TLFG: 23-29 September 2024

Greetings everyone and welcome to the latest edition of TLFG.

Sadly it's a very minimal effort at this stage with just the match maps for the week but I anticipate having some time tomorrow when I might be able to add some more detail (Update - all daily previews are now available below)

The main reason for this is that I've been given the opportunity to edit the Actonians programme for Wednesday's game against Chesham United which is being played at North Greenford United.

Everything was going smoothly with interviews and features all fine but then it came to the stats documents on Excel.

On Friday morning I ran to Dulwich Hamlet 

I never have cause to use this type of software or do any spreadsheets and although editing them was pretty easy, the programme template just wouldn't accept them so I've sent the completed files back to the chair of the club to see if she can get them to take! 

On a totally different topic, some of you may have seen on X/Twitter how I've recently started running an A-Z of London football clubs.

Starting off from my home in W12, I've so far managed to get to Arsenal, Brentford, Chelsea and Dulwich Hamlet.

Hopefully I'll get an E in this week, with Edgware & Kingsbury my primary target.

Anyway, enjoy your week and hopefully I'll have a bit more info for you in the next few days.

THE WEEK AHEAD  

Over the next few days we've got games in the Premier League, EFL, EFL Cup, National League and FA Cup on the male side.

The Women's Super League moves into its second week, the Championship continues and as well as National League games, we've also got some action in the Women's Champions League too.

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

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

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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

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

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP

Monday fixtures - yellow pin

Tuesday fixtures - green pin

Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin

Thursday fixtures - purple pin

Friday fixtures - black pin

WEEKEND MATCH MAP

Saturday fixtures - blue pin

Sunday fixtures - orange pin

    

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section, I list 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 24 September

EFL Cup Third Round

Chelsea v Barrow @745pm - with 10 appearances in the final, the Blues are one of the most successful clubs in this competition. They've made two of the last three finals but haven't won it since 2015 when they beat Spurs 2-0. The visitors are one of the smallest clubs left in the draw but they're currently top of League Two and arrive in decent form and will be backed by a large contingent of away fans for one of the biggest games in their history. Hospitality packages are available

League One

Leyton Orient v Peterborough United @745pm - after a really poor start, the O's have now won two in a row to move out of the relegation zone. The Posh are usually among the promotion contenders but they're only 10th as it stands. The visitors have also won their last three league games at Brisbane Road  so they start as marginal favourites. Tickets

EFL Trophy

Bromley v Chelsea U21 @745pm - having recently won promotion to League Two, this is the first time the Ravens have played in this competition. Sutton United made the final at their first attempt in 2022 so I'm sure they'll be pretty chuffed if they can emulate that. Their first match against Cambridge United was a bit of a thriller as they drew 3-3 before winning on penalties - a result which gave them two points rather than three. The Blues have yet to play a group game yet so it's hard to know how good they're going to be. Tickets

Premier League International Cup

Tuesday sees another couple of games in this most glamorous of U21 competitions. Tonight Fulham are visited by PSV Eindhoven who made last year's final and won the one before that. The match is taking place at their Motspur Park training ground and tickets should be available on the gate for no more than £5. Elsewhere, West Ham United take on Benfica at Dagenham & Redbridge's ground. It's a 7pm start again and tickets will also be available on the gate

National League

Sutton United v Yeovil Town @745pm - these sides experienced very contrasting fortunes last season with the U's losing their EFL status and the Glovers winning the National League South. As a result they're both in the fifth tier again. Both have made wobbly starts but Sutton have won two in a row to move back into the top half. Yeovil are three without a win. Tickets

Wealdstone v Southend United @745pm - the Stones suffered a very disappointing 3-0 loss at home to Barnet in their big derby match on Saturday. The result kept them in the relegation zone whilst the Bees went top. Now five without a win, they badly need to get something out of this match against the midtable Shrimpers. Tickets

SCEFL Premier

VCD Athletic v Holmesdale @745pm - if you're looking for a lower-tier game, then look no further than this match in south-east London where the top two in this division meet in a game that could prove pivotal to the title race even at this early stage. The Vickers are seven points clear and have two games in hand over the visitors so they're looking strong. Tickets will be available on the gate

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Wednesday 25 September

EFL Cup Third Round

Arsenal v Bolton Wanderers @745pm - the Gunners are the most successful team in FA Cup history but when it comes to this competition they've only won it twice. Former Premier League club Bolton have also made two finals but the last one was 20 years ago. Now struggling towards the foot of League One, it looks like being a tough night for the visitors. Tickets are only available to members

SCEFL Division 1

Forest Hill Park v SC Thamesmead @745pm - after several unremarkable years in this division, FHP are up in second and pushing for promotion. To be honest, I'm unclear about their status. Over the summer they formed a partnership with high-profile Sunday League side SE Dons but their name doesn't appear anywhere that I'm aware of. Whatever the story, FHP are doing really well. Thamesmead have only won once this season so should be beaten. Tickets will be available on the gate

FAWNL Southern Premier

Hashtag United v Lewes @745pm - the Tags head into Wednesday night's game as leaders of this third-tier division. However, their position is a little false as they've played more games than the two teams immediately below them so  they could well be surpassed further down the line. The Rooks have just come down from the Championship and are in the bottom four as they've struggled to adapt to life at this level. This is being played at Aveley and tickets will be available on the gate

FAWNL Division 1 South East

Actonians v Chesham United @745pm - after Norwich's draw at Sudbury last night, the A's will go level on points with the Canaries at the top if they win this. The Generals have made a rocky start to the campaign and sit just above the relegation zone but they did the almost unthinkable and drew with Norwich on Sunday so they can't be underestimated. This is being played at North Greenford United and it's a big moment for me as I've edited the programme which you can buy on arrival. Tickets can be bought online or are £5 (cash only) on the gate

QPR v Ashford Town (Middlesex) @745pm - elsewhere in the division, both sides will be looking for their second wins of the season as they look to move out of the bottom four. The R's picked up a fine point at Chatham Town on Sunday whilst the Tangerines thrashed fellow strugglers London Seaward to collect their first points of the season. This is being played at Hayes & Yeading United and tickets will be available on the gate

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Thursday 26 September

UEFA Europa League

Tottenham Hotspur v FK Qarabag @8pm - Spurs begin their Europa League campaign against the champions of Azerbaijan. The visitors won their league by a whopping 25-point margin, the 10th time in the last 11 years that they've won it. Despite all this glory, they weren't good enough to beat Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League qualifiers and now find themselves in this competition. Tickets are on general sale

UEFA Women's Champions League

Arsenal v Hacken @730pm - after the disappointment of failing to qualify for the group stage last year, the Gunners find themselves in a slightly precarious situation again. Trailing 1-0 after the first leg in Sweden, they've got to win here or they'll be out early again. Hacken made the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season and are currently second in the Damallsvenskan so they're formidable opposition. This match is being played at Boreham Wood and tickets are available

FAWNL Southern Premier

Watford v AFC Wimbledon @745pm - at the time of writing, the Hornets are three points behind leaders Hashtag United but have a game in hand. The Dons were rocked earlier this week by extensive flood damage to their Plough Lane stadium and it's unclear when it will next be fit to use. The women's side have enjoyed some good results over the last couple of weeks and they'll be hoping to raise everyone's spirits with a decent result here. This is being played at Wealdstone and tickets are available

FAWNL Division 1 South East

London Bees v London Seaward @745pm - the hosts twice let the lead slip as they could only draw 2-2 with Actonians on Sunday. Still with only one win to their name, they're eighth in this 12-team division. Seaward hosted a seemingly hopeless Ashford on Sunday and got stuffed 5-2 to suggest a tough season lies ahead. This match is also notable for seeing Dan McKimm lead his new Bees side against his former club for the first time. This match is being played on the 3G pitch just to the north of the main stadium at The Hive complex in north London. Tickets are available

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Friday 27 September

Women's Super League

Crystal Palace v Chelsea @730pm - being broadcast live on Sky TV, the biggest crowd of the day will be at Selhurst Park to watch the Eagles play their first ever home game in the women's top flight. Sadly for them, it's against a strong Blues side who've dominated this division for several years. However, Chelsea weren't that convincing in their opening game against Aston Villa and just about hung on for a 1-0 win. Palace, on the other hand, got thrashed 4-0 by Spurs so anything other than another heavy thrashing will be an achievement. Tickets are available

Premier League 2

If women's football isn't for you, then there's a great selection of men's U21 matches on Friday. In the biggest game of the day Arsenal host Liverpool at Boreham Wood. Elsewhere, Chelsea play West Ham United in a derby at Rush Green and Fulham entertain Sunderland at Motspur Park. All matches start at 7pm and tickets, if required, will be available on the gate

Isthmian League South Central

Sutton Common Rovers v Harrow Borough @745pm - with landlords Carshalton Athletic using the ground for an FA Cup tie on Saturday, this match has been brought forward to Friday night. SCR moved into the top 10 with a 3-0 win at Badshot Lea last weekend but Harrow should present a tougher challenge as they're second and come into this on the back of a penalty shoot-out win over Southall in the Isthmian League Cup. Tickets will be available on the gate

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Saturday 28 September

Premier League

Arsenal v Leicester City @3pm - there's another busy day of top-flight football in London but unusually, all three games kick-off at 3pm which suggests the broadcasters don't think much of them. The first looks like being a big mismatch with title hopefuls Arsenal welcoming the promoted and struggling Foxes. The Gunners were seconds away from beating Manchester City at the Etihad with only 10 men last week and then thrashed Bolton in the cup. Leicester, on the other hand, have drawn three in a row against Crystal Palace, Everton and Walsall (scraping through on penalties). They've also lost their last five against the north London club so it's going to take something special for them to avoid defeat. Tickets are only available to members but hospitality packages are available from £695

Brentford v West Ham United @3pm - at the GTech we've got a crosstown derby. The Bees have made a slightly better start and sit two points above the Hammers in midtable. Since joining the Premier League in 2021, Brentford have won all three of their home league games against the east London club and should start as marginal favourites. Tickets are only available to members but check with the club if any hospitality packages are left

Chelsea v Brighton & Hove Albion @3pm - after all the chaos of recent times, the Blues look like they're starting to settle. With only one loss in the league so far, they're in the top five and getting back towards the level we've expected to see them at over the last 20 years. The Seagulls got off to a great start with two wins but have followed them up with three draws but they are still unbeaten and sitting nicely in seventh. Overall, this looks like the MOTD as far as I'm concerned. General tickets have sold out but hospitality packages are available

Championship

Millwall v Preston North End @3pm - with only two wins and 12 goals scored between them, this isn't the most mouthwatering of fixtures if I'm honest. In fact, a recent bit of number crunching by a very dedicated individual discovered that the English league club to have drawn 0-0 more times than any other member of the 92 was actually PNE. On top of that, four of the last six games between these two has also ended in a draw so I think we know how this one is going to end up. Tickets

Watford v Sunderland @3pm - a much more entertaining spectacle looks likely at Vicarage Road. The Hornets flew out of the blocks with three wins but now they're three without a win. Now eighth, they face a challenging afternoon against the Mackems who are second. However, despite their good form, they haven't won at this venue for 25 years and lost 1-0 on their last visit in April. Tickets

League One

Leyton Orient v Wrexham @3pm - this Saturday sees all the Hollywood razzmatazz that a visit from the Red Dragons brings. Following Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's investment in 2020, Wrexham's global profile and success have gone through the roof. Freshly promoted from League Two, they've already made it to the top of this division to sit on level points with the other big spenders of the third tier, Birmingham City. The O's have turned things around after a poor start and are slowly climbing the table but they'll need to be at their very best to get something here. Tickets and hospitality have all sold out

League Two

Bromley v MK Dons @3pm - after an encouraging start to life in the EFL, the Ravens have now gone on a worrying five game winless streak which is seeing them drifting closer and closer to the bottom two. The visitors have also only accrued seven points so far but their results have been a bit more mixed so they haven't seen a bad run set in yet. Their last visit to the capital came two weeks ago when they were soundly beaten by arch rivals AFC Wimbledon so they'll hope for a much stronger performance this time. Tickets

National League

Barnet v AFC Fylde @3pm - since losing to then leaders Gateshead on 7 September, the Bees have gone on a four game winning run to replace them at the top of the table. With York City level on points with them and Forest Green Rovers three points behind, there can be no let up if they want to stay there. Lancashire club Fylde have only won two of their eleven games and sit just above the relegation zone so another three points looks likely for the hosts. Tickets

Dagenham & Redbridge v Solihull Moors @3pm - the Daggers are another side to have experienced a pivotal moment playing Gateshead. After the Tynesiders beat Barnet to keep themselves top, they next travelled to east London for a televised match with D&R who were pottering along in midtable. Almost out of nowhere, the hosts did a demolition job on the Heed and won 7-1 and they went on to win at Hartlepool the following week. Now eighth and with the play-off places in sight, they welcome last season's beaten play-off finalists who are 15th, two without a win and looking to pick up some points. Tickets

FA Cup Third Round Qualifying

Most eyes in non-league will be focused on what's going on here. No new teams enter the draw at this stage so it's populated by clubs from tiers six to nine who have made it this far. Ties are still broadly regionalised along north/south lines but there are still some significant journeys. The winners of each tie receive £5,625 and the losers £1,875

Boreham Wood v Larkhall Athletic @3pm - the hosts parted ways with long-serving manager Luke Garrard following their relegation from the National League last season. However, just over a month into the new campaign he's back in charge. During his first spell he famously took the club to the Fifth Round and a tie against Everton at Goodison Park and also made the Third Round on two other occasions. On paper they should make progress here as Larkhall, who hail from Bath, play two levels below them and haven't made a great start in the league. Tickets

Carshalton Athletic v Melksham Town @3pm - the hosts are a midtable seventh-tier team and they've fallen at this stage of the competition for the last two years. In Melksham they also face a team from the Southern League Division 1 South like Larkhall above. The visitors have never made it beyond this round in their history and they'll do well to break that record here given their underdog status. Tickets

Chertsey Town v Ashford United @3pm - the Curfews haven't made a great start to life in the seventh tier following their promotion last season so this FA Cup run is providing a good distraction. Here they play a team from the level below them who haven't managed a league win so far this season so they won't get many better chances to progress. Tickets

Cray Wanderers v Hastings United @3pm - London's oldest club are playing the first season in their new stadium but they're having a bit of a stinker. With one win from seven, they're bottom of the seventh tier Isthmian Premier. On Saturday they welcome another club from the same division who are faring little better, with their two wins meaning they're in the bottom five too. This, therefore, represents a great chance to give their seasons a big boost. Tickets

Haringey Borough v Lowestoft Town @3pm - the last of the London ties takes place at Coles Park and it's the only one where an underdog has got home advantage. The hosts lost their place in the seventh tier last season and are now in the Isthmian North. Sadly, it's continued to be a struggle and they're still yet to win a league game. On Saturday they welcome a side in the relegation zone from a level above them. An upset is still a big ask but I think this is where we're most likely to see one. Tickets

Isthmian League South East

Erith Town v Beckenham Town @3pm - in the eighth tier we've got a top-four clash as the Dockers welcome the leaders to Bayliss Avenue. Erith are new to the division following their promotion from the SCEFL and have two games in hand on the Becks which, if won, will put them level on points. The visitors needed a reprieve to stay up last season so they're making excellent use of their second chance but their lead is precarious with all the teams immediately below them having games in hand. Tickets are £10 on the gate

Southern League Division 1 Central

Hadley v Berkhamsted @3pm - I usually only do one feature match at each level below the National League but there's nothing to choose between this game and the one above. It also gives the chance to shine the spotlight on Hadley who haven't had that opportunity too often in recent seasons. The north London club who live very much in the shadow of nearby Boreham Wood have made a great start and are top of this division on goal difference from Aylesbury United. The visitors suffered relegation from the division above last season but have responded well and are in the top four just one point behind. Tickets are £10 on the gate

CCL Premier North

Egham Town v Ardley United @3pm - with Jordan Berry now back as manager, the Sarnies have looked good. Second after 11 games, they've already drawn at leaders North Greenford United and also held Amersham Town and Holyport who are also likely to challenge. Ardley arrive at the Runymede Stadium a point below them in third place so will provide another big test of their promotion credentials. Tickets will be available on the gate

CCL Division 1

Westside v Belstone @3pm - game of the day in the 10th tier takes place at Wibbandube, the home of Colliers Wood United. Westside are a Christian club who moved up to this level in 2019/20 but saw their first two seasons abandoned after good starts. Since then an 11th-place finish is the best they've managed but this year looks promising. Third after 13 games, they're well placed for a play-off push. We'll get an idea of how good they are if they win here as Belstone are second. The Hertfordshire club have made a real impact following their promotion from the Herts County League and have only lost twice so far. Tickets will be available on the gate

U18 Professional Development League

Brentford v Watford @12pm - if you want to do a double and see two games on Saturday then this early kick-off will give you that opportunity. The Bees youngsters play games at Staines Town's old ground which Brentford have repurposed as their own for matches like this. Tickets are £3 and I'm pretty sure you need to buy online in advance. The games at Chertsey Town and Egham Town are probably your best options if you want to combine this with a later game

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Sunday 29 September

Women's Super League

West Ham United v Liverpool @3pm - the Hammers finished one place above the relegation zone last season as they had a poor year. Boss Rehanne Skinner kept her job but on the evidence of their first game last weekend, little has changed. The 3-0 loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford was pretty one-sided by all accounts. Here they face a Reds side who impressed last season as they finished fourth but they only managed a draw at Leicester on the opening day. Essentially, West Ham need to get something here or it could be another tough season. This is being played at Dagenham & Redbridge and tickets are available

FAWNL Cup First Round

QPR v Swindon Town @2pm - after claiming the notable scalp of third tier AFC Wimbledon in the Determining Round, the R's qualified for the League Cup. After a bye through the Preliminary Round they've received a very tough draw here. Although both fourth-tier sides, the R's are in the bottom half of their division whilst the Robins are top of theirs, having won all seven of their matches by considerable margins. This match is being played at Hayes & Yeading United and tickets are £5 on the gate

FAWNL Plate First Round

AFC Wimbledon v Chesham United @2pm - with terrible flooding at Plough Lane causing all the men's games to be postponed, this women's match at Raynes Park Vale's ground will be the first game that a senior team from the club will play since that event. The Dons play a division above the Generals and should be comfortable winners here if they put out a strong team. Chesham are blowing boiling hot and absolutely freezing cold at the moment drawing with league leaders Norwich City last weekend but then getting thrashed 9-2 by Actonians on Wednesday. Tickets are £7

London Seaward v AFC Bournemouth @2pm - like QPR, Seaward also welcome one of the top teams in the parallel Division 1 South West. Although six points behind Swindon in second, they've played two games less and look equally strong with five wins out of five. The hosts, on the other hand, are really struggling and look to be in a three-way battle with Ashford Town and Chesham to avoid the drop. This is being played at Redbridge's ground and tickets will be available on the gate

L&SE Women's League D1 North

Brentford v Clapton CFC @3pm - possibly the biggest crowd of the day in the women's game will be found at the GTech for this sixth-tier match. You all know how much I despise the way the Bees are going about things this season (paying players in a league full of amateur clubs because their coaching isn't up to it) so I'm not going to go into any further detail. However, a big mention needs to go to CCFC who are the first team Brentford have ever played to have requested an away section in the stadium and they've sold hundreds of tickets. I expect them to win the singing contest comfortably and hope they absolutely stuff them on the pitch too!

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, via X/Twitter or even by good old email.

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