Sunday, 23 February 2025

TLFG: 24 February - 2 March 2025

Greetings everyone and welcome to this week's TLFG as we enter March.

On Saturday I headed out to the north-west suburbs, where I spent my formative years, to watch Harrow Borough for the first time in 2025.

The season had started really well but by the time I last went to see them on Boxing Day, they'd drifted out of title contention and held Hayes & Yeading United to an uninspiring 0-0 draw.

Since then, manager Ben Bukowski has been headhunted by local rivals Hendon who play a division above and some of his remaining coaching staff have taken over.

There's now less than a month to go until Non-League Day

One of the benefits of being relegated to the eighth tier for the first time in decades, is the huge reduction in travel and its associated costs.

For the last few years, Harrow had been forced to play in a seventh-tier league against teams based in Cornwall, Devon and even Wales - I was told yesterday that that alone had cost the club around £20,000 a season which is a huge amount for a side at that level.

With that money now largely saved, Harrow also face a lot more derbies which increases interest.

On Saturday they welcomed one of those local sides in the form of Hanworth Villa.

One of a group of clubs located just to the south of Heathrow Airport, the Villains appear to be a club on an upward trajectory with promotion from the Combined Counties League followed by two top-seven finishes at this level. 

After beating Harrow earlier in the season and just above them in the table, they started as marginal favourites.

With the sun out, there was a real feeling that Spring was on the way but any other optimism was blown away for Harrow fans in the 11th minute when goalkeeper Andrew McCorkell got needlessly caught in possession and his efforts to recover the situation conceded a penalty.

Arsenal legend Paul Merson's son Sam has become a bit of a Hanworth legend in recent seasons and he duly converted the spot-kick.

It went on to become the Sam Merson show as he scored two more, either side of Mack Miskin's strike, to see the visitors to a 3-1 win an also reach 100 goals for his club.

They're now five points shy of the play-off places with a game in hand and take on fifth placed Hartley Wintney on Tuesday night at Rectory Meadow in what has become quite an important game.

Harrow have little to play for in the league now but have a big Middlesex Senior Cup Semi-Final against very local rivals Rayners Lane on Tuesday which I hope to be at.

With less than a month to go until Non-League Day, we've hopefully got some big announcements to make in the coming week.

I'm also booked for some interviews and podcasts as we look to build the momentum ahead of the big day.

You know I love a match map, well I've built one for the whole country covering all games in the fifth to tenth tiers taking place on 22 March.

Unlike the ones I use in this blog, you can search for your nearest game using your postcode - functionality that's more expensive and covered by other people!

THE WEEK AHEAD

This week's highlights include games in the Premier League, EFL, National League, FA Trophy, FA Vase, Women's Nations League, Women's Super League and lots of other games featuring our local non-league and women's 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.
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 24 February

U18 & Development football
I had to do a bit of digging to find anything taking place today and from what I can tell, it's just non-league clubs' U18 sides who are in action this evening. All the ones I discovered are in south-west London - see the match map for details
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Tuesday 25 February

Professional Development League
Millwall v Brentford @2pm - it's a very different story on Tuesday, with plenty going on. You can also easily see two games thanks to this early kick-off at The Den. It features two of the top three in Group South of this U21 league so it should be worth a watch. Tickets are usually available through the club's website but I haven't seen anything advertised yet - check on the day

Premier League 
Crystal Palace v Aston Villa @730pm - both of these sides had excellent weekends with the Eagles winning 2-0 at Fulham and Villa beating Chelsea 2-1. Palace have now won three of their last five to banish any fear of relegation and now a top-ten finish would appear to be their main target. Villa had been on an iffy run with the defeat of the Blues being their first win in six. The hosts are unbeaten in three against Unai Emery's side and won 5-0 here last season. Tickets
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City @730pm - this time two weeks ago, it was all doom and gloom at Spurs. Knocked out of the EFL Cup and FA Cup in consecutive matches and floundering in the bottom half, they've now won three in a row in the league and things seem a bit more cheerful. Here they welcome a side who are also having a relatively poor spell. Knocked of the Champions League by Real Madrid, they lost to Liverpool on Sunday and head to the THS with the memory of being demolished 4-0 by Ange Postecoglou's team back in November. It's actually quite hard to pick a winner here but given their history of good results against City, I'm tipping Spurs to have a positive night. Tickets are only available to members but hospitality packages are available from £399
Chelsea v Southampton @815pm - at one point in the latter part of 2024, the Blues were being touted as challengers to Liverpool but it's gone a bit wrong since then. With only two wins from their last 10, the Stamford Bridge club are 21 points behind the Reds and down to seventh. There's still plenty to play for though with a place in the top four well within their grasp and the UEFA Conference League seemingly there for the taking. The Saints suffered another dreadful 4-0 loss at home to Brighton on Saturday to keep them bottom but now 13 points adrift of safety. A home win looks like a certainty. Tickets

League Two
Bromley v Bradford City @745pm - the Ravens' win over Harrogate made it three in a row and must have made a few fans start to seriously think a play-off push is back on the cards. Still seven points behind seventh-placed Crewe, they have a game in hand and 14 games left to catch them. The Bantams are in the top five and have only lost one of their last six. The Yorkshire club won the reverse fixture 3-1 back in August so the hosts are going to have to be at their best to keep their good run going. Tickets

National League
Wealdstone v Boston United @745pm - the Stones came from behind to pick up a crucial 4-2 win over bottom club Ebbsfleet as they look to beat the drop themselves. The battle to stay up is incredibly tight with only three points between the teams in 17th to 22nd. The visiting Pilgrims have really struggled since promotion, are 23rd and 10 points adrift of safety. It's looking pretty grim for them but they do have two games in hand on the teams immediately above them so a win here will give them a glimmer of hope. Tickets

National League Cup Quarter-Final
Sutton United v Manchester United U21 @7pm - the inaugural playing of this unpopular new cup is down to its last eight clubs. To recap, this is new competition where pro clubs field U21 sides against National League ones to gain experience of playing against senior players. The U's got through a group containing academy sides from Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur and West Bromwich Albion and now face a side from one of the biggest clubs in the world. How much the public buy into it remains to be seen but it's rare for a non-league club from south London to ever face a Red Devils XI so you'd think a reasonable amount of fans might turn up just for the novelty. Tickets are available from £12

National League South
Boreham Wood v Chelmsford City @745pm - after a wobble which saw them lose three in four, the Wood are now celebrating two wins in a row after success at local rivals St Albans City on Saturday. With the top two drawing, the Hertfordshire club are now fourth and five points off top spot. Chelmsford, on the other hand, pulled off a dramatic late comeback against former leaders Torquay which puts the Devon club in real danger of losing their top-seven place. Although ninth, the Essex club are still 11 points adrift of the play-off places. Tickets

Isthmian League North
Walthamstow v Witham Town @745pm - the 'Stow are a side to firmly keep an eye on in the eighth tier. Sitting one place and three points outside the play-off places, they come into this on the back of a thrilling 5-3 win over then leaders Felixstowe & Walton United. It was their fifth triumph on the trot and put them top of the division's form table. Witham sit just below them but their form seemed to be going in the other direction before Saturday's 1-0 win over a struggling Newmarket side. Tickets are £10 on the gate

Middlesex Senior Cup Semi-Finals
Bedfont Sports v Hanwell Town @745pm - I don't tend to feature county cup matches until this stage of competitions as clubs often field weakened sides and the ties can be a bit of a non-event, a bit like the early rounds of the EFL Cup for Premier League sides. When you get to the final four then you know you're probably going to watch some sides who are taking things seriously and want to win. Of the remaining clubs, ninth tier Bedfont are the lowest ranked and Hanwell from the seventh tier are the highest. The hosts have never been to the final whilst the Geordies have won it once in 2021. Tickets are £8 on the gate
Rayners Lane v Harrow Borough @745pm - two very local rivals from the eighth tier meet in the other tie. As the crow flies, their grounds are 0.8 miles apart and they're only two places apart in the Isthmian League South Central. Rayners Lane thrashed Harrow 4-0 in this competition last season before winning the title for the first time after beating Hayes & Yeading United in the final. They also come into this in some form having won their last two games 5-1. Harrow are really up and down at the moment, equally capable of winning 4-1 as losing by it. They are, however, much weaker away from home so it will take something to win here. I haven't seen any ticket prices published but it shouldn't exceed £10

SCEFL Premier
VCD Athletic v Snodland Town @745pm - things are getting exciting for the Vickers. Having seen them lose top spot to Faversham, I personally believed their title shot had gone and a play-off spot would be the best they could get. However, with the Lilywhites only managing a draw at Erith & Belvedere on Saturday, VCD got right back in it with a 1-0 win at Larkfield & New Hythe. The gap between them is now only two points and this match is the first of two games in hand. Snodland are in the bottom four so, although weak on paper, they have plenty to play for themselves. The going rate for tickets in this division is around £8

FA Youth Cup Quarter-Final
Watford v Southampton @7pm - after beating Spurs 4-2 in the last round, the Hornets have made into the last eight of the country's most prestigious U18 competition. The Saints' academy has had a great reputation for many years so it's no surprise to see them make it to this stage and they should start as favourites. This is being played at Vicarage Road. Tickets


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Wednesday 26 February

UEFA Women's Nations League
England v Spain @8pm - the biggest crowd of the night will be found at Wembley where fans will be treated to a repeat of 2023's World Cup Final. Since the glorious Euros campaign of 2022, the Lionesses have struggled to reach those heights again. Yes, they did make the World Cup Final a year later but it was stodgy and sometimes lucky stuff which got them there. Spain won that day and have looked more impressive since. Currently second in the world and top in Europe, for me they will start this match as favourites. They come into this on the back of a very dramatic 3-2 win over Belgium on Friday, a game they were losing 2-1 as late as the 92nd minute. England, on the other hand, could only manage a 1-1 draw with Portugal in the Algarve. Tickets

Premier League
Brentford v Everton @730pm - a couple of months ago, this fixture would've generated little interest for the neutral but now both teams are hitting some form and could provide us with a very entertaining game. The Bees crushed Leicester City 4-0 in the Midlands on Friday night to keep a place in the top 10 well within reach. The Toffees are a team transformed following the return of David Moyes to Goodison Park. Second in the form table, they've only lost one of the seven games he's presided over and were unlucky to only draw with Manchester United on Saturday. The Merseyside club are also unbeaten in five against the Bees so I have to say I fancy them to get something here. Tickets are only available to members

SCEFL Division 1
Forest Hill Park v Welling Town @745pm - Wednesday gives us another chance to take a look at FHP/SE Dons. Sadly their game at SOUL Tower Hamlets was postponed on Saturday so they missed the chance to go top. A point behind leaders Canterbury City, they now have six games in hand so they really are in a very strong position. The visiting Boots only formed in 2016 and enjoyed consecutive promotions in their first three seasons as they shot up to the ninth tier. Sadly things are really slowing down and they're now on course for a second consecutive relegation and a place back in the Kent County League. Tickets are £6

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Thursday 27 February

Premier League
West Ham United v Leicester City @8pm - the Hammers are one of the most unpredictable teams in the top flight. In the bottom half for most of the season and capable of some real horror shows on their day, they can also go to the Emirates at beat Arsenal as they did on Saturday. Although they're still in the bottom five, they're well clear of the relegation dogfight and have very little to play for. The Foxes are one of those teams who look increasingly likely to go down. How they've gone from Premier League and FA Cup winners to a side which yo-yos between the divisions is hard to fathom but that's what they're becoming. However, they do have a good record against West Ham and beat them 3-1 in December and won at the London Stadium last season too. Tickets

Development football
With West Ham providing the only senior football, I delved into the development football calendar and beefed up the Thursday offering on the map. There's now a reasonable selection of U23 and U18 sides for you to choose from at a number of non-league clubs

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Friday 21 February

FA Youth Cup Quarter-Final
Arsenal v Manchester United @7pm - the biggest crowd of the night will be found at the Emirates. The visitors are having much the better season in the U18 Premier League so they should start as favourites. The Red Devils are also the most successful club in the competition's history with 11 wins since it began in the 1950s, with their last title coming in 2022. The Gunners got thrashed by West Ham in the final two years ago and haven't won it since 2009. There is a reduced capacity of 9,999 for this game but tickets are still available for £4

Professional Development League
Brentford v Birmingham City @1pm - it's possible to see two games today as the Bees provide us with another lunchtime U21 fixture. If Brentford win at Millwall earlier in the week, then they could be going for top spot here against a Birmingham side who've really struggled this season. This is being played at Wheatsheaf Park in Staines. Tickets

Essex Senior League
West Essex v Woodford Town @745pm - in my opinion, the best non-league option of the night is this north-east London derby at Wadham Lodge. The hosts have had a busy month, playing five league games and losing only one - a whopping 8-1 drubbing by leaders Stanway Rovers. In midtable, they're now just playing for position. Woodford, on the other hand, are firmly in the title race after beating Sawbridgeworth on Friday night. A point behind Stanway, third place Takeley are keeping the pressure on too. Tickets are £8 on the gate
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FA Cup Fifth Round
Crystal Palace v Millwall @1215pm - the FA Cup tops the bill this weekend, with the grand old competition down to its last 16 clubs. One of the ties of the round is this south London derby at Selhurst Park. Despite being local rivals, there haven't been that many games between them in recent years as the clubs have moved around the divisions. The last meeting came three years ago in this competition at The Den where Premier League Palace got the better of the Championship Lions by 2-1. Before that, you have to go back to 2013 for a league game. The last time Millwall won here was Boxing Day 2003.
With top-flight safety pretty much secured, you'd expect the hosts to go all out to win this. The visitors will start as underdogs but they won at Elland Road against Leeds in the last round and you just know they're going to be really fired up for this. Tickets have sold out

Championship
QPR v Sheffield United @3pm - there is a lot of positivity around Loftus Road at the moment but, as is often the way in this division, the form that lifted them from the bottom into play-off contention has gone again. Relegation is no longer a pressing concern, but four defeats from six has probably realistically put the play-offs beyond them. The Blades head to W12 on the back of losing their big top-of-the-table clash against Yorkshire rivals Leeds and will be desperate to bounce back. As of Thursday lunchtime, there were only 200 tickets left so be quick if you want one

League One
Leyton Orient v Charlton Athletic @3pm - there's another big game in the third tier too. Locked together on 53 points either side of the play-off line in sixth and seventh, this derby couldn't be much bigger for the clubs involved. With only two defeats in 10, the visiting Addicks are in better form but they haven't won here since 2010. Sadly, this has sold out too

League Two
AFC Wimbledon v Bromley @3pm - I'm not sure if I should bother writing a preview for this as there are no tickets left either. I don't think I can remember a Saturday in the 13 years or so I've been writing this blog that tickets are so hard to get, so far down the pyramid.  For the record, this too is a London derby. The Dons are unbeaten in 12 games and up to fourth in what is a tight battle for the three automatic promotion places. The Ravens are up to 10th, in what has been a very promising start to life in the EFL. Seven points adrift of the play-off places, their promotion dreams aren't dead yet but defeat here could make things very tough

FA Trophy Quarter-Final
If you've never heard of it, this is a national knockout competition for clubs in the fifth to eighth tiers with its final at Wembley in May

Sutton United v Spennymoor United @3pm - it's not just the FA Cup which is taking place this weekend, we've also got the quarter-finals of the Trophy and Vase too. The U's are the last London club left. Ten points clear of the relegation zone, you'd like to think the hosts would make this competition a priority and try and win it. They've made the final once before but lost to Bishop's Stortford way back in 1981. The Moors are midtable in the division below Sutton and face a very long journey down from the north-east for this fixture. This equals their best ever run in the Trophy but they're probably most famous for winning the FA Vase back in 2013. I'm pleased to say there are some tickets left for this but buy in advance to make sure 

FA Vase Quarter-Final
Like the above, this is a national knockout competition but for clubs in the ninth and tenth tiers with its final at Wembley in May

AFC Whyteleafe v Bourne Town @3pm - there are several good matches in the seventh and eighth tiers too but I'm running out of time so will jump straight to this big game between two ninth-tier teams instead. Alongside Erith & Belvedere, who are away, the Leafe are one of two TLFG teams to make it to the closing stages. The Surrey club are currently top of the CCL Premier South but locked into a tight title race with Redhill and Jersey Bulls. Bourne, who hail from Lincolnshire, are second in the parallel United Counties League Premier North so, in effect, we should have two of the strongest teams left in the Vase meeting at Church Road. With a trip to Wembley now only two rounds away, the stakes are incredibly high for these clubs. Crowds have been big in previous rounds, so buy your tickets in advance to make sure you get in
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Sunday 2 March

Women's Super League
Crystal Palace v Liverpool @2pm - Sunday is all about women's football and there's a busy programme of games to choose from. Both sides sacked their managers this week. The Eagles are new to the division and bottom but it was still quite surprising to see them part company with Laura Kaminski who was held in high regard by most. Matt Beard's dismissal was also a bit of eyebrow raiser at Liverpool but their results had definitely gone backwards on last season. Palace have brought in Norwegian Leif Smerud who has been in interim charge of both the Norway men's and women's national teams over the last few years. Meanwhile, the Reds have put assistant coach Amber Whiteley in temporary charge. When they played in October, it finished 1-1 and it could be similar here. This is being played at Sutton United. Tickets
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City @2pm - at the same time over in east London, two of the top six meet at Leyton Orient's ground. Spurs finished sixth last season and made the FA Cup Final. Sixth again but out of the cup, it feels that things have stalled if not gone backwards. Performances have been disjointed and stodgy but a win here could put them fifth. City really should've won the title last season but a nightmare last few minutes against Arsenal near the end of the season saw them miss out on the silverware on goal difference. Not at that level this season, their main priority now will be to break back into the Champions League places and they could do that with a win here. Tickets are no longer available online and I've never been able to ascertain whether you can buy on arrival - sorry
Arsenal v West Ham United @530pm - trying to stop City getting into the top three are Arsenal who currently occupy that position. With only one defeat in 10 league games, it's going rather well for new boss Renee Slegers. Although leaders Chelsea are seemingly uncatchable, the runners-up spot is definitely there for the taking. If Manchester United lose to Leicester City in the early game, then a win here will see them go second. The Hammers, on the other hand, are having a decent spell. The last couple of years have been a bit of a struggle but three wins from the last six have lifted Rehanne Skinner's side into the top eight and almost out of relegation contention. The chances of West Ham winning are very slim as they've only beaten the Gunners once in their history but a draw isn't inconceivable. This is being played at Boreham Wood and a last few tickets are available

Women's Championship
Charlton Athletic v London City Lionesses @2pm - there's a big game in the second tier where these two south-east London clubs continue their pursuit of the title and the one promotion spot available. The Addicks are fourth and five points adrift of leaders Birmingham City but they have a game in hand. LCL, an independent women's club backed by American millionaire Michele Kang, are only a point behind City with a game in hand so this is a really big moment for them. They won the reverse fixture 2-0 at Hayes Lane and would love to repeat that here. This is being played at The Valley and tickets are available

FAWNL Southern Premier
AFC Wimbledon v Cheltenham Town @2pm - this division has broken down into three groups - the top four, middle four and bottom four and there hasn't been much movement between them for a while. The Dons, following promotion, have done well to establish themselves in the middle four. Despite losing their last three, they're still six points clear of the bottom group of which Cheltenham are the top club. When they last played in September, Wimbledon won 3-0. This is being played at Raynes Park Vale and tickets are £7

FAWNL Division 1 South East
Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Dulwich Hamlet @2pm - the Tangerines' X feed declares that the 'great escape is on'. For a club who have been bottom all season and who are currently 11 points adrift of safety, that's some claim. They do have three games in hand on the three teams immediately above them but they're not bottom because they haven't played many games. With 12 defeats from 14 games and 53 conceded, they have the worst record. The Hamlet, who are new to this level, are one of those three teams above them so they really have to win this. With Actonians not in action, this is being played at Rectory Park. Tickets are £5

L&SE Women's League Cup Semi-Finals
Dartford v Dorking Wanderers @130pm - the current top two in this league have been drawn to meet at Princes Park for what should be quite an occasion. The Darts are the current leaders and holders of this cup. Dorking are four points behind in the league and have played a game more. When they met here in the league in November, Dartford won 1-0 and it should be close again. Tickets are £5
Millwall Lionesses v Fulham @130pm - down in sixth, the Lionesses are the lowest-ranked side left in the competition and they'll do really well to win here. Although the Cottagers are just above them in fifth, everyone's simply waiting for them to rattle through their games in hand and win the title. Without doubt the biggest club in this fifth-tier division, they've only played 10 league games and have yet to lose. They also enjoyed a great run in the FA Cup and have beaten higher division opponents at various points this season. This is being played at Fisher's ground in Rotherhithe. Not sure of ticket details but it shouldn't exceed £5

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.

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here 

Monday, 17 February 2025

TLFG: 17-23 February 2025

Greetings everyone and welcome to the latest TLFG.

A bit late again this week as I had the audacity to go to another match on Sunday afternoon - I know, what a liberty!

This time it was the women's North London Derby between Arsenal and Tottenham at the Emirates.

With Actonians having the weekend off, I took my eldest daughter along as she'd never been to this stadium before and she is, at least nominally, an Arsenal women's fan.

There's now less than five weeks to go 

A whopping crowd of 56,000 were in attendance as the Gunners crushed their local rivals 5-0 and Chloe Kelly made her second debut in a red and white shirt.

It ended up being my second match of the week as I also went to watch Actonians play at Chesham United on Thursday night.

The A's lack of striking options was brutally exposed again as a side they'd thrashed 9-2 earlier in the season, ended up winning 1-0!

On a positive note, last season's star striker Tori St Clair appeared in the crowd and, after a disappointing summer move to Swindon Town, expressed an interest in coming back - whether it's possible remains to be seen.

This week I had planned to spend a few days in Liverpool with the family for half term but sadly my daughter is ill at present so it's looking highly unlikely.

If you've got children to entertain, there's lots of football on and there are some U21 games in the afternoon if you don't want to stay out late.

THE WEEK AHEAD

This week's highlights include games in the Premier League, EFL, National League, Women's National League and lots of other games featuring our local non-league and women's 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.
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 17 February

Professional Development League
Brentford v Ipswich Town @1pm - it's all about development football on Monday and we begin with this U21 game at lunchtime. The Bees play most of their games at this level at Staines Town's old ground of Wheatsheaf Park. When the Middlesex club, originally formed in Victorian times, stopped playing in 2022, the ground was left unused. Since then, Brentford have refurbished it and now use it for youth games. The London club will go top of Group South if they win this game. Tickets 

Premier League 2
Crystal Palace v Aston Villa @7pm - with the match above under your belt, you'll have more than enough time to get down to Sutton United's ground for this other U21 match in the evening. The PL2 is for higher-level academy sides than the PDL above so the quality should be a bit better. The Eagles should start as strong favourites as Villa are second bottom of this 26-team division. Tickets
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Tuesday 18 February

Professional Development League
Charlton Athletic v Millwall @1pm - Tuesday also affords you the chance to see two games in a day as we have another U21 fixture at lunchtime. This time it's a London derby and it's being played at Dartford's ground. As it stands, it's first against third but Brentford could well have knocked the Addicks off top spot by the time this begins. Tickets would appear to be £3 on the gate

National League
Barnet v York City @745pm -  one of the matches of the week takes place at The Hive where first plays second in the fifth tier. The title race has been a three-horse race between these two and Forest Green Rovers for a while now but FGR suffered a crucial defeat to Braintree on Saturday which left them five points adrift of the Bees. It's seven years since Barnet lost their EFL status and having made the play-offs for the last two years, things are looking good for them this time. York have been out of the EFL for a year longer than Barnet but have had a far more trying time as they've been down to the sixth tier and just beat relegation back there for the last two years - it's therefore somewhat of a surprise to see them challenging. York won the reverse fixture 3-1 so they know what it takes to beat the leaders. Tickets

National League South
Enfield Town v Eastbourne Borough @745pm - the Towners are enjoying a remarkable few weeks. Seemingly dead and buried and heading back to the Isthmian League, Gavin McPherson has galvanised his troops and sent them on a run which has seen them lose only one of their last eight matches. The 3-1 win at Chesham on Saturday finally lifted them out of the relegation zone in what must have been a huge moment for all involved. Now they just need to stay there. Next up are one of the promotion contenders who have lost two of their last three and need to win to make sure they stay in the leading group. Tickets 

CCL Premier North
Egham Town v Harefield United @745pm - the Sarnies are neck-and-neck with Amersham Town in the title race in this ninth-tier division. Currently two points behind the Buckinghamshire club, they have two games in hand so a win here would be really handy. The Hare are also in promotion contention too. They're sixth, with only goal difference keeping them out of the play-off places behind North Greenford United who play tonight too. I'm not certain of admission prices but they shouldn't exceed £10

CCL Division 1
Belstone v Penn & Tylers Green @745pm - two of the top four in this 10th-tier division face off on Tuesday. Currently fourth and third, neither are likely to claim the one automatic promotion place as Windsor & Eton are so far out in front. It's now all about making sure of their place in the top five and with a 10-point cushion over the club in sixth, it's already looking pretty secure for the visitors. Tickets are £8 on the gate

Southern Counties Women's Cup
Middlesex v Army @745pm - if women's football is more your thing or you want to support active service personnel then this could be for you. Joined by Essex, Kent and Jersey, these county FA representative sides take part in a round-robin competition. Middlesex are currently top with three wins from three and will retain the trophy if they win this game. The Middlesex side is made up of primarily of players from the women's fourth tier with clubs like Actonians, Ashford Town, London Bees and QPR providing the bulk of the squad. These games are usually played at Rectory Park but this time Harrow Borough play host and it's free to get in


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Wednesday 19 February

Isthmian League South Central
Kingstonian v Farnham Town @745pm - Grand Drive is the place to be for another one of our games of the week as the top two in this eighth-tier division do battle. With the K's only managing a draw with Hayes & Yeading on Saturday whilst top club Farnham were thrashing Southall, the gap between the two extended to six points. Although there are still 16 games to go, a defeat here for Kingstonian would make Farnham look pretty uncatchable. If they win then it's a very different story, especially when you consider the two will have to play again in April. Tickets are £10 on the gate

SCEFL Premier
Sutton Athletic v VCD Athletic @745pm - the hosts aren't getting much coverage on TLFG this season as they're just pottering along in midtable and look very unlikely to do anything or so I thought. Although way down in 14th, they're on an impressive eight game unbeaten run so maybe the 13-point gap they need to bridge to the play-offs isn't as impossible as it initially appeared. Anyway, this game is more about the visitors. Top for the opening weeks of the season, they saw themselves eventually caught by Faversham who remain leaders. However, the Vickers have two games in hand which if won would pull them level. Tickets are £8 on the gate

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Thursday 20 February

Development football
On Thursday there are a couple of U23 games in the Suburban League with Abbey Rangers and Molesey playing host - full details on the match map

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Friday 21 February

Premier League 2
Some more U21 football tops the bill on Friday night with Arsenal hosting Newcastle United at Boreham Wood, Chelsea entertaining Manchester United at Kingsmeadow and Fulham taking on Everton at Motspur Park. All kick-off at 7pm. Gunners games are usually free at this venue whilst the others will charge no more than £5

Essex Senior League
Woodford Town v Sawbridgeworth Town @745pm - the hosts are still second and in the hunt for the title. Four points behind Stanway and having played a game more, it's looking like a tough ask though. Here they face a side who sit one place above the relegation zone so they can't afford to drop any points here. Tickets are £7 on the gate

SCFL Premier
Lingfield v Haywards Heath Town @8pm - on Friday night we get another bit of bonus action in this ninth-tier division with the Lingers recently moving their home games to AFC Whyteleafe's stadium. Battling to avoid the drop, they need a win to stay ahead of the bottom clubs. HHT are second, though, and need the win to make sure they stay in the top five. Tickets are £8 on the gate
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Saturday 22 February

Premier League
Arsenal v West Ham United @3pm - with leaders Liverpool not playing until Sunday, the second-placed Gunners have the chance to cut the gap between them to five points. Given they're also second in the Premier League form table, then they should be expected to get the win here. The Hammers have only won one league game since new boss Graham Potter arrived last month and have conceded a total of 11 goals in their last two games against Arsenal, both of which were played at the London Stadium. They did, however, win 2-0 at the Emirates last season but they'll do well to get anything here. Tickets are only available to members
Fulham v Crystal Palace @3pm - back-to-back wins over Newcastle and Nottingham Forest have propelled the Cottagers into the top eight, with a place in Europe very much in sight. The Eagles are about as midtable as it's possible to be - 13 points adrift of the top six and 13 points clear of the  relegation zone. The west London club have had the better of this derby in recent years and are unbeaten in six against the club from the south side of town. Tickets appear to have sold out but contact the club directly for the latest

League One
Charlton Athletic v Exeter City @3pm - the Addicks' fine six-game unbeaten run came to an end at leaders Birmingham City last Saturday but it was only 1-0 and they shouldn't lose too much heart. It did, however, cost them their place in the top six as London rivals Leyton Orient managed a win over Lincoln before moving three points clear with a superb away victory at Wrexham on Tuesday. The Grecians are on a terrible run at the moment with last weekend's narrow win over bottom club Cambridge being their first in nine games. Although the Devon club are six points clear of the relegation zone, you'd still expect the hosts to win here. Tickets

League Two
Bromley v Harrogate Town @3pm - the Ravens' form has been undulating this season. After a bright start, they couldn't buy a win, then they really picked up, slumped again and now they've won two in a row. For a club who are totally new to this level after winning the National League play-off final on penalties, they're probably pretty happy to be 12th as we approach March. Yorkshire side Harrogate are a similar club in some ways, having only joined the fourth tier for the first time in 2020 after also coming through the play-offs. They have found this season far more of a struggle but crucially won their last game against Swindon to end a worrying run and leave them seven points clear of the relegation zone. Bromley won the reverse fixture 2-0 and have only lost to Harrogate once in their history. Tickets

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Oldham Athletic @3pm - of the three games taking place in the fifth tier, this is probably the biggest. It features a former League One club and one of the founder members of the Premier League. The Daggers' form has utterly deserted them over the last few weeks, with their last league win coming against bottom club Ebbsfleet United on New Year's Day. Now just four points above the relegation zone, the east London club badly need a victory soon. The Latics are one of the biggest clubs in this division and arrive in fourth. They were threatening to force their way into the three-horse race for the title but only one win from four has almost certainly ended their hopes of automatic promotion. Ten points clear of eighth, a play-off spot looks equally certain. Interestingly, Oldham have never lost a league game to Dagenham & Redbridge so it doesn't look great for the hosts. Tickets

National League South
Enfield Town v Tonbridge Angels @3pm - the Towners' recent purple patch came to a crashing end in midweek when they got thrashed 5-0 at home by promotion-chasing Eastbourne. Luckily for them, Welling lost to Dorking so they remain above the relegation zone. Midtable Tonbridge are in dreadful form and present a fantastic chance for Enfield to get back on track. Tickets

Southern League Premier South
Walton & Hersham v Tiverton Town @3pm - the Swans are the highest ranked seventh tier team in our area who are playing at home on Saturday. Fourth in this division, they're in cracking form and have a game in hand on Gloucester City who are just above them. Devon club Tiverton are in the relegation zone but with two wins from four, they're fighting back and are now only two points adrift of safety. They also won the reverse fixture 1-0 in November. Tickets

Isthmian League North
Walthamstow v Felixstowe & Walton United @3pm - of the four London clubs in this division, the 'Stow are making the most headway. Sixth and with games in hand on all of those above them, it's looking promising for the north-east London club. However, Tilbury and Witham Town are snapping at their heels so they can't afford many slip-ups if they want to secure a play-off place. On Saturday they welcome the leaders who are ahead of Bury Town only on goal difference so they badly need the points too - remember, only one team goes up automatically. Tickets are £10 on the gate

SCEFL Premier
Erith & Belvedere v Faversham Town @3pm - my MOTD in the ninth tier takes place at Park View Road. The Deres are down in 10th but that's partly down to the fact that they're having a great run in the FA Vase and have made it to the quarter-finals. With games in hand on most of the top five, they've still got a chance of making the post-season. They'll definitely be contenders if they win here as Faversham are top. Tickets are £8 on the gate

SCEFL Division 1
SOUL Tower Hamlets v Forest Hill Park @3pm - in the 10th tier, it's seventh versus second at the Mile End Stadium. With only five points separating fifth to 10th, the race for the last play-off place is looking really exciting. FHP have become transformed since their merger with SE Dons and the title looks like theirs to lose as they're level with leaders Canterbury but have five games in hand. Tickets are £7 on the gate 
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Sunday 23 February

Championship
Watford v Luton Town @12pm - although several London clubs are geographically closer to Vicarage Road, the Hatters are the Hornets' biggest derby rivals. Both sides are in stinking form at the moment with Watford the only one of the two to manage a win in the last six games. Luckily for them, the rest of the season has been pretty damn good so they're only three points shy of the play-off places. Luton, however, are rock bottom and well on course for a second consecutive relegation following their fall from the Premier League. Tickets are not available

FAWNL Division 1 South East
Actonians v London Bees @2pm - apart from the game above, it's all about women's football in the fourth tier and below on Sunday as it's an international break. At Rectory Park the teams in fifth and fourth will contest a match which will probably decide whether or not the A's can finish in the top four. Actonians had a superb start to the season and were top in November but AFC Wimbledon poached their star striker Dior Knorr and she hasn't been replaced. The goals have completely dried up and the Bees are one side to have benefited, moving past them for the first time in recent days. Dan McKimm's side will start as favourites having drawn with and beaten the A's in League and Cup in two previous meetings this season. Tickets are £5
QPR v Chatham Town @2pm - if Actonians and London Bees slip up at any point, then the R's look well positioned to nip in and grab a top-four place themselves. Currently sixth, they have two games in hand on these two. Here they take on title contenders Chatham who appear to be the team most likely to be able to stop Real Bedford from coming out on top. This is being played at Hayes & Yeading United and tickets are £5 on the gate

L&SE Women's League Premier
Fulham v Dartford @230pm - there's a huge game in the fifth tier which could go a long way to deciding who wins the title and gets the one promotion place. The Darts are currently 13 points ahead of the third-placed Cottagers but they have six games in hand. These two were pipped to the title by Dulwich Hamlet last season so they'll both want to make up for that disappointment. If Dartford win, the chances of them finishing first will improve significantly. This is being played at Motspur Park and tickets are £5

L&SE Women's League D1 North
Bromley v Clapton CFC @1pm - in the sixth tier, CCFC should take a sizeable following to Hayes Lane to cheer on their women against the current leaders. The Ravens might be top of the table for now but Brentford are only a point behind with two games in hand. Tickets are £7 on the gate or £5 if bought online in advance


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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Sunday, 9 February 2025

TLFG: 10-16 February 2025

Greetings one and all and welcome to this week's TLFG.

After enjoying a 1-0 win for Actonians last Sunday, they ended up on the wrong end of that scoreline in their big derby with QPR today.

To make it even more painful, the goal came in the 88th minute.

Still without a recognised striker since Dior Knorr left for AFC Wimbledon in November, goals have really dried up.

With other teams tripping over each other to pull clear at the top, the A's are still only three points behind leaders Chatham but the chances of winning the title are slim as they've played more games.

There's now less than six weeks to go 

If by some miracle a striker does come in, then who knows?

Next up is a trip to Chesham United on Thursday night, a match I'm hoping to get to.

I really liked Amy Lane when I last went but that was in the 1990s so there will probably have been a few changes.

If I do go, it could herald a busy few days of match watching as I've got about 10 days off work but I'm sure Her Indoors will have other ideas, therefore I don't want to jinx things by saying where.

The women's North London Derby between Arsenal and Spurs at the Emirates on Sunday does look tempting though and I'd really like to take my eldest daughter who's seen the Gunners a few times but never at their HQ.

With now less than six weeks to go, Non-League Day preparations have also continued relentlessly with the match finder now ready to go. 

OK, I think that's about it from me. I need to grab some food before heading to bed as I've got a 5am start for work.

THE WEEK AHEAD

This week's highlights include games in the Premier League, EFL, National League, Women's Super League and lots of other games featuring our local non-league and women's 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.
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 10 February

Premier League 2
Fulham v Middlesbrough @7pm - the Cottagers have one of the best U21 sides in the country. Currently second in this 26-team division, they'll go level with leaders Manchester City if they win this. Boro are in the bottom three so a home win looks highly likely. This is being played at the club's Motspur Park training ground. Tickets are usually around £3 but I haven't found any info yet, check on the day

Isthmian League South Central
Sutton Common Rovers v Uxbridge @745pm - there's an important game at Carshalton's ground which will affect proceedings at either end of this eighth-tier division. The hosts are fighting the drop and come into this just three points adrift of safety. The visiting Reds, on the other hand, will go some way to cementing their place in the top four if they take home the spoils. Tickets are £11 on the gate
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Tuesday 11 February

Championship
Watford v Leeds United @745pm - the Hornets suffered the heartbreak of conceding a late equaliser as they could only manage a 2-2 draw at high-flying Sunderland on Saturday. It's not going to get any easier here as Leeds are top and unbeaten in five games against the Hertfordshire club. They did, however, lose at home to Millwall in the FA Cup in their last game so there's some hope. Tickets

League One
Charlton Athletic v Peterborough United @745pm - the Addicks' push for a play-off place stayed on track on Saturday as they beat Stevenage 2-0 at The Valley. Now in the top six, they're looking really good but the table is tight. With the three teams below them all within three points, they can't slip up if they want to stay in the top group. Posh are often among the promotion chasers but they're just one place above the relegation zone. They do have a four-point cushion but Burton, just below them, are in cracking form and could quickly reel them in. Tickets
Leyton Orient v Mansfield Town @745pm - the O's did themselves and the third tier proud with their battling performance against Manchester City in the FA Cup which saw them lose 2-1. It's now time for them to get back to the business of trying to break into the play-off places. Three points behind Charlton with a game in hand, their chances look good. The Stags are in midtable and lost home and away to the London club last season and haven't won at Brisbane Road since 2016. Tickets

League Two
AFC Wimbledon v Crewe Alexandra @745pm - the Dons would've moved into the top four on Saturday but they could only draw 0-0 with struggling Accrington Stanley as two important points got away from them. Next up they face a Crewe side who are only a point behind them in this incredibly tight battle for promotion - only five points separate the teams in second and eighth. Amazingly, the last five games between these two have ended in draws and current form suggests it could be the same again. Tickets

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Woking @745pm - both of these sides are woefully out of form and starting to drift towards the fifth tier's relegation zone. Both have only managed one win in their last six games, something which has left the visiting Cards just three points above the bottom four. When the sides last met in August, it was the Surrey club who edged to a 1-0 win. Tickets

National League South
Enfield Town v Welling United @745pm - the Towners looked dead and buried until very recently but eight points from their last four games, including a huge win at fellow strugglers Aveley on Saturday, have given them a fighting chance of staying up. Sitting at the top of the relegation zone, they need to catch the visiting Wings who are just above them. There is still a five-point gap, but Enfield have a game in hand so a win here will make a huge difference to either team. Tickets

Southern League Premier South
Chertsey Town v Walton & Hersham @745pm - there are some great looking games in the seventh tier but if I were to pick one to go to it would be this derby in Surrey. The sides last met in August in front of a bumper bank-holiday crowd as the Swans won a thrilling game 3-2. With the Curfews just two points above the relegation zone and the visitors in the top five, there's plenty to play for so it should be well worth a couple of hours of your time. Tickets

Isthmian League South Central
Raynes Park Vale v Kingstonian @745pm - it's also derby day in the eighth tier where two clubs who groundshare do battle. Both sides were without a game on Saturday so should come into this relatively fresh. RPV changed managers a couple of weeks ago in a move which surprised many, with new boss Hayden Bird beginning his reign with a 0-0 draw at Metropolitan Police. In the top seven and chasing a play-off place, they should provide a decent challenge to the K's. The tenants have had a great season and are now only three points behind leaders Farnham Town so will move level with them if they triumph here. Tickets are £10 on the gate

Essex Senior League
Barking v Takeley @745pm - on the east side of town, we've got a top-six clash in this ninth-tier league. The hosts need a win to move into the play-off places whilst Takeley could end the night one point behind leaders Stanway Rovers if they come out on top. Tickets will be available on the gate for £10
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Wednesday 12 February

Professional Development League
Brentford v Watford @1pm - if you want to see two games on Wednesday, then get yourself over to Wheatsheaf Park in Staines for this early kick-off. The Bees are currently third in the 11-team Group South of this U21 competition and have the games in hand to go well clear at the top. The Hornets have games in hand too, which if won would put them second so it's kind of a top-of-the-table clash. Although advertised on Brentford's website, tickets aren't on sale which is unusual so check all the details before you travel

Isthmian League North
Sporting Bengal United v Gorleston @745pm - SBU got thumped 4-1 at title challengers Brentwood on Saturday to remain stuck in the bottom two. Four points adrift of safety, they do have games in hand on all the teams immediately above them, so they do have a chance. Here they play a side who face a long journey down from Norfolk. Although only in midtable, they've built a decent seven game unbeaten run and look like being tough opponents. Tickets will be available on the gate for around £10

FAWNL Southern Premier
AFC Wimbledon v Watford @745pm - there's a busy programme of midweek games in the Women's National League too with this match at Raynes Park Vale's ground topping the bill. The Dons suffered a surprise home defeat to struggling Plymouth on Sunday as the Devon club had a day to remember (their men's side beat Liverpool in the FA Cup too). Staying in the top six, they face a local-ish rival who moved into the top four with a win at Gwalia United in Wales. The sides have already played twice this season with Wimbledon winning the away league fixture 1-0 but losing at home on penalties in the Women's FA Cup. A draw looks the most likely outcome here. Tickets
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Thursday 13 February

FA Youth Cup Fifth Round
Watford v Tottenham Hotspur @7pm - in the country's most prestigious U18 competition, we've got an enticing looking derby at Vicarage Road. The Hornets have beaten Oxford United and Crewe Alexandra to get this far whilst Spurs have got past Middlesbrough and Grimsby Town. A home tie against Southampton awaits the winners in the quarter-finals. Tickets

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Friday 14 February

Championship
QPR v Derby County @8pm - what better way to spend Valentine's Day than an evening at Loftus Road with possibly a pre-match meal in Nando's on Uxbridge Road if you really want to treat your significant other. After a couple of disappointing losses to Sheffield Wednesday and Millwall, the R's bounced back with a over Blackburn Rovers. However, they then lost at Coventry on Tuesday to stay 13th but slipped six points adrift of the play-off places in an incredibly congested table. The Rams, on the other hand, are just above the relegation zone following a shocking run which has seen them win only one of their last 11 games. Tickets

Premier League 2
If you don't want to spend somewhere in the region of £30+ to watch a second-tier game, then maybe some U21 football would be more to your liking. There are two games in the capital on Friday night with Arsenal hosting Middlesbrough at Boreham Wood and West Ham United entertaining Blackburn Rovers at Rush Green. Both kick-off at 7pm. Gunners games are usually free at this venue whilst the Hammers usually charge £5

ECL Division 1 South
Barkingside v Basildon Town @745pm - the best non-league option of the night takes place at Cricklefields which is near Ilford in east London. The 'Side continue to fight the drop from this 10th-tier division. Sitting just one point above the relegation zone but having played more games than the three below them, things are looking perilous. Basildon are eighth and have an outside chance of the play-offs so they badly need a win too if they're serious about going up. Tickets will be available on the gate for around £7/8
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Saturday 15 February

Premier League
Fulham v Nottingham Forest @3pm - two of the division's biggest success stories meet at Craven Cottage on Saturday. For the last few years, Fulham were the yo-yo club who kept bouncing between the Premier League and the Championship. Since Marco Silva took charge, that's all changed and they're becoming a solid fixture at this level. Up to ninth and through to the last 16 of the FA Cup, it's been a good season. Forest's campaign has been even more remarkable under Nuno Espirito Santo. Among the strugglers since rejoining the top flight, they're now in the top three and have taken four points off leaders Liverpool in the process. The Cottagers have won four of their last five against Forest and are one of only two teams to have beaten them at the City Ground this season. Tickets
West Ham United v Brentford @3pm - on the opposite side of town we have this derby at the London Stadium. Since Graham Potter took over at the Hammers a month ago, he's presided over just one win from the four league games they've played. Now in the bottom five, they thankfully have a 10-point cushion between themselves and the bottom three, meaning things aren't quite as bad as they first appear. In terms of attendance, the Bees are the second smallest club in the Premier League but a win here could take them into the top half. Since joining the Premier League in 2021, they've won on two of their three visits to east London and current form suggests another one wouldn't be out of the question. Tickets
Crystal Palace v Everton @530pm - in the late game we have what appears to be a rather non-descript game. I say that as it features two midtable teams who seem to have done enough to avoid the drop and are way off the European places. It is these sort of games that can produce great entertainment, though, as the pressure to win is not as great - the TV schedulers obviously saw something in it. It should be noted that both clubs were in a much worse position not that long ago, with the recent re-appointment of David Moyes really changing the Toffees' fortunes in particular. A look at the head-to-head reveals Everton to be a bit of bogey team for the Eagles with the Merseyside club unbeaten in eight in all competitions against the Selhurst Park side. Tickets are only available to members

Championship
Millwall v West Bromwich Albion @3pm - the Lions' mini-revival came crashing down in Devon on Wednesday when they were thrashed 5-1 by FA Cup giantkillers Plymouth Argyle. Now 14th and seven points adrift of the play-offs, it's going to require a really consistent run of positive results to get back in contention for the top six. The Baggies are sixth so are exactly the type of team they need to beat to be seen as serious contenders. The omens are good for the hosts, however, as they're unbeaten in seven against the West Midlands club. Tickets

League One
Leyton Orient v Lincoln City @3pm - the O's are one of the most exciting sides in London right now. In great form, they're seventh in the third tier and gave Manchester City a huge scare in the FA Cup last weekend. The Imps are stuck in the midtable doldrums with 10 wins, 10 draws and 10 defeats from their 30 games so they're capable of pretty much anything on their day. They also have a great recent record against Orient and beat them in the reverse fixture in October. It should be a home win but it could be closer than some expect. Tickets

League Two
AFC Wimbledon v Salford City @1230pm - things are looking even better for the Dons in the fourth tier. The south London club are now up to fourth after their midweek win over Crewe and a victory here could put them second. Standing in the way are one of their promotion rivals. Former non-league side Salford have climbed the divisions after being famously backed by a consortium which included Manchester United legends Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Paul Scholes. With only one win in six, their form has dipped in recent weeks but there can be no room for complacency. Tickets
Bromley v Fleetwood Town @3pm - these clubs had very contrasting 2023/24 seasons with Bromley winning promotion from the National League and Fleetwood getting relegated from League One. They're now neck-and-neck and only a point apart in midtable. They met for the first time in a league game in October and it ended 0-0, it could well be a draw again. Tickets

National League
Barnet v Solihull Moors @3pm - the Bees are top of the table and top of the form table but they still haven't been able to shake off Forest Green Rovers and York City in the race for automatic promotion. Solihull made the play-off final last year but lost to Bromley on penalties. Sitting four points below the play-off places, they still have work to do if they want to make the post-season again. Tickets

National League South
Boreham Wood v Eastbourne Borough @3pm - there's a great selection of games in the sixth tier but if I were to pick one it would be this. Featuring two of the top five in what is an incredibly tight promotion battle, these two will hopefully put on a good show. The hosts' form has deserted them in recent weeks with four defeats from their last five but they're still very much in contention. While they've been slipping up, Sussex club Eastbourne have been picking up the points and they're now three ahead of The Wood. With leaders Dorking Wanderers strong favourites to win at struggling Welling United, both these sides need to win to stay in touch or the Surrey club could start pulling away. Tickets

Isthmian League Premier Division
Hendon v Dartford @3pm - the Greens moved back to the Isthmian Premier from the parallel Southern Premier South for this season, something which will have saved them a small fortune on travel expenses. Sadly, the playing side has gone badly wrong. With popular manager Lee Allinson leaving for Hemel Hempstead towards the end of 2024, he was replaced by Harrow Borough's Ben Bukowski. He took over a month ago, they've yet to win and look destined for the drop. Here they welcome the league leaders, so it isn't going to get any easier. In 2012/13, the Darts reached the heady heights of eighth in the fifth tier but they've gone steadily downhill ever since. There have been seasons where they made the play-offs in the sixth tier but failed and now after a second relegation they find themselves in the seventh tier. Only one point ahead of Billericay, they can't afford many slip ups. Tickets are £12 on the gate

Isthmian League South Central
Kingstonian v Hayes & Yeading United @3pm - in the eighth tier there's a top-six clash at Grand Drive. The K's have now played the same amount of games as big-spending divisional leaders Farnham Town and are four points behind, making them the only realistic title challengers at this point. The two meet on Tuesday for one of the biggest games of next week. If they can win here against a much-improved Hayes side then they could reduce the gap to just a point but that's assuming Farnham lose to midtable Southall. Tickets are £10 on the gate

CCL Premier North
North Greenford United v Bedfont Sports @3pm - in the ninth tier, two of the top five meet at Berkeley Fields. NGU had a great run in the FA Vase last season which probably impacted on their promotion challenge as they finished eighth. Now out of that competition, they're fifth and have games in hand on all those above them. The visitors are third and it's probably fair to say that's as high as they're likely to go as Amersham and Egham battle it out for the title. Tickets are £8 on the gate

CCL Premier South
Chipstead v AFC Whyteleafe @3pm - I wouldn't normally recommend two games at this level but this local derby definitely deserves a mention. The Chips suffered relegation from the Isthmian League last year and have found it tough to adjust to life in the ninth tier. In the lower reaches of the division, they should be safe but a few more points would make sure of it. The Leafe are having a great time. Currently second and through to the quarter-finals of the FA Vase, they've been drawing some decent crowds. An away win looks likely but the derby vibe might sway things. Tickets are £10 on the gate

SCEFL Division 1
Croydon v SOUL Tower Hamlets @3pm - the Trams have made a concerted effort to market their club and engage with their local community this season. It's a tactic that seems to have worked as they sit third in the division's attendance charts. It's going well on the pitch too with only goal difference keeping them out of the play-off places. The side keeping them out are SOUL Tower Hamlets so there's quite a bit riding on this match. Being billed as 'Super Saturday' by the club, an effort is being made to woo fans heading to the Crystal Palace v Everton game at 530pm which is just down the road. If you have a ticket for that, you'll get into this for just £2.50, everyone else pays £5
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Sunday 16 February

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United @430pm - for fans of these clubs, this season must have felt a bit like living in a parallel universe or some kind of nightmare. Two of the biggest sides in the country, indeed the world, would normally expect to be fighting it out for a European place at the very least. As of February 2025, both are closer to the relegation zone than the top six and are having seasons to forget. True, they could both still win cups but in the league it has been a disaster. Although Spurs are two points and one place below United, they do have some hope. I was quite surprised to find that they're unbeaten in five against the Red Devils and have already beaten them twice this season in the league and cup, scoring seven in the process. Despite this, it would take a brave soul to predict how this will turn out. Tickets are only available to members but hospitality packages are available from £449 per person

Women's Super League
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur @1230pm - it looks set to be an incredibly busy afternoon in north London with the women's NLD happening at lunchtime too. Although the Emirates hasn't quite sold out, I've seen statements from the club indicating at least 50,000 could be heading that way. As for the game itself, the main thing of note seems to be the second debut of England star Chloe Kelly who signed for Arsenal on loan from Manchester City on transfer deadline day. The winger played for the Gunners until 2018 so it's a kind of homecoming for her. Although Tottenham are a top-six side, they'll start as considerable underdogs and will probably be delighted with a draw. Tickets

Isthmian League Premier
Hashtag United v Folkestone Invicta @3pm - if you'd prefer a men's non-league game then we've got two games which is unusual for a Sunday. First up is this seventh-tier match on the far east side of town at Aveley's stadium. The Tags are eighth, just one place and three points above their Kentish opponents. Although only three places below the play-off teams, they've got a nine-point gap to make up. Tickets are £12 on the gate and you'll be allowed to stay on for the women's cup match against Barking which begins at 6pm

Isthmian League South Central
Ashford Town (Middlesex) v South Park Reigate @3pm - in the other game, there's a relegation six-pointer as the teams in 21st and 18th meet for three vital points at Cobham's ground, which is Ashford's temporary home. The visitors actually won their last match, against Hanworth Villa, which was something of an upset so they're in better form. Tickets are £10 on the gate


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