TLFG: 1-7 August 2016

Hello one and all and welcome to the latest edition of TLFG.

It's a big week in London with the EFL, National League, Southern League, Combined Counties and Southern Counties East Leagues all getting started. As an added bonus, it's also the opening round of the FA Cup so if you're thinking of embarking on a 'Road to Wembley' round-by-round odyssey then this is the week to start. 

Aside from these there are also lots of friendlies, several featuring Premier League sides. The pick are the International Champions Cup match between Liverpool and Barcelona on Saturday and the FA Community Shield between Leicester City and Manchester United on Sunday - both are at Wembley, but both are sold out.

Arguably the tie of the round in the FA Cup sees these rivals meet at the oldest ground in London

If all that isn't enough to get you salivating, we've also got the first two games being played by West Ham United at their new London Stadium home. I thought the Europa League match against NK Domzale and the friendly against Juventus would have completely sold out by now but there are still a few tickets available on general sale for the former and at low prices so get involved.

If you'd like to see more than one game in a day, Sunday's midday kick-off between QPR and Leeds United is a fine hors d'oeuvre for the Community Shield (I know at least one TLFG reader combining these two) while you should also just be able to make one of the three FA Cup ties which kick-off at 3pm elsewhere in the capital with Barkingside probably the easiest to get to by public transport.

In other news, preparations for Non-League Day on 3 September are still ongoing. This week I had a meeting with Kick It Out, did a bit of filming for our Tifosy run Prostate Cancer UK fundraiser, discussed merchandise, uploaded a few new games to the match map, heard from some European clubs who want to take part and also got contacted by a journalist at German football magazine '11Freunde' who wants to follow me on the day - it's been a busy time!

As I said, it promises to be quite a week so enjoy yourself and feel free to send your reports, pictures and also any questions if you have any.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are 90 matches in the London area over the next week as pre-season starts to wind down and the competitive stuff starts to get going.

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 - something which often happens at this time of year. 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
Red pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

White 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 1 August
Hendon v Dagenham & Redbridge @730pm - the Greens continue to bed in at their new home with this friendly against National League opposition from east London
Metropolitan Police v Barnet XI @8pm - the Bees send their youngsters down to Imber Court for another pre-season game 

Tuesday 2 August

Bromley v Crystal Palace @7pm  - fifth-tier club Bromley welcome their Premier League neighbours for this hotly anticipated friendly (tickets must be purchased in advance)
Ryman League Charity Shield @745pm - Hampton & Richmond Borough play host to local rivals Kingstonian at the Beveree
Greenwich Borough v Leyton Orient XI @745pm - the hosts welcomed nearly 800 for the visit of a Millwall XI last week, they'll be hoping for another good turnout here
Tooting & Mitcham United v Crystal Palace U21 @745pm - the Eagles' youngsters play most of their home games at Imperial Fields so it's landlords v tenants
North Greenford United v Hanworth Villa @745pm - the Combined Counties League gets underway on Tuesday night with a handful of games, this one sees recently relegated Greenford welcome Villa who have former QPR and Fulham player Rufus Brevett taking charge of his first game as manager

Wednesday 3 August

Grays Athletic v Tilbury @745pm - two Essex rivals contest the Stan Veness Cup at Aveley's ground
Cray Valley PM v Cray Wanderers @745pm - it's only a friendly but this south-east London derby should still entertain

Thursday 4 August
West Ham United v NK Domzale @745pm - be part of history as the Hammers play the first match at their new home, tickets for this Europa League match are only £15 and are on general sale

Friday 5 August
Fulham v Newcastle United @745pm - the EFL season begins with this televised Championship game at Craven Cottage between two former Premier League teams
Tooting & Mitcham United v Dulwich Hamlet @745pm - if professional football's not for you, these two old non-league rivals enjoy a friendly down south

Saturday 6 August

Friendlies
Liverpool v Barcelona @515pm - the newly created International Champions Cup rolls into London where two of the world's biggest clubs sold out Wembley in two hours
Crystal Palace v Valencia @3pm - if you can't get a ticket for the above, there's another England v Spain match-up at Selhurst Park which also looks very appealing
Watford v Lorient @3pm - the Hornets also welcome European opposition for a final friendly in the form of this French outfit

EFL
Millwall v Oldham Athletic @3pm - the only EFL game taking place in London on Saturday is this League One encounter at the Den

National League
Boreham Wood v Forest Green Rovers @3pm - the National League season starts on Saturday with The Wood welcoming the title favourites in a very tough opener
Bromley v Tranmere Rovers @3pm - the Ravens were London's top ranked non-league club last season and their campaign begins against another team expected to do well
Sutton United v Solihull Moors @3pm - the U's return to the fifth tier for the first time in many years and welcome a side from the Midlands who are also new to this level
Dartford v Wealdstone @3pm - the fine facilities of Princes Park are the setting for this game between sides with realistic play-off ambitions in the National League South

Southern League
Northwood v Ashford Town (Middlesex) @3pm - it's also opening day in the Southern League Division 1 Central where Northwood were our leading local team last season, they begin with this match against newly promoted Ashford

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
London Bari v Clapton @3pm - arguably the tie of the round is this groundshare derby in Forest Gate with tenants hosting landlords
Wembley v Daventry Town @3pm - if you're going to attempt an FA Cup 'Road to Wembley' what better place to start than Wembley FC who play within sight of the much grander national stadium
Colliers Wood United v AFC Croydon Athletic @3pm - a nice bit of inter-league action between clubs from opposite sides of London's southern hemisphere
Redbridge v Waltham Forest @3pm - two Essex Senior League teams do battle in what is probably fair to call a derby
Edgware Town v Holmer Green @3pm - after reforming in 2014, the Wares won the Spartan South Midlands Division 1 last season and now play their first ever FA Cup tie
Bridon Ropes v Canterbury City @3pm - even more significantly, the Ropes play their first ever FA Cup tie since coming into existence 81 years ago

Sunday 7 August
FA Community Shield @4pm - last season's surprise package Leicester City take on FA Cup winners Manchester United at Wembley in this annual curtain-raiser for the top flight
West Ham United v Juventus @1pm - if you can't make it to the first game at the London Stadium on Thursday then this friendly looks very enticing
Queens Park Rangers v Leeds United @12pm - if you want some competitive football, QPR begin their Championship season against these giants of Yorkshire football
Barkingside v Hadleigh United @3pm - there are three FA Cup ties on Sunday afternoon with this match at Ilford FC's ground the easiest to reach by public transport

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. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. 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: 25-31 July 2016

It's been a steamy old week in London with temperatures of over 30C (approx 90F) on several days.

Such conditions have been great for most spectators but the players must have found the going pretty tough.

I had hoped to catch a game on Monday night on my way back from Ireland but the flight got held up and I missed out. It's a shame because the match between Hendon and QPR's U21s produced a nine-goal thriller which the visitors edged 5-4.

Did you make it to any games? 

Several readers have been in touch saying they've been to various matches which is great to hear. It's also been interesting to learn that several of you have headed beyond the city limits to take in some of the more interesting friendlies a bit further afield. 

With this in mind, I've made a special effort to see what else is on within a 50-60 mile radius of London and there are some really big games this week which you'll find details of below. Some of them are in locations like Brighton which could make for a good day trip or even an overnighter.

There's only six weeks to go!

With only six weeks to go until Non-League Day, the build up is now starting to get serious. This week I've got a meeting with anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out who have become important partners over the last few years. We'll probably discuss which games they'll hope to hold events at on the day so I'm looking forward to making a few recommendations. 

Hopefully I'll get to squeeze a game in this week but it will have to be a midweek one.

Right, I think that's it from me. Have a great week of football watching - once again the schedule is packed and the 'Daily Digest' below doesn't even come close to covering all the good games that are on offer so scour those maps to make sure you don't miss out.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are nearly 100 matches in the London area over the next week as pre-season starts to get into full swing.

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 - something which often happens at this time of year. 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
Red pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

White 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 25 July
Colchester United v Crystal Palace @7pm - a good chance to see a Premier League side in action not too far outside London
Wingate & Finchley v Maidenhead United @745pm - if you don't want to go that far, the next best option is this friendly in the northern suburbs

Tuesday 26 July

MK Dons v Everton @745pm  - if you're a fan of the Toffees you can catch them at Stadium MK just a short trip north of London
Southend United v Newcastle United @745pm - with the weather set fair, this is a fine chance to catch a decent game and combine it with a trip to the Essex seaside
Cambridge United v Aston Villa @730pm - if the coast isn't for you, enjoy a bit of culture in one of the great seats of English learning before heading to the Abbey Stadium for this
Charlton Athletic v Ipswich Town @745pm - the best option within the M25 sees sides from League One and the Championship do battle
Dagenham & Redbridge v Leyton Orient @745pm - we also have this east London derby to look forward to
Dartford v Gillingham @745pm - talking of derbies, this game between two Kent rivals catches the eye as well

Wednesday 27 July

AFC Wimbledon v Crystal Palace @7pm - the Eagles are in action again but this time it's in a south London derby against the Dons

Thursday 28 July
Harrow Borough v Hemel Hempstead Town @745pm - Boro are averaging four goals a game in pre-season so far but the Tudors, from the National League South, should present a much tougher challenge

Friday 29 July
Reading v Bournemouth @8pm - Jaap Stam's Royals welcome Premier League Bournemouth for a game that could kick-off a great weekend of football watching
Hayes & Yeading United v Hendon @730pm - it is possible that this game could be the first to be played at Hayes' much delayed new ground, check with the club before you travel to confirm this
Chipstead v Crystal Palace U21 @745pm - CANCELLED
Greenwich Borough v Millwall XI @745pm - managed by former Lion Gary Alexander, ambitious Greenwich welcome a side from the Den to their new home

Saturday 30 July
Fulham v Crystal Palace @3pm - the Eagles first XI finish off their week with a trip to Craven Cottage for this derby
Queens Park Rangers v Watford @3pm - just up the road in Shepherd's Bush there's another derby between Championship and Premier League clubs
Millwall v Brentford @3pm - the Lions' Tony Craig enjoys a testimonial against one of his former clubs, it's a London derby too
Charlton Athletic v RKC Waalwijk @3pm - the Addicks welcome Dutch opponents if you fancy something a bit more exotic
Welling United v Bromley @3pm - elsewhere in south-east London we have this derby
Harrow Borough v Wealdstone @3pm - on the north-west side of town it's also the Harrow derby
Clapton v Tower Hamlets @3pm - if you want some competitive football, the Essex Senior League starts on Saturday and this East End derby featuring the support/performance of the Clapton Ultras is the pick for me

Sunday 31 July
Brighton & Hove Albion v Lazio @3pm - head south to the well appointed Amex Stadium to see the promotion seeking Seagulls host one of the big boys of Italian football in arguably the game of the week
Arsenal Ladies v Liverpool Ladies @3pm - back in London, your best option is this Women's Super League game at Boreham Wood

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. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. 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: 18-24 July 2016

By the time you read this I'll hopefully be in Ireland at one of my wife's relative's wedding.

Hence this is a bit of a rush job ahead of a trip to the airport.

Once again, the amount of games to watch has shot up with almost 100 on offer this week so there's no chance of getting bored.

We don't have any Premier League sides to entertain us but plenty of EFL teams will be giving their players a run out in matches all over the region.

As in previous weeks I've listed a few games just beyond the M25 that look good and are easy to get to but there could be others as I haven't had a chance to thoroughly scour the fixture lists of London's near neighbours.

Right, I think that's all I need to write at this stage - I better go and finish my packing.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are nearly 100 matches in the London area over the next week as pre-season starts to get into full swing.

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 - something which often happens at this time of year. 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
Red pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

White 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 18 July
Hendon v QPR U21 @7pm - after several years in exile, the Greens are now back in a ground of their own and have made this a 'Pay What You Want Game'

Tuesday 19 July

Fulham v Brighton & Hove Albion @745pm  - two Championship clubs meet at the neutral venue of Aldershot Town
Wycombe Wanderers v Brentford @745pm - another interesting all EFL game as a League Two side hosts a Championship one, again just outside London
Boreham Wood v Luton Town @745pm - National League side Boreham Wood take on their fifth professional club in a little over a week in what can also be classed as a derby
Woking v Leyton Orient @745pm - the O's make the short journey outside London to take on National League opponents
Dartford v Millwall @745pm - the Lions, from League One, continue to do the rounds of the local non-league sides producing some eye-catching derbies in the process

Wednesday 20 July

Kingstonian v Sutton United @745pm - these two were divisional rivals until fairly recently but two promotions for the visitors have propelled them into the fifth tier
Staines Town v QPR U21 @730pm - Rangers' youngsters have a hectic schedule of non-league opposition this week, with Ryman League Staines their latest opponents

Thursday 21 July
Thamesmead Town v Welling United @745pm - a south-east London derby at Bayliss Avenue

Friday 22 July
Wycombe Wanderers v QPR @745pm - the fact Chairboys boss Gareth Ainsworth has played and managed both is just one of a number of things connecting these two clubs as is the A40 road which makes this journey just outside London very straightforward
Enfield Town v Brighton & Hove Albion U21 @730pm - if you want to stay inside the M25 then this is the next best option

Saturday 23 July
Brentford v FC Kiaserslautern @3pm - the Bees host London's first foreign visitors of the summer as this German side come to Griffin Park
AFC Wimbledon v Reading @3pm - the Dons' steady rise up the leagues means there's only one division between these two now
Leyton Orient v Charlton Athletic @3pm - hailing from either side of the Thames on the east side of London, this is very much a derby
Barnet v Gillingham @3pm - Martin Allen's side welcome League One opponents from Kent
Crawley Town v Millwall @3pm - the Lions make the short trip to League Two Crawley which is very close to Gatwick airport if you want to fly in especially
Hendon Invitation Cup from 1pm - the Greens host Carshalton Athletic, Farnborough and Slough Town in a tournament which plays out over the weekend

Sunday 24 July
Hendon Invitation Cup from 1pm - depending on Saturday's results, we'll have a third place play-off and final featuring the teams above
Phoenix Sports v Dartford @2pm - south east London derby
Chelsea Ladies v Doncaster Rovers Belles @2pm - FA Women's Super League action at Staines Town

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. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. 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: 11-17 July 2016

This time last week British sport, especially the English part, was in a pretty bad place. However, this week things got a whole lot better.

With Andy Murray and Heather Watson winning titles at Wimbledon, Lewis Hamilton triumphing in the British Grand Prix, and British athletes netting 16 medals including five golds at the European Championships it's been a great few days.

On top of this, the England cricket and rugby union sides are doing the nation proud and a Brit is well placed to win the Tour de France too. So, why you might quite rightly ask, is football the national game of this country???

I think we've all got our own theories on this but too much money being involved at the top level must be a considerable factor. 

Bromley welcome local rivals Charlton Athletic on Tuesday in one of the matches of the week

Since I left my job at BBC Sport five years ago, I've barely watched any Premier League football and wouldn't be able to identify many of the players in the way I could and had to.

Unsurprisingly, following the creation of Non-League Day, my focus has very much started to move firmly back in that direction.

Don't get me wrong, the Premier League is entertaining and I'd love to see QPR get back up there but while they're not in it and I continue to refuse to sign up to massively overpriced satellite subscriptions - it's becoming less and less relevant to me.

That's enough soapbox stuff - what have we got to look forward to this week?

Things are really starting to get cracking now. Two weeks ago we had 10 games, last week 40 and now we're pushing 70.

For me, pre-season is one of the most exciting times of the football year as it's a time when fantasy can become reality. Much is made of famous FA Cup ties between non-league minnows and top-flight sides but most fans will rarely if ever get to see their team take part. However, over July and early August, the most unlikely of match-ups do sometimes come to pass.

I've seen Harrow Borough, my favourite non-league side, host full strength Premier League sides on several occasions. Five years ago I watched them push QPR really hard before narrowly losing 1-0 while on another occasion in the early '90s I saw them crushed 9-0 by a ruthless West Ham side who took no prisoners! 

The chance to play such teams probably doesn't teach the non-league sides all that much about themselves but it makes the club a huge amount of money as large crowds pile in - the attendance for the QPR game was nearly 10 times the normal average for Harrow.

One match like this in pre-season can go a long way to covering a club's costs for several months, and in some cases the whole campaign, so landing such a prestigious fixture is highly sought after. 

Many lower league outfits include a friendly in the deal when they sell a player to a pro club because it is worth so much.

If you want to see a professional team in action over the next few days then you'll be able to see the following play in the London area at some point:

Premier League: Watford*

Championship: Ipswich Town

League One: Charlton Athletic, Millwall, Peterborough United

League Two: Barnet, Leyton Orient, Portsmouth, Stevenage*

*Watford's game at Stevenage is just outside the M25 but it's a derby, is very easy to get to by train and therefore seemed churlish to miss off the list.

One of our Dutch friends was reunited with QPR keeper Alex Smithies on Saturday

There are also a number of games involving professional teams' U21 and reserve sides which you can find in the daily digest and match maps below.

I'm on early starts at work this week which means midweek football watching is highly unlikely. I'm then off for a long weekend in Ireland so I'm unlikely to see anything before I get back.

It's always good to hear from TLFG readers - apparently some of you will be at the very tasty looking Bromley v Millwall game on Saturday (tickets are on sale now). While Dutch reader Peter, who visited QPR in February, has had Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's side virtually camped on his doorstep this week and went to see their open training session on Saturday in the Netherlands.

If you're going to a game, let me know and feel free to send a picture or two. Enjoy!

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are nearly 70 matches in the London area over the next week as pre-season starts to get into full swing.

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 - something which often happens at this time of year. 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
Red pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

White 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 11 July
Boreham Wood v Peterborough United @730pm - having beaten Brentford and lost to Reading, the Wood welcome their third EFL opponent of the summer

Tuesday 12 July

Bromley v Charlton Athletic @745pm  - the Ravens were the capital's top ranked non-league club last season and here they play League One opponents in a bit of a derby
Wealdstone v Leyton Orient @745pm - the highlight of the Stones' pre-season campaign is this match against the League Two O's from east London
Dulwich Hamlet v Norwich City U21 @745pm - after putting four past local rivals Bromley on Saturday, the Hamlet will fancy their chances against this Canaries XI

Wednesday 13 July

Barnet v Ipswich Town @8pm - our first all-pro friendly of the summer sees Martin Allen's Bees welcome the Tractor Boys to the Hive for a League Two v Championship encounter
Thurrock v Dagenham & Redbridge @745pm - if north London isn't convenient for you, this Essex derby could be right up your street

Thursday 14 July
Stevenage v Watford @745pm - we venture just beyond the M25 for this one so you can see the Premier League Hornets in action in this Hertfordshire derby, it's also very easy to reach by train

Friday 15 July
Beckenham Town v Crystal Palace U21 @7pm - the hosts are hoping for a repeat of the record attendance they achieved when the Eagles last visited two years ago for this local derby

Saturday 16 July
Boreham Wood v Arsenal U21 @3pm - the Wood welcome a young Gunners side to Meadow Park for what is becoming an annual fixture
Bromley v Millwall @3pm - two south-east London clubs fielding full strength teams make this game arguably more attractive than the one above and tickets are on sale now
Sutton United v Portsmouth @3pm - elsewhere in south London, a big crowd is also expected as 2008 FA Cup winners Pompey pay a visit to Gander Green Lane
Staines Town v Barnet @3pm - the Swans have seven games in pre-season and this one against the League Two Bees is the standout fixture
Welling United v Maidstone United @3pm - an all-Kent affair between sides who seem to be going in opposite directions in the pyramid
Enfield Town v Barnet U21 @3pm - Enfield and Barnet used to be huge local rivals in the '80s but things went pear-shaped for the hosts and the two rarely play these days meaning this is quite a big deal, it's just a shame and a bit bemusing that the Bees have decided to send their first XI to Staines the same afternoon

Sunday 17 July
Chelsea Ladies v Arsenal Ladies @3pm - a big derby between the teams currently ranked second and third in the FA Women's Super League (at Staines Town)

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. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. 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: 4-10 July 2016

Well, well, well it's been quite a week. 

Forget all the political turmoil, it's been a terrible time for England football fans too. 

Not only were they humbled by an industrious and hardworking Iceland side in the second round of the Euros, they were then further shown up by Wales who made it all the way to the semi-finals after a superb win over Belgium. 

Both of these 'minnows' are dwarfed by the population and resources that the English FA has at its disposal and yet it made absolutely no difference. The players and manager are paid absolute fortunes and have been for years but things are going backwards.

I actually have a lot of time for Roy Hodgson, believing him to be sincere, honest and hardworking - he's achieved some great things particularly with Fulham and West Brom but it seems big clubs and players don't respond well to his methods when he's been given the chance.

A fine way to spend a weekend in south-west London

Who will come in next is unclear. I was, rather randomly, told by an old woman on a train yesterday that Gareth Southgate was the man for her because he'd hit the post with a penalty in Euro 96 (it was actually saved but I didn't like to tell her) and most of her family had worked for the Post Office. Seems as good a reason as any right now!

Aside from all that, the summer's domestic pre-season action got underway.

As mentioned last week, it was pretty much all about QPR as far as the pro teams were concerned. The first-team squad picked up a 3-2 win at Aldershot on Friday with the mercurial Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, back from a disappointing loan spell at MK Dons, scoring twice. The U21s also recorded a 2-1 win at Wealdstone the following day.

This week sees the action pick up considerably with lots more clubs taking to the field including Premier League outfit Watford who play their first friendly at Woking on Sunday. Like QPR's game at Aldershot, this match is outside London but only just so I thought it was well worth including.

There are also games in the London area for Brentford, Charlton Athletic and Reading, while Fulham U21s are also in action.

We've also got a couple of mini tournaments involving some of our local non-league sides. One of my highlights of pre-season is the now well established Geoff Harvey Memorial Trophy at Corinthian Casuals. This year it's also being dedicated to the memory of Jimmy Hill who passed away recently. The format sees four teams play a semi-final each on the Saturday before a third place play-off and final on Sunday. Aside from the hosts, the entrants include Hampton & Richmond Borough, Hayes & Yeading United and Tonbridge Angels. The matches are at 11am and 3pm on both days and you can pay by day or get a weekend ticket.

On the east side of town, Clapton are hosting the inaugural Walter Tull Cup to honour the memory of the man who became the first black professional outfield footballer in England. This three-team tournament takes a round robin format with points awarded for wins, draws etc. The matches are also only 30 minutes each way so they can all be condensed into one afternoon. The other competitors are AC London and Hackney Wick with the first game at 1230pm.

There is also a fine selection of Women's Super League action on Sunday with Arsenal, Chelsea and London Bees all playing at home.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are nearly 40 matches in the London area over the next week as pre-season starts to get into full swing.

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 - something which often happens at this time of year. 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
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

White 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 4 July
Waltham Forest v Brentwood Town @745pm - our first Monday night game of pre-season as clubs from the Essex Senior League and Isthmian League meet at Wadham Lodge

Tuesday 5 July

Bedfont & Feltham v Harefield United @7pm  - if you've never been, The Orchard is one of the most unusual grounds in London as it is located at the end of Heathrow airport's runway - paradise if you're a groundhopper/plane spotter

Friday 8 July

Boreham Wood v Brentford @730pm - the hosts always put together an impressive pre-season schedule at Meadow Park with this year's first opponents being Championship side Brentford

Saturday 9 July
Boreham Wood v Reading @3pm - the following afternoon they welcome the Royals, also of the second tier, as new boss Jaap Stam takes charge for the first time
Welling United v Charlton Athletic @3pm - these two south-east London clubs meet for what has become a regular pre-season game
Sutton United v Fulham XI @3pm - the U's prepare for life in the top tier of non-league football with this friendly against the Cottagers' youngsters and reserves
Dulwich Hamlet v Bromley @12pm - another south-east London derby with the early kick-off allowing you to do a double with another game
Jimmy Hill/Geoff Harvey Memorial Trophy from 11am - semi-finals day of the annual four-team tournament at Corinthian Casuals also featuring Hampton & Richmond, Hayes & Yeading and Tonbridge Angels
Walter Tull Cup from 1230pm - new three-team tournament at Clapton also featuring AC London and Hackney Wick

Sunday 10 July
Woking v Watford @5pm - the Premier League Hornets begin pre-season just outside London against the Cards
Jimmy Hill/Geoff Harvey Memorial Trophy from 11am - finals day of the annual four-team tournament at Corinthian Casuals also featuring Hampton & Richmond, Hayes & Yeading and Tonbridge Angels
Chelsea Ladies v Birmingham City Ladies @3pm - second play third at Staines Town in the FA Women's Super League

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. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. 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.