TLFG: 30 June - 6 July 2014

Hello there and welcome back to TLFG after our close-season break.

A lot has happened in the seven weeks we've been away, not least QPR's triumphant play-off campaign which culminated in that dramatic last-minute Bobby Zamora winner at Wembley just over a month ago.

That was possibly the best moment I have personally experienced in my 30 years of following the R's. Promotions, great victories and wonderful goals all feature but this topped the lot because it came completely against the run of play, at the death against a Derby side who were totally dominating the game. 

When things look so totally hopeless and your team manage to pull a winner out of the bag in such a high stakes game, it's almost miraculous - not many fans will experience that. Suffice to say I went completely mental and could feel my heart pounding and the blood coursing through my veins in a way I never had before. Let's just hope we make a better job of staying up than we did last time!

Elsewhere there have also been highs after big lows for several other local clubs as Dartford, Hayes & Yeading United and Wingate & Finchley all enjoyed reprieves from relegation after other clubs ran into financial trouble. 

Sadly Leyton Orient didn't join Brentford in the Championship after letting a 2-0 lead slip against Rotherham in the League One play-off final at Wembley, eventually losing on penalties.

So what we hope will be another exciting season is now beginning. A couple of really early pre-season games have already taken place and there are a few more this week for which there's a map below.

This is one of the most fun times of year as teams who would never normally face each other actually do. Weird and wonderful match-ups are produced, strange and alien venues are sometimes used and never to be seen again triallists appear and then vanish as quickly as they emerged.

Enjoy the next few weeks and if you fancy turning semi-professional yourself now is the time. Most non-league clubs hold open trials at this time of year so if you think you're good enough to make a few quid out of the game then have a look at their websites and see who's recruiting.

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 within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

Please follow this link or click on the tab at the top of the page for all the information you need about how to get a ticket, what's currently available to non-members at London's biggest clubs and any other special offers or promotions which might be running.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are only around 15 matches in the London area over the next seven days as we are gently reintroduced to the possibility of watching live football in the capital. In my opinion there is only really one stand-out game that I would recommend and that sees Conference South side Bromley host League Two's Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday. It is listed as a full first team game on the Daggers' website so give it a go.

In case of bad weather, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following match map. If you've never used it 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 left side of the map page to make sure you get all the information.

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 (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MATCH MAP

Purple pin - Thursday fixtures

Magenta pin - Friday fixtures
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures

View London match map 30 June - 6 July 2014 in a larger map 

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or email.

TLFG: 12-31 May 2014

Hello there and welcome to the last edition of TLFG for the season.

I can't believe it's that time again already but here we are. As I write this the final round of Premier League games has just got under way and there's little at stake for most London clubs with none in contention for the title or battling to avoid the drop.

Below this we're well into the Football League's play-off season with the first legs of all the semi-finals (bar York v Fleetwood) having been completed.

QPR and Leyton Orient, the two London clubs involved, managed to draw their away legs at Wigan and Peterborough to put them in a decent position ahead of the second legs this week.

Personally I'm off to the QPR v Wigan game on Monday. The last time Rangers made the play-offs in 2003 I actively avoided going because I simply couldn't take the tension. On this occasion my attitude has completely changed and I'm not sure why.

Maybe it's because I'm that much older, wiser and a bit more jaded. Maybe it's because our last spell in the Premier League was such a joke. Don't get me wrong, I'll be overjoyed if we make it up but if we don't I won't be devastated - in all honesty, we are a Championship club while someone like Derby or Brighton are probably better set to sustain top-flight football.

Anyway back to the blog. This edition covers everything for the rest of May as there really isn't that much on. To bulk things up, it has become the trend at this time of year to also include some Step 7/Level 11 football from the Middlesex County and Essex Olympian Leagues. I've also added a few matches from the FA Women's Super League. Beware though, games at Step 7/Level 11 can move or have kick-off times changed and confirming such info is often tricky. There are also a few friendlies, testimonials and charity games.

Also, despite the match being played just outside the M25, I received a request from the Amateur FA asking to help them promote the title deciding match in the Southern Amateur League between Winchmore Hill and Old Wilsonians. It's being played in Potters Bar and it's free to get in so if you're in north London on Tuesday evening, this could be one for you.

Anyway that's it from me for the summer, enjoy your World Cup and hope to see you back here again in July when the pre-season friendlies get going.

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 within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

Please follow this link or click on the tab at the top of the page for all the information you need about how to get a ticket, what's currently available to non-members at London's biggest clubs and any other special offers or promotions which might be running.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are only around 30 matches in the London area over the remainder of the month as the season winds down for the summer.

However, in case of bad weather, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following match map. If you've never used it 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 left side of the map page to make sure you get all the information.

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 (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MATCH MAP 12-18 MAY

Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures

Magenta pin - Friday fixtures
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures

View London match map 12-18 May 2014 in a larger map

MATCH MAP 19-31 MAY
Turquoise pin - Wednesday 21 May fixtures
Blue pin - Saturday 24 May fixtures
Red pin - Sunday 25 May fixtures
Yellow pin - Monday 26 May fixtures
Green pin - Wednesday 28 May fixtures
Magenta pin - Friday 30 May fixtures
Purple pin - Saturday 31 May fixtures


View London match map 19-31 May 2014 in a larger map

Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list a few games which I think could be worth a watch. If I miss one that you think should get a mention then add your own in the comments section below.

TLFG TOP 10

Monday 12 May

Queens Park Rangers v Wigan Athletic - the week gets off to a great start with this Championship semi-final second leg. The two sides played out a 0-0 draw at the DW Stadium in the first leg on Friday meaning it's all to play for at Loftus Road. The league match between the two about six weeks ago saw Rangers edge to a 1-0 win although Rob Green was in great form in goal to ensure that scoreline. It's likely to be tight again. The match has sold out.

Tuesday 13 May

Leyton Orient v Peterborough United - the following night we've got the second leg of the League One play-off semi-final. The first leg ended 1-1 so again there's all to play for at Brisbane Road. The previous time these sides played at the Matchroom Stadium back in February, Posh won 2-1. There were only 400 tickets left on Friday so they've probably gone by now but check with the club to be sure.

Saturday 17 May

FA Cup final - this year's Wembley showpiece pits Arsenal against Hull City. Famously, the Gunners haven't won a trophy since 2005 when they won the FA Cup on penalties against Manchester United. Apart from promotions, Hull have never won any of the major trophies so they will start as underdogs. However, they will have absolutely nothing to lose and will face an Arsenal side under enormous pressure to win. History doesn't bode well for the Tigers though who have lost 10 of their last 11 games against the north London club. 

Sunday 18 May

Conference Premier play-off final - the following day at the national stadium, Cambridge United face Gateshead for a place in the Football League. The U's haven't played in the fourth tier since 2005 while the Tynesiders haven't been there since 1960. Matches between these two are usually pretty close with both recording a win against each other during the regular season. Ticket info

Saturday 24 May

Championship play-off final - at this stage we don't know who will be there but this is one of the biggest matches of the season worldwide in terms of the 'prize money' that's at stake. A place in the Premier League is worth tens of millions of pounds so there's plenty at stake. Tickets are usually hard to come by for non-members but this might not be the case if Wigan make it so check with the clubs later this week for more info. UPDATE 13/5/14 - we now know that Derby County will play Queens Park Rangers

Sunday 25 May

League One play-off final - as above we don't know who will contest this match but tickets might be a little easier to come by so check with the clubs. UPDATE 18/5/14 - Leyton Orient will play Rotherham United

Monday 26 May

League Two play-off final - as above we don't know who will contest this match but tickets might be a little easier to come by so check with the clubs. Update 18/5/14 - Burton Albion will play Fleetwood Town

Wednesday 28 May

Nigeria v Scotland - the first of two attractive World Cup warm-up games taking place at Fulham's Craven Cottage. Nigeria, the reigning African champions, are going to Brazil to contest a group consisting of Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iran so will feel at least a second-placed finish is possible. Scotland didn't make it and lost their last meeting 2-1 back in 2002. Ticket info

Friday 30 May

England v Peru - it's also World Cup warm-up time at Wembley where the Three Lions play their final game on home soil before heading off to Miami for a couple more games. This is the first time England have hosted Peru and would hope to win against a side who finished seventh out of nine in the South American qualifiers which are played out in a league format. Unsurprisingly tickets are still available. Ticket info

Saturday 31 May

Italy v Ireland - last up this season we've got a very interesting looking friendly at Craven Cottage. Italy are of course going to Brazil and will be in England's qualifying group. Sadly Ireland aren't but they usually given Italy a good game. They've played four times over the last five years and have only lost one of them. A balmy evening next to the Thames, a lively crowd and some decent football - it could be a fine way to end a season of football watching. Ticket info

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or email.

TLFG: 5-11 May 2014

Hello there and welcome to TLFG, it's great to have you here.

Another week has gone by and a load more has happened with most notably the Football League's regular season coming to an end.

Generally it's been an okay year for London's eight clubs at this level. One has definitely been promoted, two more are in the play-offs and all the others avoided relegation.

In the Premier League though, it wasn't so good for Fulham. They've struggled all season and although they had a chance of staying up, they got thrashed 4-1 at Stoke on Saturday to see their 13-year stay in the top flight come to an end with a game to spare.

It will be very interesting to see how they fare in the Championship and what impact it will have on their attendances. It's been the view of many outsiders that Fulham's core support is actually quite small with their crowds often boosted by tourists and neutrals looking to see some Premier League action. The Cottagers' away following is often noticeably lacking for a club at that level so with the big opponents no longer coming to town, they may struggle to get people through the gate.

In the Conference South it was a very disappointing week for our two local sides. Bromley and Sutton United both made it to the play-offs but both lost convincingly over two legs to Ebbsfleet and Dover respectively.

The Isthmian League play-offs also took place. These games only feature one leg with the team finishing highest getting home advantage. Two clubs from the TLFG catchment area qualified and they played each other in one of the Premier Division games. Kingstonian were runners-up this year but came unstuck against AFC Hornchurch who will now travel to Lowestoft Town for the final on Monday. Come on you Urchins!

Below this there are still a few leagues to end and trophies to be won. Have a good look through this week's match map to see what tickles your fancy.

That's it from me. Don't forget, you can get all the latest ticket information for our local clubs and other big games taking place in the capital on the 'Match Ticket Info' page .

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 within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

Please follow this link or click on the tab at the top of the page for all the information you need about how to get a ticket, what's currently available to non-members at London's biggest clubs and any other special offers or promotions which might be running.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are only just over 20 matches in the London area over the next seven days as the season winds down for the summer.

However, in case of bad weather, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following match map. If you've never used it 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 left side of the map page to make sure you get all the information.

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 (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MATCH MAP 5-11 MAY

Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures

Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures

View London match map 5-11 May 2014 in a larger map

Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list a few games which I think could be worth a watch. Normally I do a top 10 but there are so few games this week that I've reduced it to five. If I miss one that you think should get a mention then add your own in the comments section below.

TLFG TOP 5

1. Crystal Palace v Liverpool - the week begins with an important game at Selhurst Park. The result here will have a huge bearing on who ultimately wins the Premier League. The Eagles, of course, are in midtable with nothing to play for but the Reds are joint top with Manchester City and must win to keep their hopes of glory alive. Liverpool are of course the favourites but Palace are more than capable of giving them an uncomfortable evening and have beaten them on their last two visits.  (Premier League, Monday 5 May, 8pm. Ticket info)

2. Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa - up at White Hart Lane on the final day of the season we have this game between sides at pretty much mirror opposite ends of the table. Effectively, because of goal difference, neither have much to play for unless teams near them receive the biggest thrashings in Premier League history. Spurs need a point to guarantee sixth while Villa should be sure of at least 17th, avoiding the drop, but could even make it to 11th. The visitors' record against Spurs over the last two seasons in all competitions, though, is abysmal having played four, lost four, scored none and conceded 12!  (Premier League, Sunday 11 May, 3pm. Ticket info)

3. FA Vase final - the third of the three showpiece FA finals takes place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday. The FA Cup is for most clubs in the top 10 levels of the game, the FA Trophy is reserved for those at levels 5-8 and the FA Vase for those at levels nine and 10. This year's final is between Sholing from Hampshire and West Auckland Town from County Durham. Over the last five years, clubs from the north-east have dominated this competition so West Auckland will start as favourites. They also have recent experience having made the final two years ago. On that occasion they lost to Dunston UTS so will hope to go one better. This is a great chance to see a game at Wembley and with little else on in London that day I suggest you get down there. (FA Vase final, Saturday 10 May, 3pm. Ticket info)

4. FA Youth Cup final second leg - there's also silverware at stake at Stamford Bridge on Monday where Chelsea entertain near neighbours Fulham. Unlike the senior team, the Cottagers' U18 side are one of the best in the country and consequently take a 3-2 first leg aggregate lead into this one. The unfortunate thing about this game is that tickets are cheap and readily available but the deadline for buying them has now passed with none available on the day. (FA Youth Cup final second leg, Monday 5 May, 745pm. Ticket info)

5. London Senior Cup final - given that this blog is about London football I had to highlight this game. This season's final is between Metropolitan Police and AFC Wimbledon. The Met play in the Isthmian Premier some three divisions below the League Two Dons but have home advantage. Wimbledon will probably only field a development side but some first teamers could be included given their season has finished. These two also contested the final four years ago and we got a cracker with the Met prevailing on penalties after a 4-4 draw! (London Senior Cup final, Tuesday 6 May, 730pm. Ticket info)

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or email.

TLFG: 28 April - 4 May 2014

Hi there and welcome to the latest edition of TLFG.

I'm writing this from deep in the West Country on the Somerset/Devon border. I'm visiting relatives and being at a fairly remote location and being without a car I've not been able to see any football.

Instead I joined my Dad at a local stamp auction on Saturday - quite an experience and a great intro to the world of hardcore philately. He parted with over £400 to boost his Caymen Islands collection with four or five purchases in a what seemed like a matter of seconds. Hundreds of thousands must have changed hands over the course of the afternoon in what was a very provincial location. Stamp collectors don't have the coolest reputation but they're probably all multimillionaires!

Today wasn't quite as eye-opening but I did manage a 5km run up and down the challenging country lanes in this area. If I haven't mentioned it before, I'm trying to run 1,000km this year which isn't that much but is hard to squeeze in when you have a tight schedule.

Enough about my thrilling life, it's been another big week for London clubs. Although nothing's been decided in the Premier League yet, QPR have secured fourth spot and home advantage in the second leg of the Championship play-off semi-finals. There are also play-off spots in the Conference South for Sutton United and Bromley while Kingstonian and AFC Hornchurch will face each other in the Isthmian League Premier Division play-offs. VCD Athletic won the Isthmian League Division 1 North title and Sun Postal Sports also clinched the Spartan South Midlands League Division 1 title so congratulations to them.

Elsewhere in the Isthmian League it wasn't all good news for London clubs. In the Premier Division, all four relegation places were filled by some of our local clubs. Cray Wanderers and Carshalton Athletic went a little while back but Thamesmead Town and Wingate & Finchley had a chance to survive going into the final day. They both managed fine victories but so did Enfield Town and East Thurrock United who were just above them. Thamesmead's chances were always slim but Wingate put on their performance of the season to beat Billericay 5-0 but still got relegated on goal difference. Truly gutting for all involved. In the division below, Waltham Forest and Erith & Belvedere both finished in the bottom three so they'll be off to pastures new next season.

This week's fixtures are greatly reduced in number given the end of several leagues' seasons but that means the games that are on are likely to be quite significant. There's also the chance of doing a groundhop double on Saturday thanks to the Middlesex FA pushing back their Senior Cup final by an hour to 4pm to allow people specifically from the early kick-off at Watford v Huddersfield to attend. You could also make it over to Wealdstone's ground for the game if you're going to Millwall v Bournemouth and at a push you might even be able to make it from West Ham v Spurs. As a result of engineering work on the Tube, the Central Line won't be serving Ruislip Gardens so make sure you take the Metropolitan or Piccadilly lines to Ruislip if you plan to travel to this game by Underground.

That's it from me. Don't forget, you can get all the latest ticket information for our local clubs and other big games taking place in the capital on the 'Match Ticket Info' page .

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 within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

Please follow this link or click on the tab at the top of the page for all the information you need about how to get a ticket, what's currently available to non-members at London's biggest clubs and any other special offers or promotions which might be running.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 40 matches in the London area over the next seven days so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

However, in case of bad weather, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following match map. If you've never used it 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 left side of the map page to make sure you get all the information.

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 (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MATCH MAP 28 APRIL-4 MAY

Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures

Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures

View London match map 28 April - 4 May 2014 in a larger map

Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list a few games which I think could be worth a watch. If I miss one that you think should get a mention then add your own in the comments section below.

TLFG TOP 10

1. Chelsea v Atletico Madrid -  matches don't get much bigger than a Champions League semi-final second leg. Jose Mourinho, as usual, played a good tactical game in Spain in the first leg and earned a useful 0-0 draw. However, without an away goal, this match is about as wide open as it can get. The Blues are set to be missing several key players with injuries and suspension but still have a great chance of making it to Lisbon for the final. (Champions League, Wednesday 30 April, 745pm. Ticket info)

2. West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur - on Saturday we've got a nice juicy London derby to look forward to. The Hammers have lost four in a row meaning defeat in this could leave them only two points above the relegation zone with one game to go. Spurs, on the other hand, could mathematically (at the time of writing) still finish in the top four but pipping Everton for fifth is a more realistic target. Plenty to play for. (Premier League, Saturday 3 May, 1245pm. Ticket info)

3. Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion - if Spurs are to break into the top four then big rivals Arsenal will need to slip up quite spectacularly in their remaining fixtures. They play midtable Newcastle on Monday and if they win then fourth spot will be theirs. If they don't then they could still be caught and a West Brom side still needing points to avoid the drop could be awkward opponents. (Premier League, Sunday 4 May, 130pm. Ticket info)

4. Charlton Athletic v Watford - this game on Tuesday night is pretty massive for the Addicks. If they win and Birmingham don't defeat play-off chasing Wigan then they will beat the drop and remain in the Championship for another season. In Watford they face a team who don't need the points but one they've only beaten once in their last 10 meetings. It could be a nervy night at The Valley. (Championship, Tuesday 29 April, 745pm. Ticket info)

5. Millwall v AFC Bournemouth - until Saturday afternoon it looked as if this match was going to be huge for both clubs. Sadly for the visitors, results went against them and the play-offs are now beyond them. The Lions got a useful point at QPR meaning that they'll start this game at least one point and one place above the bottom three. Therefore although they should go all out to win, a draw or even loss could still be enough to secure their place in the division. (Championship, Saturday 3 May, 1215pm. Ticket info)

6. Sutton United v Dover Athletic - outside the Football League it's play-off time in many leagues including the Conference South. Sutton booked their spot a while back but only secured second place ahead of Bromley on the final day of the season with a draw at Whitehawk. They now face Dover, over two legs, after the Kent side beat Hayes & Yeading to relegate them and squeeze Havant & Waterlooville out of the top five. The first leg takes place on Wednesday before the sides return to Gander Green Lane for the decisive second leg on Saturday. (Conference South play-off semi-final second leg, Saturday 3 May, 3pm. Ticket info)

7. Bromley v Ebbsfleet United - as already mentioned, Bromley are in the other semi-final. The Lilywhites were miles ahead at one point of the season but imploded in March and let Eastleigh and Sutton catch up and pass them. Thankfully they've got this second chance and have returned to form with 10 points from their last four games. Ebbsfleet's form isn't quite as good but a thumping 4-0 win over bottom club Dorchester in their final game will raise morale ahead of these crucial games. (Conference South, Saturday 3 May, 3pm. Ticket info)

8. Kingstonian v AFC Hornchurch - in the Isthmian League it's play-off semi-final time too. The difference in this league is that there's only one leg with the higher placed team getting home advantage - a good system if you ask me. The K's finished runners-up after drawing at Dulwich, denying the Champion Hill club a play-off place in front of a bumper crowd of 1,388. The Urchins claimed the all important fifth place after edging to a 1-0 win over Metropolitan Police. Both games during the regular season ended in draws so this could go all the way to penalties. (Isthmian League Premier Division, Wednesday 30 April, 745pm. Ticket info)

9. Wealdstone v Hampton & Richmond Borough - it's almost two weeks since the Stones finally wrapped up the Isthmian League title and results have wavered a bit as they've taken their feet off the gas. With all their league commitments fulfilled, they have the Middlesex Senior Cup final to look forward to. Hampton have had an average season and with the match being played at Wealdstone's ground they will start very much as second favourites. However, this might well make them the hungrier of the two sides. They will also take heart from the fact that they won 3-1 on their last visit to Grosvenor Vale in December. (Middlesex Senior Cup final, Saturday 3 May, 4pm. Ticket info)

10. Fulham v Chelsea - right at the start of the week we've got the first leg of the FA Youth Cup final at Craven Cottage. This is a great chance to see some of the potential stars of the future in what is also a big west London derby. Tickets are only £5 for adults and will be available on the gate. (FA Youth Cup final final first leg, Monday 28 April, 745pm. Ticket info)

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or email.

TLFG: 22-27 April 2014

Hi there one and all and welcome to TLFG.

I hope you had a great Easter and crammed in as much football as you could. I worked all weekend meaning all I got to see was a few seconds of Corinthian Casuals v Peacehaven & Telscombe and Worcester Park v Cobham as I passed on trains.

It was a big week for some of our clubs as Brentford sealed promotion to the Championship, Wealdstone won the Isthmian League, Whyteleafe sealed top spot in the Southern Counties East League, Hanwell Town took the honours in the Spartan South Midlands League and Spelthorne Sports claimed the Combined Counties Division 1 crown.

Over the next week several more clubs could achieve promotion, earn a play-off spot or avoid relegation/be relegated. Most of the key games are in the Top 10 below, make sure you try and get to one of them.

Here at TLFG we like to help clubs promote special offers and events. Over the last few weeks a number of our local clubs have successfully run free entry or pay what you want schemes. The next to try it out in two weeks time are Ryman League club Corinthian Casuals who are hosting a Family Fun Day on Saturday 26 April. Good luck to them.

In south-west London on 26 April? Give this a go

Don't forget, you can get all the latest ticket information for our local clubs and other big games taking place in the capital on the 'Match Ticket Info' page .

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 within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

Please follow this link or click on the tab at the top of the page for all the information you need about how to get a ticket, what's currently available to non-members at London's biggest clubs and any other special offers or promotions which might be running.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 70 matches in the London area over the next six days so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

However, in case of bad weather, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following match map. If you've never used it 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 left side of the map page to make sure you get all the information.

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 (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MATCH MAP 22-27 APRIL

Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures

Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures

View London match map 22-27 April 2014 in a larger map

Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list a few games which I think could be worth a watch. If I miss one that you think should get a mention then add your own in the comments section below.

TLFG TOP 10

1. Crystal Palace v Manchester City -  the Eagles have had a great first season in the top flight and will have absolutely nothing to lose as they host City. The visitors have to win to keep their title hopes alive. It could be an uncomfortable afternoon for the multimillionaires. (Premier League, Sunday 27 April, 410pm. Ticket info)

2. Fulham v Hull City - a huge game at the wrong end of the table. Hull have made it to the FA Cup final but they're still catchable by the bottom three of whom the Cottagers are one. Fulham are in marginally better form and have home advantage - could they really survive for another year? (Premier League, Saturday 26 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

3. Queens Park Rangers v Millwall - a London derby which affects both ends of the table. Rangers have sealed a play-off spot but whether they get home advantage in the semi-final second leg will require them to finish at least fourth so they'll want to get something from this. A win for the Lions could see them avoid the drop while defeat could dump them into the bottom three. The last couple of games between these two in Shepherd's Bush have seen ugly scenes off the field both before, during and after the game so it will probably be lively. (Championship, Saturday 26 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

4. Leyton Orient v Tranmere Rovers - in the division below, the O's have also claimed a play-off spot but will still want to finish as high as possible. Like Millwall, Tranmere are also desperate for points at the other end and could also stay up with a win so it's pretty much a carbon copy of the game above but without the crosstown rivalry. (League One, Saturday 26 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

5. Dulwich Hamlet v Kingstonian - it's the final day of the Isthmian League season on Saturday and there's still plenty to play for. The league title has been claimed and two of the four Premier Division play-off spots have been taken. The K's have taken one of them while Dulwich will also get one if they win this. Anything less could well see them miss out. (Isthmian League Premier Division, Saturday 26 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

6. AFC Hornchurch v Metropolitan Police - one side that could capitalise are the Urchins who slipped out of the top five today (Monday) after only managing a draw at Canvey Island. Met Police are in lower midtable and have nothing to play for but are a tricky side as evidenced by their recent win over Wealdstone which delayed their winning of the title. (Isthmian League Premier Division, Saturday 26 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

7. Wingate & Finchley v Billericay Town - at the bottom there are still two relegation places to be filled and mathematically there are still four teams fighting to avoid them. Only a massive win over Bury Town will give Thamesmead a faint chance of survival so they're effectively down which means Wingate are in a three-way tussle with East Thurrock and Enfield Town. The latter are in the best position and have, on paper, the easiest fixture in a trip to already relegated Cray Wanderers. East Thurrock have the hardest game in a challenging visit to second-placed Bognor. Therefore Wingate's home game against midtable Billericay means they've got a good chance but they start the game knowing that a win may still not be enough if the others match their result. Nervous times. (Isthmian League Premier Division, Saturday 26 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

8. VCD Athletic v Romford - bidding to replace one of them are VCD. They've topped the Isthmian League Division 1 North from the start but have slipped to second right at the end. In a division where only one team goes up automatically, it would be a tragedy if they missed out in the play-offs. All is not lost though - with one game to go they are only one point behind top club Witham Town who have to travel to Cheshunt. They also have a superior goal difference (albeit by only one) meaning they just need to better Witham's result to win the title so a draw could be enough. (Isthmian League Division 1 North, Saturday 26 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

9. Thurrock v Tilbury - another local side looking to sew up a place in the play-offs are Thurrock. By the time this happens they could have already done this as they have a midweek game against Ware but if they mess it up, this is their last chance. It's also an Essex derby so I'm sure Tilbury will want to spoil things. (Isthmian League Division 1 North, Saturday 26 April, 3pm. Ticket info)

10. Sun Postal Sports v Welwyn Garden City - SPS seem to have been top of the Spartan South Midlands League Division 1 for months but still haven't won the title. They also have games in hand over all their main challengers so they are overwhelming favourites. Welwyn are fourth and out of the title race but must be dispatched to ensure Bedford and Kings Langley are kept at bay. (Spartan South Midlands League Division 1, Tuesday 22 April, 3pm. Club info)

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or email.

TLFG: 14-21 April 2014

Hi there and welcome to TLFG's Easter special.

Apart from the Christmas and New Year period, the coming weekend is probably the best one to be in London if you want to see a few games because there are matches on the Friday, Saturday and Monday. Consequently, this week's blog runs from Monday to Monday rather than Monday to Sunday and there are two match maps to make finding games a bit easier.

Another good feature is the staggered kick-offs we have, especially on Monday 21 April. This means you could do a groundhop triple and see three games in one day (UPDATE 20/4/14 - you can now only see two games - see below).

There are loads of combinations thanks to the Combined Counties League scheduling most of their games at 1130am. Leyton Orient's huge game against Wolves starts at 1215pm meaning you could possibly nip down to Millwall or further out east to Dagenham & Redbridge whose games start at 3pm. In the late kick-offs there are games at non-league clubs Barnet, Worcester Park and Southall at 515pm, 645pm and 745pm respectively (UPDATE: 20/4/14 - the Worcester Park match is now at 1130am and Southall is now 3pm). There are other matches kicking off at other odd times throughout the day so check the match map for details.

Here at TLFG we like to help clubs promote special offers and events. Over the last few weeks a number of our local clubs have successfully run free entry or pay what you want schemes. The next to try it out in two weeks time are Ryman League club Corinthian Casuals who are hosting a Family Fun Day on Saturday 26 April. Good luck to them.

In south-west London on 26 April? Give this a go

Don't forget, you can get all the latest ticket information for our local clubs and other big games taking place in the capital on the 'Match Ticket Info' page .

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 within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

Please follow this link or click on the tab at the top of the page for all the information you need about how to get a ticket, what's currently available to non-members at London's biggest clubs and any other special offers or promotions which might be running.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are 135 matches in the London area over the next eight days so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

However, in case of bad weather, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following match map. If you've never used it 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 left side of the map page to make sure you get all the information.

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 (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MATCH MAP 14-17 APRIL

Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures

Purple pin - Thursday fixtures

View London match map 14-17 April 2014 in a larger map


EASTER WEEKEND MATCH MAP 18-21 APRIL
Magenta pin - Good Friday fixtures
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Yellow pin - Easter Monday fixtures


View London match map 18-21 April 2014 in a larger map

Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list a few games which I think could be worth a watch. Usually I put together a Top 10 but there are so many this week that I'll list as many as I can. If I miss one that you think should get a mention then add your own in the comments section below.

TLFG EASTER TREATS

Monday 14 April:
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - big game in the U21 Premier League at White Hart Lane
Hendon v Harrow Borough - derby between two Isthmian League clubs who groundshare

Tuesday 15 April:
Arsenal v West Ham United - north versus east London derby in the Premier League
Charlton Athletic v Barnsley - relegation 'six-pointer' in the Championship
Haringey Borough v Enfield 1893 - second versus third in the Essex Senior League

Wednesday 16 April:
Epsom Athletic v Spelthorne Sports - a draw here will give Spelthorne the Combined Counties Div 1 title
Middlesex Premier Cup final - Bedfont & Feltham v Staines Lammas at Uxbridge FC

Thursday 17 April:
Arsenal v Chelsea - FA Youth Cup semi-final second leg at the Emirates Stadium

Friday 18 April:
Charlton Athletic v Bolton Wanderers - a big game for the Addicks in their fight against relegation
Brentford v Preston North End - a win against play-off contenders PNE could see Brentford promoted from League One
AFC Wimbledon v Newport County - both still have slim hopes of making the League Two play-offs

Saturday 19 April:
Chelsea v Sunderland - a big game for teams at either end of the Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham - an important game and derby between clubs at either end of the top flight
West Ham United v Crystal Palace - another London derby to look forward to in the Premier League
Watford v Ipswich Town - a win for the visitors could move them into Championship play-off spots
Welling United v Luton Town - the Wings host Luton who could be crowned Conference champions
Wealdstone v Kingstonian - the Stones should get to celebrate winning the Isthmian League title
VCD Athletic v AFC Sudbury - leaders VCD hope to move a step closer to the Isthmian Div 1 North title
Epsom & Ewell v South Park - third placed E&E host the Combined Counties League champions
Spelthorne Sports v Staines Lammas - if they haven't already, Spelthorne should become CC1 champs
Hanwell Town v London Tigers - Hanwell could become Spartan South Mids champs against their near neighbours

Monday 21 April:
QPR v Watford - Rangers need points from this derby to boost their hopes of a Premier League return
Millwall v Doncaster Rovers - a crucial game for the Lions in their fight against relegation to League One
Leyton Orient v Wolverhampton Wanderers - top three clash in League One
Dagenham & Redbridge v Chesterfield - the Daggers host League Two title chasers
Barnet v Braintree Town - two clubs fighting to get into the Conference Premier play-offs meet here
Dartford v Tamworth - the Darts continue their scrap for points against an already relegated side
Sutton United v Concord Rangers - second versus eighth, plenty at stake in this Conference South game
Walton Casuals v Guernsey - a match between two play-off hopefuls in the Isthmian Div 1 South
Whyteleafe v Ashford United - a battle of the top two and potential title decider in the Southern Counties East League

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or email.

TLFG: 7-13 April 2014

Hello there and welcome to this delayed and very much curtailed edition of TLFG.

Work and childcare commitments have taken up a lot of time this week so it really is the bare minimum from me this week - apologies.

I'm afraid you're going to have to make do with just a match map and an updated 'Match Ticket Info' page as the Top 10 takes a week off, which is a shame because there are one or two really big games I'd liked to have drawn your attention to.

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 within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

Please follow this link or click on the tab at the top of the page for all the information you need about how to get a ticket, what's currently available to non-members at London's biggest clubs and any other special offers or promotions which might be running.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 100 matches in the London area over the next week so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

However, in case of bad weather, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following match map. If you've never used it 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 left side of the map page to make sure you get all the information.

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 (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MATCH MAP

Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures

Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Magenta pin - Friday fixtures
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures

View London match map 7-13 April 2014 in a larger map

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or email.