TLFG: 28 August - 2 September 2018

Well that's it, the summer's over or at least it will be for me come Saturday when September begins.

At one stage it looked as if it was never going to end with high temperatures leaving scorched pitches all over London - many sides were forced to switch pre-season games to neutral venues with artificial surfaces.

But now the temperatures are in decline and the nights are drawing in - September, how very depressing.

Well it would be if we didn't have a host of great football matches to look forward to.

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This week provides us with a full programme of Premier League, EFL, National League, Bostik League, Evo-Stik League games and the opening round of the FA Vase.

That's not to mention some eye-catching U23 games and a couple of women's matches as well.

My week kept me away from football and sadly I couldn't attend my Non-League Day meeting at Prostate Cancer UK (some exciting news came out of it though, so watch this space) and I couldn't get to the Kick It Out event I was meant to go to either.

If I haven't mentioned it before, my wife is set to give birth at the end of October and she's found the last week pretty tough going so most of my engagements have quite rightly fallen by the wayside.

Prostate Cancer UK are the charity partners of Non-League Day - if you have any concerns, get checked out like I did

I guess this is also a heads up that this blog's output could tail off considerably over the coming months so apologies in advance if that is the case. Somehow I managed to keep things going pretty much uninterrupted after my first child arrived in 2013 but with two on the go it could be too much.

Aside from all that, my teams had a pretty decent weekend with QPR's two new loan signings Tomer Hemed and Nakhi Wells both catching the eye in an absolutely priceless 1-0 win over Wigan to move off the bottom of the Championship table.

Harrow Borough, meanwhile, drew 2-2 with high flying Tiverton on Saturday and won 4-2 at local rivals Hendon in the derby on Monday - which means the two clubs have scored a whopping 38 goals over the course of their last seven meetings!

I also received various messages on social media from readers who were trying to maximise their groundhopping opportunities on Monday given the amount of staggered kick-offs.

Some definitely made it to two but did any of you make it to three? Let me know.

I'm set to spend the next few days in St Leonard's near Hastings so am likely to miss out on live football but keep me informed of what you're up to and, as always, enjoy!
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THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 80 matches in and around the London area over the next eight days with the Premier League and EFL dominating proceedings but there are also a number of FA Vase ties too.

As always, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or the venue or kick-off time has changed - this is highly possible for some of the lower non-league clubs. 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 (orange 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.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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.

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Tuesday fixtures - green pin
Wednesday fixtures - magenta pin
Friday fixtures - black pin

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin

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.

Tuesday 28 August

Carabao Cup Second Round
AFC Wimbledon v West Ham United @745pm -  with the Bank Holiday weekend behind us, we can get stuck into a fine selection of great value EFL cup ties. At this stage of the competition, the surviving Championship, League One and League Two teams are joined in the draw by the Premier League teams not involved in European competition. One of the ties of the round is this London derby at Kingsmeadow. On paper the Dons should start as significant underdogs but the Hammers are struggling already and could be vulnerable. Tickets will be very hard to get without a previous booking history and were close to selling out when I last checked
Fulham v Exeter City @745pm - Exeter did well to see off Ipswich in the first round on penalties and have been rewarded with a trip to Craven Cottage. Adult tickets are only £10 so if you've never been to this unique ground on the banks of the Thames, this is a great opportunity
Queens Park Rangers v Bristol Rovers @745pm - much has been made of the hosts' poor start to the season but the green shoots of recovery are there following a 1-0 win over Wigan on Saturday. QPR also beat Peterborough in the last round who have won all of their League One games so far this season. Rovers are one of the weaker sides in that division so should be beaten but this is QPR so literally anything is possible. Adult tickets are £15
Brentford v Cheltenham Town @745pm - with only one defeat from five in the league, the Bees have made a fine start. Cheltenham are ailing towards the bottom of League Two so not much is expected of them. In this case, standing tickets are only £5 whilst seats are just a tenner

Bostik League South Central
Hanwell Town v Ashford Town (Middlesex) @745pm - with two wins in the league and a victory in the FA Cup, the Geordies have got off to a great start. Fellow west Londoners Ashford have also done pretty well in the league but got dumped out of the cup by Cray Valley on Sunday in one of the upsets of the round

Combined Counties League Premier Division
Balham v Colliers Wood United @730pm - we've got a groundshare derby at the Wibbandune where tenants Balham have a 100% record in the league so far this season. They did, however, come unstuck in the FA Cup on Saturday but should still start as favourites here

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Wednesday 29 August

Carabao Cup Second Round
Millwall v Plymouth Argyle @745pm - there's some more bargain bucket cup fun at the New Den on Wednesday night where it's only £10 to watch the Lions take on the Pilgrims for a place in the last 32

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Erith Town v Cray Valley PM @745pm - the best non-league option would appear to be this south-east London derby. Neither side has really got going this season so a win would be very useful for both

UPDATE (29/08/18): thanks to TLFG reader Liam who made me aware of an FA Cup replay taking place tonight (Wednesday) between Sporting Bengal United and Brentwood Town. The hosts did well to hold their higher-ranked opponents to a 1-1 draw at the weekend and were the better side by all accounts. They go again tonight at the Mile End Stadium at 745pm

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Friday 31 August

Premier League 2
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur @7pm - one of the games of the season in U23 football is taking place at the Emirates Stadium. Sadly, because of the intense rivalry between fans, security is tight and tickets are being strictly controlled - if you're a non-member don't even try

Professional Development League
Watford v Crewe Alexandra @3pm - there won't be any such restrictions earlier in the afternoon where two U23 teams with very little rivalry indeed meet at Wingate & Finchley's ground in north London

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Saturday 1 September

Premier League
Chelsea v AFC Bournemouth @3pm - we're only three games into the new season but these two are both impressing. The Blues won at Newcastle on Sunday to extend their 100% record whilst the Cherries have two wins and a draw to also be unbeaten. Since joining the top flight in 2015, Eddie Howe's side have won on two of their three league visits to Stamford Bridge so would appear to be very dangerous opponents
Crystal Palace v Southampton @3pm - after a fine win at Fulham on the opening day the Eagles have gone backwards with two defeats. The Saints, on the other hand, are winless but have found Selhurst Park to be a happy hunting ground in recent years so should fancy their chances
West Ham United v Wolverhampton Wanderers @3pm - if the Hammers lose their midweek cup tie at Wimbledon and extend their 100% losing run, then panic stations could set in. When the fixtures come out, matches against newly promoted sides are usually viewed as winnable ones so if this match against another winless side also goes the wrong way then Manuel Pellegrini, if he hasn't already gone, will be under huge pressure to step down

Championship
Brentford v Nottingham Forest @3pm - only a point separates these sides in midtable so we should get a decent contest. A place in the top six could be on the cards for either if they win
Millwall v Swansea City @530pm - over in Bermondsey, last season's surprise package Millwall host the Swans who suffered relegation from the Premier League in May after seven seasons. Unsurprisingly, the Welsh side have made the better start and will want to repeat of the win they achieved here on their last visit during their promotion season in 2011. The late kick off means you can combine this with a visit to nearby non-league side Fisher who have an FA Vase tie against Corinthian

Premier League 2
Fulham v Southampton @1pm - if the match at Fisher doesn't appeal then you could take in this U23 match at Craven Cottage instead where admission is only £3

National League
Sutton United v FC Halifax Town @3pm - now three games without a win, the U's have slipped down to ninth but could get right back into contention with victory here. However, the visitors are currently top so should be tough to beat
Dagenham & Redbridge v Salford City @3pm - the cash-strapped Daggers continue to ail and stayed firmly rooted to the bottom after losing to Barnet on Monday. On Saturday they welcome big spending Salford who, if you don't already know are owned by Man Utd legends the Nevilles, Giggs, Scholes and Butt. They are not, by any means, having it all their own way though with only three wins from seven leaving them in tenth

National League South
Welling United v Oxford City @3pm - the Wings, in seventh, are currently the top London club in this division and are already seven points off title pace. Oxford are just behind them and both need to win to keep in touch with the leading pack

Bostik League Premier Division
Enfield Town v Dorking Wanderers @3pm - the Towners surrendered top spot to Tonbridge after only managing a draw in their derby at Wingate on Monday. The result means they are still unbeaten and looking good but the visit of Dorking, also in the top seven, should be a good test for all involved
Haringey Borough v Worthing @3pm - just down the road, Haringey play Worthing who like Enfield are also in the top three and attracting the biggest crowds in the division (nearly 1,200 on Monday) so hopefully there'll be a decent turnout for this one

Evo-Stik League Premier Division South
Harrow Borough v Salisbury @3pm - after picking up a 2-2 draw against then leaders Tiverton on Saturday, Boro then recorded an impressive 4-2 win at local rivals Hendon on Monday to climb to tenth. Only top club Weymouth currently better them in the goals scored department and they'll be hoping to score a load more against another one of the giants of the division on Saturday. Salisbury were a sizeable fifth tier club not that long ago but met with financial ruin. This newly formed phoenix club have enjoyed a swift rise back up the divisions and still enjoy sizeable support

Bostik League North
Barking v Romford @3pm - there's an east London derby to enjoy at Mayesbrook Park on Saturday. The hosts have yet to register a point yet this season but they're only two games into their campaign so hopefully not too much can be read into that. Romford have struggled in recent seasons but have managed to maintain their place in the eighth tier but no longer play inside this blog's catchment area after a summer move to groundshare with East Thurrock United

Bostik League South Central
Hayes & Yeading United v Tooting & Mitcham United @3pm - historically, both these clubs are used to playing at much higher levels than this. Both have suffered relegations in recent years with the Terrors suffering one on the final day of last season. If you haven't been to check out H&YU's new ground yet, this is a great opportunity

FA Vase First Qualifying Round
If you missed out on getting your 'Road to Wembley' underway in the FA Cup or are put off by the fact that getting tickets for the semi-finals or final could be tough, then try this far more realistic route which could be far more rewarding. This cup competition is open to clubs in the ninth to 11th tiers of English football and throws up some great ties over the course of the season. The winners of each tie receive £550 and the losers £175. There are lots of ties in London this weekend, here is my pick of what's on offer.

AFC Croydon Athletic v Worthing United @3pm - the Rams are currently joint top of the SCEFL which suggests in theory that they should have a decent chance of making progress into the later stages  of the competition. This tie, against a team struggling badly at the level below, looks like a certain victory for them
Clapton v Woodford Town @3pm - two of the Essex Senior League's top five do battle at the Old Spotted Dog which is the capital's oldest football ground
Walthamstow v Takeley @3pm - two more ESL teams also do battle at Wadham Lodge but in this instance the visitors are top, meaning they too should do well in this season's competition
Enfield Borough v Halstead Town @3pm - this match pits two of the tenth tier's best clubs against each other - the hosts are currently top of the SSML1 whilst Halstead are joint top of the Thurlow Nunn Div 1 South
St Panteleimon v Holmer Green @3pm - one club we don't often cover are 11th tier Middlesex County League side St Panteleimon. They are a club with their roots in the Greek Orthodox community who groundshare with North Greenford United. If they can beat Hellenic League side Holmer Green who play two levels above them, it will provide one of the shocks of the round

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Sunday 2 September

Premier League
Watford v Tottenham Hotspur @4pm - not many would've expected this to be a top four clash even with only three games played but that's what this is. Both sides have won their opening three games so should approach this derby with some confidence. Spurs, however, are in theory the better side and haven't lost at Vicarage Road since 1987 so are somewhat of a bogey team for the Hornets

Professional Development League
Millwall v Bolton Wanderers @1pm - elsewhere there's a spot of U23 football going on at Millwall's training ground but that will probably mean you won't be able to get in. Check if this is the case or if any of the details have changed by visiting the club's website nearer the time UPDATE (30/08/18): this match is now being played at The Den following the Junior Lions Fun Day and is free entry for everyone (there is a charge for the fun day)

FA Vase First Qualifying Round
Aside from the matches above, there are also two decent looking Vase ties on Sunday with Southall hosting the recently renamed Reading City from the Hellenic League and Erith & Belvedere playing fellow SCEFL club Rusthall - both matches kick-off at 3pm

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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 in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

NEED HELP?

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries. I do not charge for this advice like some other sites so don't hold back!

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

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

TLFG: 20-27 August 2018

Welcome one and all to the August Bank Holiday Special of TLFG.

This week's guide covers the next eight days so as to include the Bank Holiday which is jam packed with non-league action.

The three days of the weekend will see 90 matches played and that increases to 95 if you include Friday night as well. Yes you read that right - 95 matches over four days!!!

On Saturday it will be possible to do a groundhop 'double' because of an 11am kick-off in the FA Cup whilst on Monday you'll be able to do a triple with all Combined Counties games starting at 1130am and the Essex Senior League match at Barkingside getting underway at 745pm. Which match you choose to sandwich in between at 3pm is up to you but there are loads to choose from.

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So what have you been up to this week?

Did anyone make it to the Saudi Super Cup at Loftus Road on Saturday evening?

Despite the high prices, a close to capacity crowd turned out to watch Al-Hilal beat Al-Ittihad. The atmosphere during their 2-1 win was said to have been great so I'd be interested to hear if you went along and what you made of it.

The biggest game of the weekend saw Chelsea edge to a 3-2 win over Arsenal whilst up at Wembley, Spurs won again in fairly comfortable fashion against Fulham. There was also a good win for Watford at Burnley whilst West Ham came unstuck again at home to Bournemouth.

Kick It Out is celebrating it's 25th anniversary this year

The main story of the week for me was the abysmal 7-1 thrashing suffered by QPR against West Brom at The Hawthorns. The result left them firmly rooted to the bottom of the Championship table with three defeats from three. Strangely, they had managed a fairly comfortable win over League One leaders Peterborough in the Carabao Cup in midweek with a 'weakened' team - maybe a few more of them should get a run out against Bristol City on Tuesday!

I've now got two weeks off but my chances of seeing a live game are fairly remote as I'll be heading off to some remote footballing blackspots and probably won't get to see anything but you never know.

Non-League Day is gathering pace and I have a planning meeting with our charity partner Prostate Cancer UK and sports broadcasting supremo Caroline Barker on Tuesday about a possible launch event. I'll also hopefully make it to the 'Kick It Out Live' event in Stratford on Thursday too as the anti-discrimination charity celebrates its 25th anniversary year.

Have a great eight days and let me know what you get up to. Enjoy!
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THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 120 matches in and around the London area over the next eight days with the Premier League and EFL dominating proceedings but there are also a number of FA Cup Preliminary Round ties and a load of non-league derbies.

As always, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or the venue or kick-off time has changed - this is highly possible for some of the lower non-league clubs. 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 (orange 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.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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.

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Monday fixtures - yellow pin
Tuesday fixtures - green pin
Wednesday fixtures - magenta pin
Friday fixtures - black pin

BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin
Monday fixtures - yellow pin

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 20 August

Premier League
Crystal Palace v Liverpool @8pm - the week's football gets underway with this big televised clash. These games are often corkers played in front of a packed house with a great atmosphere. Since returning to the top flight in 2013 they've met six times in all competitions at Selhurst Park and 23 goals have been scored. The Reds have won four of these games and will start as favourites again

Premier League 2
Arsenal v Brighton & Hove Albion @7pm - your chances of getting a ticket for the match above are slim so, as a neutral, your next best option is probably this U23 game at the Emirates Stadium. Tickets are only £4 for adults but must be bought in advance (online sales end at 3pm) - do not arrive at the ground without one

Professional Development League
There are four other U23 games dotted around the capital earlier in the day but at the time of writing all were set to be played at the clubs' training grounds. It is often the case that the public are not admitted in these circumstances but check with each team's website on Monday morning for the latest information

Velocity Trophy Preliminary Round
Aveley v Hanwell Town @745pm - the best non-league option is in the opening round of what is effectively the Bostik/Isthmian League Cup. Hanwell have only joined the league this summer so it's quite possible that these two have never played before but I could be totally wrong
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Tuesday 21 August

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Bristol City @745pm - many thought QPR would struggle this season but after Saturday's 7-1 thrashing at West Brom made it three defeats from three games, things look far worse than I imagined. The games are coming thick and fast at the moment and that's possibly a good thing for Rangers who have an immediate chance to put things right. City are also winless from three and haven't won at Loftus Road since 1977

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Walsall @745pm - after three games both of these sides are unbeaten and are sitting pretty in the division's top eight. The clubs have only ever played four times and have a home and an away win each so they couldn't be much more even
Charlton Athletic v Peterborough United @745pm - the Addicks have managed four points from their opening fixtures and face their toughest match yet as leaders and 100% record holders Posh pay them a visit

Friendly
Brentford B v AFC Bournemouth U23 @7pm - the Bees' first XI have made a fine start to the new campaign but it's also well worth watching their second string who frequently line up some very entertaining friendlies. This one is taking place at Griffin Park and it's free to get in

Velocity Trophy First Round
Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Hayes & Yeading United @745pm - my non-league pick of the night is this cup match between sides who hail from either side of Heathrow Airport. My gut tells me that because they've been in different leagues for a long time, this could be a first competitive meeting for some time but again I could be wrong

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Wednesday 22 August

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Croydon v AFC Croydon Athletic @745pm - it wasn't hard to pick the match of the day on Wednesday as it's derby time down at the Croydon Arena


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Friday 24 August

Premier League 2
Chelsea v Derby County @7pm and West Ham United v Arsenal @7pm - after a day of rest we've got one of the busiest Friday night schedules of London football I can remember with these U23 games at Stamford Bridge and the London Stadium topping the bill. Tickets are £5 for adults but must be bought in advance. All sales for Chelsea end at 4pm on the day of the game, for West Ham it is not clear but do not attend either match without a ticket

Bostik League Premier Division
Kingstonian v Dorking Wanderers @745pm - with only one point from three games, the K's will look to pick up a first win at their new home against fellow Surrey opposition

FA Cup Preliminary Round
What is effectively the second round of the FA Cup gets underway on Friday night. There are two ties in the London area with Tooting & Mitcham United hosting Horley Town in a match that they should win. With ground development works ongoing, Basildon based club Bowers & Pitsea have moved their tie against Barking to Aveley's ground so it now falls within this blog's catchment area. Both games kick off at 745pm and should be no more than a tenner to get in

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Saturday 25 August

Premier League
Arsenal v West Ham United @3pm - only two games have been played but there's already unease at these two clubs as they've both lost both and are in the bottom four. The Gunners are going through a big transition phase after offloading Arsene Wenger, their boss of over 20 years, whilst West Ham have brought in a Premier League winning manager to end their struggles and aren't getting instant results. It's a big game for both sets of fans

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Wigan Athletic @3pm - Rangers play their second of three consecutive home fixtures against last season's League One champions. The 2013 FA Cup winners are now back in the second tier after a few seasons of struggle and they've made a positive start with four points from their opening three games

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Sunderland @3pm - the Dons face what will probably be their biggest match of the season on Saturday when the biggest club in the division head to Kingsmeadow. After back-to-back relegations, former Premier League side Sunderland now find themselves in League One but they've got off to an unbeaten start and drew a crowd of almost 30,000 as they beat Scunthorpe on Sunday. Given Wimbledon's tiny ground capacity, tickets for this are long gone
Charlton Athletic v Fleetwood Town @3pm - these two are currently neck-and-neck in midtable with almost identical records so it should be close. One of the most notable things about Fleetwood is that they are managed by the often controversial Joey Barton

National League
Sutton United v AFC Fylde @3pm - in terms of form, this should be the game of the day in the fifth tier with two of the top four going head-to-head. If results go their way, one of them could go top

National League South
Wealdstone v Concord Rangers @3pm - with only one defeat from their opening five games, the Stones have made a good start to the new campaign and have climbed to fifth accordingly. On Saturday they welcome Essex outfit Concord who are currently joint top with Billericay

FA Cup Preliminary Round
After a few games on Friday night, the bulk of the ties take place on Saturday with quite a few seventh tier teams entering at this stage following the big non-league restructure. FA Cup ties are hugely important for non-league clubs as the prize money on offer is significant for teams of their size. The winners of each Preliminary Round tie earn £2,890 each whilst the losers get £960. There are numerous ties in London on Saturday but here are a few which I think are worth a mention.

The most notable event of the round is the doubleheader taking place at Parkside where FC Romania play Grays Athletic at 11am before Aveley take on Potters Bar Town at 3pm. If you wish to see both, you'll have to leave and re-enter the ground between ties and pay full price for both. If you just want to see the first one then you should have about two hours to get to a second game somewhere else which gives you loads of options.

On the other side of town, Balham will be eyeing a cupset when they entertain Thamesmead Town. The south London club are currently top of the Combined Counties League having won all their games whilst their opponents are toiling towards the foot of the level above them.

Probably the biggest club on show at this stage are Bostik Premier club Lewes who travel to Molesey. The Rooks were playing in the eighth tier last season so have to come in a round earlier than normal and will be expected to beat the Moles. 

Spartan South Midlands League Division One
Enfield Borough v Risborough Rangers @3pm - the Panthers got off to scorching start last season before fading and finishing tenth. This season they've moved to groundshare with Wingate & Finchley and have started well again, topping the division after five games. Risborough are usually among the challengers and are fourth

Southern Counties East League Division One
FC Elmstead v Welling Town @3pm - the Cocks have also embarked on a new groundshare this season, swapping Holmesdale for Sutton Athletic over in Swanley. Currently in sixth, they've made a decent enough start but next welcome 'The Boots' who are a new to this level and taking it by storm winning all four of their games so far

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Sunday 26 August

Premier League
Watford v Crystal Palace @130pm - a derby gets the action underway at lunchtime on Sunday. At the time of writing, both sides have won all their matches this season so are looking good. However, they've only played three games between them and all have been against sides they would fancy themselves to beat. This is a tough one to call but should provide an entertaining enough spectacle
Fulham v Burnley @4pm - following on neatly behind them we have this game in SW6 where pretty much the opposite is the case with the sides only accruing one point between them from their four games. This is the Cottagers' first season back in the top flight following promotion and they'll be targeting this as a must-win game. It's also a big season for the Clarets who stunned everyone last year by qualifying for the Europa League - they'll be desperate to try and sustain those levels of performance again but it's going to be tough.
Please note, although tickets are on general sale for both, don't think you'll be able to attend both as the grounds are about 15 miles (23km) apart and the travel time between them is substantial - you might catch the second half of the Fulham game if you're lucky

FA Cup Preliminary Round
Cray Valley PM v Ashford Town (Middlesex) @3pm - the weekend's FA Cup action concludes with some inter-league action in south-east London. The visitors play one level above their hosts so should start as favourites

FA Continental Tyres Cup
The women's season continues with some more ties in this competition. Chelsea, the top women's side in the country, travel to The Hive to play London Bees whilst there's a derby at VCD Athletic's ground between Charlton and Millwall - both games kick-off at 2pm

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Monday 27 August
The August Bank Holiday sees non-league football take centre stage with a huge selection of games, many of them derbies, played throughout the day - it's very easy to see three if you're a groundhopping nut

National League
Barnet v Dagenham & Redbridge @3pm - the biggest derby in this division takes place at The Hive. The Bees got relegated from the EFL last season and have not responded at all well to life back in the fifth tier taking just two points from their first five matches. The Daggers, who are struggling financially, are in an even worse position with just a point to their name so this is looking like a relegation six-pointer already

Bostik League Premier Division 
Kingstonian v Corinthian Casuals @3pm - these sides have both played in the same borough for years but have rarely been at the same level so games have been few and far between. This season is a totally different story as not only are they now in the same division but they're also groundsharing at Casuals' ground in Tolworth
Wingate & Finchley v Enfield Town @3pm - having seen old rivals Harrow Borough and Hendon shunted off to the Evo-Stik League, Wingate's only derbies are now against Enfield and newly promoted Haringey. The Summers Lane club have overachieved greatly in recent seasons producing fine sides that have challenged for the play-offs despite having some of the smallest crowds in the division. Enfield are usually among the frontrunners and, after an underwhelming 2017-18, are back in the top five spearheading the challenge from London clubs

Evo-Stik League Premier Division South
Hendon v Harrow Borough @3pm - having both already experienced lengthy trips to the West Country in their opening games to clubs neither of them were used to playing, it will come as rather a relief to come up against each other in this derby. The Greens, beaten Bostik League play-off finalists, have made an unbeaten start to go fourth whilst Harrow, despite winning only once, are scoring for fun and are joint top of the goal charts alongside leaders Tiverton and third placed Merthyr. If it's entertainment you want, this is the derby for you - the last six matches between these two have produced a staggering 32 goals

Bostik League North Division
Aveley v Grays Athletic @3pm - simply put, this is an Essex derby between clubs who groundshare and who are both currently in the top six

Combined Counties League Premier Division
Abbey Rangers v Guildford City @1130am - one of the great things about Bank Holidays is that the CCL usually give all their games a morning kick-off allowing groundhoppers to fill their boots. This game isn't a derby as such but it does feature two of the top five and gets top billing in this division

Essex Senior League
Barkingside v Southend Manor @745pm - if you do attempt a groundhop triple, wherever your day takes you, it should end up here in Ilford as it's the only evening kick-off I'm aware of. Located a short walk from Seven Kings station, it's easy enough to get to and you'll be given a warm welcome by a club who are always looking to get new people through the gate

Combined Counties League Division One
Bedfont & Feltham v British Airways @3pm - it seems rather apt that the newly promoted BA team should spend their first season at this level groundsharing with B&F whose ground lies just 600 metres from the runway at Heathrow Airport. They've found their opening games to be a bit turbulent and they're likely to have another challenging afternoon here as their landlords are top

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 in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

NEED HELP?

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries. I do not charge for this advice like some other sites so don't hold back!

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

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

TLFG: 13-19 August 2018

It's been a long, tiring but ultimately enjoyable day.

Regular readers might remember that I was intending to make a trip to Yorkshire on Sunday to pay a visit to the oldest football ground in the world.

Well I succeeded and had a great time.

If you don't know, the ground in question is called Sandygate. It's located in Sheffield and plays host to Hallam FC who have been at the ground since 1860.

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It's unusual as the football club share the playing area with the local cricket club so the ground only has three sides.

Despite playing way down in the tenth tier, two of the three sides are well developed with a large modern stand, a decent covered terrace and fine new clubhouse.

The match I saw was an FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round tie against Cheshire club Runcorn Linnets from two levels above.

A decent crowd of well over 300 watched a competitive game but the visitors were the better side and deservedly won 2-0.

The unassuming sign which welcomes you to one of the most significant places in football history 

Given its historic status, every football fan should at least consider a visit here.

With rolling hills in the background and a considerable slope to the pitch, it's very different to the stadiums, grounds and arenas most fans are used to. It's also only £5 to get in and the food and drink are reasonable too. Give it a go!

All that travelling means I haven't been able to devote as much time to the blog this week so the daily digest below is a little less in depth than usual so apologies for that.

Finally, thanks to all those of you who have been in touch this week with info and photos of where you've been and those of you with questions about where to go. I love hearing from you all so do let me know what you've been up to and have a great week.
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THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 90 matches in and around the London area over the next seven days with the Premier League and Championship dominating proceedings - there are also a number of replays in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round too.

As always, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or the venue or kick-off time has changed - this is highly possible for some of the lower non-league clubs. 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 (orange 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.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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.

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Monday fixtures - yellow pin
Tuesday fixtures - green pin
Wednesday fixtures - magenta pin
Friday fixtures - black pin

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin

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 13 August

National League South
Wealdstone v Woking @745pm - the Stones suffered their first defeat of the season on Saturday at newly promoted Billericay Town. On Monday night they welcome recently relegated Woking who under new manager Alan Dowson have won all three of their opening fixtures to go top

Bostik League Premier Division
Carshalton Athletic v Worthing @745pm - the Robins won the South Division title last season to return to the seventh tier. On Saturday they won at Lewes, who they were promoted with, to get off to a great start. Next up they face Worthing who narrowly beat Wingate & Finchley in front of the biggest crowd of the day (755) in the Bostik Premier
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Tuesday 14 August

Carabao Cup First Round
Millwall v Gillingham @745pm - the early rounds of this cup often throw up some really uninspiring ties and consequently cheap tickets are usually in plentiful supply. Cheap tickets are available here (£10 adults) but this is actually a bit of a derby so it should have a bit more about it than would otherwise be the case
Queens Park Rangers v Peterborough United @745pm - this game, however, has very little going for it. QPR have lost both their opening games and have a terrible record in cup competitions. Posh, on the other hand, have won both of their games in League One and in many ways will start as favourites. To top it all, tickets are £15 - I'll be surprised if as many as 5,000 turn up

National League
Boreham Wood v Gateshead @745pm - with four points from three games, the Wood have made a solid enough start but they'll need to up their game for the visit of Gateshead who have been arguably the surprise package so far this season. Managed by former Newcastle player Steve Watson, this very young side have won their opening three games to arrive as joint leaders

National League South
Welling United v Billericay Town @745pm - the Wings have made a pretty decent start with two wins from three and now face Bostik League champions Billericay who are already up in second after an unbeaten start to their campaign

Bostik League Premier Division
Corinthian Casuals v Folkestone Invicta @745pm - both sides began the season with defeats so will hope for improvements here. This will also be the hosts' first home game since winning promotion to the seventh tier
Enfield Town v Bishop's Stortford @745pm - the Towners picked up an impressive away win at Folkestone on Saturday and will look to build on that here. The visitors make a welcome return to the Bostik League after several years in the National League South and Southern League and come from just beyond the northern periphery of London giving this a bit of a derby feel too

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Replays
Bedfont Sports v Little Common @745pm - having battled out a 2-2 draw on Sunday these two have another go at the Recreation Ground next to Heathrow Airport so if planes are your thing, check it out
Clapton v Woodbridge Town @745pm - the majority of fans have fallen out with those running the club so Tons games aren't the experience they were two or three years ago. Where crowds where averaging around 350, they're now way back down in double digits. However, Clapton are still a hugely historic club who play at the oldest ground in London so they're worth visiting for that reason alone
Colliers Wood United v Beckenham Town @745pm - the hosts caused a minor upset by earning a draw on Saturday against a side I thought would be too good for them
Hanworth Villa v Crowborough Athletic @730pm - it's Combined Counties League against Southern Counties East League in this replay at Rectory Meadow

Thurlow Nunn League Division 1 South
Newbury Forest v Fire United @745pm - both of these sides have moved up to the tenth tier this season and as such TLFG are now covering them. Forest play at Redbridge's ground whilst the visitors are a Christian team with a founder from Brazil

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Wednesday 15 August

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Replay
Leyton Athletic v Barkingside @745pm - two Essex Senior League sides meet again up at Wadham Lodge in Walthamstow after initially drawing on Saturday

Combined Counties League Premier Division
Balham v Raynes Park Vale @730pm - with Balham groundsharing at Colliers Wood United this is effectively a derby. After winning the London Senior Cup last season, the hosts have made a bright start and should start as favourites

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Friday 17 August

Professional Development League
Watford v Sheffield United @3pm - the Hornets' U23 side welcome their counterparts from Bramall Lane. UPDATE (15/08/18): this match and most of Watford U23 games are set to be played at Wingate & Finchley this season

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Saturday 18 August

Premier League
Chelsea v Arsenal @530pm - the match of the week takes place at Stamford Bridge where this derby between London's two biggest clubs gets underway at teatime. The Blues won comfortably at Huddersfield under their new manager on Saturday whilst the Gunners, also under new management, lost to reigning champions Manchester City on Sunday. Interestingly, Arsenal are unbeaten in six matches (in all competitions) against their cross-town rivals but will do well to extend that run here
Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham @3pm - tickets for the match above will be like gold dust so you'll be much better off concentrating your efforts on going to this. This derby is the last game Spurs will play at Wembley before moving back to their revamped ground in N17 next month. Tickets are in good supply so give it a go (UPDATE (15/08/18): Spurs' new ground has been delayed so this won't be their last game at Wembley)
West Ham United v AFC Bournemouth @3pm - the last time I looked there were also tickets available for this. The bad atmosphere and discontent at the London Stadium last season created quite a few headlines. Manager David Moyes ended up doing a decent enough job and kept the Hammers up but he still parted ways with the club over the summer. Former Man City boss Manuel Pellegrini is now in charge but he presided over a 4-0 thrashing by Liverpool on Sunday to get off to the worst possible start

Championship
Millwall v Derby County @3pm - the Lions ground out another perfectly respectable point on the road at Blackburn on Saturday to remain unbeaten. Elsewhere, the honeymoon seems to be over for new Rams boss Frank Lampard who saw his side demolished 4-1 by Leeds at Pride Park. Derby are always among the contenders for promotion so we should get a decent game here

Saudi Super Cup
Al-Hilal v Al-Ittihad @630pm - with no other EFL fixtures in London on Saturday, the next best thing would appear to be this rather incongruous but incredibly intriguing fixture at QPR's Loftus Road. Rangers hosted the Saudi equivalent of the Community Shield back in 2015 and have been selected to host it again. The late kick-off time means it can be very easily combined with one of the numerous 3pm matches around the capital that day. Tickets were originally eye-wateringly expensive but prices have been revised and many are now available for £35

There are lots of non-league options too but sadly I've run out of time this week - they are all on the match maps so you can take a look and make your choice

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Sunday 19 August

Championship
Brentford v Sheffield Wednesday @3pm - with the Owls playing in a televised Carabao Cup game at Sunderland on Thursday, this match has been moved back to Sunday to the great benefit of neutrals and groundhoppers. The Bees, despite being one of the division's smallest clubs, have assembled a fine team who have begun the season very promisingly indeed. After thrashing Rotherham on the opening day, they earned a creditable draw at Stoke on Saturday. Wednesday are expected to struggle this year and have accrued only one point so far

Premier League 2
West Ham United v Manchester City @1pm - Sunday is also a good day to watch U23 football with some of the best young players in the land on show at Dagenham & Redbridge's ground

Bostik League South East
Cray Wanderers v Whitstable Town @3pm - the hosts are the oldest team in London. If you've not seen them in action yet, get yourself along to Bromley's Hayes Lane which they share

FA Continental Tyres Cup
The women's season gets underway with a number of fixtures in this competition. The derby between Arsenal and West Ham at Boreham Wood and the match between double-winners Chelsea and Brighton, both at 2pm, are the best on offer


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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 in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

NEED HELP?

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries. I do not charge for this advice like some other sites so don't hold back!

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

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

TLFG: 6-12 August 2018

Well we're finally underway - or many of us are anyway.

With the FA Community Shield behind us and the opening day of the EFL and National League complete - the new season is alive and kicking.

I know quite a few of you followed the tip last week and nabbed tickets for Sunday's big game at Wembley between Chelsea and Manchester City.

But that wasn't all with people heading out to watch Millwall and even Brentford B down at the Bees' training ground.

Where did you go?

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It's been another quiet week for me on the football watching front but I'm all set to head to Sheffield next weekend for a Non-League Day planning meeting ahead of the FA Cup tie between Hallam and Runcorn Linnets at the oldest football ground in the world.

Are you planning on attempting the FA Cup 'Road to Wembley' this season? Have you completed it before?

Getting to matches in the early rounds is a great experience and shows you just how important this competition is to clubs at non-league level.

The Saudi Super Cup returns to Loftus Road on 18 August

In other news - we love an exotic match here at TLFG and I'm pleased to announce, if you didn't already know, that QPR will be hosting the Saudi Super Cup again on Saturday 18 August at 630pm.

Saudi league champions Al Hilal will play cup holders Al Ittihad for the glittering trophy at Loftus Road on what should be an entertaining evening.

When the prices were initially released, the vast majority were at the eye-watering price of £65 with many at even higher prices.

However, it appears these have been revised and now many are available at a much more reasonable £35. Book your tickets here.

A big thank you this week to TLFG reader Kevin M from Hertfordshire who made a generous donation to the TLFG coffee-drinking fund - it's much appreciated.

Right, that's it from me - I'm out of time and need to get ready for another early start at work tomorrow.

Enjoy your week!
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THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 100 matches in and around the London area over the next seven days as the Premier League finally gets underway. The other highlights include the opening fixtures in the Bostik and Evo-Stik Leagues and the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round.

As always, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or the venue or kick-off time has changed - this is highly possible for some of the lower non-league clubs. 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 (orange 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.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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.

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Monday fixtures - yellow pin
Tuesday fixtures - green pin
Wednesday fixtures - magenta pin
Friday fixtures - black pin

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin

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 6 August

Essex Senior League
Barkingside v Sporting Bengal United @745pm - get your week underway with an east London derby. The Side are still at Cricklefields in Ilford and began their season with a 0-0 draw at Hullbridge. Sporting saw their opening game postponed so this will be their first match of the new campaign

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Erith Town v Glebe @745pm - the Dockers suffered a disappointing 4-2 defeat at K Sports on the opening day and will hope to put that behind them as they prepare to host their first competitive game back at the Erith Stadium. Glebe will be hoping to do well this year and began with a solid 3-1 win over Tunbridge Wells

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Tuesday 7 August

Friendly
Chelsea v Lyon @805pm - after losing to Manchester City in the FA Community Shield on Sunday, the Blues host Les Gones in their final warm-up match ahead of the new Premier League season.Tickets are available to non-members so if you haven't been to Stamford Bridge, this is a great opportunity

National League
Bromley v Dover Athletic @745pm - there's a huge night of action in the NL with five of our local sides playing at home. This match is a Kent derby between last season's FA Trophy runners-up and a side who missed out on a play-off spot on goal difference. Both started with defeats on Saturday so will want to see an improvement here
Dagenham & Redbridge v Maidstone United @745pm - the Daggers come into this season with financial worries and will be hoping for a bumper crowd as the Stones make the short trip up from Kent. With 2,599 flowing through the turnstiles for their match against Hartlepool, Maidstone recorded the biggest attendance in the division on Saturday
Leyton Orient v Ebbsfleet United @745pm - the biggest attendance of the night, however, could well come at Brisbane Road where the O's also host another well-supported team from Kent. Neither managed a win on Saturday but Orient will probably be more than happy with the point they got at Salford City

National League South
Dartford v Chelmsford City @745pm - the Darts topped the table for many weeks last season but sickeningly missed out on the one automatic promotion place on goal difference, whilst Chelmsford finished third. Both sides then failed in the play-offs with sixth placed Braintree ultimately coming out on top. Dartford won their opening game and will hope to win again to keep pace with newly promoted Billericay who are looking ominously good already
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Hemel Hempstead Town @745pm - in the other game of the night, the sides who finished fourth and fifth last season also meet again. Hampton made it to the play-off final but lost on penalties. Since then they've brought in Gary McCann as manager from Hendon and they'll be looking to challenge again

Combined Counties League Premier Division
Banstead Athletic v Spelthorne Sports @745pm - based solely on the opening day's results, this is the top match of the night in the CCLPD. Both managed convincing wins and come into this in the top five

Southern Counties East League Division 1
Stansfeld v Bridon Ropes @745pm - London sides fill the top six spots in the division after one game and these are two of them

Spartan South Midlands League Division 1
Broadfields United v Harefield United @745pm - we've got a groundshare derby to enjoy at Preston Park between sides who both enjoyed comfortable wins on the opening day

Thurlow Nunn League Division 1 South
Hashtag United v Hackney Wick @745pm - the controversial Hashtag United prepare to host their first game against the Wickers up at Haringey Borough's ground

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Wednesday 8 August

National League South
Dulwich Hamlet v East Thurrock United @745pm - after losing to Welling in their first game at this new higher level, the Hamlet take on the Rocks at Tooting & Mitcham's ground in what should be a more winnable game

Essex Senior League
Leyton Athletic v Tower Hamlets @745pm - formerly known as Wadham Lodge, Leyton Athletic play their first home game since re-naming themselves

Friendly
Chelsea Women v Juventus Femminile @7pm - the Blues play their last friendly against top Italian opposition in readiness for their season opener against Crystal Palace next week

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Friday 10 August

Premier League 2
Fulham v Manchester United @7pm - the weekend begins with a very interesting looking U23 match at the Cottagers' Motspur Park training ground. Adult tickets are £3 on the gate

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Saturday 11 August

Premier League
Fulham v Crystal Palace @3pm - the Premier League gets underway in London with this derby at Craven Cottage. The hosts won the Championship play-offs last season to get back into the top flight after an absence of three seasons. Palace started terribly last year but finished well under Roy Hodgson and could well start this as favourites
Watford v Brighton & Hove Albion @3pm - given Brighton's close proximity to London, this match is effectively a derby too. Both sides did really well to avoid the drop last season and will both attempt to further consolidate their position at football's top table for another year

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Sheffield United @3pm - Steve McClaren's reign as QPR manager started with a 1-0 defeat at Preston on Saturday - not a great result but far from disastrous as the west London club look begin an important season with a squad built heavily on young talents like Eberechi Eze and Paul Smyth. United impressed many last season after promotion from League One but they too came unstuck on Saturday against Swansea

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Coventry City @3pm - the Dons had a pretty decent pre-season and began with a fine 1-0 away win at Joey Barton's Fleetwood Town on Saturday. Next up they face the newly promoted Sky Blues who are one of the biggest clubs in the division - unsurprisingly they've already sold out their allocation of tickets
Charlton Athletic v Shrewsbury Town @3pm - the Shrews defeated Charlton in last season's League One play-offs so there will be a bit of a score to settle here

National League
Leyton Orient v Barrow @3pm - at the time of writing, Barrow are the division's early pacesetters so they could provide a very stern test for the O's
Sutton United v Salford City @3pm - the U's made it to the National League play-offs last season and will want to at least repeat that again this time round. On Saturday they welcome big spending Salford who have made huge strides up the divisions in recent years following the high profile take over by Manchester United legends the Nevilles, Butt, Scholes and Giggs - a big crowd should be guaranteed

National League South
Dartford v Hemel Hempstead Town @3pm - two of the division's seemingly perennial challengers meet again as both sides begin their seasons with a very challenging set of fixtures

Bostik League Premier Division
Haringey Borough v Bognor Regis Town @3pm - our local seventh and eighth tier teams begin their seasons on Saturday too. Up at Coles Park, Haringey get ready to play their first game at this level for a long time having enjoyed play-off success last season. They begin with a tough match against Bognor who have just come down from the National League South
Kingstonian v Brightlingsea Regent @3pm - after a year groundsharing at Leatherhead, it's great to welcome back the K's into the TLFG fold. Now sharing with Corinthian Casuals in Tolworth, they're back in the borough they come from so hopefully they'll get some bigger crowds

Evo-Stik League Premier Division South
Harrow Borough v Weymouth @3pm - after many decades in the Isthmian (now Bostik) League, Harrow are one of a handful of teams who have rather unwillingly been shunted over into the Southern (Evo-Stik) League as part of the FA's major overhaul of football at this level. Supposedly done to make leagues more regional and cut down travelling for cash-strapped teams, the opposite effect has been well and truly inflicted on Boro, Hendon, Met Police, Staines and Walton Casuals who will now all face trips to Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and even Wales. While these are all fantastic places, the financial burden will be significant. Harrow's first game in this league will be against one of its biggest and best sides who will no doubt bring a decent following

Bostik League South East Division
Greenwich Borough v Cray Wanderers @3pm - the hosts have spent big and fallen short in both of the last two seasons. Local rivals Cray finished as runners-up last season but also failed in the play-offs so you would expect both to challenge for honours in this newly created division

Bostik League South Central
Uxbridge v Westfield @3pm - this game, for me, is all about the visitors. The Woking-based club romped to the Combined Counties League title and it will be interesting to see how they fare at the higher level. With a decent bit of investment behind them, they could be ones to watch

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
If you're planning on undertaking a trip along the mythical 'Road to Wembley' this season then you need to get started at some point this weekend. There are over 170 ties being played all over the country between Friday and Sunday with many taking place in the London area. The FA Cup is hugely important to non-league sides with the prize money on offer being considerable for clubs at this level - the winners of each of these matches will earn £2,250 whilst the losers will get £750. It's really hard to single out which ties to watch at this stage but here are a few which catch my eye

Beckenham Town v Colliers Wood United @3pm - the Becks have enjoyed a bit of investment over the last year and had a good season last year. They began with a win on Saturday and should fancy themselves against a team from south-west London who had a very poor opening day
Croydon v Tunbridge Wells @3pm - sadly overshadowed by near neighbours Crystal Palace, the Trams will want to do well against the 2013 FA Vase finalists
London Lions v Wembley @3pm - there's a north London derby at the well appointed Rowley Lane in Borehamwood - and what better way to start your 'Road to Wembley' than by watching Wembley FC
Spelthorne Sports v Peacehaven & Telscombe @3pm - the hosts enjoyed a fantastic start to their campaign on Saturday and welcome P&T who were Isthmian League contenders not all that long ago before the money dried up and they returned to this level
Sporting Bengal United v Ilford @3pm - we've got an east London derby at the Mile End Stadium. Ilford were one of the greatest non-league sides in the country at one time, winning the FA Amateur Cup twice in the inter-war years
Walthamstow v Walsham le Willows @3pm - the home team (formerly Waltham Forest) take part in their first FA Cup tie since re-naming themselves so this is an historic occasion

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Sunday 12 August

Premier League
Arsenal v Manchester City @4pm - talking of historic occasions, this match will be the first for the Gunners without manager Arsene Wenger. The Frenchman finally departed at the end of last season to be replaced by Spaniard Unai Emery. Pre-season has gone well with three wins and two draws from their five games so they should feel reasonably confident of putting up a decent fight against Pep Guardiola's reigning Premier League champions. City beat Chelsea in the FA Community Shield on Sunday so will still start as favourites

Premier League 2
Chelsea v Everton @1pm - tickets for the match at the Emirates will be very hard and/or expensive to get hold of but there's an excellent alternative for neutrals at Stamford Bridge where this U23 game should be worth a watch. Adult tickets are £5

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Cray Valley PM v Eastbourne Town @3pm - CVPM have made the last two London Senior Cup finals, winning one. However, they've struggled in the FA Cup where getting past this round is something they've only achieved on three occasions. The visitors have a growing following, swelled mainly by a couple of groups of ultras who will no doubt turn out for this big occasion
Southall v Levertock Green @3pm - the hosts won the SSML Division 1 last season despite having to groundshare out at Burnham. This season they've moved closer to their roots to share with Ashford Town near Heathrow. It will be interesting to see how they get on against a fellow ninth-tier team
Sutton Common Rovers v CB Hounslow United @3pm - if I was around I'd go to this all CCL affair at Sutton United's Gander Green Lane. My friend's son, striker Kristian Wynter, has just broken into the squad at SCR so hopefully he'll get a game

Women's Charity Trophy
FA Women's National League XI v England All-Stars XI @2pm - some of the stars of the past and present of the women's game do battle at Boreham Wood with the proceeds going to the Grenfell Foundation


A bit further afield
St Margaretsbury v Enfield 1893 @2pm - TLFG reader Kevin M got in touch earlier in the week to big up the merits of this FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round tie taking place just north of London in Hertfordshire. Easily reached by train from Liverpool Street, this is a fine option for groundhoppers

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