TLFG: 26 July - 1 August 2021

Greetings TLFG readers, I hope you're all well and haven't suffered too much with the extreme weather that we've experienced this week.

Be it the high temperatures at the beginning of the week or the torrential rain that's flooded several London neighbourhoods this evening.

Have you managed to get a game or two?

I made it up to Earlsmead for Harrow Borough's pre-season game against QPR U23s.

Lead by former Boro player Albert Adomah, the Ghana international was given a warm welcome and a guard of honour on his return to the north-west London club where he began his career.

He put in a ceremonial 20-minute performance before being subbed off to applause from around the ground.

That was pretty much the highlight of the evening for Harrow fans, as the R's youngsters took total control and won 4-0 in front of a healthy crowd.

For me, it was good to catch up with some long-time readers of this blog and meet some others for the first time.

Putting this week's blog together has been another struggle as Covid has caused several fixtures to be cancelled or re-arranged at very short notice - please forgive any mistakes or errors.

Tomorrow I head up to Lancashire for a week's holiday with the family - annoyingly the weather looks like the poorest it's been for a long time so we'll probably be looking for some beach alternatives.

There's a really good selection of friendlies in the region over the next few days but I'm unlikely to get a pass out to watch them.

However, the North West Counties League season begins on Saturday and I will hopefully get to see one of those matches.

 THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include numerous friendlies which feature a handful of Premier League and EFL teams and lots of non-league ones too, including the opening competitive match in several local leagues.

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 - turquoise pin
Thursday fixtures - purple 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 26 July

Friendly

Hendon v Hampton & Richmond Borough @745pm - the pick of Monday night's action sees Gary McCann return to his former club with the Beavers

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Tuesday 27 July

Friendlies

Crystal Palace v Charlton Athletic @6pm - the action kicks off early at Selhurst Park as these two local rivals meet for a bit of friendly fun. Tickets are not on general sale

Bromley v Arsenal U23 @745pm - the Ravens thrashed Ebbsfleet 4-0 at the weekend and next face a young Gunners side. Tickets are £15 and must be bought in advance

Dartford v Sutton United @730pm - having beaten AFC Wimbledon 1-0 on Saturday, the Darts will feel confident ahead of this meeting against League Two Sutton. Tickets are £10

A bit further afield

Stevenage v Watford @745pm - there are a number of decent friendlies just beyond London's borders on Tuesday but for a sniff of Premier League quality you should head to Stevenage for this Hertfordshire derby. Tickets are £20

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Wednesday 28 July

Friendly

West Essex v Sporting Hackney @745pm - to my knowledge this is the only game on in London today. The hosts are about to begin their first season as tenants at Wadham Lodge in Walthamstow and they welcome some fellow east Londoners for this one

A bit further afield

MK Dons v Tottenham Hotspur @745pm - about 50 miles north of London, just off the M1 you'll find this decent looking friendly between one of the League One Dons and Premier League big boys Spurs. Tickets are available from £20

Wycombe Wanderers v Leicester City @730pm - the Chairboys won a lot of admirers for their plucky approach to life in the Championship but ultimately they got relegated. Arguably the highlight of their pre-season is this match against last season's FA Cup winners Leicester. The ground is small and tickets priced at £20 are selling well so buy in advance if you want to go

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Thursday 29 July

Friendly

VCD Athletic v Dulwich Hamlet @745pm - there are three games to choose from on Thursday and this game between a couple of south-east London clubs is probably the best in my humble opinion

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Friday 30 July

Friendlies

Hendon v Arsenal XI @730pm - with the Greens branding this match 'The Real North London Derby' how can you not spend your Friday night in NW9? Tickets are £7 and can be bought online

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Saturday 31 July

Friendlies

Brentford v West Ham United @3pm - the Bees, one of the Premier League's newest teams, come into this derby on the back of a midweek game at Old Trafford against Manchester United. Sadly unless you're a member, you're going to find tickets for any Brentford games very hard to get this season

Watford v Barnsley @4pm - the Hornets were held to a 0-0 draw by West Brom at Vicarage Road on Saturday and they will face further Championship opposition in the Tykes on Saturday. Tickets are £10

QPR v Leicester City @3pm - the R's created one of the stories of the day on Saturday by coming from behind to beat Manchester United 4-2 at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium. They face a trip to League One side Cambridge on Tuesday before entertaining the Foxes. Tickets are £15

A bit further afield

Reading v Crystal Palace @3pm - the Royals welcome more Premier League opposition from London and tickets are £10

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Sunday 1 August

Friendly

Arsenal v Chelsea @3pm - the biggest match of the week and of pre-season so far is the opening fixture in The Mind Series. This new blockbuster triangular competition, also featuring Spurs, will raise funds for the mental health charity it's named after. Being played at The Emirates, tickets are not going on general sale

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: 19-25 July 2021

Greetings one and all and welcome to the latest TLFG.

It's a bit of a rush job this week as domestic events combined with Covid wreaking havoc on the early fixtures has kept me incredibly busy.

Getting info on Step 6 and women's matches has been tough so hopefully I'll add more as the week goes on.

I can't stress enough to check every detail with clubs before you travel as the situation is so changeable.

If things do go according to plan, there are some really great games to look forward to with most, even some of the biggest on sale to non-members.

I'll finally get to watch a game this week, unless I get pinged. 

Harrow Borough host a QPR XI on Wednesday night so I'll be heading to Earlsmead for that.

Earlier in the week I also landed some Women's Euro 2022 tickets and I saw that many of you did too.

Anyway I've now got to dash to work for a hot and sweaty eight hours or so on trains with no air conditioning! Back home at 2am - urgh.

Enjoy your week. 

 THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include numerous friendlies which feature a handful of Premier League and EFL teams and lots of non-league ones 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 - turquoise pin
Thursday fixtures - purple 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 19 July

Friendly

Aveley v East Thurrock United @745pm - the pick of Monday night's action would appear to be this local derby on the east side of town at Aveley's impressive Parkside ground

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Tuesday 20 July

Friendlies

Boreham Wood v Brentford @730pm - after losing 3-1 to Luton Town on Saturday, the Wood welcome Premier League new boys Brentford who look set to send a strong side to Meadow Park. Tickets are available for £12

Bromley v Watford U23 @730pm - the Ravens held an U23 side from Fulham to a 1-1 draw in their last match and next face some of the Hornets' youngsters. Tickets are £15

Dulwich Hamlet v Crystal Palace U23 @7pm - after playing near neighbours Millwall last week, the Hamlet take on another local club on Tuesday. Tickets are £12

Enfield Town v Tottenham Hotspur U23 @7pm - the Towners opened their current ground with a friendly against a Spurs side, now the N17 club are back again. Tickets are £10

Haringey Borough v Sutton United @745pm - elsewhere in north London, Haringey play host to one of the EFL's newest clubs. Not sure of the ticket price but it's usually £10

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Wednesday 21 July

Friendlies

Harrow Borough v QPR XI @7pm - my two favourite clubs meet again at Earlsmead in what is usually quite a fun evening. The last time I went in 2011, QPR played their full Premier League side and scraped to a 1-0 win. R's winger Albert Adomah started his career at Harrow so he is highly likely to put in an appearance. Tickets are £12 - maybe see you there

A bit further afield

Reading v West Ham United @7pm - about 30 miles west of London, just off the M4 you'll find this decent looking friendly between one of the better sides in the Championship and Europa League contenders West Ham. Tickets are £10

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Thursday 22 July

Friendly

Erith & Belvedere v Stansfeld @730pm - these two south-east London clubs provide the entertainment on Thursday but a lot could change before then

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Friday 23 July

Friendly

Hampton & Richmond Borough v AFC Wimbledon @745pm - the Beevers lost matches against two different opponents to Covid on Sunday and their game against Ashford on Tuesday has gone too. Hopefully this match against local League One opponents will still go ahead. At the moment ticket sales have been paused

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Saturday 24 July

Friendlies

Watford v West Bromwich Albion @3pm - after only one season in the Championship, the Hornets are back in the Premier League. Their first home friendly is against a side who they've swapped places with. Tickets should be available but their site was down for maintenance when I tried to find out

QPR v Manchester United @3pm - arguably the match of the week takes place at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium. The R's had a great second half to last season and narrowly missed the play-offs. Man Utd made the Europa League final and are quite simply one of the biggest clubs in the world so this is quite a coup for QPR. Tickets are £20 and available to non-members

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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: 12-18 July 2021

Well that's that - after three hours, us England fans taste bitter defeat on penalties yet again.

It was so close but looking at the tournament overall, Italy did just deserve to win it - they beat Belgium and Spain as well as Turkey, Switzerland, Wales and Austria. 

Our main hurdle were a far from brilliant Germany side - everyone else was fairly average.

It was my eight-year-old daughter's first real experience of tournament football and despite mucking about and fighting with her younger sister for most of it, she's only just stopped sobbing nearly half an hour after the final whistle - maybe I should set up a fundraising page and cash in!

To put it in context and to be positive, this is the best England performance most fans of the Three Lions have ever seen and very few thought we would get anywhere near this far.

But to be one penalty away from glory is pretty tough take.

Anyway, it's late, I'm tired and I have a challenging week ahead - two of my in-laws have come down with Covid in the last few days to name just one problem.

Here's your guide to this week's action - there's lots going on.

PS - tickets for the Women's Euro 2022, which is being hosted by England next summer, go on sale in a couple of days so you can put yourself through it all over again.

 

                                                              THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include numerous friendlies which feature a handful of Premier League and EFL teams and lots of non-league ones 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 - turquoise pin
Thursday fixtures - purple 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 12 July

Friendly

Carshalton Athletic v VCD Athletic @745pm - the Robins registered a decent 1-0 win over National League South (NLS) side Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday. VCD play a level below their hosts so could find it tough going. Update - MATCH OFF 

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Tuesday 13 July

Friendlies

Leyton Orient v West Ham United @7pm - the match of the night sees these two east London neighbours go head-to-head at Brisbane Road. Tickets for this highly anticipated match were allocated via a ballot 

Dartford v Gillingham @745pm - a crowd of over 1,600 were at Princes Park to see the Darts narrowly lose 1-0 to Ipswich Town on Saturday. On Tuesday they face further League One opposition in the form of the Gills. Tickets are £10 and can be bought online

Welling United v Charlton Athletic @730pm - there's another derby to enjoy in south-east London were the Addicks pay a visit to Park View Road and NLS outfit Welling. Tickets are £15 and available online

Edgware Town v Hendon @730pm - there's a grounshare derby at Silver Jubilee Park where the sides will contest the Jeffrey Over Memorial Cup to celebrate the contribution of the former committee member who died during the pandemic

A bit further afield

Hitchin Town v Watford U23 @745pm - to the north of London, the ever popular Top Field sees Hitchin welcome a squad from Premier League Watford. Tickets are £8

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Wednesday 14 July

Friendly

Grays Athletic v Phoenix Sports @745pm - the pick of the day's action takes place at Parkside which Grays share with Aveley on the far east side of town. The clubs both play in the eighth tier so it should be close

A bit further afield

Slough Town v Fulham U23 @745pm - the Rebels make TLFG again. Of the out of London teams, their Arbour Park home is very easy to get to by car or public transport. Tickets are a bargain at £6

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Thursday 15 July

Friendly

Dulwich Hamlet v Millwall U23 @745pm - the Hamlet have managed to land a friendly against fellow south-east Londoners Millwall. The Championship side will be sending a young squad to Champion Hill ahead of a season where they will hope to push for a play-off spot. No ticket details are currently available

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Friday 16 July

Friendly

Barking v Fisher @745pm - the pick of the action in London on Friday is to be found at Mayesbrook Park where the Isthmian League Blues welcome the Fish who play a level below them

A bit further afield

Gillingham v QPR @7pm - the best action on Friday is to be found just beyond London's borders with this match between two EFL sides topping the bill. Ticketing arrangements are a bit complicated as the Gills have already announced that away fans will not be allowed and that's about all we know. Check their website for the latest UPDATE - MATCH OFF

Woking v West Bromwich Albion @745pm - the Cards have landed a prestigious friendly against the Baggies as they commemorate the 30th anniversary of beating them in the FA Cup. Tickets are £12 and must be bought in advance

Oxford City v Oxford United @7pm - there's more good news at the Velocity Stadium where the Oxford derby is also on general sale, tickets for this are £14

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Saturday 17 July

Friendlies

AFC Wimbledon v Brentford @3pm - pre-season goes up another notch on Saturday as more Premier League sides begin to send teams into action. Arguably the hottest ticket of the afternoon will be for this match at the Dons' new Plough Lane ground. Top-flight new boys Brentford are the visitors for what should be a decent derby match. Unsurprisingly, tickets are not on general sale

Leyton Orient v Tottenham Hotspur @3pm - the O's follow up their game against West Ham with another high profile derby against Spurs. Once again, tickets were available by a ballot which has now closed. The West Ham ballot re-opened to non-members at the end of last week so maybe the same will happen for this match in the next couple of days - keep an eye on the website 

Boreham Wood v Luton Town @3pm - the Championship Hatters head to Meadow Park to kick-off another strong programme of pre-season games for the Wood. With the clubs on the same train line about 20 miles apart, this is a derby of sorts and tickets are available for £12

Bromley v Fulham U23 @3pm - the Ravens made it to the National League play-offs last season and will hope for more of the same this time round. Like Boreham Wood, they've also lined up some eye-catching pre-season opposition. Although Fulham are only sending an U23 squad, tickets are still £15

Dartford v Charlton Athletic @3pm - after games against Ipswich and Gillingham, the Darts take on their third League One opponent in a week. After a quick visit to Dartford's ticketing site, it looks like this one has sold out as I couldn't get any

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Sunday 18 July

Friendlies

Hampton & Richmond Borough v Carshalton Athletic @1pm - the Beavers were supposed to host  a Brentford XI on Sunday but Covid has hit the visitors and Isthmian League Carshalton have stepped in. Capacity is limited so you're advised to buy tickets in advance 

Cray Wanderers v AFC Wimbledon XI @3pm - thankfully there is an alternative which hasn't sold out yet. Cray are the oldest club in London and they'll be taking on a Dons' side at Bromley's ground. Tickets are £10 

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: 5-11 July 2021

This time next week, English football fans could be experiencing unrivaled levels of sporting ecstasy if their side can win two games between now and then.

How many of you thought England would get this far, relatively easily and without conceding a goal???

I certainly didn't.

At no point in this tournament have I felt particularly over-excited, nervous, anxious or any of the other feelings I usually experience during these big tournaments.

I don't know whether that's because I'm a jaded middle-aged man, quietly confident or simply realise there's more to life? Maybe it's a combination of all three.

Denmark on Wednesday looks supremely winnable but those are the sort of games we've been really vulnerable to losing in the past but I don't feel it at the moment.

Italy are the only remaining team who I think could give us any real problems and also the fact the match is being broadcast by ITV!

I saw a shocking stat detailing just how likely a bad result is when the commercial broadcaster covers England's games rather than the BBC so here's hoping that curse doesn't continue.

This week's blog has been a struggle to produce as my eldest destroyed my faithful laptop of many years by exploding a supposedly unpopable homemade water-filled fidget toy all over it.

Luckily my wife rustled up another old one from a cupboard to save me the hefty expense of a brand new one.

Also, my two-year-old was sent home from nursery with Covid-like symptoms on Wednesday - she tested negative but still has an unpleasant virus which has made her irritable to say the least.

Anyway, I made it and I've produced something which I hope is of use.

 THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include games in Euro 2020 and a number of friendlies which feature a handful of EFL teams and lots of non-league ones.

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 - turquoise pin
Thursday fixtures - purple 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 5 July

Friendly

Grays Athletic v Cray Valley PM @745pm - the week gets underway with this decent looking friendly between two Isthmian League clubs. The visitors had a great run in the FA Cup last season which they will hope to use as a springboard for a good campaign

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Tuesday 6 July

Euro 2020 Semi-Final

Italy v Spain @8pm - there are three huge games at Wembley this week and the first is between two previous winners. It seems almost unthinkable the mighty Azzurri have only won this competition once, way back in 1968 when they beat Yugoslavia 2-0 in Rome. Spain have won three times in 1964, 2008 and 2012. Since records began in 1934, the head-to-head between these sides is exactly equal but in recent years, the Iberian side have dominated with Italy only winning two of the last 10 meetings. Despite this, Roberto Mancini's side have looked far more impressive in this tournament and will start as favourites. At the time of writing, tickets are still available from Uefa's website but the cheapest ones were 345 euros!

Friendlies

Walton Casuals v Crawley Town @745pm - if you don't have that kind of loose change burning a hole in your pocket then you could head down to Surrey instead where we're set to get our first glimpse of an EFL squad getting put through its paces as League Two Crawley pay a visit. Tickets are only available on the turnstile

Haringey Borough v Royston Town @745pm - two seventh-tier teams do battle at Coles Park in what should hopefully be a well contested fixture

Barking v Cheshunt @745pm @745pm - the Blues host higher level opposition as they get to show of their still relatively new 4G pitch at Mayesbrook Park

Fisher v Bermondsey Town @745pm - over in Rotherhithe, the Fish were supposed to play Lewes but Covid saw the Sussex club pull out and local club Bermondsey fill in

Welling Town v Herne Bay @745pm - way back in pre-pandemic times, the Boots' last full season saw them win the SCEFL Division 1 title at the first time of asking. With the two seasons since then both curtailed, the Thamesmead-based outfit will hope to recover some of that form this year. Herne Bay play a level above them so should provide a stern test

England Fans v Denmark Fans @8pm - after beating their counterparts from Scotland and Germany, the England supporters' side have arranged another short-notice game against Denmark. It's being played at Bedfont Sports near Heathrow and entry is free

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Wednesday 7 July

Euro 2020 Semi-Final

England v Denmark @8pm - after crushing Ukraine 4-0 on Saturday, the Three Lions find themselves just 90 minutes away from their first major final since 1966. At first glance you might think that they'll never get a better chance but I was quite surprised to find the Danes are ranked 10th in the world which is higher than the likes of both Germany and The Netherlands who we would all probably have wanted to avoid at this stage. Historically, England have a very strong record against their Scandinavian opponents but recent encounters haven't gone well with the two games against them in last autumn's Nations League seeing Denmark win 1-0 at Wembley after a 0-0 draw on their own soil. The bookies have Gareth Southgate's side as favourites to win the tournament - it would be gutting if they choke now. Tickets weren't available when I last looked and will cost hundreds if any do come up

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Thursday 8 July

Friendly

Spelthorne Sports v Lyne @745pm - with the match at Virginia Water getting cancelled, I thought Thursday was going to be quiet but The Spelly have confirmed this fixture instead

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Friday 9 July

A bit further afield

Chesham United v Wycombe Wanderers @730pm - with little else on in the London area, why not head just outside it to the Buckinghamshire town of Chesham? It's still on the Tube network and the ground is walkable from the station - you'll also get to see another EFL club in action. Tickets are £10 and available online

Slough Town v Binfield @745pm - a train journey of just over 20 minutes from Paddington will find you a short walk from Arbour Park where the Rebels take on recent FA Vase finalists Binfield

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Saturday 10 July

Friendlies

Dartford v Ipswich Town @1pm - pre-season goes up another notch on Saturday as former Premier League side Ipswich enter the fray with a trip to Kent. The visit to Princes Park is listed as a full first-team fixture on the Suffolk club's website so it should be worth a watch. Tickets are £10 and I'd advise you to buy online in advance

Welling United v Gillingham @1pm - a short journey west will take you to Park View Road which will also be welcoming League One opposition in the form of Steve Evans' Gills. Having finished 10th last season, the Kent club will be hoping for a play-off push this year. Tickets are £11 and are also available online

Hampton & Richmond Borough v QPR XI @3pm - over on the west side of town, Gary McCann has managed to get a Championship club to send a squad of players to the Beveree. It won't be a full first-team game for the Rs but their website suggests some of their starters could be on show. Tickets for this are only £7 and are on sale online now UPDATE - SOLD OUT

Carshalton Athletic v Dulwich Hamlet @3pm - the Robins enjoyed a solid 3-1 win over Walton Casuals on Saturday and next face fellow south Londoners Dulwich who play in the division above them. Tickets are £8 and are available online

Haringey Borough v Chelmsford City @3pm - there's also some National League South talent on show in the form of Essex club Chelmsford. Prior to the pandemic, the Clarets had a terrible habit of blowing almost unassailable leads in the race for promotion so they'll be desperate for more consistency in 2021/22. Tickets are available in advance as are Haringey's free season tickets

AFC Croydon Athletic v Croydon @2pm - if you're in south London and aren't heading to Carshalton then El Croydico must surely be worth considering! UPDATE - MATCH OFF

Aside from all of the above, there's a veritable feast of football taking place at Brunel University's sports facilities where I've counted at least five friendlies taking place between some of our local clubs. The first match kicks off at 1130am and there are others at various intervals through until 3pm. Hanwell Town, Harefield United and the newly formed Shepherds Bush are among the sides in action.

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Sunday 11 July

European Championship Final

England v Italy @8pm - quite simply the biggest match in England's football history for 55 years so there's no pressure on Gareth Southgate's men! Since winning the World Cup in 1966 things haven't gone that well with opponents Italy making it to four World Cup finals (winning two) and four European finals (winning one) in the same period. As for form coming into this game, it's a little surprising that it's the Three Lions who have the better defensive record but in Belgium and Spain, the Azzurri have faced higher quality opposition on the way to the final. Currently in fourth, the Fifa rankings also have England as the higher-ranked side but most fans would probably concede that Italy have been the most impressive side throughout the tournament. Matches between the two are usually tight, often ending in draws and it's very rare to see a side score more than two goals. Sadly for England, they have faced Italy four times in tournaments and lost on each occasion most recently 2-1 during the 2014 World Cup group stage and then a penalty defeat in Euro 2012 quarter-finals. Most pundits I've heard have gone with 2-1 to England and I'll be more than happy with that. Tickets are long gone!!! 

A bit further afield

England Fans v Italy Fans @1015am - to get you in the mood for the main course later in the day, fans of both sides will be meeting in a friendly at Chesham United where it's free to get in

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