TLFG: 10-16 July 2017

Greetings and welcome to this week's TLFG.

First up can I say thank you to all those who sent kind comments on the blog's return last week and to everyone in general for continuing to read - it got some of its best traffic ever last week. It goes without saying that without the positivity you send me I wouldn't bother so cheers!

I was working all kinds of anti-social hours this week so didn't get to see any live football but I know some of you did and it was good to see your pictures and comments on Facebook and Twitter.

One of the biggest football related stories of the week was the sad passing of young Sunderland fan Bradley Lowery from neuroblastoma, a form of cancer. 

Alerted by his and Newcastle fan Frankie Sherwood's plight a few months ago, I looked into becoming a blood platelet donor and after several failed attempts at getting through the screening process (administrative errors rather than health), I went for my first donation session on Wednesday.

Find out more - one donation can help up to 3 adults or 12 children with cancer

Tucked away at the back of St George's Hospital in Tooting is a special permanent blood donation centre where you can do regular blood donation, platelets, plasma and quite possibly other things too.

After a health screening, members of the team tell you what to expect, explain the process and show you the machine that will carry it out.

Unlike blood donation where they take about a pint out, with this process they take out the blood, filter off the platelets and put the rest back into you.

In total I was wired up to the machine for a little over an hour but was supplied with regular cups of tea and had live tennis from Wimbledon on a large TV to keep me entertained. You can bring a tablet, phone or other entertainment equipment if you wish.

In all honesty I did feel a bit spaced out during the procedure and for up to an hour afterwards but I was back to normal after that.

Apparently platelets don't last as long as blood so they have to be used quickly, but donors can give platelets far more frequently than blood - every two weeks in some cases, though most people leave it a month.

If you've never given blood or would like to try donating platelets I urge you to look into it. It really doesn't take that much effort and literally keeps people alive whether they've been in an accident, are going through chemotherapy or had a tough time giving birth. I even read about one person whose rare condition meant that fresh blood would stop her going blind. The list is of people you could help is long.

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Right that's enough of tugging at your heartstrings - in other football news this week...

As we all know, Tottenham are temporarily moving to Wembley for the 2017/18 season while their new stadium is built. 

Earlier this week they announced that they will play a friendly against Champions League finalists Juventus there on Saturday 5 August at 530pm. Tickets for the game are on general sale now. 

Aside from all the friendlies taking place this week, we also have the Star Sixes at the O2 Arena in North Greenwich. I'm not really into 'Legends' matches or tournaments and don't usually cover them but this does look like quite a big deal with some pretty decent names so if that's your thing check out the event's website for more information.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are almost 100 matches in and around the London area over the next seven days with three Premier League and several EFL sides playing friendlies.

However, 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 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.

A fine summer read if football tactics are your thing

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 - magenta pin
Thursday fixtures - purple pin
Friday fixtures - black pin

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin

TLFG TOP 10

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.

1. AFC WIMBLEDON v WATFORD

The Dons get their pre-season underway with a visit from the Premier League Hornets. The south-west Londoners had a better than expected campaign last year and were within touching distance of the League One play-off places until the latter stages when they fell away. Watford did really well just to avoid relegation and a third consecutive season in the top flight is some achievement. (Saturday 15 July, 3pm. Club info)

2. BARNET v SWANSEA CITY
The Bees recorded an impressive 5-0 win at Maidstone on Saturday as their preparations for the new season got off to a flying start. Next up they've managed to land a prestigious friendly against Premier League opposition which should be a lot tougher. How strong a side the Swans field is unsure but it is listed as a first-team game on their website. (Wednesday 12 July, 745pm. Club info)

3. MAIDSTONE UNITED v CRYSTAL PALACE
One of the hottest tickets of the week is for this match in Kent. To celebrate five years at the Gallagher Stadium, the Stones have lined up a visit from the Eagles and it has completely sold out. If their performance against League Two outfit Barnet is anything to go by, we could get a cricket score! (Saturday 15 July, 3pm. Club info)

4. PETERBOROUGH UNITED v QUEENS PARK RANGERS
This game is quite a way north of London and wouldn't normally make the cut but it does because it features a London club and the train ride from Kings Cross takes only 45 minutes - the stadium is then walkable from the station. League One club Peterborough drew 0-0 at non-league St Albans on Saturday whilst QPR played two and lost two squad games against Reading behind closed doors. Games between these two are rarely classics but it gives you the chance to get out of London and explore what is a cathedral city. (Saturday 15 July, 3pm. Club info)

5. CAMBRIDGE UNITED v NORWICH CITY
Like Peterborough, Cambridge is a fair distance outside London but it too can be reached in 45 minutes from Kings Cross. The city is also a fine destination in its own right, with its world famous university and museums, so could make for a good summer day trip with a bit of football thrown in. The U's missed out on the League Two play-offs by just four points last season and are 4-1 to get promoted this time. Norwich finished eighth in the Championship and will hope for at least a top-six place this year. (Saturday 15 July, 3pm. Club info)

6. WELLING UNITED v CHARLTON ATHLETIC
The annual pre-season clash between these two south-east London neighbours takes place on Saturday. Both sides have had a rocky couple of years but both consolidated their respective positions in the National League South and League One. With only a few weeks to go until the big kick-off, the bookies think it could be a good year for the Addicks with most offering odds of 5-1 on them getting promoted. If you can't make it to this game or want a double helping, Charlton are also playing another game against Greenwich Borough, a short journey away, later the same day at 730pm. (Saturday 15 July, 3pm. Club info)

7. DARTFORD v GILLINGHAM
Tony Burman's side held Millwall to a 1-1 draw on Saturday and next face a derby against fellow Kent club Gillingham. The Darts will be hoping for at least a play-off place in the National League South this season while the Gills will probably be more than happy with a midtable finish after finishing just above the League One relegation places last time. (Tuesday 11 July, 730pm. Club info)

8. CRAWLEY TOWN v CHELSEA XI
Harry Kewell's side thrashed East Grinstead on Saturday but should face much stiffer opposition from whichever squad the Blues send to Sussex for this one. With none of the big stars likely to play, we should get an opportunity to take a look at some of the young talent that Chelsea usually have stockpiled behind closed doors at their Cobham training ground. (Saturday 15 July, 3pm. Club info)

9. EBBSFLEET UNITED v TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR XI
The Fleet won the National League South play-offs last season to return to the fifth tier after four years away. On Saturday they welcome a squad from Spurs and are hoping for a big crowd as all profits will be donated to the Paul McCarthy Memorial Fund - the previous Ebbsfleet captain and assistant manager died suddenly at the age of 45. (Saturday 15 July, 3pm. Club info)

10. SJP COMMUNITY CUP
Taking place over Saturday and Sunday we have a four-team competition being hosted by Hendon at their Silver Jubilee Park ground. Alongside the Greens, you'll get to see sides from Hayes & Yeading United, Hemel Hempstead Town and Hitchin Town. The semi-finals get underway at 1pm on Saturday with a third-place play-off and final from 1pm the following day. To top it all it's only £5 a day to attend. (Saturday & Sunday 15/16 July, from 1pm. Club info)

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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. 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.

TLFG: 3-9 July 2017

Hi there and welcome to the first TLFG of the 2017/18 season - the last six weeks have really flown by!

How was your off-season? Did you get to see any of the impressive England youth sides in action, head to Russia for the Confederations Cup or maybe you were in the States to see some MLS games?

What have I been up to? Well I've launched this year's Non-League Day (7 October), worked on a polling station during the General Election, had a job interview (result pending) and ran a 10km near the Olympic Stadium getting my second fastest time.

However, the biggest thing to affect me was undoubtedly the Grenfell Tower fire. This block is exactly one mile from where I live so I got woken by the helicopters circling it in the early hours of 14 June.

With mainstream news sources not covering the disaster in its early stages, I gathered there was a problem developing via the Metropolitan Police's Twitter feed but it still wasn't clear how bad it was.

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On getting up for work, the news channels were broadcasting nothing else with the images of the block engulfed in flames horrifying all who watched.

As I headed out to work, the smell of the burning building immediately hit my nostrils and the otherwise brilliantly blue sky was tainted by a large thick cloud of smoke drifting out to the west of London.

As the day unfolded, it was clear a terrible tragedy had taken place - although far smaller in scale it will probably become West London's 9/11 with everyone in the area affected in some way.

With the Hammersmith & City Tube line closed since the fire, I travelled into work on it for the first time since it reopened earlier this week. The tower is located very close to Latimer Road station and as you pass you get to see what's left of the totally devastated building.

Those couple of seconds spent looking out of the window at the large charred building provided possibly the most sobering sight of my life with the mountains of debris strewn all around its base providing some idea of what it must have been like on the night - men in white boiler suits, masks and hardhats were picking through it all when I went past a couple of days ago.

One of the few positives to come out of it all has been the community response which has been fantastic with donations of time, space and money pouring in from all quarters - London really outshone itself and reminded me once again why I'm proud and lucky enough to live here.

Right, now you came here for football information so lets make sure you get some.

The first handful of friendlies got underway this weekend so I know a few of you have already been out to the likes of Bedfont Sports and Colliers Wood United to get your first football fix of the summer.

Most of the action gets cracking this week though with Saturday particularly having a lot to offer.

Like last year, I've cast the net a bit wider than normal and have included a few interesting games from beyond the boundaries of the capital. These will all include Premier League or Football League clubs who have announced an intention to take a first-team squad to the game.

For groundhoppers there are new stadiums to look forward to in the coming season with the grounds at Aveley and CB Hounslow United immediately springing to mind.

It will also be interesting to see how Tottenham get on at Wembley. I'm sure longstanding hardcore supporters will have more than a few grumbles but for more casual fans, neutrals and tourists the move to the national stadium should almost guarantee a source of Premier League tickets at reasonable prices.

So I think that's it from me. It's great to be back. Enjoy your football watching and let me know what you've been up to.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 50 matches in the London area over the next seven days with one Premier League and several EFL sides playing friendlies in and around the capital.

However, 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 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.

A fine summer read if football tactics are your thing

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

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

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Tuesday fixtures - green pin
Wednesday fixtures - magenta pin
Thursday fixtures - purple pin
Friday fixtures - black pin

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin

TLFG TOP 10

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.

1. WOKING v WATFORD

The game of the week takes place just outside London in the leafy Surrey suburbs. National League Woking play host to the Premier League Hornets - the only one of our local top flight sides in action this early. The match is listed as a first team game for Watford and will be the first in charge for new boss Marco Silva. It's pretty easy to get out to Woking with trains from Waterloo and Clapham Junction leaving frequently and taking only 20-30 minutes. (Saturday 8 July, 3pm. Club info)

2. ALDERSHOT TOWN v BRENTFORD
The night before just a few miles beyond Woking, we've got a decent looking game between another National League side and the Bees from the Championship. Again, this is listed as a first-team game for the visitors so they should field a decent line-up. Like Woking, Aldershot is also easy to get to from Waterloo and Clapham Junction and the stadium is very close to the station. (Friday 7 July, 730pm. Club info)

3. DARTFORD v MILLWALL
The Darts finished third in the National League South last season but sadly didn't get through the play-offs. They'll hope for another strong showing this time round and begin their pre-season with this match against the Lions who are back in the Championship for 2017/18 after winning the League One play-offs at Wembley back in May. Links between these two clubs are strong with the Lions playing a number of their U23 games at Princes Park last season. (Saturday 8 July, 3pm. Club info)

4. SUTTON UNITED v COVENTRY CITY
These two clubs created a bit of FA Cup history when they met way back in 1989. Sutton were a non-league side as they are today but Coventry were up in the top flight and had won the FA Cup in 1987. Against all the odds, Sutton won 2-1 to create huge headlines around the football world. Fast forward 28 years and Sutton are famous again after making it to the fifth round in last season's competition but sadly things are very different for the Sky Blues who suffered another relegation and come into this as a League Two side so it should be pretty close again. (Saturday 8 July, 3pm. Club info)

5. MAIDSTONE UNITED v BARNET
Back in the late '80s this would have been one of non-league's heavyweight contests with these two contesting the Conference title. They both made it up into the Football League but sadly for Maidstone they went bust pretty quickly and took a long time to recover. Now back in the fifth tier they have a fine ground and large fan base and will hope to improve on last season's disappointing showing. Barnet are in League Two and giving young coach Rossi Eames another go as manager this season after holding the post briefly as caretaker during the last campaign. Again, this is outside London with direct trains to Maidstone running from Victoria. (Saturday 8 July, 3pm. Club info)

6. ST ALBANS CITY v PETERBOROUGH UNITED
This Hertfordshire 'city' just beyond the M25 plays host to one of my favourite non-league grounds. The Saints' Clarence Park is packed with charm and sits within the confines of the public park of the same name. It's leafy, green and has an old stand which harks back to yesteryear. It's also very close to St Albans station which is quickly reached on the Thameslink service from Blackfriars and St Pancras. Former Arsenal player Ian Allinson is currently in charge and he'll be looking for a play-off spot in the National League South this season. Perennial League One play-off contenders Peterborough have recently installed former player Grant McCann as boss so he'll want to get off to a good start here. (Saturday 8 July, 3pm. Club info)

7. SLOUGH TOWN v WYCOMBE WANDERERS
As with the Maidstone game above, this used to be a huge non-league game between sides on either side of the Berkshire/Buckinghamshire county line. Both located just outside London and with significant followings these games often drew significant crowds. Since the '80s Wycombe have cemented their place in the Football League while Slough have suffered a period of great instability and have been without a stadium of their own since 2003. However, that has now been rectified and they start this season at the very fine Arbour Park back in the town centre and should be a club to watch. Please note that this match is expected to draw a big crowd again and has been made ALL TICKET which means you must buy in advance - no tickets will be available on the day. (Saturday 8 July, 130pm. Club info)

8. HITCHIN TOWN v LUTON TOWN
Just to the north of London, Southern League Hitchin have landed this friendly against near neighbours Luton who are one of the favourites for the League Two title. Both sides suffered play-off heartbreak in their respective divisions last season so will be hoping to put that right in 2017/18. The Hatters have confirmed that this will be a first-team fixture so will be sending a strong side. (Wednesday 5 July, 745pm. Club info)

9. HITCHIN TOWN v STEVENAGE
The Canaries follow up the Luton game with another derby against another League Two opponent. Stevenage finished 10th last season and are fancied to have an outside shot at the play-offs this time round. Again a first-team squad is expected to be sent to Top Field. (Saturday 8 July. 3pm. Club info)

10. EAST GRINSTEAD TOWN v CRAWLEY TOWN
My last recommendation this week takes place in the Sussex town of East Grinstead so provides a good option if you're located on the south side of London and want to get out of the city for the day. This is a derby with the Bostik League side welcoming Crawley from League Two. The visitors have recently appointed former Liverpool player Harry Kewell as manager. As a quirky side point, East Grinstead is probably most famous for being home to lots of different religious groups with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) and The Church of Scientology both having a significant presence in the town.

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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. 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.

TLFG: 22-31 May 2017

Well this is it ladies and gentlemen - the final edition of TLFG for the 2016/17 season.

It's been another hectic year and generally a very good one for London football. Did you know that for the first time ever London clubs have claimed the top two spots in the top division and provided both FA Cup finalists?

I have author Steve Tongue to thank for this excellent fact after going to see his appearance at the London Festival of Football Writing on Saturday night.

He was promoting his fine book on the history of London football which I would highly recommend you read if finding out about such a topic interests you.

The event brought the festival to a close after several nights of discussion and debate at Waterstones bookshop on Tottenham Court Road. Did you go to any of the sessions? 

On Saturday, Steve was also joined by fellow sports journalists Mina Rzouki, Jacob Steinberg and Philippe Auclair who covered a huge range of subjects concerning the past, present and future of football in the capital. I even got a question in about non-league football and its chances of future success.

I'd never been to any kind of literary festival before but this was right up my street and look forward to the next one.

Get your copy of Steve's book here

My Sunday was completely taken up by Non-League Finals Day (NLFD) at Wembley where visitors get to watch the finals of the FA Vase and FA Trophy back-to-back.

Last year was the first time the two had been played together on the same day and there were a few teething problems, particularly the management of the two-hour break between games where fans were kept inside the stadium and little provision was made for them.

This year, the lock-in continued but the facilities were a lot better. Food and drink was in good supply which definitely wasn't the case last year, there were pop-up pubs with sofas, tables etc showing live Sky coverage of the final day of the Premier League season and there were various other entertainments like table football and football freestylers to keep people amused.

It was also great to see the amount of neutral supporters on the concourses in their various kits and strips and the general bonhomie between them. In my section, primarily for Cleethorpes fans, I spotted a diverse collection including Romford, Billericay, Brighton, Man Utd, Chester and Grimsby. There were also quite a few people in various German club tops like Hertha and Hamburg and I even spotted an FC Copenhagen one. It is more and more people like these that will ensure this event stays at Wembley and thrives there as the competing clubs alone will probably never fill out the stadium completely.

The attendance of 38,224 was down on last year but that was always likely to be the case after former Football League club Hereford brought 20,000 fans to the FA Vase final to slightly skew things last time around. However, it was higher than the crowds at Burnley, Hull, Leicester, Southampton, Swansea and Watford who were all completing their Premier League campaigns at the same time.

The matches themselves produced an impressive haul of nine goals. South Shields, the best supported side on the day, were expected to start as favourites against Cleethorpes Town and duly dominated a game which they went on to win 4-0. Although they had plenty of chances, they were only leading 1-0 until the latter stages when Clee conceded a second and then collapsed in the final five minutes. Despite the drubbing, Cleethorpes' goalkeeper Liam Higton was absolutely superb, pulling off numerous saves from all angles as the Mariners pushed for victory.

The FA Trophy provided a much more balanced and entertaining game with Macclesfield and York serving up a five-goal thriller. Having suffered a heartbreaking relegation on the final day of the league season, the Minstermen came into the game as underdogs but with veteran heavyweight striker Jon Parkin (previously of Preston North End) up front they had a chance.

And it was he who gave them a surprise lead with a deft header after the Silkmen had made the brighter start. It didn't last long though as Macclesfield quickly equalised and the game opened up.

Macclesfield go in search of an equaliser against York at Wembley

York took the lead again before the goal of the day arrived right on the stroke of half-time when Ollie Norburn crashed a shot into the roof of the net from 25 yards which brought many to their feet.

The second half was more cagey and extra-time looked highly likely until Parkin caused havoc in the penalty area again and with his partially blocked shot looping towards goal, substitute Aidan Connolly poked it over the line to grab victory.

It brought a fine end to a generally fine day.

NLFD still isn't quite perfect. The lock-in imposed by Wembley is annoying as it means fans that do attend for both games are looking at at least a six-hour stay inside the stadium. This is tricky if you've got young kids and pretty challenging for smokers who are strictly forbidden, officially, from lighting up.

It also discourages fans of teams in the second game from turning up early as once you're in, you're in. Staying in neighbouring pubs and restaurants outside the ground which may well be cheaper is a far more attractive option for many.

As I said before, the future success of this event is going to depend on how much it appeals to neutrals. I've also mentioned many times before, that club rugby matches at Wembley frequently come close to selling out because of the rugby community's willingness to get behind big events and support their game no matter who is playing. The non-league community need to develop that too. There are certainly enough of us out there so it should be possible but it will take time.

It is a fun day out, there were loads of families present and the atmosphere is relaxed - the support was passionate but I don't remember any real taunting of the opposition, it was largely positive backing of their own players.

So that's it for another year. I'm going to take this week and June off and intend to get going again around 2 July.

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To mark your card, the Emirates Cup returns this summer with Arsenal hosting Benfica, RB Leipzig and Sevilla over a weekend at the end of July. Tickets for this go on general sale on 7 June and usually sell out fairly quickly so put the date in your diary if it appeals.

Crystal Palace have also announced a friendly against German giants Schalke in early August - tickets are on sale now.

Fixtures for the new season in the Premier League are released on 14 June while those for the EFL come out a week later on 21 June. Non-league fixtures usually follow in July.

With my summer holiday coming in mid-July I don't have anything big planned for June but if you're off to the Champions League final or Euro U21s in Poland have a great time.

Finally, I'd like to give a huge thanks to all of you for reading and all of those who have contributed with ground reviews, photos, comments and questions - its what makes it all worthwhile.

I look forward to welcoming you all back again in July.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are only 6 matches in the London area over the next few days with the FA Cup final and two EFL play-off final among the highlights.

However, 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 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 (white 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 (e.g. clubs in the National League South).

MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday 27 May
Orange pin - Sunday 28 May
Grey pin - Monday 29 May
Magenta pin - Wednesday 31 May

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, 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.

Saturday 27 May

FA Cup Final
Arsenal v Chelsea @530pm - the season comes to an end for our local top-flight teams with this fantastic showpiece game at Wembley. For any American readers, this match is probably the closest equivalent we have to the Super Bowl. The Gunners will be using it as a chance to save their season after failing to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 20 years. If they win, it will be the third time in four years and will make them the most successful club in the history of this famous competition. The Blues, on the other hand, will be going for the double after already bagging the Premier League title. Tickets have sold out so your only route is likely to be hospitality, agencies or the black market - in other words £££ will be required!

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Sunday 28 May

Chelsea victory parade
Whether or not Antonio Conte's side complete the double on Saturday, they will be parading the Premier League trophy around the streets of Chelsea and Fulham at the very least. The procession will head off from Stamford Bridge at midday and finish on Eel Brook Common. Full details can be found here - UPDATE: EVENT CANCELLED

League Two Play-Off Final
Blackpool v Exeter City @3pm - after two thrilling semi-finals we have been handed this final at Wembley. Given their huge issues off the pitch this season, it's been quite an achievement by Blackpool to have made it this far. A Premier League side as recently as 2011, the last few years have been turbulent to say the least as the fans and board have fallen out spectacularly after various problems which are still ongoing. In contrast, the Grecians have been the model of stability with boss Paul Tisdale having managed the side since 2006 as they have yo-yoed between what is now the National League and League One. Blackpool picked up a win and a draw from the two league games between them this season so might be slight favourites. Tickets are on general sale from both clubs - see their websites for details

FA Women's Super League 1
Chelsea v Liverpool @1205pm - in another spectacular slight to women's football, Chelsea have scheduled the victory parade for their men's team at the same time as this huge game for the women's team. At the time of writing, these clubs are the top two in the Spring Series table and with reigning league champions Manchester City just behind them, it's crucial for both that they win

FA Women's Premier League Play-Off
Blackburn Rovers v Tottenham Hotspur @2pm - the FAWPL effectively constitutes the third tier of women's football in England. The competition is split into two with a northern and southern division and the winners of each meet in this play-off match to decide who wins overall. This year, the game is being held at Charlton Athletic's ground where adult tickets will be £5

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Monday 29 May

Championship Play-Off Final
Huddersfield Town v Reading @3pm - the domestic season in the men's game finally comes to an end at Wembley on Bank Holiday Monday with the highest stakes game possibly anywhere in the world. With bottom club Sunderland banking a whopping £99.9m in TV and prize money this season you can see why escaping the EFL is something all clubs want to do. Reading finished third so should start as marginal favourites. The Terriers have an illustrious history with three league titles and one FA Cup win but all were achieved way back in the 1920s and they've managed little of note since so a place in the Premier League would be particularly notable for them

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Wednesday 31 May

FA Women's Super League 1
Arsenal v Reading @730pm - the Gunners' women's team bring TLFG's season to a close with this game at The Hive. Currently fourth and fifth, it's quite likely they could finish in those positions as the three above them are all so strong. This will also see the conclusion of the Super League's 'Spring Series' in the capital - the women's game will now take a break for the European Championships in July before reconvening in September for a whole new season

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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. 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.

TLFG: 15-21 May 2017

It's been a big week for the London football scene with the top story undoubtedly being another Premier League title triumph for Chelsea, completed on Friday night at West Bromwich Albion.

After the humiliation of finishing 10th last year, it has been quite an achievement by new boss Antonio Conte to win it with relative ease.

Tottenham ended their time at White Hart Lane with a fine win over Manchester United on Sunday, a result which sees them guaranteed to finish second.

Non-League Finals Day takes place on Sunday at Wembley - get your tickets now!!! 

Arsenal are still outside the coveted top four places but go into their final two games with a fighting chance after stringing together three wins in seven days.

At the other end, Crystal Palace ensured their survival in the top flight with an emphatic 4-0 win over Hull City who they relegated in the process. With Watford and West Ham also keeping their heads above water, there will be no London relegations this season.

There is a chance there could be seven sides from the capital in the top flight next year as Fulham drew the first leg of their play-off with Reading 1-1 on Saturday. It's going to be tough at the Madejeski Stadium on Tuesday but it's wide open.

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From a personal perspective, the huge thing for me was the news that Harrow Borough had been reprieved from relegation!

Having cruelly lost their Ryman League Premier Division status for the first time since the 1970s to a 98th-minute goal, it's a huge relief to know they'll be given another year in the seventh tier.

Sadly it's come about because Worcester City of the National League North (Level 6) have voluntarily decided to drop down three divisions for financial reasons. It's a shame this once great club have had to do this.

'Two Men In Search...' check out Thurrock in the Ryman League Division 1 North play-off final

Also this week, we see the London Festival of Football Writing. Several events with some top authors (including Michael Cox who has been known to peruse these pages) will be taking place at Waterstones bookshop on Tottenham Court Road between 16-20 May. Tickets and full information can be found on their website. I'm going to the session which is taking place on the final night.

After months of preparation and competition it's also time for Non-League Finals Day at Wembley on Sunday. The FA Vase and FA Trophy finals are played back-to-back and tickets are just £25 for adults and £1 U16s which is great value so I hope to see you there. I think I'm going in the section for Cleethorpes Town supporters.

Lastly from me, I launched a new 'Books' section on TLFG during the week. There's a few relevant publications which I think are good and could be of interest to readers of this blog. It's not exhaustive by any means and I will add to it over the summer.

Before I sign off, there's also another fine piece this week from 'Two Men In Search Of The Beautiful Game'. Although not a visit to a London ground, it features local side Thurrock as they took on Maldon & Tiptree in the Ryman League Division 1 North play-off final - find out if they were successful...

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are only 12 matches, including two doubleheaders, in the London area over the next week with some crucial games in the Premier League, a play-off final and Non-League Finals Day among the highlights.

However, 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 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 (white 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 (e.g. clubs in the National League South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 15 May

Premier League
Chelsea v Watford @8pm - with the Blues winning the title on Friday and the Hornets safe from relegation for another season, there's little to play for in this derby other than pride. As has been said several times in recent weeks, this could free both sides up to play a very entertaining game completely devoid of pressure. The atmosphere should be celebratory from both sets of fans but sadly the Premier League trophy presentation won't happen until the weekend

Friendly
Brentford B v Manchester City U23 @7pm - the Bees are unusual in that they don't enter their reserve side in a league. Instead they arrange their own friendlies and they've come up with some big opponents this season with the likes of Bayern Munich, Valencia, Hamburg and domestic giants like Manchester United all fielding sides against them. For their final game they've managed to get City to come to Griffin Park. To top it all, admission to most of these games is free and this is no exception

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Tuesday 16 May

Premier League
Arsenal v Sunderland @745pm - with the title race and relegation battle concluded, it's now all about the fight for Champions League places. Chelsea and Spurs have claimed two of the four places, meaning Arsenal now really need to win their final two games to have a chance of claiming one too. They're currently fifth, three points behind Manchester City so it's going to be tight. Sunderland are bottom with one win in 10 but with the pressure off, could be quite capable of embarrassing their hosts

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Wednesday 17 May

FA Women's Super League 1
Chelsea v Arsenal @735pm - these two have been among the superpowers of women's football in England in recent years but they face a growing threat from Manchester City who won the league last season, the league cup in October and this season's FA Cup on Saturday - comprehensively beating Birmingham City 4-1. Chelsea have won their opening two games this season while the Gunners are unbeaten after three. Tickets for this game at Staines Town are £6 adults and £3 for everyone else

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Saturday 20 May

League One Play-Off Final
Bradford City v Millwall @3pm - the first of the EFL play-off finals takes place at Wembley on Saturday as these two go head-to-head for a place in the Championship. Finishing fifth and sixth in the division, neither was supposed to make it this far but they have. Bradford are the bigger club and played in the Premier League as recently as 2001, they also sensationally made the League Cup final whilst still a League Two team in 2013. The Lions are no strangers to Wembley and this will be their fifth visit since the stadium re-opened in 2007. Three of those were also League One play-off finals including last year's which they lost to Barnsley. The last three games between Bradford and Millwall have ended in 1-1 draws so this could go to penalties. Tickets are available on general sale directly from each of the clubs

FA Women's Super League doubleheader
A short Tube ride to the north of Wembley, The Hive plays host to a couple of games from the FAWSL. Arsenal take on FA Cup finalists Birmingham City in a top-tier game at 1pm, before London Bees entertain second division leaders Everton at 4pm. Tickets are £9

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Sunday 21 May

Premier League
Arsenal v Everton @3pm - the Gunners conclude their season with what could be a make or break game against the Toffees. As explained above, they need all the points they can get to try and make it into the top four and a place in the Champions League. Everton have had another solid season and will finish seventh whatever happens here. The last game between them, just before Christmas, saw the team from Merseyside win 2-1
Chelsea v Sunderland @3pm - it's likely to be a case of top versus bottom on the final day at Stamford Bridge where the Blues could end their title winning campaign with a goalfeast. The highlight will be the official presentation of the Premier League trophy
Watford v Manchester City @3pm - the Hornets don't have much to play for but they could have a huge impact on what goes on towards the top of the table as City look to clinch one of the final two Champions League places. It doesn't look too bright for the hosts though who have lost their last five against City in all competitions

Non-League Finals Day
With tickets likely to be hard to get or expensive for all of the above, why not head to Wembley for the annual end-of-season non-league showpiece? Kicking off with the FA Vase final between Cleethorpes Town and South Shields at 1215pm and concluding with the FA Trophy final between Macclesfield Town and York City at 415pm it provides an action packed day of football at the national stadium. Plenty of entertainment is being laid on on the concourses between games so you shouldn't get bored. Tickets for the whole day are £25 adults, £10 concessions and £1 U16s and can be bought in advance or on the day from the ticket office

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. 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.

TLFG: 8-14 May 2017

The end of the 2016/17 season is almost upon us.

Aside from the play-offs, the EFL season ended earlier today as the Championship became the final division to complete its fixtures.

With safety secured last week, I made the decision to head up to Norfolk to watch QPR take on Norwich City in a game that was of little consequence to either team.

I hadn't been to the city itself for about 30 years and had never been to a game there which is surprising given how easy it is to get to from London. With direct trains from Liverpool Street leaving regularly and taking two hours and the ground pretty much next to the station, it really is a good place to consider visiting if you're looking for somewhere new or your London match options aren't great.

It was also a chance to catch up with my oldest friend who moved to the area about 10 years ago. I'd kept in touch throughout that time but we hadn't seen each other at all so it was kind of strange meeting up again.

This fine event takes place over several nights next week - more info

Thankfully, we both looked pretty much the same and the conversation flowed with ease had it always had. In the intervening years marriages and children had materialised and we'd both mellowed but essentially we were still the same.

Anyway, enough about my boring personal stuff and onto the action.

Carrow Road is a fine ground in a good location with a capacity of around 30,000 and it was largely full for this end of season send off.

Sadly, from my perspective, QPR appeared to have ended their season last week as Norwich ran riot in the opening stages with one shot being cleared off the line, another saved and another hitting the bar all in what seemed like the first five minutes!

The only surprise about Norwich's deflected opening goal was that it took over 20 minutes to come - they should have been out of sight by then.

It looked as if that profligacy might cost them when Rangers had a shot tipped onto the woodwork in the dying seconds of the half as it stayed 1-0 at the interval.

The second half seemed more open as substitutions shook things up a bit but ultimately it was the hosts who were far more clinical as they eased away to a 4-0 win which flattered QPR - it could easily have been double.

With seven defeats from their final eight games, Ian Holloway's side finished 18th just two points above the relegation zone. His overall win record in recent years with Crystal Palace, Millwall and now QPR is pretty poor and many fans are tonight calling for his head on forums all over the internet. I have to say I wouldn't miss him if he did go but I am, perhaps rashly, prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt.

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Elsewhere in the division, from a London perspective, Fulham made it into the play-offs and have what is effectively a derby against Reading in the semi-finals.

Also on Sunday, Millwall secured a place in the League One play-off final at Wembley with a thrilling 3-2 win at Scunthorpe.

Sadly for Dagenham & Redbridge, Forest Green Rovers got the better of them in the National League play-offs and in the National League South both Dartford and Hampton & Richmond Borough bowed out at the semi-final stage too.

Less than 2 weeks to go until Non-League Finals Day - get your tickets now!!!

I heard reports from readers that the charity match between Peckham Town and Somaliland on Saturday went well with over £600 being raised. This Saturday at 230pm, Peckham's U21 side will be hosting the U18s from QPR in another eye-catching fixture at the Menace Arena so get down to Dulwich Common if that appeals to you.

It also came to my attention the other day that the London Festival of Football Writing is coming up next week. Several events with some top authors (including Michael Cox who has been known to peruse these pages) will be taking place at Waterstones bookshop on Tottenham Court Road between 16-20 May. Tickets and full information can be found on their website.

I think that's about it from me. Once again, if you're around, please consider coming to Wembley for Non-League Finals Day on 21 May - two cup finals back-to-back for £25 is great value so I hope to see you there.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are only 17 matches in the London area over the next week with some crucial games in the Premier League and some play-off matches in the EFL and National League among the highlights.

However, 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 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 (white 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 (e.g. clubs in the National League South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, 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 8 May

Premier League
Chelsea v Middlesbrough @8pm - on paper it doesn't look like the most thrilling match up but the result could be huge for both teams. A win will give the Blues an almost unassailable seven-point lead at the top with three games to go and will relegate Boro in the process - hopefully that fact will make the visitors fight that bit harder but you feel it would be delaying the inevitable even if they did manage to win

Premier League 2
Arsenal v Manchester United @7pm - if you can't get a ticket for the above then why not head to the Emirates instead for this attractive looking U23 game? This is the last match of the season for the Gunners' youngsters and a win will see them finish fourth. United have had a poor campaign but have done enough to avoid relegation. Tickets are only £4 but must be bought online by 3pm on Monday - no tickets will be available on the night

Professional Development League play-off semi-final
Charlton Athletic v Hull City @7pm - the PDL effectively makes up the third tier of U23 football in England. It's split into a northern and southern division and the top two from each play-off before the winners meet in the final. Millwall or Sheffield Wednesday await the winners. Tickets for this match, at The Valley, are available on the gate and are only £3

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Saturday 13 May

Championship play-off final first leg
Fulham v Reading @530pm - the match of the day takes place at Craven Cottage and it has the potential to be a real humdinger. With Reading being located not far to the west of London, this is pretty much a derby so the atmosphere should be good. Although the Royals finished third, it is Fulham who are seen by many as favourites as they enter the post season with the best form of the four teams still standing. With five wins and a draw from their last six and with the knowledge they thrashed the Berkshire club 5-0 on their last visit back in December, it's looking pretty promising for Slavisa Jokanovic and his side

FA Women's Cup Final
Birmingham City v Manchester City @515pm - reigning Super League champions Man City should start as favourites in this showpiece match of the women's game at Wembley. The two clubs' league campaigns have only just begun and saw them draw 1-1 earlier this week. With tickets a snip at £15 for adults and free for kids, this represents a great value day out at the national stadium

Combined Counties Leaue Division 1 Cup Final
AC London v Redhill @3pm - there's another bit of silverware up for grabs over near Heathrow airport where these two 10th-tier teams look to end the season on a high at Bedfont & Feltham's ground

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Sunday 14 May

Premier League
Crystal Palace v Hull City @12pm - two clubs threatened with the drop meet for this relegation six-pointer at high noon. Big Sam looked to have done enough to have saved Palace a couple of weeks ago but three defeats in quick succession have left them four points clear with two games to go. Hull will start the game in the bottom three and could find themselves relegated if they fail to win and other results go against them
West Ham United v Liverpool @215pm - with that game out of the way, focus moves to Stratford where West Ham will look to dent Liverpool's hopes of a top-four finish. The Hammers' fine win over Spurs on Friday secured their place in the division for another year so they have little to play for other than pride
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United @430pm - a Super Sunday of London football comes to a close at White Hart Lane with what could be Tottenham's last throw of the dice in this year's title race. If Chelsea beat West Brom the night before then they will win the league but anything else will keep Spurs in it - just. The visitors will badly need to win to stay in the hunt for a Champions League place

National League Promotion Final
Forest Green Rovers v Tranmere Rovers @3pm - after overcoming Dagenham & Redbridge in the semi-finals, FGR head to Wembley for the second year running as they look to claim a place in the EFL for the very first time. The Gloucestershire club have been among the contenders to go up for several years but always miss out. Tranmere, the former League Cup finalists and second-tier side not that long ago, should provide formidable opposition though and will be expected to bring thousands more spectators. The Merseyside club are also in better form, notably stuffing midtable Solihull Moors 9-0 a month ago!

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. 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.

TLFG: 2-7 May 2017

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

With the regular season in League One and National League complete and all the main non-league competitions finished as well, the season is well and truly winding down.

As is customary at this time of year, I've padded the match map out with a few games from the 11th tier but even they are few and far between.

Apart from some huge games in the Premier League, the highlights this week are the National League play-offs, a couple of county cup finals and some U23 football at clubs' main stadiums.

Subscribe to The London Football Guide

During the week just gone, many of you got to enjoy the Ryman League play-offs which produced some epic games. Dorking Wanderers, who had finished joint top of the Ryman League Division 1 South with a whopping 105 points, were the first to go up on Saturday but they were taken to penalties in the semi-finals by Hastings and Corinthian Casuals in the final.

Thurrock caused a bit of an upset by beating Maldon & Tiptree in the Division 1 North final and at the time of writing, we're still waiting for the Premier Division final between Bognor and Dulwich to get underway - good luck to all involved at the Hamlet.

Egham Town made the Southern League play-offs but fell at the first hurdle against Farnborough - nevertheless, it was still a fine achievement by the Sarnies to get there for a second consecutive season.

Less than 3 weeks to go until Non-League Finals Day - get your tickets now!!!

From a personal point of view, after the disappointment of seeing Harrow Borough get relegated last week, it was a huge relief to see QPR avoid the drop by beating Nottingham Forest 2-0. This means we have an end-of-season dead rubber to enjoy at Norwich next Sunday which I am currently planning to attend. Despite Carrow Road being a very easy ground to get to, I've never previously been so I'm looking forward to ticking it off the list.

Before I forget, there's a special fundraiser taking place in south London on Saturday where Peckham Town take on Somaliland in a friendly. Entry is by donation with all proceeds going to good causes. See the club's website for more detials.

I think that's about it from me. Once again, if you're around, please consider coming to Wembley for Non-League Finals Day on 21 May - two cup finals back-to-back for £25 is great value so I hope to see you there.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are only 27 matches in the London area over the next week with games in the Premier League, EFL, National League and several minor league and county cup competitions.

However, 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 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 (white 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 (e.g. clubs in the National League South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Tuesday 2 May

Professional Development League
Crystal Palace v Bristol City @1pm - the pick of the day's action is this U23 match at Selhust Park which provides you with a great opportunity to visit a Premier League ground for only £5

----------------------------------------------------

Wednesday 3 May

Professional Development League
Watford v Cardiff City @2pm - start the day with a bit of U23 football at Vicarage Road, you can then move on to one of the far more significant games listed below in the evening

National League South play-off semi-final first leg
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Ebbsfleet United @745pm - the hosts finished the campaign in seventh but still managed to qualify for the play-offs as the two teams above them were found to have grounds that weren't suitable for promotion. In Ebbsfleet they face a team who missed out on the title by only two points so should provide formidable opposition. However, the two meetings between them during the regular season ended in 1-1 draws so it should be close again

London Senior Cup Final
Cray Valley PM v Metropolitan Police @745pm - Cray come into this match very much as underdogs as they play two levels below the Met. However, the SCEFL side have seen off the likes of Welling United, AFC Wimbledon and Dulwich Hamlet in previous rounds so this match shouldn't faze them at all. The game is being played at Dulwich Hamlet

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Thursday 4 May

League One play-off semi-final first leg
Millwall v Scunthorpe United @745pm - the Lions put their fans through the wringer on the final day of the season with their rollercoaster 4-3 win over Bristol Rovers but it was enough to see off Southend to claim the final play-off place. In Scunthorpe they face a team who were top for a while and who come into the play-offs on the back of five straight wins. It's going to be tough

National League play-off semi-final first leg
Dagenham & Redbridge v Forest Green Rovers @7pm - the Daggers disappointingly dropped out of the Football League last season but have responded well to life back in non-league. They topped the National League for a while but although fading a bit, still held on for a play-off place. FGR finished just ahead of them and have never played in the EFL despite having been title challengers for a few seasons now

Premier League 2
Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City @7pm - this match is being played at White Hart Lane and has become a benefit match for the family of Spurs youth coach Ugo Ehiogu who sadly died last week. This is also Leicester's last match of the season and they need to win to try and avoid relegation

FA Women's Super League 1
Arsenal v Liverpool @730pm - the Hive plays host to this match as the Gunners welcome the league's early leaders who have flown out of the traps with two straight wins

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Friday 5 May

Premier League
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur @8pm - the weekend gets underway with this important derby at the London Stadium. A three-game winless run has left the Hammers still needing a point or two to absolutely guarantee Premier League survival while Spurs need the win to keep their title hopes alive. If they do triumph then the gap between themselves and leaders Chelsea will be temporarily cut to just one point

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Saturday 6 May

London Senior Trophy Final
Balham v Glebe @3pm - you can really see how much the season has wound down when a cup final between two 10th-tier teams takes top billing on a Saturday afternoon. Balham have enjoyed a decent debut season at this level, coming third in the CCL Division 1. Glebe, on the other hand, arrive as SCEFL Division 1 champions having finished 12 points ahead of their nearest rivals. Two good teams from parallel leagues - it's a hard one to call. This match is being played at the home of Corinthian Casuals

Middlesex County Football League Premier Division Cup Final
Deportivo Galicia v FC Assyria @745pm - the teams which finished one and two in the league meet in this cup final at Uxbridge's ground. Both sides are interesting in that they represent minority communities and yet with a limited crop of players to pick from have had great seasons

Friendly
Peckham Town v Somaliland @3pm - the hosts are pushing hard for the Kent County League title but have managed to squeeze in this charity match against Somaliland. Entry will be by donation with all proceeds going to good causes

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Sunday 7 May

Premier League
Arsenal v Manchester United @4pm - defeat to Spurs left Arsenal's already slim hopes of a top-four finish hanging by a thread. Six points adrift with five games to go, this match against the team just above them is absolutely crucial. Consequently, United need the win too to make sure they're not edged out by old foes Manchester City

Championship
Brentford v Blackburn Rovers @12pm - the Bees' season comes to an end on Sunday and although a win could see them finish in a very respectable eighth position, it could and probably will also condemn Rovers to relegation. Only one relegation spot still remains to be claimed with Blackburn, Nottingham Forest and Birmingham City all trying to avoid it. Although Blackburn are the lowest ranked at the moment, they are in the best form and only one goal (not point) behind Forest. Therefore, even if they narrowly lose, a heavy defeat for Forest could see them stay up

National League South play-off semi-final second leg
Dartford v Chelmsford City @3pm - the Darts missed the play-offs by five points last season so they'll be pretty pleased to have made it this time round. They've had a solid year, finished third and confirmed their place with games to spare. Aside from Ebbsfleet, they have the best form of anyone in the division so we should get a final between the two of them which would be enormous as they are neighbouring towns - I'm sure Chelmsford will do their best to ruin things though

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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. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

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