This week's piece has been written in several sittings across several hours today, something I find frustrating - ideally I'd get up early, between 6-7am, write the whole thing in one go and be done by lunchtime but life usually gets in the way.
Sundays are usually really tough in our house, with my eldest daughter made to do an online Arabic lesson early doors (my father-in-law is Egyptian) which she really doesn't want to do.
My wife and I have several mundane household chores to get out of the way, whilst our youngest daughter runs amok - often disrupting said Arabic lesson.
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| Tickets for West Ham's home games against Brighton and Chelsea are on sale now |
Once that's over, the fun really begins with the kids squabbling up until lunch and then I usually get a bit of peace to write this when they all bundle down the road to the in-laws' for a few hours.
Today that didn't happen.
My wife was under the weather so I had to drop-off and pick-up from the in-laws, cook dinner, put kids to bed etc.
So I've only really got cracking on this around 8pm - I'm up at 345am for work, so this timetable is not ideal!
Although I've trimmed the 'Daily Digest' a little, I think it's still pretty reasonable and should be fit for purpose.
After a lot of interest, one thing I've made a real effort to add this week are a load of U23 and U18 fixtures in various competitions and leagues.
This does provide lots of extra options but I can't stress enough how important it is to doublecheck all the match info before you set off as there were quite a few I couldn't verify the details of and in some cases, quite a bit of contradictory info is circulating out there - so beware!
If you're on the lookout for a 'groundhop double' on Saturday, both Guernsey (@1245pm) and Jersey Bulls (@12pm - UPDATE: this match now starts at 130pm) are in town, although the latter at Banstead offers you better options.
My football week saw me take in the QPR U23 match against Ipswich Town at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.
After falling behind, a strong R's squad came back to win 4-2 with Charlie Kelman scoring a hat-trick.
However, the highlight of the last seven days was seeing Actonians U9s beat Hillingdon Abbots 3-1 in the Capital Girls League.
Having lost their star player to another team after the last game, we all feared for how well they would get on.
However, the signing of a new specialist goalkeeper and a very decent outfield player saw this one won with relative ease.
My daughter hit the post and had probably her best ever game as she showed far more assertiveness than I've ever seen - that left me on a high for the rest of the day.
Midweek games are becoming increasingly hard for me to get to so the Actonians training session on Monday night might be as good as it gets for me this week as I'm working at the weekend.
Have a great week everyone.
THE WEEK AHEAD
The highlights of the next few days include games in the Premier League, EFL, FA Vase, most of our local non-league competitions and the Women's Super League.
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
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
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin
TLFG DAILY DIGEST
Monday 15 November
FA Youth Cup Second Round
Corinthian Casuals v Cambridge United @745pm - there are a couple of senior non-league games on Monday but for me, this U18 game is probably more significant and could draw a bigger crowd. CC's have done really well to get this far and the visit of a League One team's youngsters should provide a big test. It's £5 to get in
Youth & Development games
Having received quite a bit of interest from readers in matches at this level, I've done my best to include as many as I can find on the match map. However, details have been hard to confirm so please check everything with the club before you travel
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Tuesday 16 November
Tuesday 16 November
Premier League Cup
QPR v Blackburn Rovers @1pm - if you want to see two games on Tuesday, the R's U23 side are back in action at Wealdstone's ground in Ruislip at lunchtime. Tickets are available on the gate and usually cost £5
FA Youth Cup Second Round
Leyton Orient v Newport County @7pm - there's another game in the country's top U18 competition on Tuesday. With tickets at £5, it provides a cheap way of visiting Brisbane Road
Southern League Premier Division South
Hayes & Yeading United v Farnborough @745pm - undoubtedly the match of the night in the seventh tier is taking place in west London. It's third versus first although with Hayes having five games in hand on Farnborough and second-placed Gosport, it's effectively a top-two clash. The hosts suffered a rare reverse against Isthmian League leaders Worthing in the FA Trophy on Saturday, so they'll be hoping to return to winning ways here
CCL Premier Division North
Abbey Rangers v Virginia Water @745pm - the hosts are third but have games in hand on the top two. A win in this local derby will put them on level points with second-placed Southall
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Wednesday 17 November
Uefa Women's Champions League
Arsenal v Koge @8pm - the biggest crowd of the night should be found at Boreham Wood's ground where the Gunners will look to make a large stride towards qualification for the next round. They beat the Danish side 5-1 in the reciprocal fixture last week so should feel confident of another win. Tickets are available from £8
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Thursday 18 November
Uefa Women's Champions League
Chelsea v Servette @8pm - it's a similar story at Kingsmeadow on Thursday where the Blues will hope to move to the verge of qualification with another win over Group A's weakest team. Tickets are available from £9
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Friday 19 November
Championship
QPR v Luton Town @745pm - the international break comes to an end with another televised QPR game at Loftus Road. The second tier is incredibly tight at the moment with only six points between fifth and 16th. The R's will need to win here to stay in the play-off places but the Hatters will be tricky opponents in what is effectively a derby, given their close proximity to London. Games between these two are often highly entertaining with 3-2 a common scoreline over the years. However, the Bedfordshire club haven't won here since 1984 so it's not a happy hunting ground for them. Tickets are available
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Saturday 20 November
Premier League
Watford v Manchester United @3pm - the Hornets will be looking to end their two-game losing streak against the Red Devils, a statement you don't hear very often. Given United's current form, who knows? The last time they met at Vicarage Road in 2019, it was fans of the Hertfordshire club who went home happy after a 2-0 win. Tickets have sold out
Championship
Fulham v Barnsley @3pm - the Cottagers are the form team of the division with six wins in a row. In second, just two points behind leaders Bournemouth, they should comfortably see off the Tykes who are second from bottom and on the hunt for a new manager. Tickets are available
League One
Charlton Athletic v Plymouth Argyle @3pm - the Addicks' season has improved significantly under caretaker boss Johnnie Jackson, with their four-game unbeaten run lifting them out of the relegation zone and above London rivals AFC Wimbledon. On Saturday they host leaders Plymouth who have only lost one of their 17 league games so far this season. Tickets are available
League Two
Leyton Orient v Sutton United @3pm - if it's a London derby you're after then head to Brisbane Road where a very well matched pair of clubs are set to do battle. One place and two points apart just outside the play-off places, this match has lots of potential. Tickets are available
National League
Barnet v Torquay United @3pm - their are four games in the fifth tier and I've gone for this one as the Bees are holding a legends day and making it £10 a ticket. It's usually £22 so it's quite a saving
Isthmian Premier
Enfield Town v Merstham @3pm - there's nothing particularly eye-catching in the seventh tier but I've gone for this as a win for the Towners could put them top depending on midweek results and how current leaders Worthing get on
Isthmian South East
Cray Valley PM v Haywards Heath Town @3pm - it's first versus third in another one of the big match-ups of the day. Unusually for many non-league competitions, the top four clubs have played the same number of games so the table paints an accurate picture of where we're at
FA Vase Second Round
The national knockout competition for clubs in the ninth and 10th tiers, with its final at Wembley, is back for its latest round. There are 64 ties this weekend so we're still some way from the final
Athletic Newham v Pagham @3pm - the club formerly known as Lopes Tavares are new to the ninth tier after promotion from the ECL. They're doing well in the Essex Senior League and find themselves in the top six. In Pagham, they host a team who are also sixth in the parallel SCFL - this could go the distance
Cobham v Egham Town @3pm - we've got another very similar tie here, with eighth and seventh-placed clubs from the parallel Premier Divisions of the CCL meeting at the brilliantly titled Leg O'Mutton Field
Cockfosters v Tring Athletic @3pm - former rivals in the SSML, Cockfosters are now an Essex Senior League club and should fancy their chances as Tring are second from bottom in the Spartan Premier having won only two league games
Glebe v Hanworth Villa @3pm - probably the tie of the round is taking place in Chislehurst where the leaders of the SCEFL take on the top club from the parallel CCL Premier North - it should be a cracker!
Harefield United v Berks County @3pm - the Hare should be expected to progress here as they host a midtable team from the level below
New Salamis v Ipswich Wanderers @3pm - the hosts who play a level above their opponents, should start as favourites but Ipswich are among the frontrunners in the ECL Division 1 South and could cause a few problems
Raynes Park Vale v Blackfield & Langley @2pm - there's another well-matched looking tie at Grand Drive where RPV, fifth in the CCL South, take on a top-eight club from the Wessex League. Note the slightly earlier kick-off
Southall v Chatham Town @3pm - after the Glebe v Hanworth game, this tie comes a very close second as it's second in the CCL North against third in the SCEFL. Chatham have been getting some great crowds this season and will hopefully travel in decent numbers to west London
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Sunday 21 November
Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Leeds United @430pm - a hugely important game for both as Antonio Conte seeks his first league win as Spurs boss and Leeds look for points to push them further away from the relegation zone. Tickets are only available to members
FA Vase Second Round
Stansfeld v Badshot Lea @3pm - the final tie of the round is another good one with the 10th tier SCEFL Division 1 leaders hosting one of the top clubs from the CCL Premier South, a level above. There's some definite cupset potential here
FA Women's Super League
Chelsea v Birmingham City @2pm - after crushing rivals Manchester City 4-0 on Sunday, the Blues closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to just one point. Aside from their opening day blip against the Gunners, Emma Hayes's side are looking ominously good again and will be really interesting to see how the Women's FA Cup Final between the two goes in three weeks time. As for this match, you really have to fear for Birmingham - they've yet to win a game and have only scored two goals
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur @3pm - both sides had to settle for draws this weekend and it cost both of them positions in the table. The Hammers slid below Aston Villa into seventh, whilst Spurs lost their place in the top three to Brighton. Current form would suggest an away win but there shouldn't be much in it
FA Women's Championship
Charlton Athletic v London City Lionesses @2pm - there's a local derby to be enjoyed in the women's second tier. You might not have heard of LCL before but a win here could put them top if leaders Liverpool slip up at Sunderland on Saturday
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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