TLFG: 15-21 July 2024

Well it's the morning after the night before and the wait for England glory continues.

Hand on heart, I had very little expectation that we'd beat Spain and was very happy we'd simply made it to the final.

During my lifetime, reaching a semi-final was about the best a fan of the Three Lions could hope for so to make not one but two Euro finals in a row marks huge progress.

Given our performances in this tournament and the relative ease of the draw, we didn't really deserve to win either.

Spain won all seven of their games and beat the likes of Croatia, Italy, Germany and France on their way there which is incredibly impressive.

What happens next for England boss Gareth Southgate remains to be seen but I think the general consensus favours his departure.

QPR play Spurs at Loftus Road on Saturday - tickets

I am one of those who has defended him against his detractors in recent years as his record speaks for itself no matter the style of play.

However, with eight years and over 100 games in the hot-seat the time feels right for a change.

Talking of change let's move onto what's going on in London.

We're now into the third week of pre-season and things are really hotting up with numerous Premier League and EFL clubs playing friendlies this week - more on that below.

Hopefully I'll get out to at least one match but we'll see.

Oh yes, before I forget, we also announced the date for this season's Non-League Day - it's going to be on 22 March 2025 so put it in your diary.

Aside from the football, the last few days have been quite emotional in our household with my eldest daughter getting the lead in her primary school production of Annie.

She's had a few challenges in the last couple of years so to see her take centre stage and sing her heart out had me crying all the way through!

She's now off on her school residential and spending several nights away from home for the first time - another big moment.

Thanks as always for all your messages offering match and club info and advice about another trip I have coming up - Balham, Nick, Martin and Steve it's hugely appreciated.

Also many thanks to Nicholas G from Putney for your donation to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund - I hope you enjoyed your visit to Boreham Wood to watch Arsenal.

THE WEEK AHEAD

This week things really get going with a number of Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two clubs in action.

As always, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or the venue or kick-off time has changed - this is highly possible for some of the lower non-league clubs. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (orange pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top.

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP

Monday fixtures - yellow pin

Tuesday fixtures - green pin

Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin

Thursday fixtures - purple pin

Friday fixtures - black pin

WEEKEND MATCH MAP

Saturday fixtures - blue pin

Sunday fixtures - orange pin

    

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section, I list 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 15 July

Friendly

Erith & Belvedere v SE Dons @7pm - the only game in the London area on Monday would appear to be this one. The Deres are back in the ninth tier after a disappointing season in the Isthmian League. Here they welcome a side who are new to the 10th tier after making the move from Sunday football. They have formed a relationship with Forest Hill Park whose place they have effectively taken in the SCEFL - I'm not sure of the ins and outs of it and you can do your own digging if you're interested. The match is being played at the Queen Mary University Sports Ground in Chislehurst so don't expect much in the way of spectator facilities

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Tuesday 16 July

Friendlies

Wealdstone v Notts County @730pm - Stuart Maynard was doing so well with the Stones that the League Two Magpies swooped in and made him their manager in January. On Tuesday he brings them back to Grosvenor Vale for this high-profile friendly against the National League club. Tickets are £10

Enfield Town v Arsenal U21 @745pm - after losing 3-2 to a development side from Spurs on Saturday, the Towners next welcome the Gunners who won 4-2 at Boreham Wood the same day. The hosts are about to embark on their first season in the sixth tier and will look to impress. Tickets are £10

Welling United v Leyton Orient @745pm - the Wings began their pre-season campaign with a 3-1 win at Sittingbourne on Saturday whilst the O's recorded an impressive 2-1 win over Scottish club Hearts at Tynecastle. The League One side have this and a match at St Albans City both listed as first-team games on Tuesday night so don't expect a full-strength side at either. Tickets are £10

A bit further afield

If you're prepared to travel beyond the M25 then a few other matches have caught my eye. As mentioned above, League One Leyton Orient are sending a squad to St Albans City. League Two Bromley are heading down to Kent to play Tonbridge Angels. If you're happy to head to Hampshire then Championship new boys Portsmouth are at local non-league side Gosport Borough and Lewes entertain Crawley Town in an all-Sussex affair at the legendary Dripping Pan which is always worth a visit

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Wednesday 17 July

Friendlies

Metropolitan Police v AFC Wimbledon @715pm - the Met took voluntary relegation to the eighth tier before the start of last season and found it a bit of a struggle but managed to keep their heads above water. With Imber Court located in East Molesey in south-west London, games against the Dons were always classed as derbies, particularly when they were based at Kingsmeadow. Listed as a first-team game on the League Two club's website, it will be interesting to see how strong a side they field given the gulf of four divisions which now separates the two. Tickets are £8 and it's cash only on the turnstile and the tea bar

Sutton Common Rovers v Sutton United U21 @745pm - of the other games on Wednesday, this derby has to get a mention. After some time groundsharing at AFC Whyteleafe, SCR are starting a new era at Carshalton Athletic. With Sutton United's first team in action at Hornchurch the night before, don't expect to see many of them on show here

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Thursday 18 July

Friendlies

Erith & Belvedere v Erith Town @745pm - of the three matches on offer in the London area, this derby tops the bill for me. Last season these sides experienced highly contrasting fortunes with the former getting relegated and the latter promoted meaning they've swapped places in the pyramid with the Deres back in the SCEFL and Dockers up in the Isthmian League

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Friday 19 July

Friendly

Barking v Brentwood Town @745pm - the Blues made it to the Essex Senior League play-offs last season and will hope to go one better this year. Essex club Brentwood play a level above and were a penalty shoot-out away from promotion to the seventh tier so they too will be looking to challenge again

A bit further afield

I think I'd be right in saying that our first sighting of a Premier League club in action will take place on Friday when Southampton make the short journey to National League club Eastleigh. Elsewhere that night two Championship sides are also taking to the field with Portsmouth travelling to Havant & Waterlooville and Oxford United taking on neighbours Oxford City

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Saturday 20 July

Friendlies

QPR v Tottenham Hotspur @3pm - I don't think it would be incorrect to say that the biggest match of pre-season so far is taking place a few metres from my home on Saturday. With the R's successfully avoiding relegation from the Championship under new boss Marti Cifuentes last season, the fans' hopes are high for a decent 2024/25 campaign. A training camp in Girona yielded two wins against unheralded opposition, so this match against Ange Postecoglu's side will see a huge step up in class. Spurs finished fifth in the Premier League and will head to Loftus Road on the back of a midweek trip to Edinburgh to play Hearts. Tickets

AFC Wimbledon v Brentford @1pm - the Bees begin their pre-season campaign with a trip to Plough Lane to play the League Two Dons. After impressing in their first seasons in the Premier League, Thomas Frank's side found things a bit of a struggle last season finishing 16th. One of the reasons for that was star striker Ivan Toney's lengthy ban for gambling. Given England's run to the Euro final, it's highly unlikely he'll be involved here. Tickets

Dagenham & Redbridge v West Ham United @3pm - there's a feast of Premier League sides in action on Saturday with the Hammers also gracing us with their presence in this east London derby against the Daggers. Julen Lopetegui is now in the West Ham hot-seat after David Moyes' departure so it will be interesting to see how he changes things. The hosts missed relegation from the National League by four points last season so an improvement will definitely be sought. Tickets

Wealdstone v Millwall U21 @3pm - after the visit of Notts County on Tuesday, Grosvenor Vale next welcomes the Lions' development side. Millwall's youngsters won the Professional Development League the season before last and made the final again in 2023/24 so they should provide a decent workout for the hosts. Tickets

Brentford U21 v Sutton United @4pm - being played at the Bees' new Wheatsheaf Park facility, formerly the home of Staines Town, this is definitely one for groundhoppers who want to tick it off their list. I think you have to have a ticket in advance to enter the ground but they are readily available online. Tickets

A bit further afield

Outside the M25, Championship club Watford head to Kent to play Gillingham. For a day at the seaside, head to Bognor Regis Town who entertain Portsmouth. In Sussex, Crawley Town make the short journey east to play East Grinstead Town and in Hertfordshire, St Albans City welcome a development side from Tottenham Hotspur

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Sunday 21 July

Friendly

Welling United v Erith & Belvedere @3pm - there's an extra men's game on Sunday in south-east London where we have a groundshare derby between the sixth-tier Wings and ninth-tier Deres

Women's friendlies

The match between London Bees and AFC Wimbledon at The Hive complex in north London tops the bill on Sunday - technically it's behind closed doors but the Dons have said on social media that fans will be able to 'watch it from outside the stadium netting'. Dulwich Hamlet and Clapton CFC both have home games too which should attract reasonable crowds and QPR travel to Carshalton Athletic. Personally, I'm hoping to be at Actonians Reserves who are set to play Comets on Wormwood Scrubs (update - this match has now been cancelled)

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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