match maps. If you've never used them 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 drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

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.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 12 December

Premier League 2 
West Ham United v Swansea City @7pm - it's fourth versus the leaders in this PL2 Division 2 game at Dagenham & Redbridge's ground
Fulham v Brighton & Hove Albion @7pm - the Cottagers are just ahead of West Ham and will need to win to make sure of their place in the top three of this U23 competition

Ryman League Division 1 South
Carshalton Athletic v Tooting & Mitcham United @745pm - the promotion race in this division is really hotting up with these two south London rivals very much in contention

----------------------------------------------------

Tuesday 13 December

Championship
Fulham v Rotherham United @745pm - the hosts are London's main contenders in this division at the moment with a win here against the division's bottom club possibly putting them in the top six

FA Trophy First Round Replay
Wingate & Finchley v Wealdstone @745pm - Ryman League Wingate did well to salvage a late 2-2 draw against the Stones on Saturday. Will they make the most of home advantage and cause a cupset in the replay?

Ryman League Premier Division
Enfield Town v Lowestoft Town @745pm - after a slow start, these two regular promotion contenders are right back in it. Now both in the top seven, a win would really bolster their credentials

London Senior Cup First Round
Clapton v Greenwich Borough @745pm - the Tons are up in the top four of the Essex Senior League while Greenwich are in the top four at the level above. The Old Spotted Dog could be a leveller, especially if the Clapton Ultras return to the stands after their boycott but it's looking doubtful at the moment


-----------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday 14 December

Premier League
Crystal Palace v Manchester United @8pm - there's a big night of top-flight action on Wednesday with this probably the pick of the games as teams needing points at either end of the table do battle. Stat attack - this game sees the highest scorers in the bottom six (Palace with 27) take on the lowest scorers in the top six (Man Utd with 20)
Tottenham Hotspur v Hull City @8pm - Spurs have suffered only two defeats in their last 10 league games and put five past Swansea last week. A struggling Hull side should also be dispatched with relative ease
West Ham United v Burnley @745pm - without a game on Saturday, the Hammers dropped back into the bottom three but they pulled clear again after a fine 2-2 draw at Liverpool on Sunday. Burnley are having a better season than many predicted and could well win here if the Hammers aren't 'on it' from the start

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Derby County @745pm - after suffering a humiliating 1-0 defeat at bottom club Rotherham on Saturday, Ian Holloway's return to the club as manager already appears to be going badly wrong. With three defeats from four games against sides who were all in very poor form, things are looking worrying. The Rams also had a shocking start to the season but with Steve McClaren back in charge they've won six in a row and are force again

Ryman League Division 1 South
Walton Casuals v Godalming Town @745pm - the pick of the night's non-league action gives us the opportunity to run the rule over the Stags who are mounting a bit of a promotion challenge. Despite being without a ground of their own this season, they're right up in seventh and enjoyed a thrilling 4-3 win over Tooting & Mitcham on Saturday, a result which knocked the Terrors off top spot. The visitors are having a horror season and should provide another three points 

-------------------------------------------------------------

Friday 16 December

FA Youth Cup Third Round
Arsenal v Blackburn Rovers @7pm - end the working week with a bit of U18 football up at Boreham Wood's ground. If that's not handy, Fulham play Mansfield Town in the same competition at the club's Motspur Park training ground

--------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday 17 December

Premier League
Crystal Palace v Chelsea @1230pm - the Eagles end a tough week of games with this derby against the Blues who could well be league leaders by the time kick-off comes round. On paper Palace should lose but they have managed a couple of wins over Chelsea in recent years including a 2-1 triumph at Stamford Bridge last season
West Ham United v Hull City @3pm - back-to-back home games against Burnley and Hull could make or break the Hammers' and particularly boss Slaven Bilic's season. Both games must really be won, four points would be acceptable but much less than that could be terminal

Championship
Fulham v Derby County @3pm - depending on how things go in midweek, this could be a really entertaining game. The Cottagers have bagged nine goals in their last two games and should see off Rotherham. Derby, as mentioned above, are on a hot streak built mainly on a solid defence which has seen them concede only two goals in six games

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Port Vale @3pm - the Dons suffered the disappointment of a 1-0 loss at arch rivals MK Dons on Saturday. Given how tight the table is, they dropped down to 10th but a win here against lower midtable opposition could put them right back up there
Charlton Athletic v Peterborough United @3pm - two sides with a good shot at the play-offs meet at The Valley in the day's other third tier game

League Two
Barnet v Stevenage @3pm - the Bees played their first game following the departure of manager Martin Allen on Saturday. Interim boss Rossi Eames, a 31-year-old coach who has never played pro football, took charge and masterminded a 1-0 win over Yeovil to keep the north London club firmly in the hunt for a play-off place. This match, against opponents from Hertfordshire, is effectively a derby too

National League
Boreham Wood v Barrow @3pm - the Wood welcome team of the moment Barrow who are currently on a spectacular 23-game unbeaten run which has taken them to fifth in the league and earned them a place in the third round of the FA Cup. The sides drew 1-1 in Cumbria earlier in the season

National League South
Hampton & Richmond Borough v St Albans City @3pm - the game of the day in the NLS pits fifth against second. I went to the reverse fixture on Non-League Day and it produced an entertaining 4-2 win for Hampton but it's City who have been on the up since

Ryman League Premier Division
Dulwich Hamlet v Tonbridge Angels @3pm - in the division below we have another heavyweight contest to look forward to. Dulwich are fourth and even though Tonbridge are back in eighth they've got between three and five games in hand on most of the clubs above them so should be there or thereabouts by the end of the season

Ryman League Division 1 South
Corinthian Casuals v Greenwich Borough @3pm - there are lots of big games in this division this week with many of the top six in action against each other. At the time of writing this is fifth against third
Carshalton Athletic v Hythe Town @3pm - a little further to the east, we've got fourth versus sixth so take your pick!

Essex Senior League
Clapton v Takeley @3pm - a top four clash at the Old Spotted Dog. As mentioned above, the Clapton Ultras are in dispute with the club over a sudden rise in admission prices so have been boycotting games so the atmosphere might not be as lively as normal
Barkingside v FC Romania @3pm - it's possible a few of them might make the short trip to Ilford to support Barkingside's 'Game for the Homeless' as they throw open the doors to local people who find themselves without accommodation. They'll also be collecting money, food and clothes to benefit such people so don't go empty handed

----------------------------------------------------------

Sunday 18 December

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley @4pm - Spurs host the Clarets knowing a win could take them back into the top four, if midweek results go their way

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Aston Villa @12pm - if you've got tickets to the above you could very conceivably combine it with this game and catch two games in a day. QPR are struggling at the moment while Villa are a much improved side under new boss Steve Bruce and are climbing the table steadily

---------------------------------------------------------

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

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

TLFG: 5-11 December 2016

It's been another pretty decent week for London's top clubs.

Impressive wins for Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur saw them continue to keep their places in the top five of the Premier League while Crystal Palace finally ended their terminal looking losing run with a very fine win over Southampton.

Watford lost their second game in a row but it's West Ham United who have the most to worry about following their 5-1 humbling by the Gunners at the London Stadium which left them just above the relegation zone.

In the Championship, Fulham stuffed an excellent Reading side 5-0 to get back into play-off contention while QPR and Brentford suffered defeats which left them in precarious lower midtable positions.

It was all about the FA Cup for our local League One teams. AFC Wimbledon produced the comeback of the weekend at non-league Curzon Ashton, coming back from 3-0 down with 10 minutes to go to win 4-3. Millwall shared seven goals with Braintree Town, prevailing 5-2 while Charlton were held to a goalless draw by MK Dons. 

However, the story of the round was non-league Sutton United's 2-1 win over Cheltenham Town which propelled them into the third round - a place where they made FA Cup history by beating then top-flight side Coventry City back in 1989. I'd love to see more of the same for the Gander Green Lane club - the draw is tomorrow night at 7pm when all the Premier League and Championship sides join the competition.

QPR line up a free-kick during the first half against Wolves at Loftus Road

My week saw me take in the EFL game between QPR and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Scheduled on Thursday night for TV, I debated long and hard whether I could bring myself to go when the cheapest ticket was £29. 

I love my Rangers but is paying that much to watch two struggling Championship sides on a chilly December night really worth the best part of 30 quid?

Encouraged by my wife to boycott the game, I decided I would but then made the fatal mistake of listening to this week's QPR podcast which had a one-hour interview with new boss Ian Holloway. By the end I had been inspired to bite the bullet and head to Loftus Road for the game. If he has that effect on listeners, it's understandable that he's successfully motivated several teams to promotion over the years.

The game itself wasn't great but we looked more than capable of winning it until James Perch got himself sent off with about an hour of the game remaining.

Wolves took advantage and went 2-0 up with about 25 minutes to go. At that point it looked like a cricket score could be on the cards and it probably would've happened if the absolutely brilliant Alex Smithies hadn't been in goal.

I counted at least seven major saves, some of which were of the highest quality - including at least three one-on-ones. He was undoubtedly man-of-the-match. 

Tickets for Non-League Finals Day at Wembley in May are now on sale

QPR did almost pull off a shock draw as Joel Lynch grabbed what appeared to be an 89th-minute consolation goal. However, with the referee adding on seven minutes of injury time, the hosts laid siege to the Wolves goal and created the chance for Lynch again but the defender-cum-striker fluffed his kick and the ball harmlessly rolled away - it ended 2-1.

The honeymoon period seems to be over already for Holloway and things will really look bad if QPR lose at struggling Rotherham next week.

I forgot to mention last week that tickets for this season's Non-League Finals Day at Wembley are now on sale.

For £25 you get to see the FA Vase and FA Trophy finals back-to-back at the national stadium on Sunday 21 May. Last year nearly 50,000 people attended and outsold the England game against Turkey that was taking place in Manchester the same day. It was a great family day out with kids getting in for a quid - the same price applies this time too.

Babysitting and late shifts means it's likely to be a quiet one for me on the football front this week so I hope you get to see a game or two on my behalf.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are almost 100 matches in the London area over the next week as the Champions League and FA Trophy make their return. There is also action in the Premier League, EFL, National League and several minor league and county cup competitions.

However, please make sure you 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 on the following match maps. If you've never used them 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 drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

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.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 5 December

Premier League Cup - a cup for U23 sides from various Premier League and EFL clubs. Similar to the Champions League, it has a group stage featuring 32 teams and then a knockout phase. We're still in the early stages of the group phase at the moment

Charlton Athletic v Fulham @7pm - in the other Group F game, at Greenwich Borough's ground, we have a London derby

Ryman League Division 1 South
Carshalton Athletic v Corinthian Casuals @745pm - elsewhere in south London we have a big game between two sides in the top five of this division. Each side are averaging well over two goals a game so far this season so this is where I would be headed

----------------------------------------------------

Tuesday 6 December

Checkatrade Trophy - this competition pits the first XIs of League One and League Two sides against U23 teams from the Premier League and Championship in an attempt to develop young players. Again it begins with a group stage before going to a knockout phase. Widely derided by fans and some officials of the third and fourth tier teams, crowds have been very poor

AFC Wimbledon v Brighton & Hove Albion U23 @745pm - don't expect a great night out here. The Dons are among the loudest protesters about the format of this competition and have even encouraged their fans to stay away from these games. They also played on Sunday in the FA Cup so will no doubt field a weakened team. It will be cheap to get in but you might be the only person there!

Ryman League Premier Division
Dulwich Hamlet v Staines Town @745pm - you're far more likely to get a decent atmosphere and an entertaining game a little to the east at Champion Hill. Although Dulwich play four divisions below Wimbledon they've drawn a couple of 2,000+ crowds this season and play some decent football. Currently London's top side in the division, they'll look to extend their unbeaten run to eight games against a Staines side who started well but have tailed off in recent weeks

Ryman League Division 1 South
Greenwich Borough v Tooting & Mitcham United @745pm - Monday's game at Carshalton looks good but this match is even bigger as it pits third against first. Greenwich are the big spending, new boys who came up from the SCEFL last season. They've made an impressive start but are still eight points behind the Terrors who have surprised many, including their own fans, with their sustained form this season. With seven league wins on the bounce and 15 goals in their last three games they're looking formidable

Southern League Division 1 Central
Hanwell Town v AFC Dunstable @745pm - the hosts are leading the charge for promotion from a London perspective. Currently in eighth, they'll need to see off the OD's who are just three points ahead

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Wembley v Hoddesdon Town @745pm - humbled by Peterborough Sports in the FA Vase on Saturday, the Lions are still in with a shout of the SSML title. Although back in fifth, they have the games in hand to get themselves firmly back in contention. Hoddesdon aren't far behind in seventh so should provide a tough test
-----------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday 7 December

Champions League
Tottenham Hotspur v CSKA Moscow @745pm - Spurs' return to Europe's elite club competition has been disappointing with last month's loss in Monaco knocking them out with a game to spare of the group stage. On Wednesday they take on Russian opponents, who are currently bottom, in a fight for a place in the Europa League. The match is at Wembley and tickets are still available

Checkatrade Trophy
Millwall v Wycombe Wanderers @745pm - given that this match is between two sides who should field first XIs rather than U23 sides and the clubs aren't that far apart geographically (Wycombe play just outside London), there could be a half-decent turnout by this competition's very low standards. Adult tickets are also only £5

FA Vase Third Round Replay - this competition is primarily open to sides in the ninth and 10th tiers of English football. Hundreds of clubs from all over the country take part with its final at Wembley in May

Bedfont Sports v Crowborough Athletic @745pm - by getting this far, the Eagles have already smashed their previous best in the competition. Victory will earn them a place in the last 32 but Crowborough are having a fine season in the SCEFL so demand respect

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
AFC Croydon Athletic v Croydon @745pm - it's derby day in south London. As former league leaders, the hosts will start as favourites. The SCEFL title race is wide open with only five points separating the top six

-------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday 8 December

Southern Combination Cup
Staines Town v Worcester Park @745pm - to my knowledge this is the only game on Thursday. Don't expect a classic - very little information exists on Staines' website at the present time and it's likely they'll play quite a few youngsters and reserves. Only go if you really are a football addict and check the details with Staines before you travel
--------------------------------------------------------------

Friday 9 December

Essex Senior League
Redbridge v West Essex @745pm - there's a nice bit of Friday night football to look forward to over in the Ilford area. Neither side are really impressing this season but Oakside is one of the easiest grounds to get to in London, located right next to Barkingside Tube station on the Central Line

--------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday 10 December

Premier League
Arsenal v Stoke City @3pm - the Gunners have the longest unbeaten run of any side in the Premier League at the moment. They played a hapless West Ham side off the park on Saturday and should be too good for an improving Stoke side who have crept up to ninth
Watford v Everton @3pm - the Hornets got themselves into the top eight but three defeats in four have seen them slide back into the bottom half. The Toffees are just ahead of them but are winless in four themselves and can be beaten

Championship
Brentford v Burton Albion @3pm - things looked rosey for Bees fans when they beat arch rivals QPR at the end of October but it's been defeats all the way ever since. Now just three points above the relegation zone, this match against fellow strugglers Burton has become pretty crucial

League One
Millwall v Shrewsbury Town @3pm - the Lions welcome bottom club Shrewsbury to the Den on Saturday meaning they'll have few better chances to break back into the play-off places which lie just one point above them

League Two
Leyton Orient v Accrington Stanley @3pm - already out of the FA Cup, the O's have had a week off to rest up ahead of this relegation 'six-pointer' against another team who have found things tough going. Stanley have gone six league games without a win but picked up a morale-boosting victory at Woking in the FA Cup on Sunday

FA Trophy First Round - at this stage of this national competition for sides in the fifth to eighth tiers, all the clubs in the fifth tier (National League) join the draw. Their presence takes the total number of teams left in the competition to 64. The winners of each tie pocket a cheque for £5,000 and move one step closer to a dream Wembley final in May

Boreham Wood v Maidstone United @3pm - one of the ties of the round in the south-east sees these two National League clubs meet at Meadow Park. Both have enjoyed promotions from the Ryman League in recent years and it's the Wood who are currently faring better. However, Maidstone won the league game between the two back in August so will travel with some confidence
Sutton United v Bath City @3pm - after their FA Cup heroics on Saturday, you can see the U's in FA competition again in a competition they could very conceivably win. Bath are a midtable side from the division below so should be defeated
Dartford v Dover Athletic @3pm - there's a very interesting Kent derby at the well appointed Princes Park where promotion chasing sides from the National League South and National League go head-to-head
Wealdstone v Wingate & Finchley @3pm - this has a bit of derby feel to it and there is some bad blood between the fans after an unsavoury incident a few years ago when the sides were both in the Ryman League. The Stones should win but have been embarrassed by Wingate before

Ryman League Premier Division
Enfield Town v Needham Market @3pm - the Towners are starting to build up a decent head of steam and have climbed into the top six where they have games in hand on several of those above them. One such side are third placed Needham Market who could go top with victory here

Ryman League Division 1 South
Walton Casuals v Tooting & Mitcham United @3pm - I've already mentioned what hot form the Terrors are in but the Stags are having a pretty good season themselves. Playing at Whyteleafe's ground while there's is being redeveloped, they've climbed to eighth

---------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday 11 December

Premier League
Chelsea v West Bromwich Albion @12pm - most seasons this would look like a pretty unremarkable fixture that would probably end up being a bit one-sided. It could well play out that way this time too especially with the Blues in such ominously good form at the top of the table. However, a Matt Phillips inspired Baggies side are now up in the top six and could give this a real go

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Erith & Belvedere v Sheppey United @3pm - the much cheaper non-league alternative to the above takes place in Welling where the midtable Deres welcome the leaders

----------------------------------------------------------

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

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

TLFG: 28 November - 4 December 2016

Welcome one and all to the latest edition of TLFG.

I hope you've had a good week. I actually had a few days off and managed to see not one but two games in the time available.

On Tuesday I went back to Earlsmead to watch Harrow Borough take on the rapidly improving Dulwich Hamlet in the Ryman League.

A few weeks ago, Harrow had somehow managed to win the reverse fixture at Champion Hill by a resounding 4-1 scoreline. Sadly, that performance seemed like a distant dream this time as the Hamlet cantered to a very comfortable 2-0 victory which could easily have seen them score several more.

On Thursday I pulled out my passport and headed off for a bit of European groundhopping.

The teams line up ahead of the match at the well appointed Luminus Arena

Over the years I've been to most of the continent's most famous stadiums so I now enjoy ticking off some of the more random ones.

Having suggested a few games to my fellow hoppers in the Netherlands and Germany, it was decided that the Europa League game between Genk and Rapid Vienna most appealed so that's what we went for.

To me names like these conjured up memories of growing up in the '80s when teams from virtually anywhere in Europe could win or seriously challenge for Uefa honours.

Belgian teams and their unusual names have always held a kind of romance and mystery to me - the likes of Ghent, Mechelen, Anderlecht, Club Brugge etc etc have always appealed in some way so it didn't take much to persuade me to go.

Being someone who works in the railway industry, I have the considerable perk of being able to travel all over the continent at a much reduced rate or even free in some countries, so I travelled by train.

The journey from St Pancras, with a change in Brussels, only took four-and-half hours so it was pretty easy.

Genk go close to doubling their lead

After meeting my friend Ashley, who had driven from Dusseldorf, we headed to the Luminus Arena for the evening's entertainment.

The ground is a bit like a larger and more modern version of Loftus Road with much better leg room and sight lines - in fact, QPR's proposed new stadium could do well to copy it.

With friendly staff and stewards, the visit began well.

The match itself wasn't a classic with the hosts winning 1-0 courtesy of a pretty scrappy first-half goal. The ground was also far from full but both sets of 'ultras' created a decent amount of noise so the atmosphere was good enough.

I've got another week off in February in time for the first knockout round so maybe I'll be on the rails again.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 100 matches in the London area over the next week as the EFL Cup, FA Cup and FA Vase make their return. There is also action in the Premier League, EFL, National League and several minor league and county cup competitions.

However, please make sure you 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 on the following match maps. If you've never used them 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 drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

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.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 28 November

Premier League 2
Arsenal v Leicester City @7pm - the pick of the day's U23 matches takes place at Boreham Wood in the far north of London
Fulham v West Ham United @7pm - in the division below we've got a London derby which you might prefer as it's being played at Craven Cottage

Ryman League Division 1 North
Haringey Borough v Thamesmead Town @745pm - if it's a non-league game you're after, this is the best on offer

----------------------------------------------------

Tuesday 29 November

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Torquay United @745pm - currently fifth, the Daggers are currently London's highest ranked non-league side. The former Football League club welcome another team more used to playing in the fully professional ranks and a win could put them in the top three
Sutton United v Dover Athletic @745pm - just behind them are Dover who have been steadily improving over the last couple of season's and made the play-offs last time. With three wins on the bounce, they're going to be tough opponents for midtable Sutton
Boreham Wood v Braintree Town @745pm - we're pretty spoiled for good games in this division tonight. The hosts take on strugglers Braintree knowing a win could leave them just three points adrift of the play-off places

FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round Replay
Wealdstone v Maidenhead United @745pm - if it's cup football you want then this match should get your mouth watering. The Stones have been have had a dodgy time of late so did really well to earn a 2-2 draw at National League South leaders Maidenhead on Saturday. To illustrate how strong they are, it should be noted that the Magpies played most of the game with 10 men, so with their numbers restored it could well be a tricky night for Wealdstone

Ryman League Premier Division
Dulwich Hamlet v Metropolitan Police @745pm - after an average start to the season, the Hamlet are starting to look like contenders again. With eight wins from their last 10 matches in all competitions, they can give anyone in the division a game right now. The Met are struggling and should be defeated with relative ease
Staines Town v Enfield Town @745pm - from a London perspective, these two are currently second and third in the Ryman League standings behind Dulwich. Staines could draw level with the Champion Hill club if they win while Enfield, with games in hand on both, could ultimately surpass them both

Gordon Brasted Memorial Trophy
Barking v Clapton @745pm - this cup is fought for by members of the Essex Senior League and this East London derby is one of the ties of the round. Not only does it feature two local rivals but Barking are top of the league and looking like champions already

Surrey Senior Cup
Chertsey Town v Abbey Rangers @745pm - on the other side of London we have a very local derby between sides from neighbouring Surrey towns. Chertsey obviously come from Chertsey while Abbey hail from Addlestone but when you look on the map, their ground is pretty much in Chertsey too so they really are close

FA Youth Cup Third Round
Watford v Norwich City @7pm - if all this non-league action isn't your thing, you can watch the respective U18 sides of these two lock horns at Vicarage Road

-----------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday 30 November

EFL Cup Quarter-Final
Arsenal v Southampton @745pm - we're now down to the last eight as the domestic season's first bit of silverware starts to come into view. Given how successful they've been in the FA Cup, the Gunners haven't shone quite so brightly in this competition. With only two wins, the last way back in 1993, you'd think they were due another one soon. It all really depends on Arsene Wenger's team selection and how seriously he takes it. Southampton come into this on the back of a win over Everton and are the type of team that should be throwing everything at this cup in order to win it

-------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday 1 December

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Wolverhampton Wanderers @745pm - wow, December already! You can get the festive month underway with a visit to Loftus Road for this televised game between two former Premier League sides who should be doing better

--------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday 3 December

Premier League
West Ham United v Arsenal @530pm - with six teams in the top flight, not many weeks go by without a derby and we've got another big one to look forward to at the London Stadium. The Hammers have had a poor season and are winless in four but they picked up a great point against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday which will no doubt raise their spirits. The Gunners, however, haven't lost in a while and historically have a far superior record in the head-to-head. It should be noted though, that they only managed to take one point off West Ham last season but Slaven Bilic's side were performing a lot better than the current bunch
Crystal Palace v Southampton @3pm - the Eagles and in particular manager Alan Pardew face a critical afternoon. With their losing run extended to six games on Saturday and now only goal difference keeping them out of the bottom three, they really must arrest their decline soon. As already mentioned, the Saints are no mugs and will start the game as favourites
Tottenham Hotspur v Swansea City @3pm - Spurs finally lost their unbeaten record at Chelsea on Saturday but they've got a great chance to bounce back with this game against the struggling Swans. The Welsh club have been poor this season but even they managed to beat Palace this weekend to show just how troubled the Selhurst Park outfit are

Championship
Fulham v Reading @3pm - if you're struggling to get a ticket for any of the above then this game offers a great alternative. Any game between Reading and one of the division's trio of west London clubs qualifies as a derby as the Royals are only 25ish miles west of the capital. Likely to travel in significant numbers, their fans should produce a decent atmosphere to cheer on their team who are currently third after winning five on the trot

FA Cup Second Round - at this stage of the competition the remaining League One, League Two and non-league clubs do battle for the big prize of a third round draw potentially against one of the biggest clubs in the country 

Charlton Athletic v MK Dons @3pm - the Addicks took a very tidy point off promotion contenders Sheffield United on Saturday so they should fancy their chances of progressing against MK Dons who are struggling towards the foot of the League One table
Sutton United v Cheltenham Town @3pm - the U's wrote their name into FA Cup history back in 1989 when they beat then top-flight side Coventry City in a third round tie. Cheltenham won the National League title last season but have struggled to adapt to life back in League Two and are well and truly there for the taking

National League South
Dartford v Poole Town @3pm - currently fifth and sixth with only goal difference separating them, these play-off contenders should produce one of the matches of the day at this level

Ryman League Premier Division
Staines Town v Havant & Waterlooville @3pm - as mentioned above, Staines are one of London's main contenders in the division this season. On Saturday they welcome the current leaders who have responded really well following relegation from the National League South
Hendon v Enfield Town @3pm - elsewhere we've got a north London derby to enjoy at the Greens' new Silver Jubilee Park ground

FA Vase Third Round - at this stage of this national competition for sides predominantly in the ninth and 10th tiers, we're down to the last 64 teams. The winners of each tie pocket a cheque for £975 and move one step closer to a dream Wembley final in May

Abbey Rangers v Eastbourne Town @3pm - Abbey only moved into the 10th tier last season and after winning an instant promotion are up in the Combined Counties Premier. It's quite an achievement to have also have got this far in the Vase. Their East Sussex opponents play at a similar level so it should be pretty close
Croydon v Glebe @3pm - the Trams welcome fellow SCEFL members Glebe to the Croydon Arena. Although the visitors play in the division below, they're challenging for promotion and will fancy their chances
FC Romania v Tring Athletic @3pm - not normally covered by this blog, FC Romania are playing this match at AFC Hornchurch's ground so make the list for one week only. Technically gifted, the Essex Senior League side are usually good to watch but Tring aren't a bad side themselves
Sun Sports v Hoddesdon Town @3pm - only a couple of places separate these Hertfordshire rivals in the SSML table so we should get another evenly matched tie here
Wembley v Peterborough Sports @3pm - it would be quite something if the side from Vale Farm ended up playing at the national stadium but with Peterborough currently top of the United Counties League, the draw has not been kind to them

---------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday 4 December

FA Cup Second Round
Millwall v Braintree Town @2pm - in National League strugglers Braintree, the Lions couldn't have hoped for a much better draw. Now back in decent form in League One, Millwall's main problem should be complacency

FA Vase Third Round
Sutton Common Rovers v Corinthian @3pm - the 3G pitch at Gander Green Lane plays host to two important cup ties this weekend with groundsharers SCR hoping that they and Sutton United both take a step closer to Wembley
----------------------------------------------------------

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

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

TLFG: 21-27 November 2016

Welcome one and all to the 239th edition of TLFG! 

I know you can barely contain your excitement but it's been a momentous week again as not only did QPR win their first match under returning boss Ian Holloway but tickets for a match at Arsenal against a decent opponent went on general sale!

Now that you've had a chance to digest this staggering news we can get on with the rest of the blog.

What else has been happening I hear you ask?

Well it's all looking rather good for London clubs in the Premier League right now. Chelsea beat Middlesbrough on Sunday to go top while Arsenal and Spurs scored very late goals to consolidate their places in the top five, while Watford are in eighth after beating reigning champions Leicester.

Tickets for Arsenal v Southampton in the EFL Cup are on general sale

However, it's not looking so great for Crystal Palace and West Ham who are dangling precariously above the bottom three. The Hammers have been around this part of the table all season but it's Palace fans who must have the alarm bells ringing in their ears as defeat against Manchester City on Saturday extended their losing run to five consecutive matches which is currently the worst of any side in the division.

In the Championship, Fulham are still the best side the capital has to offer at the moment with their draw against Sheffield Wednesday moving them up to eighth just two points off a play-off spot. 

AFC Wimbledon continue to make all the headlines in League One from a London perspective. This week the Dons played Bury at home twice in the FA Cup and league and beat them 5-0 and 5-1 respectively. The former sets up a very winnable second round tie against non-league Curzon Ashton while the other propelled them into the top six. On Tuesday they face an intriguing derby match against Millwall at The Den.

It's unlikely that any hugely positive news is going to come out of League Two this season but Barnet are the more likely to create it. Slap bang in the middle of the table, they are only three points off the play-off places but so are many other teams so it's wide open. The Bees are unbeaten in five, so seem to be hitting some half-decent form.

From my point of view it's been a busier than normal week when it comes to fielding questions from you fine people. Keep them and your stories of groundhopping and football tourism coming.

I've got this week off and hope to go to Harrow Borough v Dulwich Hamlet on Tuesday and will be heading to Belgium on Thursday for the Europa League match between Genk and Rapid Vienna. 

The weather here in London is pretty grim at the moment so always check before you travel whether a game is still taking place.

Also, if you've always wondered what Cockfosters at the far end of the Piccadilly Line is like, you might get some idea by reading the latest piece by 'Two Men In Search Of The Beautiful Game' who paid a visit to the local football club recently.

That's it from me - enjoy your week!

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are almost 90 matches in the London area over the next week as the Champions League makes its return. There is also action in the Premier League, EFL, National League, FA Trophy and several minor league and county cup competitions.

However, please make sure you 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 on the following match maps. If you've never used them 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 drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (white pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

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.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 21 November

Premier League 2
West Ham United v Blackburn Rovers @7pm - the Hammers' U23 side are pushing for promotion and could climb to second if they win this game at Dagenham & Redbridge

Middlesex Senior Cup Second Round
Barnet v Enfield Town @8pm - now playing three divisions apart, these old north London rivals have been paired in the county cup in what must be the tie of the round

Ryman League Division 1 North
Aveley v Thurrock @745pm - it's derby time over in Essex where these two, who play about a mile apart, do battle in the race for a play-off spot

----------------------------------------------------

Tuesday 22 November

League One
Millwall v AFC Wimbledon @745pm - the game of the night is this derby at The Den. The League One table is extremely tight with only five points between sixth and sixteenth and these two sit within that group. Millwall were among the favourites for the title but have found things tougher than expected while the Dons have confounded many by forcing their way into the play-off places. Since re-forming, the visitors have never played Millwall in a league game so this is an historic occasion! 

League Two
Leyton Orient v Exeter City @745pm - with both teams in the bottom five, this is most definitely a relegation six-pointer. The O's have beaten fellow strugglers Colchester and Hartlepool in recent weeks so there is hope

National League
Boreham Wood v Sutton United @745pm - we've got another derby at Meadow Park where teams from the opposite ends of the London area meet for the first time this season. Sutton are the bigger club but it's The Wood who find themselves closer to the play-off places after a win over Southport on Saturday

Kent Senior Cup
Welling United v Dartford @745pm - it might only be a county cup game but these two provide one of the bigger non-league derbies on the south-east side of town so it should be worth a watch

Ryman League Premier Division
Harrow Borough v Dulwich Hamlet @745pm - a big game at either end as Boro look to take some of their great cup form into this tough league match against one of the capital's biggest non-league clubs. When they met earlier in the season at Champion Hill, Harrow stunned the footballing world by winning 4-1 and they badly need a repeat performance (I'm hoping to go to this one)

-----------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday 23 November

Champions League
Arsenal v Paris St Germain @745pm - this match should decide who wins and who comes second in Group A as they're locked together on 10 points with two games to go. The Gunners have only lost once this season in all competitions while PSG are far from the all-conquering side they were last season. Arsenal to edge it

Uefa Youth League
Arsenal v Paris St Germain @1pm - the clubs' U19 sides meet at Boreham Wood at lunchtime so you could really gorge on the Gunners on Wednesday if you've got a ticket for the evening game. These matches are often free entry too, so check with Arsenal for updates before you travel

Southern League Challenge Cup Second Round
Northwood v Slough Town @745pm - the hosts face a very tough Rebels side who are up in the top three of the division above. Slough used to be a fine team when I first started watching non-league football in the '80s and were members of what is now the National League. After losing their ground in 2003, the club have played at various venues, in various divisions but now have a new stadium of their own again and look like a club to watch

-------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday 26 November

Premier League
Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur @530pm - the leaders versus the only unbeaten side in the league and it's a huge derby too, undoubtedly the game of the week. Nuff said!

Championship
Brentford v Birmingham City @3pm - can't get a ticket for the above match, then this is your next best option. The Bees continue, like many sides in this tightly contested division, to be highly inconsistent and consequently lie firmly in midtable. The Blues, on the other hand, seem to have been in the top five all season without doing anything particularly remarkable. The fact that four wins from 10 has been enough to maintain this position shows you what a strange competition it's been

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Fleetwood Town @3pm - these two former non-league sides are both well in the hunt for a play-off place and the Dons could even go into this as a top five club if they beat Millwall on Tuesday. The sides have only met eight times over the years and Fleetwood have yet to win
Charlton Athletic v Sheffield United @3pm - classed as an 'Addicks gold match', the visit of the Blades is one of the biggest games of Charlton's season. Both these sides are really too big for this division and were Premier League rivals back in 2007 when they got relegated. Sadly neither side has been back and have both spent far too many seasons at this level since. It's looking promising for the Yorkshire side, though, as they are currently up in second and on a long unbeaten run

League Two
Barnet v Notts County @3pm - as with all the other EFL divisions, League Two is also exceptionally tight with 14th placed Barnet only three points off a play-off place. The visitors are just a point ahead so it should be close

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Barrow @3pm - the Daggers were top but have lost a bit of ground on Forest Green in recent weeks, slipping to fourth. They also suffered a disappointing loss to Halifax in the FA Cup but bounced back on Saturday with a well-needed win at struggling York. Barrow are just a point and a place below them and have lost only two of their 20 league games this season, making them the toughest side to beat. The hosts will no doubt be hoping the visitors' very long journey down from Cumbria will work to their advantage

FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round - at this stage of the competition, clubs from the National League North and South enter the draw alongside all the remaining clubs from the seventh and eighth tier leagues who have made it through the previous qualifying rounds. The winners of each tie earn a cheque for £4,000 and move a step closer to the final which takes place at Wembley in May

Hampton & Richmond Borough v Royston Town @3pm - despite the fact that there are 40 ties across the country, only one of them is taking place in the London area. On the face of it, it's not even that enticing as one of the top sides in the NLS hosts a side from two divisions below them. To be fair to Royston they are top of the Southern League Division 1 Central but they'll still do well to avoid defeat at the Beveree

Ryman League Premier Division
Enfield Town v Tonbridge Angels @3pm - the Towners have been regular play-off contenders in recent seasons and after a slow start this time, are getting back in contention. Tonbridge were among the leaders at the start of the campaign but have slipped back a bit as cup commitments have taken precedence. Both now level on points, a win could take either to within touching distance of the top five

Ryman League Division 1 North
AFC Hornchurch v Maldon & Tiptree @3pm - a lot of divisions are tight at the moment but this one is more so than others as three teams including the visiting M&T share top spot. The Urchins back in ninth are still well in with a shout of the play-offs and should provide a stiff test for their Essex rivals

Essex Senior League
Barking v Basildon United @3pm - the Blues continue to hold top spot in the ESL and with a five-point lead and three games in hand on their nearest rivals, it's looking really good for them. Basildon were last season's runners-up and are in the top five again so this should give us a decent insight into how good Barking are

---------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday 27 November

Premier League
Arsenal v Bournemouth @215pm - these two will be pretty satisfied with how their seasons have begun. The Gunners are going well in the Premier League, Champions League and EFL Cup while the Cherries are right up in ninth and continuing to surprise many people with some fine performances. However, you can't really see past an Arsenal win as Bournemouth have never beaten or even scored a goal against the London club in their previous meetings - although there have only been three
Watford v Stoke City @12pm - earlier in the day you have this fixture which on first inspection is one of those games that will really only appeal to supporters of the sides involved. However, when you look a little closer you'll see that the Hornets are a top eight side and Stoke are climbing the table fairly rapidly after recovering well from a bad start. It still doesn't really get my pulse racing - sorry

Kent Senior Trophy
Cray Valley PM v Tunbridge Wells @3pm - the non-league alternative is this county cup game down near Eltham. Cray are a friendly club and well worth a visit if you fancy a bit of groundhopping on a Sunday afternoon

----------------------------------------------------------

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

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