Welcome one and all to the latest edition of TLFG.
It's been a busy old week on the pitch for most of our local clubs.
The top sides were all involved in European and league action with differing results.
Tottenham blew a 2-0 lead to draw with Olympiakos in Athens and Chelsea came unstuck against Valencia at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League. Arsenal were the only success story, winning 3-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League.
Come the weekend, the disappointment continued for Spurs and Chelsea as they both lost to Leicester and Liverpool respectively whilst Arsenal again stole the show with a superb late comeback to beat Aston Villa with 10 men.
Elsewhere in the Premier League, West Ham inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Manchester United as the Red Devils' underwhelming start to the season continued.
Crystal Palace drew with Wolves but the biggest humiliation of the entire week was suffered by struggling Watford who lost 8-0 at Manchester City to stay rooted to the bottom.
In the Championship, QPR are now the top London club after they extended their winning streak with a 2-1 derby win at Millwall. The result leaves them just one point off top spot in what is a very congested division.
Charlton experienced defeat for only the second time this season but it came in the form of a 2-0 loss to struggling Wigan which would have been particularly disappointing - anything's possible in this division.
Fulham and Brentford slipped further down the table with a couple of unremarkable draws.
AFC Wimbledon lost again to remain firmly in the League One relegation zone - only Bolton with their huge points deduction are below them.
Following their promotion from the National League, Leyton Orient are also finding things tough going and they lost again with Colchester notching a 2-1 win.
As we come into a new week, the fifth tier is being topped by Bromley who beat former EFL club Notts County at Hayes Lane in front of a crowd of over 3,000 - impressive stuff from the south London outfit.
Aside from that it was all about the FA Cup as far as I was concerned. My side Harrow Borough sadly lost 1-0 to an accomplished Carshalton Athletic team so won't be tasting the glamour of playing EFL opposition in the First Round proper, something they last achieved with a trip to Northampton Town in 2016.
There were some big shocks as the magic of the cup manifested itself in several locations around the capital.
Ninth tier Hadley edged past Ramsgate to make it into the hat for the Third Qualifying Round. However, the biggest upsets were caused by Corinthian Casuals, Enfield Town and Tooting & Mitcham United who all vanquished National League South opposition.
Plenty of other London clubs also made it through - the draw will take place on Monday lunchtime.
My week has been spent preparing for Non-League Day (NLD), there's now less than three weeks to go.
A few clubs and leagues have started to announce their special offers.
If you've not heard of NLD, it's an event I set up back in 2010 to promote semi-professional and amateur football.
It's always held on an international break to maximise the media opportunities for clubs at this level and hopefully scoop up a few fans of the big clubs who might still want to see a game when their favourite side has the week off.
We must be doing something right as we've made it to a tenth year.
I'm very pleased to say that sister events are happening in France and Germany on the same weekend this year so if you're in either of those countries please take part.
Many thanks also this week for the emails and correspondence I received from TLFG readers including Nick G, Chris H and Sam W.
Lastly this week, many thanks to all the readers who have donated to TLFG's lung cancer fighting fund over the last few months. I really really appreciate it and thanks for all your kind words. The page will stay open as the fight goes on!
It's been a busy old week on the pitch for most of our local clubs.
The top sides were all involved in European and league action with differing results.
Tottenham blew a 2-0 lead to draw with Olympiakos in Athens and Chelsea came unstuck against Valencia at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League. Arsenal were the only success story, winning 3-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League.
Come the weekend, the disappointment continued for Spurs and Chelsea as they both lost to Leicester and Liverpool respectively whilst Arsenal again stole the show with a superb late comeback to beat Aston Villa with 10 men.
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| The 10th Non-League Day is now less than three weeks away! |
Elsewhere in the Premier League, West Ham inflicted a 2-0 defeat on Manchester United as the Red Devils' underwhelming start to the season continued.
Crystal Palace drew with Wolves but the biggest humiliation of the entire week was suffered by struggling Watford who lost 8-0 at Manchester City to stay rooted to the bottom.
In the Championship, QPR are now the top London club after they extended their winning streak with a 2-1 derby win at Millwall. The result leaves them just one point off top spot in what is a very congested division.
Charlton experienced defeat for only the second time this season but it came in the form of a 2-0 loss to struggling Wigan which would have been particularly disappointing - anything's possible in this division.
Fulham and Brentford slipped further down the table with a couple of unremarkable draws.
AFC Wimbledon lost again to remain firmly in the League One relegation zone - only Bolton with their huge points deduction are below them.
Following their promotion from the National League, Leyton Orient are also finding things tough going and they lost again with Colchester notching a 2-1 win.
As we come into a new week, the fifth tier is being topped by Bromley who beat former EFL club Notts County at Hayes Lane in front of a crowd of over 3,000 - impressive stuff from the south London outfit.
Aside from that it was all about the FA Cup as far as I was concerned. My side Harrow Borough sadly lost 1-0 to an accomplished Carshalton Athletic team so won't be tasting the glamour of playing EFL opposition in the First Round proper, something they last achieved with a trip to Northampton Town in 2016.
There were some big shocks as the magic of the cup manifested itself in several locations around the capital.
 |
| West Ham Women play at the London Stadium on Sunday - tickets are on sale now |
Plenty of other London clubs also made it through - the draw will take place on Monday lunchtime.
My week has been spent preparing for Non-League Day (NLD), there's now less than three weeks to go.
A few clubs and leagues have started to announce their special offers.
If you've not heard of NLD, it's an event I set up back in 2010 to promote semi-professional and amateur football.
It's always held on an international break to maximise the media opportunities for clubs at this level and hopefully scoop up a few fans of the big clubs who might still want to see a game when their favourite side has the week off.
We must be doing something right as we've made it to a tenth year.
I'm very pleased to say that sister events are happening in France and Germany on the same weekend this year so if you're in either of those countries please take part.
Many thanks also this week for the emails and correspondence I received from TLFG readers including Nick G, Chris H and Sam W.
Lastly this week, many thanks to all the readers who have donated to TLFG's lung cancer fighting fund over the last few months. I really really appreciate it and thanks for all your kind words. The page will stay open as the fight goes on!
As always - enjoy your football and have a great week.
THE WEEK AHEAD
The highlights of the next few days include the return of the Premier League and a full programme of fixtures in the EFL. We also have plenty of games in all our local non-league competitions and a first ever Women's Super League game at the London Stadium - there are over 100 matches in total so there's plenty to choose from.
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.
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
Monday 23 September
Professional Development League
Queens Park Rangers v Crystal Palace @1pm - get your week underway with some U23 football. This match is being played at QPR's training ground near Heathrow where it's usually free entry but check all details before you travel
London Senior Cup
Tower Hamlets v Leyton Orient @745pm - originally scheduled for Tuesday night (thanks to TLFG reader El Hugh for informing me of the change) this match sees the ninth tier hosts take on what will probably be an U23 side from their near neighbours. Tickets are £5
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Tuesday 24 September
Carabao Cup Third Round
Arsenal v Nottingham Forest @745pm - this competition often represents the best chance to see the big teams in action if you don't have membership. Tickets are on general sale and are very reasonably priced at £10 and £20 for lower and upper tier. There's real cupset potential here as the Gunners are in iffy form and will probably rest a few players while Forest are flying in the Championship and could really give it a go, no doubt roared on by several thousand of their own travelling fans
Watford v Swansea City @745pm - after being demolished by Manchester City on Saturday, the Hornets will hope for a morale boosting win here but they may well have to work hard for it as Swansea are joint top of the Championship. Tickets are on general sale for £10
National League
Bromley v Woking @745pm - of arguably far greater importance is this match between two of the top three in the fifth tier. The Ravens have made steady improvement in recent years but very few expected them to be top and unbeaten after 12 games. The newly promoted Cards are also raising a few eyebrows with their performances too and are only a point behind
Sutton United v Dagenham & Redbridge @745pm - all in all it's a pretty big night of NL action in the capital with this derby also taking place at Gander Green Lane. The U's are still finding their feet under new boss Matt Gray but they absolutely thumped struggling Chesterfield on Saturday to stride back towards the top half. The Daggers dropped a couple of points at Torquay but extended their unbeaten run to eight games, keeping them in the play-off places
Boreham Wood v Notts County @745pm - another side to impress on Saturday were the Wood who thrashed Stockport 4-0, a result I didn't see coming. Next up they entertain another famous County who are still struggling to make headway in the division after narrowly losing 2-1 at leaders Bromley
Southern League Premier Division South
Harrow Borough v Blackfield & Langley @745pm - after watching the Boro thrash Binfield 5-0 in the FA Cup two weeks ago, things have dipped worryingly for Steve Baker's team. The four matches since then have all been lost. Blackfield & Langley, from the Southampton area, are little more than a village team who have made great progress of late and will be very dangerous opponents. Among the frontrunners in the division and through to the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, it could well be a tricky night for Harrow
FA Cup Second Qualifying Round Replay
Abbey Rangers v Walthamstow @745pm - after fighting out a 1-1 draw on Saturday, we'll have to wait until Tuesday night to discover which of these two local ninth tier teams will make it into the Third Qualifying Round. Hadley pulled off a shock to make it through on Saturday but there aren't any other teams left from a lower level than this. By this stage the draw will have been made and they'll know who they'll be getting in the next round
London Senior Cup First Round
Metropolitan Police v AFC Wimbledon @745pm - there are a number of ties on Tuesday with the most notable being this derby at Imber Court. Although the first team are allowed to play, it's highly likely you'll only get an U23 side from the Dons
Middlesex Charity Cup First Round
Rayners Lane v Cockfosters @745pm - there's nothing particularly exciting about this one other than it's between the two stations at either end of the Piccadilly Line
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
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 23 September
Professional Development League
Queens Park Rangers v Crystal Palace @1pm - get your week underway with some U23 football. This match is being played at QPR's training ground near Heathrow where it's usually free entry but check all details before you travel
London Senior Cup
Tower Hamlets v Leyton Orient @745pm - originally scheduled for Tuesday night (thanks to TLFG reader El Hugh for informing me of the change) this match sees the ninth tier hosts take on what will probably be an U23 side from their near neighbours. Tickets are £5
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Tuesday 24 September
Carabao Cup Third Round
Arsenal v Nottingham Forest @745pm - this competition often represents the best chance to see the big teams in action if you don't have membership. Tickets are on general sale and are very reasonably priced at £10 and £20 for lower and upper tier. There's real cupset potential here as the Gunners are in iffy form and will probably rest a few players while Forest are flying in the Championship and could really give it a go, no doubt roared on by several thousand of their own travelling fans
Watford v Swansea City @745pm - after being demolished by Manchester City on Saturday, the Hornets will hope for a morale boosting win here but they may well have to work hard for it as Swansea are joint top of the Championship. Tickets are on general sale for £10
National League
Bromley v Woking @745pm - of arguably far greater importance is this match between two of the top three in the fifth tier. The Ravens have made steady improvement in recent years but very few expected them to be top and unbeaten after 12 games. The newly promoted Cards are also raising a few eyebrows with their performances too and are only a point behind
Sutton United v Dagenham & Redbridge @745pm - all in all it's a pretty big night of NL action in the capital with this derby also taking place at Gander Green Lane. The U's are still finding their feet under new boss Matt Gray but they absolutely thumped struggling Chesterfield on Saturday to stride back towards the top half. The Daggers dropped a couple of points at Torquay but extended their unbeaten run to eight games, keeping them in the play-off places
Boreham Wood v Notts County @745pm - another side to impress on Saturday were the Wood who thrashed Stockport 4-0, a result I didn't see coming. Next up they entertain another famous County who are still struggling to make headway in the division after narrowly losing 2-1 at leaders Bromley
Southern League Premier Division South
Harrow Borough v Blackfield & Langley @745pm - after watching the Boro thrash Binfield 5-0 in the FA Cup two weeks ago, things have dipped worryingly for Steve Baker's team. The four matches since then have all been lost. Blackfield & Langley, from the Southampton area, are little more than a village team who have made great progress of late and will be very dangerous opponents. Among the frontrunners in the division and through to the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, it could well be a tricky night for Harrow
FA Cup Second Qualifying Round Replay
Abbey Rangers v Walthamstow @745pm - after fighting out a 1-1 draw on Saturday, we'll have to wait until Tuesday night to discover which of these two local ninth tier teams will make it into the Third Qualifying Round. Hadley pulled off a shock to make it through on Saturday but there aren't any other teams left from a lower level than this. By this stage the draw will have been made and they'll know who they'll be getting in the next round
London Senior Cup First Round
Metropolitan Police v AFC Wimbledon @745pm - there are a number of ties on Tuesday with the most notable being this derby at Imber Court. Although the first team are allowed to play, it's highly likely you'll only get an U23 side from the Dons
Middlesex Charity Cup First Round
Rayners Lane v Cockfosters @745pm - there's nothing particularly exciting about this one other than it's between the two stations at either end of the Piccadilly Line
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Wednesday 25 September
Carabao Cup Third Round
Chelsea v Grimsby Town @745pm - unlike the matches at Arsenal and Watford, the Blues have managed to sell out this tie against League Two opposition which is quite an achievement. Chelsea have a decent record in this competition, winning it five times and finishing as runners-up three times including last season. It's been 23 years since the clubs last faced each other and on that occasion the London club won 4-1 at Stamford Bridge in an FA Cup replay and a similar score looks likely here
London Senior Cup First Round
Beckenham Town v Brentford B @745pm - the Bees entered sides in this and the Middlesex Senior Cup last season, winning the latter and getting to the final of this competition. It's therefore fair to say that they take this sort of thing pretty seriously. Beckenham are doing well in the league but it will still take some doing for a ninth tier team to beat a Championship club's reserve side
Southern Counties East League Division 1
Holmesdale v FC Elmstead @745pm - the visitors are top, unbeaten and five points clear even at this early stage. Holmesdale are a top seven club so this should be a good test of their title credentials
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Thursday 26 September
Professional Development League
Watford v Wigan Athletic @2pm - if you've never been to Vicarage Road before then this U23 game should provide you with a good value opportunity. As with all games at this level, check all the details before you travel - Watford games often get switched to their training ground at short notice
Women's Champions League
Arsenal v Fiorentina @730pm - the Gunners won the first leg in Italy 4-0 so progress into the last 16 looks almost certain. This match is being played at Boreham Wood - adult tickets are £7 in advance or £10 on the gate
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Friday 27 September
Championship
Fulham v Wigan Athletic @745pm - get your weekend underway with a trip to Craven Cottage. The hosts were among the hot favourites for promotion this term but haven't quite got going yet with three wins from their opening eight fixtures leaving them slap bang in the middle of the table. Wigan were expected to struggle and are hovering just above the relegation zone. Tickets start at £25 and are in reasonable supply
Premier League 2
Fulham v Middlesbrough @12pm - if you really like Fulham then you can get a double helping on Friday by going to this U23 match earlier in the day at the club's training ground. The spectator facilities are pretty reasonable and it's £3 to get in
Velocity Trophy
Barking v Brentwood Town @745pm - the best non-league option of the night is this all-Essex affair at Mayesbrook Park where these two contest a group game in what is also known as the Isthmian League Cup
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Saturday 28 September
Premier League
Chelsea v Brighton & Hove Albion @3pm - the Blues have been a bit hit and miss so far this season - thrashing Wolves last Saturday and then losing at home to Valencia and Liverpool a few days later. However, even with this kind of form you wonder whether Brighton should even turn up as they've lost every time they've played Chelsea, home or away, since 1967! Tickets are not available to non-members
Crystal Palace v Norwich City @3pm - despite some positive performances and surprise wins, both these sides will still be happy simply to avoid the drop this season. After their heroic win over Manchester City last week, Norwich were brought back down to earth by Burnley on Saturday and Palace were also thrashed by Spurs after wins over Man Utd and Villa. I still fancy Palace though as the Canaries haven't won on their last 15 visits to Selhurst Park. Tickets are not available to non-members
Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton @3pm - Spurs' defeat at Leicester on Saturday has left them 10 points behind leaders Liverpool meaning their hopes of the title look over already. Southampton lost their derby against Bournemouth on Friday and will be coming into this on the back of another derby against Portsmouth in the cup. On paper you'd expect Spurs to win but the Saints could conceivably nick a draw. Tickets are not available to non-members
Championship
Queens Park Rangers v West Bromwich Albion @1230pm - the day's action starts at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium where two of the division's form sides go head-to-head. QPR extended their winning run to four matches with a 2-1 win at Millwall on Saturday. The Baggies have drawn a couple of late but extended their unbeaten run with a 4-2 win over Huddersfield on Sunday. This match will see the return of striker Charlie Austin to a club where he is still adored after helping them into the Premier League in 2014. Tickets are available
Charlton Athletic v Leeds United @3pm - after their brilliant start to the season, the Addicks have lost a couple of games and are back down in seventh. However, the table is desperately tight and a win here against the current leaders will put them level on points. Tickets are only available to people with a previous ticket booking history
League Two
Leyton Orient v Port Vale @3pm - with only one team going down this season, it is likely that quite a few poor sides could survive. The O's have found life back in the fourth tier a struggle with only two wins from 10 games. Despite being way down in 21st they are still five points clear of the relegation zone and will probably stay up. Port Vale are coasting along in 13th so this is unlikely to be a classic but what do I know? Tickets are available from £18
Premier League 2
Arsenal v Liverpool @1pm - the Gunners have decided to play another U23 game on a Saturday lunchtime. This one takes place at Boreham Wood where matches are usually free to get in but check before you travel
National League
Barnet v Solihull Moors @3pm - the Bees' title hopes took a knock on Saturday as they lost at fellow contenders Halifax. Solihull were runners-up last season but are in shocking form at present and should be beaten
Dagenham & Redbridge v Chorley @3pm - the Daggers could be in the top five if things go well in midweek and they should fancy their chances against newly promoted Chorley. The Lancashire club have started badly but are showing signs of improvement so can't be totally ruled out
National League South
Wealdstone v Havant & Waterlooville @3pm - the game of the day at this level sees the runaway leaders host the team in third. Dean Brennan's Stones are eight points clear after only 11 games and thrashed Farnborough 5-0 to make smooth progress in the FA Cup on Saturday. Havant have only lost once in the league this season so they could conceivably get something here
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Tonbridge Angels @3pm - at the other end there's a big relegation six-pointer between two of the bottom three. Hampton are bottom but are only a point behind Tonbridge so a win for either will do their league position a power of good
Dartford v Slough Town @3pm - after an iffy start, the Darts have started to pull away from the bottom but they'll find things tough here as Slough are second only to Wealdstone in terms of current form
Isthmian League Premier Division
Cray Wanderers v East Thurrock United @3pm - there are no real standout fixtures in the seventh tier on Saturday but this match between two of the division's top eight should be competitive enough. Remember, if you're new to London, it's always worth watching Cray as they're the oldest club in the capital
Velocity Trophy
Aveley v Grays Athletic @1pm - there's a groundshare derby between two Isthmian League North clubs at 1pm. The early kick-off is because Clapton also groundshare at Parkside and have an Essex Senior League game against leaders Saffron Walden Town at 4pm so you can see two games without changing location although a separate admission fee will apply
Combined Counties League Premier Division
Abbey Rangers v Molesey @3pm - the hosts are turning into a decent cup team. Last season they made it to the fifth round of the FA Vase and this season they're just a replay away from a place in the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup which would be a club record. As a result they have a couple of games in hand which if won would put them just behind Molesey in the race for the title
Combined Counties League Division 1
AFC Hayes v Jersey Bulls @1pm - the all-conquering Bulls fly over from the Channel Islands looking to extend their 100% winning record to a ninth game. The hosts are down in midtable and it looks highly unlikely they'll get anything out of this
Eastern Counties League Division 1 South
Lopes Tavares v Halstead Town @3pm - the Newham based hosts have been a revelation this season and are gaining some very positive reviews as the weeks go by. A 2-0 win at Holland on Saturday saw them leapfrog Saturday's visitors into top spot
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Sunday 29 September
Premier League 2
West Ham United v Sunderland @12pm - the Hammers' U23 side are unbeaten in the PL2 this season and should extend that run against the Mackems who have yet to win. This is being played at Dagenham & Redbridge
FA Women's Super League
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur @230pm - the biggest crowd is likely to be found at one of the day's women's games as West Ham host Spurs in this derby at the London Stadium. To top it all, adult tickets are just £2 and kids go free
Wednesday 25 September
Carabao Cup Third Round
Chelsea v Grimsby Town @745pm - unlike the matches at Arsenal and Watford, the Blues have managed to sell out this tie against League Two opposition which is quite an achievement. Chelsea have a decent record in this competition, winning it five times and finishing as runners-up three times including last season. It's been 23 years since the clubs last faced each other and on that occasion the London club won 4-1 at Stamford Bridge in an FA Cup replay and a similar score looks likely here
London Senior Cup First Round
Beckenham Town v Brentford B @745pm - the Bees entered sides in this and the Middlesex Senior Cup last season, winning the latter and getting to the final of this competition. It's therefore fair to say that they take this sort of thing pretty seriously. Beckenham are doing well in the league but it will still take some doing for a ninth tier team to beat a Championship club's reserve side
Southern Counties East League Division 1
Holmesdale v FC Elmstead @745pm - the visitors are top, unbeaten and five points clear even at this early stage. Holmesdale are a top seven club so this should be a good test of their title credentials
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Thursday 26 September
Professional Development League
Watford v Wigan Athletic @2pm - if you've never been to Vicarage Road before then this U23 game should provide you with a good value opportunity. As with all games at this level, check all the details before you travel - Watford games often get switched to their training ground at short notice
Women's Champions League
Arsenal v Fiorentina @730pm - the Gunners won the first leg in Italy 4-0 so progress into the last 16 looks almost certain. This match is being played at Boreham Wood - adult tickets are £7 in advance or £10 on the gate
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Friday 27 September
Championship
Fulham v Wigan Athletic @745pm - get your weekend underway with a trip to Craven Cottage. The hosts were among the hot favourites for promotion this term but haven't quite got going yet with three wins from their opening eight fixtures leaving them slap bang in the middle of the table. Wigan were expected to struggle and are hovering just above the relegation zone. Tickets start at £25 and are in reasonable supply
Premier League 2
Fulham v Middlesbrough @12pm - if you really like Fulham then you can get a double helping on Friday by going to this U23 match earlier in the day at the club's training ground. The spectator facilities are pretty reasonable and it's £3 to get in
Velocity Trophy
Barking v Brentwood Town @745pm - the best non-league option of the night is this all-Essex affair at Mayesbrook Park where these two contest a group game in what is also known as the Isthmian League Cup
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Saturday 28 September
Premier League
Chelsea v Brighton & Hove Albion @3pm - the Blues have been a bit hit and miss so far this season - thrashing Wolves last Saturday and then losing at home to Valencia and Liverpool a few days later. However, even with this kind of form you wonder whether Brighton should even turn up as they've lost every time they've played Chelsea, home or away, since 1967! Tickets are not available to non-members
Crystal Palace v Norwich City @3pm - despite some positive performances and surprise wins, both these sides will still be happy simply to avoid the drop this season. After their heroic win over Manchester City last week, Norwich were brought back down to earth by Burnley on Saturday and Palace were also thrashed by Spurs after wins over Man Utd and Villa. I still fancy Palace though as the Canaries haven't won on their last 15 visits to Selhurst Park. Tickets are not available to non-members
Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton @3pm - Spurs' defeat at Leicester on Saturday has left them 10 points behind leaders Liverpool meaning their hopes of the title look over already. Southampton lost their derby against Bournemouth on Friday and will be coming into this on the back of another derby against Portsmouth in the cup. On paper you'd expect Spurs to win but the Saints could conceivably nick a draw. Tickets are not available to non-members
Championship
Queens Park Rangers v West Bromwich Albion @1230pm - the day's action starts at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium where two of the division's form sides go head-to-head. QPR extended their winning run to four matches with a 2-1 win at Millwall on Saturday. The Baggies have drawn a couple of late but extended their unbeaten run with a 4-2 win over Huddersfield on Sunday. This match will see the return of striker Charlie Austin to a club where he is still adored after helping them into the Premier League in 2014. Tickets are available
Charlton Athletic v Leeds United @3pm - after their brilliant start to the season, the Addicks have lost a couple of games and are back down in seventh. However, the table is desperately tight and a win here against the current leaders will put them level on points. Tickets are only available to people with a previous ticket booking history
League Two
Leyton Orient v Port Vale @3pm - with only one team going down this season, it is likely that quite a few poor sides could survive. The O's have found life back in the fourth tier a struggle with only two wins from 10 games. Despite being way down in 21st they are still five points clear of the relegation zone and will probably stay up. Port Vale are coasting along in 13th so this is unlikely to be a classic but what do I know? Tickets are available from £18
Premier League 2
Arsenal v Liverpool @1pm - the Gunners have decided to play another U23 game on a Saturday lunchtime. This one takes place at Boreham Wood where matches are usually free to get in but check before you travel
National League
Barnet v Solihull Moors @3pm - the Bees' title hopes took a knock on Saturday as they lost at fellow contenders Halifax. Solihull were runners-up last season but are in shocking form at present and should be beaten
Dagenham & Redbridge v Chorley @3pm - the Daggers could be in the top five if things go well in midweek and they should fancy their chances against newly promoted Chorley. The Lancashire club have started badly but are showing signs of improvement so can't be totally ruled out
National League South
Wealdstone v Havant & Waterlooville @3pm - the game of the day at this level sees the runaway leaders host the team in third. Dean Brennan's Stones are eight points clear after only 11 games and thrashed Farnborough 5-0 to make smooth progress in the FA Cup on Saturday. Havant have only lost once in the league this season so they could conceivably get something here
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Tonbridge Angels @3pm - at the other end there's a big relegation six-pointer between two of the bottom three. Hampton are bottom but are only a point behind Tonbridge so a win for either will do their league position a power of good
Dartford v Slough Town @3pm - after an iffy start, the Darts have started to pull away from the bottom but they'll find things tough here as Slough are second only to Wealdstone in terms of current form
Isthmian League Premier Division
Cray Wanderers v East Thurrock United @3pm - there are no real standout fixtures in the seventh tier on Saturday but this match between two of the division's top eight should be competitive enough. Remember, if you're new to London, it's always worth watching Cray as they're the oldest club in the capital
Velocity Trophy
Aveley v Grays Athletic @1pm - there's a groundshare derby between two Isthmian League North clubs at 1pm. The early kick-off is because Clapton also groundshare at Parkside and have an Essex Senior League game against leaders Saffron Walden Town at 4pm so you can see two games without changing location although a separate admission fee will apply
Combined Counties League Premier Division
Abbey Rangers v Molesey @3pm - the hosts are turning into a decent cup team. Last season they made it to the fifth round of the FA Vase and this season they're just a replay away from a place in the Third Qualifying Round of the FA Cup which would be a club record. As a result they have a couple of games in hand which if won would put them just behind Molesey in the race for the title
Combined Counties League Division 1
AFC Hayes v Jersey Bulls @1pm - the all-conquering Bulls fly over from the Channel Islands looking to extend their 100% winning record to a ninth game. The hosts are down in midtable and it looks highly unlikely they'll get anything out of this
Eastern Counties League Division 1 South
Lopes Tavares v Halstead Town @3pm - the Newham based hosts have been a revelation this season and are gaining some very positive reviews as the weeks go by. A 2-0 win at Holland on Saturday saw them leapfrog Saturday's visitors into top spot
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Sunday 29 September
Premier League 2
West Ham United v Sunderland @12pm - the Hammers' U23 side are unbeaten in the PL2 this season and should extend that run against the Mackems who have yet to win. This is being played at Dagenham & Redbridge
FA Women's Super League
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur @230pm - the biggest crowd is likely to be found at one of the day's women's games as West Ham host Spurs in this derby at the London Stadium. To top it all, adult tickets are just £2 and kids go free
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!
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