TLFG: 29 August - 3 September 2023

Well it's been a hectic few days both around this blog and in my life in general.

With the bank holiday being so crammed full of fixtures, I've been updating last week's piece while simultaneously trying to write this one.

Mistakes have been made but I think it's pretty much there now.

Since last weekend's trip to London Seaward, I haven't made it to any more live games but I did buy my first Actonians season-ticket for a very reasonable £40.

I hope to get to my first home game of the campaign this Sunday, when they should finally have something resembling a full-strength squad for the visit of Cambridge City.

The match at Ashton Stadium looks like on of the ties of the round

There is a very strong chance that I'll actually be joining the matchday staff and you could possibly find me acting as the new gate person - a job fulfilled last season by a player with an ACL injury. 

Aside from all the big Premier League and EFL games taking place at the weekend, we also have the next round of the FA Cup.

This is the stage where my beloved Harrow Borough enter the draw but sadly for the second year running, they've been paired with a very decent Bracknell Town team who will be strong favourites to win.

The main difference this time is that the Boro have home advantage.

Although Bracknell lost 5-2 in their big bank holiday game at Walton & Hersham, Harrow have still yet to win a game.

However, they did pick up a crucial point with a 2-2 draw in the derby at Hendon on Monday to give them some hope.

As you'll see in the Daily Digest below, the tie that really appeals to me is the one at Woodford Town.

The north-east London club have made a cracking start to the season and often draw sizeable and lively crowds for a ninth-tier team.

Having beaten one Isthmian North team in the last round, they've got every chance of repeating the feat on Saturday against Felixstowe & Walton United.

TLFG reader Neil A made a long journey from south London to watch that win and was good enough to email with all the details of his very enjoyable night.

Thanks also to Nick G who gave his thoughts on a visit to watch Charlton Athletic in their Women's Championship opener against Sheffield United on Sunday.

Keep your messages coming and have a great week.

 THE WEEK AHEAD

There are matches taking place every day this week - the often barren day of Thursday has been filled out with some youth games.

Aside from that there are games in the Premier League, EFL, FA Cup, and the Women's Championship plus all the other non-league and women's matches involving local clubs.

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 - 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 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 29 August

EFL Cup Second Round

Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur @745pm - it's the second round of the League Cup this week when most Premier League teams enter the draw. Although there aren't many ties in London, the ones we do have are decent. First up, we have this derby at Craven Cottage. Both sides had decent weekends with Spurs beating Bournemouth 2-0 to extend their unbeaten record while Fulham managed a 2-2 draw at Arsenal despite having a player sent off. Much has been made of Tottenham's lack of trophies in recent years but with four wins from nine final appearances, this is one competition they've done well in. Tickets were on general sale so check with the club for the latest availability

CCL Premier South

Cobham v Epsom & Ewell @745pm - eagle-eyed readers may well have noticed that I had this in last week's piece as taking place on Monday morning. Well as of 7pm on Monday night, I've just seen it's actually being played on Tuesday night! Anyway, give this a go as it sees the landlords take on their new tenants in a groundshare derby

CCL Division 1

Westside v Molesey @730pm - the visitors have made an incredibly impressive start, winning their first six league games. Can they make it seven in a row? Westside, who are fifth, are no mugs and should provide a real test of their abilities

ECL Division 1 South

Newbury Forest v Barkingside @745pm - the hosts have begun the campaign well and could move into the play-off places with a win here. The main reason I've highlighted this match is that it sees the 'Side make a return to their old ground which they had to leave in 2014 when they couldn't afford the rent any more. For anyone associated with the club for a long time, these visits must always be painful

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Wednesday 30 August

EFL Cup Second Round

Chelsea v AFC Wimbledon @745pm - in the other tie, it's another all-London affair with the League Two Dons travelling to Stamford Bridge. According to my records, since their creation in 2002, the visitors have never played The Blues so this is a big moment for the south London club. The original Wimbledon had some great games against their more illustrious opponents and even beat them 4-0 at Stamford Bridge when they first played them in 1986. With Chelsea having won the cup five times, most recently in 2015, I wonder price you can get on an away win? Tickets appear to be sold out

CCL Premier South

Colliers Wood United v AFC Croydon Athletic @730pm - with only one point from three games, CWU have made a disappointing start but you could argue that the Rams have been even more underwhelming. After all the big summer news about Wilfried Zaha and Stormzy buying the club, you'd think they'd be flying high by now. However, they too have yet to win any of their league games and are only a point above the hosts. Will either of them get that elusive first victory on Wednesday?

ECL Division 1 South East

Cannons Wood v Basildon Town @745pm - founded by Arsenal fans in 2019, Cannons Wood originally played their games in Harlow which is outside TLFG's catchment area. This season they've migrated to Aveley's ground so now come under our purview. Last season they came ninth but are already up in second. On Wednesday they play the team who finished second last season

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Thursday 31 August

Youth & Development games

In my eyes, the summer officially ends when September begins and we've reached that point already - sigh. Therefore, celebrate the last day of summer with one of the U23 or U18 games that are taking place but make sure you check all the details before you leave home 

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Friday 1 September

Premier League 2 & Professional Development League

There's a fantastic selection of U21 football around London on Friday with Fulham welcoming Southampton to Motspur Park at 3pm. With that game out of the way, you've then got two hours to make the short journey north-west (about a two-mile walk) to Kingsmeadow where Chelsea entertain West Brom at 7pm. If you're on the east side of town then West Ham United play Everton at Rush Green at 7pm too. In the lower ranked PDL, Watford take on Peterborough United at Vicarage Road at 2pm so you could combine that with Chelsea or West Ham. Check all the details before you travel but you shouldn't pay more than £5 for any of them

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Saturday 2 September

Premier League

Brentford v AFC Bournemouth @3pm - as mentioned last week, every time the Bees have played Crystal Palace since they joined the Premier League it's ended in a draw. On Saturday it was no different as it finished 1-1 to extend that run to five consecutive games. The Cherries have had a tough run of fixtures that have seen them play three of the top four, hence the reason they only have one point so far. This is a game they could have more joy in although the Dorset club haven't won on their last 10 visits to Brentford, a run which stretches back to 2005. Tickets are available to members

Chelsea v Nottingham Forest @3pm - elsewhere in west London, the Blues will be looking to follow up their win over Luton last Friday with another three points against one of last season's strugglers. On Saturday, Forest gave Manchester United an almighty scare at Old Trafford as they raced into a 2-0 lead before ultimately going down 3-2 with 10 men. Steve Cooper's side can also take heart from the fact they drew home and away with Chelsea last season and Mauricio Pochettino's side do have their vulnerabilities. Tickets have sold out 

League One

Charlton Athletic v Fleetwood Town @3pm - with both sides losing four on the bounce, this has the feel of a relegation six-pointer already. Things looked good for the Addicks when they beat Leyton Orient in the derby on the opening day but it's been downhill ever since and they now sit just one point above the relegation zone - something which caused Dean Holden to become the first EFL managerial casualty of the season. The highlight of Fleetwood's season so far was a 1-1 draw at Carlisle on the opening day. Scott Brown's side managed a 2-1 win on their last visit to The Valley in February and they'll be hoping for more of the same. Tickets

Leyton Orient v Stevenage @3pm - these two finished first and second in League Two last season and it's fair to say that Stevenage have adapted better to life at the higher level. Currently fifth with only one defeat from their first five, the Hertfordshire club are looking good. After losing their first three, the O's have now picked up four points from their last two and are starting to climb the table. Tickets

League Two

Sutton United v Forest Green Rovers @3pm - after demolishing newly promoted Notts County 5-1 on the opening day, the U's have gone into freefall. Four consecutive defeats mean they're now in the bottom two and desperate for some points. FGR suffered relegation into this division last season and they've struggled to get going again. They did, however, pick up a very useful point after drawing at high flying AFC Wimbledon on Saturday. Tickets

National League

Boreham Wood v Barnet @3pm - in the fifth tier, the undisputed MOTD is this north London derby at Meadow Park. The last time these two met was in the play-offs in May where The Wood recorded a 2-1 win at The Hive to end their local rivals' promotion hopes. This season, it's the visitors who've made the better start and they should start as favourites. Tickets are cheaper if bought in advance

Dagenham & Redbridge v AFC Fylde @3pm - the Daggers enjoyed a good Bank Holiday win at Wealdstone to make it two victories on the bounce. The visitors, who hail from Lancashire, are finding life at this level challenging with only one win from six leaving them in the relegation zone. Tickets

National League South

Aveley v Torquay United @3pm - Millers fans must be pinching themselves after their 4-0 win over Hampton & Richmond saw them climb to fifth. Remember, this is their first season playing in the sixth tier and next up they face former EFL side Torquay who make the long journey up from Devon. A point and a place above the Essex club, this should be quite a game. Tickets

FA Cup First Round Qualifying

The next round of the FA Cup takes place this weekend. At this stage of the competition, all clubs in the seventh tier join the survivors of the two previous rounds. The winners of each tie receive £2,250 and the losers £750 - this is added to any prize money accrued from previous rounds. There are numerous ties in London, here is my pick of what's on offer:

Enfield Town v Potters Bar Town @3pm - first up we have this derby between two Isthmian Premier clubs in one of London's most northern suburbs. The hosts dropped their first points of the season on Monday when they drew at Haringey in another derby. PBT who play just outside London were top this time last year but their manager resigned midway through the season and they've never recovered. This season they've lost all of their opening five league games and it will take a minor miracle to see them prevail here. Tickets

Dulwich Hamlet v Haringey Borough @3pm - there's another all-Isthmian Premier tie at Champion Hill too. The draw against Enfield, mentioned above, was Haringey's first point of the season and as a result they're down in the bottom four. After being relegated from the NLS, I think most people were expecting a lot more of the Hamlet but they're struggling too so this could be close. Tickets

Walton & Hersham v Chesham United @3pm - this tie in Surrey could be a real humdinger as two of the top four in the Southern Premier South do battle at the Elmbridge Xcel Sports Hub. The ground is new and part of a larger council run sports complex but I've never been as it's in a bit of public transport wilderness with the nearest station well over two miles away. If you've got a car or fancy a brisk walk, then this should be well worth a go. Tickets do not appear to be on sale yet but they should appear here

Woodford Town v Felixstowe & Walton United @3pm - given that I've been to Enfield and Dulwich and Walton & Hersham is too much of a faff to get to, if I was to pick a tie to go to on Saturday as a neutral it would be this one. As I've alluded to in previous pieces, the Woods have made a dream start to the season. Their 5-0 away win in the Roding Valley Derby against Buckhurst Hill saw them soar to the top of the Essex Senior League on Monday. They're also going strong in the FA Vase and now they have this FA Cup tie against a side who are in the top six of the division above them. Having beaten another side from the Isthmian North in the previous round, they will be full of confidence coming into this one.Tickets do not appear to be available yet but you can usually buy online or on the gate

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Sunday 3 September

Premier League

Crystal Palace v Wolverhampton Wanderers @2pm - the Eagles finished a very creditable 11th last season and that's where they find themselves after three games of this campaign. Wolves finished two places below them and they're in a similar position coming into this one, thanks in large part to their hugely important win at Everton on Saturday. Palace haven't lost at home to the Midlands club since 2018 and I think we'll probably see a draw here. Tickets are only available to members

Arsenal v Manchester United @430pm - the biggest game of the week comes right at the end. The Gunners and Red Devils finished second and third last season as they emerged as the main challengers to eventual champions Manchester City. Three games into this season and City are already the only team with a 100% record. Arsenal probably could and should be up there with them but they failed to beat the 10 men of Fulham on Saturday to drop their first points of the season. United are further back having lost at Spurs the week before. A loss for either side will deal a significant blow to either of their title hopes. Current form and the fact the Gunners are unbeaten in five against the visitors at the Emirates makes them slight favourites for me. Tickets have sold out 

Premier League 2

Arsenal v Reading @12pm - if you're lucky enough to have a ticket for the Man Utd game, you can very easily get a double helping of Arsenal action on Sunday as the U21s have a game at Boreham Wood too

FA Cup First Round Qualifying

Kingstonian v Lydd Town @3pm - with landlords Tooting & Mitcham playing at home on Saturday, the K's cup tie moves to Sunday afternoon. Lydd won through to this game on Monday after their original tie with Deal Town was abandoned because of a serious injury. On paper, the hosts should win as they play two levels above the visitors

Erith & Belvedere v Hastings United @3pm - the Deres are also playing on Sunday as Welling United, who they share with, have a game on Saturday too. I would expect this to draw a bigger crowd than the one above as Hastings are a well supported seventh-tier team who should start as favourites

Women's Friendly

Chelsea v Roma @8pm - just two weeks after the World Cup Final, the reigning WSL champions return to action against the winners of Serie A in this eye-catching friendly. How strong a side Emma Hayes elects to field is unclear but you'd like to think players like Niamh Charles and Hannah Hampton who got little or no time for the Lionesses in Australia will get a run out alongside many of the other internationals who bowed out earlier in the tournament. Tickets are available and the match is being played at Kingsmeadow

FA Women's Championship

London City Lionesses v Watford @1pm - both sides began their seasons with draws on Sunday. Although it was away from home, LCL will probably feel a bit disappointed to have dropped points against the side who finished just above the relegation zone last season. The club from south-east London could actually have won the title on goal difference if they'd won their final game but lost and finished third. Watford are new to the division following promotion so I think they'll be more than happy if they can head home with a point. Tickets

FAWNL Division 1 South East

AFC Wimbledon v QPR @2pm - game of the day in the women's fourth tier is this London derby at Plough Lane. The Dons finished as runners-up last season and are the favourites to go up after a really strong pre-season. Having seen their opening fixture postponed because of the World Cup Final, they finally got underway on Sunday with a league cup match against Chatham Town from the division above. They won 2-0 to further underline their title credentials. QPR were well off the pace last season but have begun this campaign with a win in the league and a win in the cup. Around this time last year, they pulled off arguably their best result of 2022/23 by beating the Dons 1-0 and they'll be absolutely delighted if they can come anywhere close to doing that again. Tickets are £5

L&SE Women's Regional League Premier Division

Dulwich Hamlet v Ebbsfleet United @2pm - the Hamlet are holding a 'Big Kick Off Party' at Champion Hill on Sunday which looks set to start at 1pm and go on all day. With DJs until 1030pm, they'll be expecting a big crowd for the visit of last season's runners-up. Tickets

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: 21-28 August 2023

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

I'm going to keep this fairly brief for now as I've run out of time and need to be up early for work.

I've started writing previews for this week's games but have only got as far as Sunday and plan to update as the days progress.

This piece goes right through until next Monday's bank holiday which is a big day for non-league football often featuring lots of derbies.

This season's FA Vase competition begins on Friday

Until I can find more time to write the previews, please use the maps which are as comprehensive as I can get them.

My own football travels this week took me to Oakside in north-east London.

Located right next to Barkingside Tube station on the Central Line, it's the home of Redbridge and tenants Newbury Forest and London Seaward.

I went to see Actonians play the latter in their first match of the new FAWNL Division 1 South East (fourth tier) season.

The A's squad was a bit thin going into this, with several players required to work in jobs affected by England getting to the World Cup Final, and they endured a disappointing first half which saw them 2-0 down at the interval.

An early penalty in the second period made it 2-1 but as they pushed for an equaliser, the hosts managed a decisive third.

Like the World Cup, it was interesting to see the referee seemingly add on loads of injury time as the game never seemed to end!

Next up for Harry Berkeley's side is the visit of Swindon Town in the league cup on Sunday - sadly I'll be at work.

 THE WEEK AHEAD

There are matches taking place every day this week - the often barren day of Thursday has been filled out with some youth games.

Aside from that there are games in the Premier League, EFL, FA Cup, FA Vase and the Women's Championship plus all the other non-league and women's matches involving local clubs.

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

BANK HOLIDAY MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin

Sunday fixtures - orange pin

Monday fixtures - yellow pin

    

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section, I list 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 21 August

Premier League

Crystal Palace v Arsenal @8pm - a London derby at Selhurst Park gets the week off to a cracking start. Both sides began 2023/24 with wins but whilst the Gunners will be looking to at least match last season's performance which saw them finish as runners-up, securing top-flight status will be the Eagles' primary target. Palace have only won one of their last eight games against Arsenal and they'll do well to get another one here. Tickets are only available to members

Professional Development League

If you can't get a ticket for the above then why not partake of an U21 double instead? Starting at The Valley at 2pm, you could see Charlton Athletic take on Wigan Athletic before heading west to watch QPR host Coventry City at 7pm - this is being played at Hanwell Town

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Tuesday 22 August

Premier League International Cup

West Ham United v Valencia @7pm - the PLIC returns for another season on Tuesday. If you've never heard of it, it's an U21 competition for European clubs which sees all games played in England over the course of the season. Aside from Valencia, other non-English sides competing this year include Athletic Bilbao, Benfica, Celtic, Feyenoord, Lyon, Monaco and PSV but there are others too. Last season's competition was won by PSV who beat Crystal Palace 3-1 in the final at Selhurst Park. Sadly for West Ham, they didn't make it through the group stage whilst Valencia made it to the semi-finals. This match is being played at Dagenham & Redbridge's ground

FA Cup Preliminary Round Replays

Cray Valley PM v Lordswood @745pm - the hosts have real pedigree in FA competitions in recent years. In 2019 they made it to the FA Vase Final at Wembley and the following year won through to the First Round of the FA Cup. Lordswood, who play a level below them, were always going to be tricky opponents but they should have too much for them in the replay

Metropolitan Police v Epsom & Ewell @745pm - the Met are another team with a reasonable FA Cup record, making the First Round twice since I began this blog in 2011. On those occasions they suffered narrow defeats to Crawley Town and Newport County. E&E play a level below after winning promotion to the CCL Premier South and have never been beyond the Fourth Qualifying Round although they did make the FA Vase Final way back in 1975

Erith Town v Burgess Hill Town @745pm - the Dockers play a level below the Hillians so they did well to come back from Sussex with a 0-0 draw. Back at Bayliss Avenue and now unbeaten in five games, you'd have to give them a decent chance of causing an upset

West Essex v Maldon & Tiptree @745pm - it was an almost identical story at Park Drive where ninth tier West Essex recorded a goalless draw with a side from the level above them. M&T hit the headlines in 2019 when they made it all the way to the Second Round before losing to Newport County, a match which was shown live on TV

FAWNL Division 1 South East

QPR v Chesham United @745pm - if you want to start paying more attention to women's football after the Lionesses' fine World Cup performance, the R's begin their league campaign with this match at Hanwell Town. The west London club finished a slightly disappointing seventh in this fourth-tier division last season whilst Chesham finished just above what would have been the relegation zone if the bottom two hadn't dropped out midway through the season

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Wednesday 23 August

FA Cup Preliminary Round Replays

New Salamis v Grays Athletic @745pm - the hosts have made rapid strides up the football pyramid in recent years so this is only the fourth time they've entered the FA Cup. The best they've done is make the First Qualifying Round which they'll get through to if they win here. Grays, who play in the same division as New Salamis, have made the competition proper on numerous occasions and made it to the Second Round in 2005 when they lost 3-0 to Mansfield Town. It finished 1-1 on Saturday and could well go all the way to penalties

Woodford Town v Bowers & Pitsea @745pm - the Woods appeared to be drifting out of the cup until two late goals saw them salvage a 2-2 draw in Essex against a side from the division above them. Known to draw excellent crowds for a ninth-tier team, Ashtons could be lively on Wednesday 

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Thursday 24 August

Development football

There's a smattering of U23 and U18 matches on Thursday. All the details are on the match map but please doublecheck everything with the hosting clubs on the day as venues and kick-off times can be subject to change

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Friday 25 August

Premier League

Chelsea v Luton Town @8pm - the Hatters are back in the big time but have yet to host a game as their ground improvements haven't finished yet. They began the season with a 4-1 loss at Brighton and it's unlikely to get much easier here. However, the big-spending Blues haven't won either of their opening two, losing Sunday's derby at West Ham 3-1 despite the opposition playing most of the second half with 10 men. There haven't been a huge amount of games between these two in recent decades, hence the reason Luton haven't won at Stamford Bridge since 1986. Tickets have sold out

FA Vase First Round Qualifying

This season's FA Vase gets underway on Friday night with three ties in the London area. If you don't know, it's a national knockout competition for clubs in the ninth and 10th tiers with its final at Wembley. The winner of each tie receives £550, the loser £160

Epsom & Ewell v AFC Varndeanians @745pm - for the second Friday running, the Salts play host to a tie in an FA competition. Last week they drew with the higher ranked Metropolitan Police in the FA Cup. This time they face fellow ninth-tier opposition who, interestingly, play their home games at the Withdean Stadium which was formerly home to Brighton & Hove Albion

West Essex v Harwich & Parkeston @745pm - like E&E, the hosts also have to negotiate an FA Cup replay before this but with that out of the way, they should fancy themselves to win this. Playing a level above the visitors, they beat them in the same round last year but it did go to penalties after a 0-0 draw

Woodford Town v Park View @745pm - there's a very similar match-up here too with one of the better sides in the Essex Senior League hosting a club from the level below. Since The Woods relaunched in 2018, they struggled to get through the qualifying rounds until last season when they made it to the Second Round. During that run of four matches, they took part in three penalty shoot-outs with Fakenham Town finally getting the better of them. North London club Park View only moved up to senior football in 2017 and have yet to win a match in this competition

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Saturday 26 August

Premier League

Arsenal v Fulham @3pm - it's a day of derbies in the top flight. First up, the Gunners go for a third win in a row after seeing off Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace in their first two games. They should get it too as the Cottagers have made an indifferent start, most recently suffering a 3-0 loss at home to local rivals Brentford. Fulham are also 10 games without a win against Arsenal and according to my records, have never beaten them away from Craven Cottage. Tickets are only available to members

Brentford v Crystal Palace @3pm - with four points from their opening two games, the Bees have kind of picked up from where they left off last season. However, despite wins over most of the big clubs during their two years in the Premier League, the four games against Palace have all ended in draws. In fact, the last time they managed a league win over their south London opponents was way back in 1963. Tickets are only available to members

Championship

Millwall v Stoke City @3pm - after a fine opening day win at Middlesbrough, it's been downhill all the way for the Lions. Three consecutive defeats since then have tempered any promotion expectations. The Potters have made a better start but have only won two of their last 10 games against the Londoners. Tickets

League One

Leyton Orient v Cambridge United @3pm - having lost several key players in the close season, the newly promoted O's are finding life hard in the third tier. With only one point from four games, they find themselves second from bottom. After narrowly avoiding relegation last season, the visitors are currently top on goal difference and have only lost on two of their last 10 visits to Brisbane Road. Tickets

League Two

AFC Wimbledon v Forest Green Rovers @3pm - the Dons also had a poor 2022/23 but have got off to a much better start. Unbeaten in their opening four games, they come into this match in third. The visitors finished bottom of League One last season and are struggling again with only one win from four. Tickets

National League

Dagenham & Redbridge v Barnet @3pm - game of the day in the fifth tier sees the leaders travel to the club who are rock bottom after four games. The Bees made the play-offs last season so to see them challenging again isn't a huge surprise. To see the Daggers ailing is though. Two consecutive top-10 finishes made me think they would be doing better but it is, of course, very early. Tickets

National League South

Aveley v Dartford @3pm - with three wins from four, the Millers have made a fine start to life in the sixth tier. The Darts were runners-up last season but are in the bottom four after failing to win a game. Located at opposite ends of the QEII Bridge on either side of the Thames, this is a derby too

Isthmian League Premier

Enfield Town v Cray Wanderers @3pm - to continue the regal theme, I recommend a visit to the QEII Stadium for the match of the day in the seventh tier. The Towners had looked like contenders for a play-off place last season but fell away and missed out on the post-season. Cray, London's oldest club, crept into the top five on goal difference but lost out to Hornchurch on penalties. Many expected them both to challenge again and Enfield have come flying out of the blocks with three wins from three under new boss Gavin Macpherson. Cray have lost all three so badly need to get something here

FA Vase First Round Qualifying

There are a few games in the eighth, ninth and 10th tiers on Saturday but none are really grabbing my attention. Therefore I think the focus should be on this. 

Wembley v Long Crendon @3pm - with tickets for the latter rounds often hard and/or really expensive to get in the FA Cup, this competition offers a much more realistic 'Road to Wembley' for most groundhoppers. If you live in London and want to undertake such an adventure, then starting at Wembley FC would seem to be the obvious choice. The ninth-tier club haven't made a good start and are bottom of the CCL Premier North after three games. Long Crendon play a level below them and have made an unexceptional start too so this should be close. Also of note, one of my work colleagues will be an assistant referee for this match

Abbey Rangers v Horley Town @3pm - two sides from the CCL Premier South meet at Addlestone Moor. Both sides have made it into the latter rounds in recent years with Abbey making it to the Fifth Round in 2019 before losing to eventual finalists Cray Valley PM. The pair also met in this competition two years ago with Abbey winning on penalties after a 2-2 draw

Cobham v Crowborough Athletic @3pm - both of these sides have made it to the Fifth Round since 2017. With 10 points from their first four, Crowborough are top of the SCFL and should start as favourites

Ilford v Hackney Wick @3pm - the Foxes have never had a great record in the Vase but in the FA Amateur Trophy which preceded it, it's a very different story. With two wins from six finals, they have one of the best records. Sadly, that competition ended back in the '70s so it's a distant memory for those that can remember it. The visitors have only been playing senior football since 2017 and have only made the First Round once

VCD Athletic v Redhill @3pm - after a decade in the Isthmian League, the Vickers are back in the ninth tier and in the FA Vase. In years gone by, the south-east London club have done pretty well in this with a couple of runs to Fifth Round in 2006 and 2007. Redhill haven't ever made it that far but have won all three of their opening league games in the CCL Premier South and should provide a stern test

Banstead Athletic v Colliers Wood United @3pm - the A's suffered relegation to the 10th tier last season and moved across to the SCFL where the majority of clubs come from Sussex. It hasn't always been so lean for the Surrey club though as they reached the semi-finals of the Vase in 1997 where they lost over two legs to Whitby Town. CWU play a level above and should start as favourites

Bridon Ropes v Tunbridge Wells @3pm - the hosts have never been beyond the first round of the Vase and they're unlikely to do too well this year either. Not only do Tunbridge Wells play in the division above them but they made it all the way to the final in 2013 where they lost to Spennymoor Town

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Sunday 27 August

Championship

Watford v Blackburn Rovers @12pm - there's a random bit of second-tier action on Sunday lunchtime at Vicarage Road. The Hornets must have felt like title contenders when they raced into a 4-0 half-time lead over QPR on opening day but they haven't won since. Now three without a win in all competitions, manager Valerian Ismael must be fearing for his job! Rovers missed the play-offs on goal difference last season and will be desperate to improve on that disappointment this year. Tickets

FA Women's Championship

Watford v Durham @12pm - with the World Cup only finished a week, the women's second tier gets underway in London on Sunday. The Hornets won promotion back to this level last season and will be keen to get some early wins to establish themselves. I saw them demolish Actonians in pre-season to once again demonstrate how big the gap is between divisions in the women's game. Durham finished in midtable so are exactly the side Watford need to be beating. The match is being played at Wealdstone's ground. Tickets 

Crystal Palace v Reading @2pm - the Eagles have spent the last few years playing most of their games at Bromley's ground but this season they've moved to Sutton United and this will be their first match there. The opposition on this occasion will be the Royals who have just come down from the WSL. Sadly, off-pitch problems affecting the Berkshire club have seen them lose a lot of their senior pros and they could struggle again this year. Tickets

Charlton Athletic v Sheffield United @3pm - the Addicks managed a top-four finish last season and with manager Karen Hills signing a new deal this week, they'll hope to push on. The Blades finished a rather disappointing eighth in 2022/23 and will definitely be hoping for better. This match is being played at The Valley. Tickets

FAWNL Cup Determining Round

The league cup for teams in the third and fourth tier starts on Sunday. What's a determining round I hear you ask? Well, it decides which teams go forward into the FAWNL Cup and which go into the lesser FAWNL Plate so whether you win or lose, you get at least one more game

London Bees v London Seaward @2pm - playing up at The Hive, the women's branch of Barnet host opposition from the division below. The Bees struggled last season and got off to a disappointing start on Sunday at Rugby so could do with a win here to boost morale. As mentioned above, Seaward started their season with a win but it was a solid and not particularly exciting performance. On paper, a full strength Bees should win

Actonians v Swindon Town @2pm - the A's first home match of the season sees them welcome opposition from the parallel Division 1 South West. The Robins finished sixth last season and begun this campaign with a 4-2 win over newly promoted Abingdon United. The hosts finished third at this level last season, which was their best ever, but the manager and several key players left over the summer and as a fan, I just want them to be competitive - I'll be happy with a top-six finish. PS - as an added bonus, SL Benfica will be playing Clapton CFC in another women's match at the same time on the adjoining pitch

AFC Wimbledon v Chatham Town @2pm - the Dons are widely expected to challenge for the Division 1 South East title again this year and thrashed London Bees 5-0 in a recent friendly. On Sunday they take on another third-tier team and it will be really interesting to see how they get on

Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Portsmouth @2pm - the Tangerines have brought in a lot of new players over the summer and really should finish higher than the sixth place they managed in their fourth-tier division last season. They began with an impressive 3-1 win at Haywards Heath Town but the visit of third tier Pompey represents a big step up in class and they'll do really well to win again

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Monday 28 August

Premier League 2

Crystal Palace v Fulham @1pm - never been to Selhurst Park? Now's your chance as it's playing host to this entertaining looking U21 match on Monday lunchtime. Adult tickets are a very reasonable £5

National League

Barnet v Ebbsfleet United @3pm - the Bees suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at struggling Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday to miss the chance to take a clear lead at the top. Newly promoted Ebbsfleet moved into the play-off places with a commanding 3-0 win over Kidderminster meaning that this should be one of the matches of the day in the fifth tier

Bromley v Southend United @3pm - the Ravens came from behind to earn a point at Rochdale on Friday as a stormy game which saw two players sent off ended 2-2. The Shrimpers made a brilliant start to the season and then got docked 10 points by the league for off-pitch problems. As an act of defiance, they responded with a 2-0 home win over Eastleigh to move themselves to -1 points. I wouldn't put it past them to get something here too

Wealdstone v Dagenham & Redbridge @3pm - the Stones suffered their first defeat of the season by losing 3-1 at Aldershot on Saturday, a result which leaves them in eighth. As mentioned above, the Daggers picked up a great win over Barnet on Saturday to move out of the relegation zone so they should head to Grosvenor Vale with renewed confidence

National League South

Aveley v Hampton & Richmond Borough @3pm - the Millers conceded an injury-time goal to lose the derby against Dartford 1-0 and miss the chance to go joint top with Worthing. With Hampton's pitch not ready yet, this match has been switched to Parkside giving the hosts a chance to try and get back into the title race in front of their own fans. Having to play so many away games must be one of the reasons the Beavers find themselves in the bottom five

Dartford v Dover Athletic @3pm - after grabbing that hugely important first win of the season at Aveley, the Darts will look for another three points to propel them into the top half of the table. Dover have only got one win themselves and have lost their last three against the Princes Park club

Isthmian League Premier

Dulwich Hamlet v Chatham Town @3pm - in terms of attendance, these are probably the two biggest clubs in the division so we should expect to see a crowd of between 2,000-3,000 for this one - not bad for a seventh-tier game. Both sides are new to the division with the Hamlet coming down from the NLS and the visitors coming up from the eighth tier. The hosts have only managed one win since relegation with Horsham inflicting an injury-time defeat on Saturday to leave them in 15th. Chatham, however, are tearing it up and have a 100% record after four games. If you do want to go, I'd strongly advise buying tickets in advance and arriving at least 30 minutes before kick-off  

Haringey Borough v Enfield Town @3pm - joining Chatham at the top with four wins from four are Enfield. Their latest match saw them beat Cray Wanderers 2-0 which means their defence have still only conceded one goal. On Monday they take on struggling Haringey in a north London derby which they should be expected to win again

Southern League Premier South

Hanwell Town v Hayes & Yeading United @3pm - elsewhere in the seventh tier there's a west London derby between these two local rivals. I went to the reverse fixture last season which H&YU narrowly won. Both sides suffered disappointing Saturdays with Hanwell losing 5-3 at AFC Totton and Hayes & Yeading going down 3-1 at home to Winchester, leaving them both on six points which means this should be close

Hendon v Harrow Borough @3pm - the traditional August bank holiday derby between these old rivals often produces some high-scoring thrillers. Like the two clubs above, they've made underwhelming starts. The Greens are locked on six points with Hanwell and Hayes & Yeading whilst Harrow have yet to win a game after their surprise reprieve from last season's relegation. You'd have to favour Hendon, who have several players who were with Harrow last season, to win

Isthmian League South Central

Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Southall @3pm - the eighth tier isn't throwing up any obvious humdingers. I've gone for this as the two have shared grounds for the last few seasons so there should be a bit of rivalry. Southall now play at Burnham and got their first league win there on Saturday, beating Badshot Lea 3-1

Isthmian League South East

Phoenix Sports v Cray Valley PM @3pm - there's also a bit of a derby on the south-east side of town. The hosts won promotion back to this level from the SCEFL last season but have yet to win a game whilst CVPM are so far unbeaten

Essex Senior League

Buckhurst Hill v Woodford Town @3pm - one game that should be well worth watching in the ninth tier is the Roding Valley Derby. Only played for the first time last season, these two clubs are trying to cultivate a decent rivalry on the north-east side of town. The hosts haven't made a great start but recorded a fine 3-0 win at FC Romania in the FA Vase on Saturday. Woodford, on the other hand, have made a cracking start. Currently unbeaten and joint top with Romford, they're also still going strong in the FA Cup and FA Vase - definitely a side to watch this season

SCEFL Premier

Fisher v Glebe @3pm - currently both in the top four, Glebe missed the chance to go joint top by only managing a 2-2 draw with Erith Town while the Fish were beating Camberley in the FA Vase. The hosts have won all three of their league games so should start as marginal favourites

CCL Division 1

British Airways v Bedfont @1130am - there's another morning kick-off down by Heathrow airport where we have a tenants versus landlords groundshare derby to enjoy. At this incredibly early stage, it's Bedfont who are two points ahead of BA in midtable

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.

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TLFG: 14-20 August 2023

Welcome one and all to the latest edition of TLFG.

Pre-season is now firmly behind us, with the Premier League, EFL, National League, all our local non-league competitions and FA Cup all up and running.

Despite having had a week off following my return from Glasgow, other commitments have meant I haven't seen any more football which, I have to admit, is a shame.

I suppose the biggest story affecting London football of the last few days has been the conclusion of Harry Kane's protracted transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern Munich.

To some, this has come as a surprise or even a shock but I have to say I find that hard to understand given the rumours linking him to other clubs pretty much constantly for the last two or three years and the fact he only had one year to run on his contract.

Romford will be looking to make it six wins from six when they play landlords Barking

As an outsider looking in, with no axe to grind, this was one of the most telegraphed transfers in football history!

I'm sure new Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou was well prepared for this eventuality and if he wasn't then shame on him.

After their humiliation at the hands of Watford last week, QPR did do something genuinely shocking on Saturday and managed to win at Cardiff City!

In non-league, Harrow Borough came from behind twice to draw 2-2 at Dorchester Town to earn their first point of the season.

After conceding two injury-time goals last week to lose to AFC Totton, it was their turn to score a dramatic late goal and there was over 100 minutes on the clock when they levelled in Dorset.

My football watching this week will be primarily confined to the TV with England's World Cup semi-final against Austraila being the main event on Wednesday.

Hopefully they'll win or the free coaching session my daughter has with former Lioness Karen Carney straight after could be a little flat to say the least!

At the end of the week, I hope to watch Actonians' first game of the season but more on that below.

Have a great week and enjoy your football.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are matches taking place every day this week - the often barren day of Thursday has been filled out with some ties in the opening round of the FA Youth Cup.

All the main men's leagues we cover are now underway and this weekend we also see the next round of the FA Cup too.

Sunday also sees the women's season from the third to sixth tiers kick-off - something which could prove inconvenient if England make it to the Women's World Cup Final which is played the same day.

As someone hoping to travel to watch Actonians' opening game, which kicks off at 2pm, I'm going to be affected but more on that below. 

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

Friday fixtures - black pin

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin

Sunday fixtures - orange pin

    

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section, I list 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 14 August

National League South

Aveley v Eastbourne Borough @745pm - the Millers picked up their first victory in the sixth tier on Saturday with a thumping 4-1 win over Taunton. The visitors are unbeaten after two games and should provide a tougher test than the club from Somerset

Essex Senior League

Ilford v Takeley @745pm - the Foxes have had a disappointing start with only one point from their three first games and are already in the bottom three. Takeley are in midtable and are beatable

FA Youth Cup Extra Preliminary Round

The country's most prestigious cup competition at U18 level gets underway this week with several ties spread over the next few days - I'm not an expert in football at this level so can't really make any meaningful recommendations but check the match map to see what's on near you

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Tuesday 15 August

League One

Charlton Athletic v Bristol Rovers @745pm - after the high of winning the derby against Leyton Orient on opening day, the Addicks have followed it up with back-to-back defeats to Newport County and Peterborough in the cup and league. Joey Barton's side have yet to win this season but did the double over Charlton in 2022/23. Tickets

League Two

Sutton United v Gillingham @745pm - after thrashing Notts County and beating Cambridge on penalties in the cup, the U's encouraging start came to an end with a 2-1 defeat at Barrow on Saturday. The Gills, who make the relatively short journey up from Kent, find themselves in the top three after winning their first two league games. They also recorded a fine 3-1 win over Southampton in the cup which makes them marginal favourites for me. Tickets

National League

Bromley v Wealdstone @745pm - in the fifth tier there's a derby between these two at Hayes Lane. The hosts made the play-offs last season but have begun this campaign with two defeats including a 2-0 reverse against Wealdstone's big rivals Barnet on Saturday. The Stones, one of the smaller clubs in the division, have yet to lose and should fancy their chances of at least a point

National League South

Dartford v Hampton & Richmond Borough @745pm - another two clubs from within the M25 meet at Princes Park on Tuesday with both looking for their first win after only managing a draw thus far. The Beavers face an abnormally tough start to the new season after investing in a new pitch which isn't quite ready. As a result, they will play their first seven games away from home 

Isthmian League Premier Division

Dulwich Hamlet v Canvey Island @745pm - the biggest crowd of the night in the seventh tier will probably be found at Champion Hill where the Hamlet will play their first home game back at this level following their relegation from the NLS. Canvey finished third last season and began with a 3-2 win over Haringey on Saturday

Southern League Premier South

Hayes & Yeading United v Chesham United @745pm - elsewhere in the seventh tier, a visit to the SkyEx could well be worth 90 minutes of your time. Both sides have managed top seven finishes for the last two seasons so should be among the frontrunners again

CCL Premier North

Rayners Lane v Egham Town @745pm - after two games, the hosts have a 100% record and are top of the division - not bad for a newly promoted team. However, when you consider the squad effectively went on strike a few weeks ago following the sacking of the manager, it's an even bigger achievement. One of the other reasons they're top is that they forgot to enter the FA Cup, another sign of the off-pitch upheaval during the close season, so have played a league game more than most of their competitors. The Sarnies, on the other hand, finished as runners-up last season but lost their manager and some of their players to Harrow Borough so face a bit of a rebuild

CCL Division 1

Spartans Youth v Molesey @745pm - the hosts moved up to this level for the first time last season and finished in the bottom five as they found the adjustment quite tough. The club's HQ is in a park in the shadow of Brentford's GTech Stadium but the adjoining pitch and facilities are not good enough for the 10th tier so they have to play all their home games at Northwood, nine miles to the north-west. Consequently, building a fanbase is tough. After three games of this campaign they're down in the bottom four without a win and will do incredibly well to get one here as Molesey are top after winning all three

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Wednesday 16 August

EFL Cup First Round

QPR v Norwich City @745pm - this time last week it was all doom and gloom for R's fans but after a morale raising 2-1 win at Cardiff City on Saturday, things are looking a lot better. Like Hampton & Richmond above, QPR's pitch wasn't ready for the start of the new season hence the reason for playing this a week after all the other ties. On paper, Norwich should start as favourites but given this could be given low priority by both managers, it could turn into little more than an U21 game. Tickets

National League

Boreham Wood v Solihull Moors @745pm - with four points from their opening two games, these two should provide a competitive spectacle. The Wood made the play-offs last season and will hope to at least match that in 2023/24

Essex Senior League

Romford v Barking @745pm - there are a couple of games in the seventh tier on Wednesday but neither of them are doing it for me so my next recommendation takes you to east London for the Mayesbrook Park groundshare derby. On this occasion it's a case of tenants versus landlords. Romford have made a blistering start, winning all of their first five games in the league and FA Cup. Barking aren't doing too badly either, having suffered only one defeat from five, meaning this has real potential to entertain

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Thursday 17 August

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round

Hornchurch v Brentwood Town @745pm - there are three youth matches on Thursday night, with this Essex derby probably the pick of what's on offer

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Friday 18 August

Premier League 2

The top U21 league in the country provides the bulk of the entertainment on Friday with Arsenal, Chelsea, Fulham and West Ham United all hosting games at 7pm. Sadly none of them will be at their main stadiums but all provide pretty decent value with admission varying from free to £5

Professional Development League

Watford v Fleetwood Town @2pm - if you do want to visit one of the big stadiums on the cheap, then this other U21 match is scheduled for Vicarage Road with tickets just £5. A big effort is being made to get kids along to this one as it's the school holidays - something more pro clubs should do

FA Cup Preliminary Round

Epsom & Ewell v Metropolitan Police @745pm - the next round of the FA Cup begins on Friday night and it's the Salts who get things underway in the London area. With landlords Cobham also having a home tie, this match has been brought forward. Having beaten Horsham YMCA in the last round, they should a face a sterner challenge from The Met who play a level above them. The winners will receive the rather random amount of £1,444 whilst the losers will get an equally unusual £481

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Saturday 19 August

Premier League

Fulham v Brentford @3pm - although there are only two games in the top flight on Saturday, they're both huge. First up we have the West London derby between the Cottagers and Bees. Both sides surpassed themselves last season, finishing in the top 10, well ahead of Chelsea. Last season, each match between them produced five goals with each side recording a 3-2 home win so hopefully we'll get more of the same here. Any remaining tickets are only available to those with a previous booking history

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United @530pm - in the day's late game, Spurs will play their first game at the THS following the departure of Harry Kane to Bayern Munich. This fixture is often a tough one for the north London club and they're winless in five against the Red Devils. You have to go back to 2018 for their last home win and that was played at Wembley. Tickets are only available to members

Championship

QPR v Ipswich Town @3pm - after the disastrous 4-0 defeat at Watford on the opening day, the R's climbed into midtable with a badly needed 2-1 win at Cardiff on Saturday. However, it's likely to get a lot tougher when the Tractors Boys pay a visit this weekend. Newly promoted from League One, Kieran McKenna's side have won their first two in the league and made progress in the EFL Cup as well. This will be the first meeting between the two in almost five years. Tickets

League One

Charlton Athletic v Port Vale @3pm - after a humiliating 7-0 thrashing at Barnsley in their first game, Vale have done really well to respond with back-to-back wins over Fleetwood and Reading. They travel to Blackpool for a midweek game prior to this and will arrive at The Valley looking for their first win there since 1996. Tickets

League Two

Sutton United v AFC Wimbledon @3pm - if you can't get a ticket for the derby at Craven Cottage, then this south London derby provides a great alternative. With their grounds just over four miles apart, this rivalry was properly rekindled last season following the Dons' relegation from League One. The U's did the double over them in the league but it was Wimbledon who came out on top in an EFL Trophy game. As mentioned above, Sutton have started fairly well and the visitors are unbeaten after holding big-spending Wrexham to a 1-1 draw on Saturday. Tickets

National League

Barnet v Woking @3pm - as mentioned above, the Bees made the play-offs last season and have begun well again with wins over Hartlepool and Bromley. They come into this on the back of a visit to Eastleigh on Tuesday but know they should face a tough game against the Cards. The Surrey club also made the play-offs last season but are still looking for their first win of this campaign

Isthmian League Premier

Hornchurch v Carshalton Athletic @3pm - the biggest crowd of the day in this division will probably be found Dulwich but if you want to check out a couple of title contenders, then I've seen quite a bit of chat about these sides coming into this season. The Urchins led for large parts of last season before having to settle for second and defeat in the play-offs. Although the Robins were a long way off promotion pace last season, they've made some interesting signings and thrashed Potters Bar 5-0 in their first game on Saturday

Southern League Premier South

Hanwell Town v Merthyr Town @3pm - in the parallel Southern League, it's Welsh club Merthyr who are tipped by many to do well after receiving some investment. After some years of struggle, the Martyrs managed a ninth-placed finish last season and are top after winning their first two of this campaign. The Geordies picked up their first win on Saturday at newly promoted Basingstoke

FA Cup Preliminary Round

Corinthian Casuals v Uxbridge @3pm - there are numerous ties around the capital on Saturday but the biggest of the afternoon is probably this all-eighth tier tie in south-west London. The hosts suffered relegation from the Isthmian Premier last season, hence their earlier than usual entry to the competition. Sadly their struggles continued on Saturday as they got thumped 4-0 at Northwood as they made the worst possible start. Uxbridge are another club whose ground isn't ready to host games yet and they've entered a temporary groundshare agreement with Slough Town. The only match they've played so far was the 3-2 win at Tunbridge Wells in the previous round of the FA Cup 

Athletic Newham v Westfield @3pm - in the last round, the hosts came back from 3-0 down to earn a replay against Tooting & Mitcham which they went on to win. They've also made a decent start to their Essex Senior League campaign and are in the top six. The visitors, from Woking, play a level above but lost their opening league game and could be there for the taking

Romford v Welwyn Garden City @3pm - elsewhere in east London, we could possibly see the hosts win their seventh game on the trot and cause a cupset in the process. This will of course depend on them beating Barking in midweek but even if they don't, they look well capable of giving their Southern League opponents a run for their money

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Sunday 20 August

Premier League

West Ham United v Chelsea @430pm - the week comes to an end with another big derby in the Olympic Park as the Hammers look for their first win of the season against a Blues side under new management. Historically, the west London club have dominated matches between them but they've only won on one of their last six visits to this part of town. A few tickets do appear to be available

Women's Football

In what could prove to be an awkward bit of scheduling, several women's leagues get underway on Sunday. I say awkward because it's the same day as the Women's World Cup Final and if England get there it could make things very difficult for players and fans alike, especially if it drags all the way to a penalty shoot-out. In this scenario, the game wouldn't finish until 130-2pm. With players usually going through final warm-ups and fans arriving at games, that's far from ideal. Even if the game finishes in normal time, it'll be highly inconvenient for away fans who'll either have to travel really early or miss the conclusion of the game and any trophy presentation. As an Actonians fan hoping to go to their first game, I find myself very much in this position. Knowing England, they'll lose to Australia and we won't have a problem but I hope clubs are given the opportunity to put kick-off back if they want to. UPDATE - England did make the final and a number of kick-off times have moved and several games have been postponed altogether. All details have been updated on the match map and in the previews below

FA WNL Division 1 South East

London Seaward v Actonians @3pm - compared to those that are backed by or linked to men's teams, these two independent women's clubs have their work cut out when it comes to attracting finance and fans so they do really well not just to survive in the fourth tier but compete strongly. Last season they finished third and fifth respectively with the A's drawing 2-2 at home and winning 3-1 at Wadham Lodge in the matches between the two. With the visitors seeing their manager and several key players leave over the summer, it will be interesting to see how their new look side fare. The big news for Seaward is the start of a new groundshare with Redbridge at Oakside which is located next to Barkingside Tube station in north-east London, meaning this is pretty straightforward to get to. UPDATE - kick-off in this game has now moved from 2pm to 3pm, with the World Cup Final screened at the club beforehand

L&SE Women's Regional League Premier

Sutton United v Millwall Lionesses @2pm - there are several great looking games in the fifth tier but this derby at Gander Green Lane looks like the pick of them

Fulham v Ashford United @230pm - if you fancy a visit to a Premier League training ground then Motspur Park is playing host to this one. The Cottagers finished third in this division last season whilst Ashford won the division below to earn promotion to this level

L&SE Women's Regional League D1 North

Brentford v Hounslow @3pm - the Bees finished as runners-up in the sixth tier last season which was not good enough for promotion. I understand the Premier League club will be throwing quite a bit of resource at getting themselves up this season so the pressure is on. Local rivals Hounslow have been a bit of crisis club for a while and dropped out of the fourth tier midway through last season. How they will perform at this new lower level is anyone's guess but they've been given an incredibly tough start. This match is being played at Bedfont Sports MATCH OFF

Clapton CFC v SL Benfica @2pm - elsewhere in the division, there's a match at London's oldest ground where the hosts will be looking to improve on their fourth-place finish of last season. The visitors, unsurprisingly made up predominantly of people with Portuguese heritage, ended up just two points behind CCFC so this should be close MATCH OFF

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: 7-13 August 2023

After one of the best city breaks of my life in Glasgow this week, arriving back on Saturday night, I didn't know if I'd have time to produce anything for you.

However, getting up at 5am, I managed to get a few hours work in on Sunday morning and have written it all up in the small hours tonight - you're welcome!

So back to that trip.

What can I say? Glasgow is a truly fantastic city.

The last time I went was over 20 years ago and my time there was no more than 24 hours - if that.

On Tuesday I made a long overdue visit to Celtic in Glasgow

On that occasion, I had tickets for Celtic v Motherwell shortly before New Year but it got snowed off much to the disappointment of myself and the two American friends who had come with me.

Once again, this trip was primarily built around a trip to Parkhead because my now favourite La Liga club Athletic Bilbao were playing there in a friendly.

The clubs have a long standing mutual respect and were celebrating James Forrest's testimonial and the Basque club's 125th anniversary.

I took my eldest daughter with me and we went in the family stand behind one of the goals which gave us a pretty good view of the action.

There was much fanfare before kick-off with Forrest's career highlights up on the big screen.

Brendan Rodgers was also back in the Celtic hot-seat for the first time since leaving for Leicester City in 2019.

Prior to kick-off, all three of the trophies they won last season were paraded in front of the crowd who were duly whipped up to produce a cracking atmosphere.

With 80 seconds on the clock, Athletic took the lead when Unai Gomez found the bottom corner with a cracking drive from 25 yards and there was an audible groan from most of the 42,000 in attendance.

It's FREE ENTRY at Erith & Belvedere on Sunday

The visitors looked far slicker in the opening stages so it came as a bit of a surprise when Reo Hatate levelled with a fine finish of his own.

This fired up the crowd again but almost from the kick-off, Athletic restored their lead with another fine goal from Iker Muniain.

With the rain starting to fall quite heavily, slowing the ball considerably, Athletic's passing game suffered and they posed far less threat after the break.

With Forrest ceremonially substituted in the 49th minute (his squad number), the hosts scored two very neat goals to go 3-2 up.

They weathered some late pressure but held on for the win.

Amazingly this was the first ever game I've watched in Scotland and I want more.

There are so many clubs in around Glasgow - aside from Rangers, Partick Thistle and Queens Park play in the Championship.

Clubs like Dumbarton, Greenock Morton, Kilmarnock, Motherwell and Hamilton are all very close by whilst the Edinburgh clubs are less than an hour away.

There are also numerous lower league clubs too.

Aside from the football, there are loads of other great museums, attractions and superb open spaces - we also spent a day at Loch Lomond.

We were also lucky enough to see some of the early action in the UCI World Cycling Championships with some of the riders even staying in our hotel.

So all in all, if you haven't been, check it out when you can.

Lastly, many thanks this week to Frank L from the Netherlands for donating to TLFG's coffee drinking fund - I really appreciate it.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are matches taking place every day this week except Thursday so you'll need to find something else to do that night.

The Premier League and Isthmian League finally join the party after starting later than all the others and there are some games in the 11th tier too.

One interesting game I've yet to confirm the details for is the U21 fixture between Watford and Jamaica on Wednesday.

Set to kick-off at noon, I'm still trying to ascertain the venue and whether it will be open to the public but I'm not hopeful it will be - please let me know if you have any info.

With ties on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, there are also plenty of FA Cup matches 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

Friday fixtures - black pin

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin

Sunday fixtures - orange pin

    

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section, I list 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

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Replay

Ilford v Colney Heath @745pm - after being robbed of victory by a very late equaliser on Saturday, the Foxes will have to do it all again against opposition from the parallel ninth tier Spartan South Midlands League. Remember, £1,125 is there for the winner

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Tuesday 7 August

EFL Cup First Round

Millwall v Reading @745pm - the Lions missed out on a Championship play-off spot on the final day last season but began the new campaign with a fine away win at Middlesbrough to suggest they will challenge again. The Royals suffered relegation to League One and lost their first game back in the third tier at home to Peterborough. What happens here is anyone's guess as the early rounds of this competition see highly rotated squads and shocks occurring with great frequency. Tickets are £15

Sutton United v Cambridge United @745pm - after being tipped by some to struggle this season, the U's pulled off one of the results of the weekend as they thrashed newly promoted Notts County 5-1. Cambridge, in the division above, also enjoyed a good afternoon as they beat Oxford 2-0. On paper, the visitors should be marginal favourites. Tickets are £15

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Replay

Tooting & Mitcham United v Athletic Newham @745pm - the Terrors suffered relegation to the ninth tier last season, the lowest level they've played at for many years. It looked like the season had started well when they raced into a 3-0 lead in the original tie on Saturday but they fell apart and conceded three goals in the last 11 minutes, necessitating this replay

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Wednesday 8 August

EFL Cup First Round

AFC Wimbledon v Coventry City @745pm - with the Dons coming way too close to the League Two relegation zone than they would've liked and the Sky Blues making it to the Championship play-off final, this game should have only one winner but literally anything's possible in the opening round of the EFL Cup. Tickets are £18

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Replay

New Salamis v Redbridge @745pm - originally scheduled for Tuesday, I've picked this one at Coles Park (home of Haringey Borough) as it features two of the highest ranked teams in London playing in this round. They produced a 2-2 draw on Saturday with New Salamis equalising eight minutes from time.

Colliers Wood United v Abbey Rangers @730pm - only two points apart in the CCL Premier South's top five last season, these two fought out a 0-0 draw on Saturday and it's likely to be close again on Wednesday night

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Friday 9 August

Premier League 2

The top U21 league in the country gets underway in the capital on Friday night with two enticing fixtures to reel you in. Up at Meadow Park, home of Boreham Wood, Arsenal welcome West Ham United for a derby. Whilst down at Kingsmeadow, near Kingston, Chelsea entertain Blackburn Rovers. Both matches start at 7pm. Arsenal usually let you in for free and there's often a charge of around £5 at Chelsea

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Saturday 10 August

Premier League

Arsenal v Nottingham Forest @1230pm - the new Premier League season starts in London at the Emirates where last year's runners-up get things underway. Buoyed by their penalty shoot-out win over Manchester City in Sunday's FA Community Shield at Wembley, the Gunners should start as strong favourites to beat one of last season's strugglers. Tickets are not available to non-members

Championship

Millwall v Bristol City @3pm - as mentioned above, the Lions started the season with a very useful 1-0 win at Middlesbrough. The Robins had to settle for a point after conceding a late equaliser against Preston North End. The West Country club have only won on two of their last 10 visits to The Den so they'll probably be pretty happy with another point here. Tickets

Watford v Plymouth Argyle @3pm - after thrashing a weak QPR side 4-0 on the opening weekend, the Hornets are likely to face a sterner test when they host newly promoted Argyle who beat Huddersfield 3-1 in their first game. This will also be the first game between the two since 2010. Tickets

League One

Leyton Orient v Portsmouth @3pm - after losing the derby at Charlton 1-0, the O's will hope for better against Pompey in their first home game back in the third tier. Although the Hampshire club are one of the biggest in the division, the east Londoners have beaten them on six of their last eight meetings. Tickets

League Two

AFC Wimbledon v Wrexham @3pm - one of the most eye-catching fixtures of the day sees the National League champions pay a visit to Plough Lane. Famously backed by Hollywood royalty, the Welsh club were expected by many to make light work of this division but were given a rude shock by MK Dons who beat them 5-3 at the Racecourse on Saturday. The Dons managed a far less glamorous 0-0 draw at Grimsby and will no doubt be very satisfied with another clean sheet here. Tickets for this match appear to be limited to members

National League

Dagenham & Redbridge v Southend United @3pm - there are a couple of decent derbies in this division on Saturday with this all-Essex affair first up. Despite all their recent financial problems, the Shrimpers somehow managed to turn in one of their best displays in a long time to demolish former Premier League club Oldham Athletic 4-0 on Saturday. The Daggers, meanwhile, picked up a point with a 1-1 draw at Altrincham. Tickets

Bromley v Barnet @530pm - in the teatime televised game, there's a South versus North derby at Hayes Lane. Both sides made it to the play-offs last season. The Bees took four points from the two games in 2022/23 and began with a win over Hartlepool on Saturday whilst Bromley lost at Halifax. Tickets

National League South

Aveley v Taunton Town @3pm - after two consecutive promotions, the Millers now find themselves at the highest level they've ever played at. On Saturday they will play their first home game as a sixth-tier club. Promoted from the Isthmian League, they will face the side who won the Southern League Premier South title in 2021/22 and are fairly new to this level too

Southern League Premier South

Walton & Hersham v Swindon Supermarine @3pm - if you thought Aveley had done well recently, check out W&H who have won three consecutive promotions. Life in the seventh tier was supposed to have got underway on Saturday but their match at Winchester City got abandoned with the Swans trailing 2-0. So all eyes will now turn to this match instead. The Surrey club were getting some huge four-figure crowds by the end of last season so expect a decent turnout for this one too

Isthmian League South Central

Raynes Park Vale v Ascot United @3pm - without doubt, my MOTD in the eighth tier takes place at Grand Drive where the winners of last season's CCL Premier South and Premier North go head-to-head at the higher level following their promotions. Ascot also won the FA Vase at Wembley in what was a stellar season for the Berkshire outfit. Both clubs are ambitious and it will be really interesting to see how they fare this season

CCL Premier South

Cobham v Guildford City @3pm - as it's so early in the season, it's hard to pick out any outstanding fixtures in the ninth tier so why not trot down to Surrey to have a look round the Hammers' recently refurbished facilities and brand new 3G pitch which will also be playing host to Epsom & Ewell this season

ECL Division 1 South

Clapton CFC v Basildon Town @3pm - with seven points from their opening three games, it seems fair to say that CCFC are settling in nicely after winning promotion from the Middlesex County League. On Saturday they welcome last season's runners-up for what should be a good test of their tenth-tier credentials

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Sunday 13 August

Premier League

Brentford v Tottenham Hotspur @2pm - Saturday's 0-0 draw with French club Lille at the GTech saw the Bees end pre-season without a win. Whether that is particularly significant for one of the Premier League's smallest clubs remains to be seen but with star striker Ivan Toney banned until 2024 for betting offences, it's an uncertain time. Spurs thrashed Shaktar Donetsk 5-1 at the THS on Sunday but travel to Catalonia in midweek to play Barcelona in another friendly so they might not be quite as fresh as their London rivals come Sunday. Last season in this fixture, Tottenham came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2. Tickets are only available to members

Chelsea v Liverpool @430pm - the biggest game of the opening weekend in the Premier League takes place at Stamford Bridge where Mauricio Pochettino will preside over his first game as new Blues boss. The west London giants hugely underperformed last season and got through three managers as they finished twelfth. By their recent high standards, the Reds had an off season too as they finished outside the Champions League places. Interestingly, the last six matches between these sides have all ended in draws with penalties required in the two cup finals between them - Liverpool won both. Tickets have sold out

Isthmian League South East

Erith & Belvedere v Ashford United @3pm - after winning the SCEFL title last season, the Deres will begin life back in the eighth tier with this match against an Ashford side who finished ninth and will no doubt want to push for a play-off spot this season. The hosts warmed up for this game by thrashing Littlehampton 6-0 in Sunday's FA Cup tie. As it's been nine years since the club played at this level, it's been made FREE ENTRY for all so don't miss out

Women's friendly

AFC Wimbledon v London Bees @2pm - of the friendlies taking place in the women's game on Sunday, this match tops the bill. After finishing as runners-up in the fourth tier last season, the Dons are many people's favourites to win the title this time. The visitors play a level above them and have enjoyed some decent wins in pre-season, culminating in last week's 8-1 demolition of Fulham at Motspur Park. This match is being played at Carshalton Athletic and is also FREE ENTRY

ERWFL Premier

Haringey Borough v Luton Town @2pm - this fifth-tier division gets underway on Sunday. Haringey managed a creditable fifth-place finish last season but will have their work cut out against the Hatters who were runners-up

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