TLFG: 12-18 November 2018

Welcome to TLFG.

For any who might be new to this blog or haven't read it for a while, my wife had a baby a couple of weeks ago and the amount of content in TLFG has been scaled back. However, it is gradually increasing as domestic life settles down.

This week it's just the match maps again but they contain all fixtures down to the 10th tier as normal. The daily digest is the most time consuming part to research and put together and as a result it will be missing again this time.

We're on another international break over the next few days so there won't be any Premier League or Championship action in the capital. There is an EFL Trophy game at Charlton in midweek but that's it as far as the lower divisions of the EFL are concerned.

Aside from the usual huge selection of great non-league games there are also U23 matches and several women's games but it's the three big international fixtures that will be taking centre stage.

England have two matches at Wembley against the USA (Thursday) and Croatia (Sunday) - tickets are available for both but it's the friendly between Brazil and Uruguay at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium on Friday which really grabs my attention. If you want to go to this then tickets are still on sale for this one too.

A number of local non-league clubs distinguished themselves with some fine performances in the FA Cup this weekend but sadly all of them bowed out bar Barnet who earned a replay.

In the same competition, Hampton & Richmond Borough begin the week by entertaining Oldham Athletic at the Beveree on Monday but the televised clash is sold out - I twice tried unsuccessfully to get a ticket whilst friends of mine landed some. Drat!

I'm hoping to make my return to live football watching on Tuesday when the mighty Harrow Borough travel to Tooting & Mitcham United in the London Senior Cup. I have some friends among the Terrors faithful so I've been eyeing this one since the draw was made.

I'd also like to give a belated message of congratulations to all involved with National League South club Dulwich Hamlet.

After falling out with the owners of their ground they were forced to relocate to groundshare with Tooting & Mitcham towards the end of last season. Thankfully a deal has now been reached to allow them to return to Champion Hill with the first game back likely to be the already huge clash against former League One side Torquay United on 1 December. I can see this becoming an all-ticket sell out so check the club's website regularly for more details if you want to go. 

Thanks to all those who have sent their best wishes and many thanks to those who have donated to TLFG's coffee drinking fund since I last wrote - much appreciated.

Apologies again for the short version this week but I hope it proves to be better than nothing.

As always, have a great week and enjoy your football watching.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include action in three international fixtures, the EFL Trophy, most of our local non-league competitions and the Women's Super League.

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

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

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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

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

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

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

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

NEED HELP?

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries. I do not charge for this advice like some other sites so don't hold back!

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

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

TLFG: 6-11 November 2018

Greetings one and all.

For those of you who were wondering where the blog has been for the last week or so - my wife had a baby and I've been on self imposed paternity leave.

I'm still pretty much on it and have therefore only produced match maps for Tuesday to Sunday and only down to the eighth tier.

Once things have settled down a bit, I'll aim to get things running as normal but a reduced service is likely to continue for a week or two yet.

Thanks to all those who have sent their best wishes and many thanks to those who have donated to TLFG's coffee drinking fund since I last wrote - much appreciated.

Apologies for the short version this week but I hope it proves to be better than nothing.

As always, have a great week and enjoy your football watching.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include action in the Champions League, Europa League, Premier League, EFL, FA Cup and FA Trophy so it's a pretty big week. Some of the FA Cup First Round ties look great with a few of our local non-league sides welcoming EFL opposition - some of the ties have sold out whilst others will have tickets available on the day so do get involved if you can.

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

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

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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

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

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
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

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

NEED HELP?

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries. I do not charge for this advice like some other sites so don't hold back!

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

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

TLFG: 22-28 October 2018

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

It looks like being a big week for me and one which could shape the future of this blog - I have a second child expected to arrive on Wednesday so things will probably get pretty hectic and the amount of content I put out on here could dip or at least vary but I'll do my best to juggle everything and see what happens.

Anyway, enough about that. How has your week been?

After the fun of Non-League Day last weekend, the last few days have been more about recovery and preparation so I haven't seen any games since my trip to see Wealdstone beat Hampton & Richmond.

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It was a bit of a mixed bag for London's clubs on Saturday with only four of our 12 Premier League/EFL clubs managing to win - so congratulations to Charlton, QPR, Tottenham and Watford.

Aside from them, most of the focus for me was on the sides competing in the Fourth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup and I'm pleased to say our local sides did rather well.

Barnet, Bromley, Hampton & Richmond Borough, Haringey Borough, Metropolitan Police and Sutton United all made it through and will now go into the hat for the First Round proper alongside a couple of others who have to negotiate replays. They'll also be joined there by all the clubs in League One and League Two which include several big teams like Sunderland who have played in the Premier League at some point in the past.

The draw will take place on BBC Two at 7pm on Monday.

Our friends at 'Two Men In Search...' pay a visit to Beckenham Town

On a sad note, news emerged from south-east London earlier in the week that Bostik League club Thamesmead Town were set to fold with immediate effect mainly through lack of support.

The owners have ploughed a lot of time and money into keeping the club going and have tried numerous things to bring local people through the turnstiles over the years and it just hasn't worked.

I was told one anecdote about the club sending out hundreds if not thousands of flyers to local houses offering free entry on production of said flyer and a tiny number, like two, turned up. Whether that story is true I'm not sure but I can believe it.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

Apparently there have been issues over their ground and the all-but forced relocation to groundshare at Dartford can't have helped either.

There were rumours that possible buyers were starting to emerge and the club wasn't completely dead so if you've a spare few quid knocking around and you fancy taking on this fine club then get in touch with them ASAP!

Lack of support is a real problem for a whole host of non-league clubs not least my own personal favourite Harrow Borough.

Ironically they are having one of their best seasons for some time and are currently seventh in the Evo-Stik Premier Division South. They're scoring goals for fun and playing some entertaining football but only managed a gate of 132 as they thrashed Dorchester 4-1 on Saturday.

That figure is worrying and put into stark relief when compared to neighbours Wealdstone who could get their third consecutive home attendance of over one thousand when they play Torquay this weekend.

The Stones do play one level above Harrow but that shouldn't mean they get 10 times as many people through the gate, especially when you also consider their tickets are 30% more expensive too.

I've always been impressed by the way Wealdstone market their club, use social media and try and involve the local community and they've duly been rewarded with decent attendances. Although I know it's not easy, Harrow really must try and do a bit more (getting an official Twitter account would be a good start) or they could get into trouble.

So I think that's it from me for this week. It could be match maps only or maybe nothing at all next week but hopefully I'll produce something for you. Have a great week and as always, enjoy your football.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 90 matches in the London area over the next seven days with the Premier League and EFL taking centre stage. There are also a few ties in the next round of the FA Trophy.

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

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

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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

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

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

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

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, 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 22 October

Premier League
Arsenal v Leicester City @8pm - the Gunners come into this as the form team of the top flight with nine consecutive wins in all competitions. They've also won the last seven games against the Foxes on home soil, scoring 21 goals in the process so they should start as strong favourites against the 2015/16 league champions

U23 Development Matches
There are four games at U23 level on Monday with the most notable being Arsenal v Everton at Boreham Wood - strangely though it's also being played in the evening so will be going up directly against the first team. The next best option would appear to be Crystal Palace v Coventry City which is being played at Selhurst Park at 1pm. There are also matches featuring Charlton Athletic and QPR but, as always, check all the details before you travel

Surrey Senior Cup First Round
Sutton Common Rovers v Sutton United @745pm - the pick of the non-league action is most definitely the Sutton derby. These clubs groundshare with the latter being the landlords - they also play four levels above SCR and made the first round proper of the FA Cup after winning at Wealdstone on Saturday. United won't field a first-choice team but should still have too much

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Tuesday 23 October

Championship
Millwall v Wigan Athletic @745pm - it's a big night of action in the EFL and another important game for the Lions who are struggling at the moment. Defeat at Reading saw them slip into the bottom three on Saturday and points could be hard to come by against the recently promoted Latics who are just one point off the play-off places
Queens Park Rangers v Sheffield Wednesday @745pm - Rangers' wonderfully inconsistent season continued on Saturday with a very comfortable 2-0 win at bottom club Ipswich who look in real trouble. The Owls should be tricky opponents - they were on a tidy unbeaten run until Middlesbrough beat them on Friday. Last season it ended 4-2 to the hosts and it could be entertaining again

League One
Charlton Athletic v Oxford United @745pm - despite their off-field problems, the Addicks recorded a very useful win over Barnsley on Saturday to keep touch with the promotion chasing clubs. Oxford have only won one of their last 10 matches in all competitions and are down in the relegation zone

FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round Replay
Dagenham & Redbridge v Boreham Wood @745pm - by the time this kicks off the clubs should know who'll they'll be facing in the First Round. With former Premier League clubs like Bradford, Charlton, Coventry, Portsmouth and Sunderland all in the draw it could be quite a prize at stake, not to mention the £25,000 they'll get for simply winning this match. The original game on Saturday saw the Daggers come from behind to earn a 2-2 draw

Bostik League Premier Division
Corinthian Casuals v Haringey Borough @745pm - two of the capital's most cult teams do battle in this Bostik League encounter on Tuesday. After following up their Non-League Day win over AFC Hornchurch with a 5-0 thrashing of Croydon in the London Senior Cup in midweek, Casuals came back down to earth with a 3-0 reverse at Bishop's Stortford on Saturday. For Haringey, the story has been mainly about the FA Cup so far this season with a place in the First Round secured on Saturday with a victory over Poole Town. The north London club, who play on White Hart Lane, have never been this far in the competition so there are some excited people at Coles Park. I'm still hoping for a dream tie against Spurs at their new ground in the Third Round. It's now only two wins away from becoming a possibility...

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Wednesday 24 October

Friendly
Brentford B v Southampton U23 @6pm - the Bees' second string are back in action at Griffin Park against the Saints on Wednesday night. The club usually offers free admission to these games but check all details before you travel

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Cray Valley PM v K Sports @745pm - the hosts are side worth keeping an eye on. Although down in seventh at the moment, they're in good form and and have four games in hand on the leaders which would put them four points clear if they won them. They've also scored a staggering 30 goals in the eight games they have played and should put a few more past midtable K Sports

Southern Counties East League Division 1
Forest Hill Park v Lewisham Borough @745pm - on the south-east side of town we've got a groundshare derby in the 10th tier. Neither side are doing anything particularly special in the league

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Thursday 25 October

Europa League
Chelsea v BATE Borisov @8pm - the Blues preserved their unbeaten record in the Premier League with a late equaliser against Manchester United on Saturday. Next up is this Europa League group stage game against a side they should beat. The top club from Belarus have been totally dominant domestically winning the league title every year since 2006. They have claimed one or two notable scalps in European competition in recent years but they haven't managed to get anything from their group games against PAOK and Vidi this year so should be brushed aside here

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Friday 26 October

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Aston Villa @745pm - this match has been selected for live TV broadcast meaning the R's will have to play three times in six days. This is always one of QPR's biggest games of the season and according to the Villa website, there is only one ticket available in the away end so they're bringing a big following down from Birmingham. The match is of even greater significance as Villa have just installed a new management team of Dean Smith (former Brentford manager) and John Terry (Chelsea legend) - two men who are not hugely popular with QPR fans. They won their first game in charge against Swansea and confidence will be high. As mentioned above, QPR beat Ipswich on Saturday to extend their unbeaten run to three games so this should be close. Tickets are available in 'home' areas of the ground

Essex Senior League
Barkingside v Woodford Town @745pm - if you'd rather enjoy a bit of non-league action instead, head over to Ilford where you'll be warmly received by all at Barkingside. Sadly they've been too generous as hosts on the pitch this season and are bottom with no wins from 14. Woodford will no doubt hope to win and push on towards a  place in the top five
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Saturday 27 October

Premier League
Fulham v AFC Bournemouth @3pm - after losing at fellow strugglers Cardiff on Saturday, it looks like being a long tough winter for the Cottagers. With only one win from nine league games and conceding goals for fun , Fulham are now fully paid up members of the bottom three. In most seasons you'd expect the Cherries to also be down there but Eddie Howe has worked wonders and they're currently in the top six,  no doubt hoping to do a Burnley and get into Europe
Watford v Huddersfield Town @3pm - the Hornets ended a dodgy run of results with an assured performance to win 2-0 at Wolves on Saturday. That win put them back up to seventh and they should also beat the Terriers who have yet to win this season

Championship
Millwall v Ipswich Town @3pm - at the time of writing both of these sides are in the bottom three. Even if they have good midweek results, this match must still be viewed as a relegation six-pointer so it should be worth watching for that alone

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Luton Town @3pm - if you can get a ticket then I would recommend going to this game over the one above. With Luton based just outside London, this is effectively a derby and the Dons' small ground should be close to full. As for their respective form, Wimbledon are in a bit of trouble with a fourth consecutive defeat dropping them into the relegation zone on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Hatters beat promotion rivals Walsall to move to within touching distance of the top six

National League
Leyton Orient v Havant & Waterlooville @3pm -the biggest crowd of the day for a non-league game should come at Brisbane Road where the O's will look to get back to winning ways and possibly go top by teatime. Havant, like Orient, suffered defeat in the FA Cup on Saturday and have only won two league games all season - a home win looks highly likely
Boreham Wood v Bromley @3pm - after playing back-to-back games against Dagenham & Redbridge, the Wood end the week with another derby against Bromley. Both teams are solidly in midtable but the Ravens are now on a four game unbeaten run and are looking good
Dagenham & Redbridge v Harrogate Town @3pm - the Daggers are in woeful form in the league so it was impressive that they showed the character to fight back and an earn a replay at Boreham Wood in the FA Cup. They face another stern test here as Harrogate are among the early season pacesetters

National League South
Wealdstone v Torquay United @3pm - back in 2013/14 the Stones won the then Ryman League title to move up to the level they are now. Down in Devon at the same time, the Gulls finished bottom of League Two to drop into the Conference. Even then, the prospect of these two meeting in a league match seemed fairly remote but after several more years of struggle, Torquay went down again and actually head to Grosvenor Vale as marginal underdogs based on their respective league positions. Despite relegation, they should still bring a lot of fans so Wealdstone could well get a crowd of 1,000+ for the third weekend running
Welling United v Gloucester City @3pm - it's boom time for London clubs in this division with four of our local clubs in the top seven. The Wings are the pick of the bunch in second just two points behind leaders Billericay and should win here against a Gloucester side who are just above the relegation zone

FA Trophy First Qualifying Round - this national competition is for clubs playing in the fifth to eighth tiers with its final at Wembley in May. At this stage only clubs in the seventh and eighth tiers are taking part and the draw is still regionalised along a north and south divide. The winners of each tie earn £3,250 prize money. There are several ties in London over the weekend but here are a few which standout for me
Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Lewes @3pm - it's often quite hard to pick games at this stage because they're all much of a muchness so I've gone for three where a lower ranked team is at home and they have the best chance of causing an upset - the first is this one down near Heathrow at the Robert Parker Stadium. Ashford are midtable in the Bostik South Central but will no doubt give it a good go against the Rooks who have settled well back in the Bostik Premier after last season's promotion-winning display. The East Sussex club are a well-supported side so will hopefully bring a few and generate a bit of atmosphere
Molesey v Walton Casuals @3pm - the Moles are having an absolute stinker so far this season and are winless from their opening nine games. Casuals are holding their own following their move to the Evo-Stik Premier and should win but this is a local derby so anything could happen
VCD Athletic v Leiston @3pm - two teams in form meet at Old Road where the hosts, who are fifth in the Bostik South East, will fancy their chances against a team who are seventh in a division one level above them

Essex Senior League
Walthamstow v Sporting Bengal United @3pm - we've got a top-six clash to enjoy at Wadham Lodge where the hosts will be looking to close the gap on the top two with a win. Sporting have done really well this season and have games in hand on all of those above them, meaning a place in the top three could soon be theirs too

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Cray Valley PM v Fisher @3pm - after winning their big midweek game at leaders Beckenham Town, Fisher have put themselves firmly in title contention. In fact, they've now won six games in a row and have scored 20 goals in the process. As I mentioned above, Cray are also in hot form and this could produce quite a ding-dong!

Spartan South Midlands League Division 1
Hillingdon Borough v Harefield United @3pm - the game of the day in the 10th tier has to be this local derby between the sides who are currently first and second. Boro are doing superbly well considering they were bailed out last season by former player Yannick Bolasie after the club announced they were about to fold. With nine wins from 12, including a 6-1 win at Amersham on Saturday, they are currently two points clear. However, Harefield are just behind them and have two games in hand. The visitors effectively play on the same road as Hillingdon and are celebrating their 150th anniversary season

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Sunday 28 October

Premier League
Crystal Palace v Arsenal @130pm - we end the week with a London derby at Selhurst Park. At the time of writing Palace haven't had a great season but they're keeping their heads above water and are a lot better off than they were this time last year. As mentioned above, the Gunners are in great form and could arrive here on the back of an 11th consecutive win if they enjoy success in their midweek games against Leicester and Sporting Lisbon

FA Women's Super League
Chelsea v Liverpool @1230pm - there are a number of women's games in the capital on Sunday but this is the only top-flight fixture. After edging to a 1-0 first leg win over Fiorentina in the Champions League on Wednesday, the Blues only managed a 0-0 draw at Birmingham City on their return to league action on Sunday. The result leaves the reigning champions down in seventh and eight points behind leaders Arsenal - a gap which looks unbridgeable even at this early stage. Elsewhere, the Reds won 1-0 at West Ham to move into the top four

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

NEED HELP?

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries. I do not charge for this advice like some other sites so don't hold back!

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

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

TLFG: 15-21 October 2018

Well that's it - Non-League Day (NLD) is done and dusted for another year. Phew!

The week began with a trip to Wembley to appear on Talksport2 and talk about NLD alongside Ray Stubbs, Tony Incenzo and Sam Parkin. 

It was great to meet them and get some more excellent exposure for the day just ahead of the FA Cup fourth qualifying round draw which followed shortly afterwards.

Later in the week there were other interviews including this one for the i newspaper and various other national, regional and club outlets.

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Taking to the airwaves at Wembley ahead of the FA Cup draw

Over the course of the week, the Premier League published a number of great stories about players who had gone from non-league to the top flight. The FA agreed to send the FA Vase and FA Trophy to a couple of ties in the competition that were being played on NLD and our charity partners Prostate Cancer UK gradually cranked up the publicity with great social media content too.

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When the day finally arrived I got things started on social media around 0730 before then heading off to Wormwood Scrubs to take part in the parkrun, something that has become an NLD tradition for me over the years.

By the time I got home around 1030, #nonleagueday was in the top three trends on Twitter and things were building nicely.

Tweets of support from the likes of Arsenal legend Ian Wright and Leicester talisman Jamie Vardy, plus those from a whole host of Premier League and Championship clubs and a feature on Football Focus with Glenn Murray got things really moving.

Soon after this, traffic to our website started to get a bit mad and the match finder began to grind to a halt and we started to receive a few complaints. However, I made contact and acted as a personal match finder for as many people as possible.

I spent the afternoon itself at the Middlesex derby between Wealdstone and Hampton & Richmond Borough in the National League South.

A large crowd of 1,163 (about 400 more than normal and the biggest that had ever watched these two play each other) were treated to a 2-1 win for the hosts which also included a penalty save and a red card for the visitors.

Daniel Green sends in a corner during Wealdstone's win over Hampton & Richmond

There were tales of big crowds and great first visits to non-league grounds from all over the country and for the 24 hours of the 13 October #nonleagueday was the top trend on Twitter throughout the UK and 25th in the entire world.

Prostate Cancer UK received a cheque for £150,000 from National League sponsors Vanarama and we're still waiting to see how much comes in from the scores of clubs who did individual collections and events all over the country - at Wealdstone alone almost £500 was raised.

In other news, the GMB trade union also launched a new branch specifically for semi-professional and non-league players called Footballers United - fronted by NLD team-member and non-league legend Francis Duku it will hopefully provide protection, advice and many other benefits for players, fans, coaches and pretty much anyone involved at this level.

Next year will be the 10th Non-League Day so discussions are already being had about how we can make it the biggest one yet.

Finally I'd like to say a huge thank you to anyone who participated in the day in any way. Whether you were a member of the core team of volunteers on whom I totally rely, belong to one of our major partners, a journalist who covered the story in the media, a committee member at a club who embraced the concept of the day or simply a fan who went to a game and/or helped spread the message on social media - all of you played your part and the event would have been all the poorer without you.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 80 matches in the London area over the next seven days with the Premier League and Championship making their return after the international break. There are also a few ties in the highly important fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup.

Please bear in mind that because of several cup games taking place on Sunday, the midweek fixtures could change in the eighth to tenth tiers if replays are required. I will keep things as up to date as possible but can't promise too.

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

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

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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

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

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Monday fixtures - yellow pin
Tuesday fixtures - green pin
Wednesday fixtures - magenta pin
Friday fixtures - black pin

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

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

In the following section I list, 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 October

Bostik League Premier Division
Haringey Borough v Carshalton Athletic @745pm - the hosts suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat at Burgess Hill on Non-League Day which allowed Monday's visitors to leapfrog them in the table. Carshalton enjoyed an impressive 4-0 win at Harlow but it was only their third victory of the season, meaning this should be close. Update - this match has been postponed

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Erith Town v Corinthian @745pm - the Dockers have made a disappointing start to the season but recorded a morale-boosting win at Bedfont & Feltham in the FA Vase on Saturday. Next up they face a visit from high-flying Corinthian who will go second if they win here

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Tuesday 16 October

Bostik League Premier Division
Enfield Town v Brightlinsea Regent @745pm - despite going two games without a win, the Towners are still the pick of our local teams in this division. Fifth at the time of writing and banging in goals for fun, they should have too much for relegation contenders Brightlingsea
AFC Hornchurch v Lewes @745pm - both sides suffered defeats on Saturday, something which stopped the Urchins breaking into the top five. The Rooks have played nine and won three, drawn three and lost three and are consequently firmly in midtable - it's a very tough one to call

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Wednesday 17 October

Uefa Women's Champions League
Chelsea v Fiorentina @735pm - the Blues won the domestic double last season but things have gone a bit awry this time round. With only one win from five league games they've made a sluggish start. On Sunday they suffered the humiliation of a 5-0 home defeat by Arsenal who they comprehensively defeated in last season's FA Cup final. On Wednesday they play the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie against a side who are currently midtable in Serie A

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Beckenham Town v Fisher @745pm - even though there is a game at a higher level on Wednesday, this clash between two of the title contenders in this division looks far more interesting. The Becks won their first nine league games to race clear at the top but things have suddenly gone a bit wrong. Back-to-back defeats in the league and another loss in the FA Vase on Saturday have made them look human again and in third place Fisher they face another challenging fixture

Essex Senior League
Walthamstow v Barkingside @745pm - without a game on Non-League Day, the hosts should come into this match refreshed and ready to go. At the time of writing they're right up in third and will strongly fancy their chances against 'Side who are winless from 12 and rooted to the bottom

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Friday 19 October

U23 Development matches
There are three games spread around the capital on Friday at this level. The most eye-catching fixture is the Premier League 2 game between Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City but it's taking place at the club's training ground. Although most games here are open to the public, not all of them are so check with the club on the day of the game. Elsewhere, Fulham entertain West Bromwich Albion at their training ground - this is being advertised as open to the public (£3 for adults) and Watford have a game against Bristol City at Wingate & Finchley's ground which should also be open to the public but check the details on Friday morning just to be on the safe side

Bostik League North Division
Aveley v Basildon United @745pm - why not combine one of the early kick-offs above with this enticing Essex derby? These clubs are located only a few miles apart and are currently occupying the top two spots in the division - it should be a cracker!

Essex Senior League
Sporting Bengal United v Clapton @745pm - if you want to stay a bit closer to the centre of town then this match in Mile End should fit the bill. Another derby, between two east London clubs, this doesn't have quite as much riding on it as the game above. A couple of years ago the place would've been jumping thanks to the Clapton Ultras who would've travelled in large numbers but sadly they disbanded recently and the crowd will be well down

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Saturday 20 October

Premier League
Chelsea v Manchester United @1230pm - there are only two top-flight games in London this weekend but they're both big. First up is this huge match between two Titans of English football. The Blues will start the game as joint leaders whilst a troubled United arrive in eighth. Jose Mourinho, by his standards, is going through a rough patch at Old Trafford with his side's great comeback against Newcastle last weekend probably keeping him in the job. He'll be desperate to win against his old club but it will probably be seen as an upset if he pulls it off
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur @3pm - Millwall are the Hammers' traditional enemy but Spurs come a pretty close second. To make the relationship a little spicier, the clubs fought for control of the London Stadium before West Ham were eventually offered the chance to move in. Given that the move has ended up being far from popular with the east London club's fans, it was almost certainly a battle Spurs are now happy to have lost. As an outsider looking in, I've picked up on a vibe of Tottenham being nowhere near as good as they were last season and yet three league wins in a row have put them just two points off top spot so they're still very much in contention. West Ham made an awful start but have improved, taking seven points from their last five games. Spurs dominate the head-to-head between the two clubs and have won on five of their last 10 league visits to east London

Championship
Brentford v Bristol City @3pm - Bees fans were rocked in midweek by news that manager Dean Smith had opted to head back to his Midlands home to join Aston Villa. Since taking over at Griffin Park almost three years ago, the former Walsall boss, had done a superb job turning Brentford into one of the most competitive clubs in the division despite being one of its smallest. Danish assistant coach Thomas Frank has been put in temporary charge and is favourite to land the job but whoever comes in next will inherit a club in seventh with a great group of players. If they appoint anybody before Saturday they will face a City side who are winless in five and presumably a little low on confidence

League One
Charlton Athletic v Barnsley @3pm - after nice little run to move alongside the play-off contenders, the Addicks have now gone three without a win in the league and are back down in 11th. This is still respectable given all the off-field issues the club are experiencing with relations between the fans and owners at a low. On Saturday the Tykes, recently relegated from the Championship, make their first visit to The Valley in over four years. They'll be looking forward to it as they've won there the last three times and usually come away with at least a point

FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round
The nation's favourite cup competition has reached one of it's most critical points - the final round before League One and League Two clubs enter the draw. Around the country tiny teams like ninth tier Dunston UTS are now only 90 minutes away from going into the hat alongside a local giant like Sunderland. Winners of each tie receive £25,000 in prize money so there's lots at stake

Wealdstone v Sutton United @3pm - despite there being higher ranked local teams playing (see below) this match is the one that jumps out for me. The Stones play a level below Sutton but are in good form and draw relatively large and vocal crowds. Sutton are most famous for their runs in this competition with historic games against the likes of Arsenal, Leeds and Coventry over the years. Given what's at stake, there could be a huge crowd crammed into Grosvenor Vale and it should be a real humdinger
Boreham Wood v Dagenham & Redbridge @3pm - normally an all-National League London derby would get a higher billing than the match above but with The Wood attracting smallish crowds (they drew almost half of what Wealdstone achieved on Non-League Day) and the Daggers being, quite frankly, rubbish at the moment I've put this second. In fact, neither side have been great recently so it could be fairly even
Barnet v Braintree Town @3pm - with no fixture over the international break, the Bees squad should be refreshed and ready to see off Essex club Braintree who are bottom of the National League and looking for a new manager
Haringey Borough v Poole Town @3pm - having seen off AFC Sudbury in the last round, Boro are one of two seventh-tier teams representing London at this advanced stage of the competition. They got to this round last season and if they win here, against a team from the parallel Evo-Stik League, then it will be the furthest they have ever gone in their history
Metropolitan Police v Havant & Waterlooville @3pm - the other seventh-tier club left in are The Met who face an incredibly tough tie against a side from two levels above them. They last made the First Round in 2012 and have been there three times before so they have some pedigree and can't be written off

National League South
Dartford v Dulwich Hamlet @3pm - as a neutral looking for a non-league game this weekend I'd really only be considering one of the FA Cup ties above but if they're not for you, this is a decent alternative. In a division covering teams from Cornwall to Kent, I think it's fair to call this a derby. The Darts pushed hard for the title last season but ultimately came up short. A quick glance at the league table might make you think they're out of it this year but despite being down in 13th, it's ridiculously tight with the nine teams immediately above them all just a win within reach. Dulwich are new to the division and took some time to adjust but with three wins in a row are now just a point behind Dartford and back in play-off contention themselves despite being way down in 16th - bonkers!

Bostik League Premier Division
AFC Hornchurch v Tonbridge Angels @3pm - if the Urchins win their midweek game there's a good chance they'll come into this game as a top-five club. Despite losing their big game against Bognor on Non-League Day, Tonbridge are still top of the league and should provide formidable opposition

Evo-Stik League Premier Division South
Hendon v Wimborne Town @3pm - the Greens suffered defeat in the Bostik League play-off final last season, got shifted over to the Evo-Stik League in the restructure and saw long-serving manager Gary McCann and several key players move to Hampton & Richmond. Despite all this disappointment and upheaval, Hendon have sailed on as if nothing had happened. Up in second in their new league only a point off top spot, new boss James Gray is doing an impressive job. Wimborne are struggling and should be seen off with relative ease despite their hefty win over Kings Langley at the weekend

Bostik League South Central
Chipstead v Waltham Abbey @3pm - the Chips are holding their own in lower midtable but face a visit from current leaders Waltham Abbey on Saturday. With only one defeat from eight, the Essex club are looking good
Uxbridge v Bracknell Town @3pm - if Waltham Abbey slip up, Bracknell will be looking to replace them. Having topped the table for most of the opening couple of months of the season, the Berkshire club have played less games than those above them and are effectively leaders in waiting. They should have too much for Uxbridge

Combined Counties League Premier Division
Walton & Hersham v Chertsey Town @3pm - the fine new facilities at the Elmbridge Xcel Sports Hub play host to this local derby. The hosts are having a poor season, with one win from 11 leaving them down near the bottom of the table. Chertsey, on the other hand, are flying. Top of the league and unbeaten, it will take quite a performance to stop Dave Anderson's side

Combined Counties League Division 1
Bedfont & Feltham v FC Deportivo Galicia @3pm - currently in third, B&F have the games in hand to go top. This match is a derby against a side who groundshare with Bedfont Sports whose ground almost touches The Orchard where this will be played

Spartan South Midlands League Division 1
Harefield United v Buckingham Athletic @3pm - the Hare bowed out of the FA Vase on Saturday and to make matters worse, near neighbours Hillingdon Borough won their league game to jump above them into top spot. Harefield have the games in hand to unseat them again and they'll need to win here against midtable Buckingham to get the momentum going again

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Sunday 21 October

Women's matches
Sunday is all about women's football with five games taking place in the top three divisions. The pick of the matches is the Super League top-four clash between Arsenal and Reading at Boreham Wood. Elsewhere, there are home games for West Ham United, Charlton Athletic, London Bees and QPR

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

NEED HELP?

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries. I do not charge for this advice like some other sites so don't hold back!

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

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

TLFG: 8-14 October 2018

It's that time of year again - yes, Non-League Day (NLD) is back!

This will be the ninth time the event has been held and I'm still pinching myself that a brainwave of mine could have made such an impact.

For those of you that don't know, NLD is an annual celebration of semi-professional and amateur football held to coincide with an autumn international break when there are no Premier League or Championship games so as to maximise the amount of publicity we can get and appeal to as many people as possible.

Originally it was intended to be an attempt to reach out to fans of the big clubs to get them to come and try out a non-league game for the first time but it's transformed into more of a general celebration of all things at this level and also a chance for clubs to raise funds, not only for themselves, but also a number of charities.

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This year's Non-League Day take place on Saturday - get involved!

Our official charity continues to be Prostate Cancer UK and it seems almost double the number of clubs (around 100) compared to last year have signed up to support them.

With Vanarama already announcing that they're hoping to raise £150,000 by NLD, the amount generated this year could be considerable!

Unsurprisingly this week's guide is dedicated almost exclusively to NLD so the Daily Digest will make way for a focused look at Saturday itself. 

All the week's other games will appear on the match maps as usual so have a good look through them to see what else is on but remember - it is an international break so the only game taking place in the top four divisions is AFC Wimbledon's match against Portsmouth in League One on Saturday.

The highlights of the midweek action which are well worth a mention are the friendly between England Women and Australia at Craven Cottage on Tuesday and England C v Estonia U23 at Leyton Orient's ground on Wednesday (England C are the country's non-league representative XI) - tickets are £10 and £5 respectively.

On Thursday, Dulwich Hamlet have lined up a friendly against Crystal Palace who are sending pretty much a first-team squad minus those on international duty. Tickets are £10 and you are being urged to buy in advance as it could sell out.

Lastly on Friday, two clubs who are without a game on Non-League Day have arranged a friendly. The match between Walthamstow and Clapton CFC, who both play on the Wadham Lodge site, should draw a lively crowd of several hundred and entry is by donation (suggested amount £3). 

'Two Men In Search...' pay a visit to Grays Athletic who you can also go to watch on NLD

There are also some FA Cup replays which have a significant amount of prize money riding on them. The draw for the Fourth Qualifying Round take place at Wembley on Monday lunchtime and I think I'm going to be there. I know I'm definitely going to the national stadium on Monday morning to record something relevant to the draw and NLD for Talksport2 so whether it will be live or pre-recorded I don't know. I'm just hoping someone gets stuck in traffic and I have to step in to help draw the balls!!!

I think that's about it from me. The week ahead is likely to be incredibly hectic and I hope it's all worth it. Thanks again for all your support and if you are free, please try and get to a non-league game on Saturday no matter where you are in the country. If you're outside London, I've spent a large chunk of my time building a match finder which will allow you to discover what your nearest game is depending on your location. There's also a similar event being held in Germany - it's called Tag der Amateure and is taking place on Sunday so please give that your backing too if you're over there.

Remember, semi-professional and amateur football make up the bedrock of the game is this country and around the world - do your bit to make sure those foundations stay firm.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 100 matches in and around the London area over the next seven days with the National League, Bostik League, Evo-Stik League, FA Trophy and FA Vase taking centre stage. 

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

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

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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

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

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

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

TLFG NON-LEAGUE DAY RECOMMENDATIONS

In this section I will list a few games I think are particularly worth watching and highlight ones which are offering special deals and events to get new people in. To clarify, non-league teams are classed as those playing in the fifth tier and below of English football. Please note - this list could well get refreshed/updated as the week progresses as many clubs often release their plans quite late in the day (updated on 08/10/18)

Saturday 13 October

National League (Level 5)
Leyton Orient v Hartlepool United @3pm - the biggest crowd at a non-league game anywhere in the country is likely to be for this match at Brisbane Road where two former EFL sides do battle. The O's and Pools are both pushing hard for promotion and have only lost three games between them so far this season. To top it all, tickets have been reduced to just £5 so I'd recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment
Boreham Wood v Maidenhead United @3pm - the Wood punched way above their weight to impressively make it to the National League play-off final last season. On Saturday they'll be looking to arrest a run of four straight defeats against a Magpies side who are struggling for consistency just below them. Ticket discounts, fun activities and player appearances are all taking place in an effort to draw in new fans
Bromley v Barrow @3pm - after inconsistent starts to the season, both sides enjoyed victories on Saturday and will be looking to close the gap on the top seven by winning this game. If you buy tickets online in advance they'll only be £10 - it'll be £18 if you pay on the day. The other notable story ahead of this game is Barrow manager Ian Evatt (formerly of QPR) and his squad have part funded the cost of a supporters' coach to bring fans all the way down from Cumbria - great effort!
Dagenham & Redbridge v Wrexham @3pm - after battling financial problems the Daggers were recently saved by an American consortium including former Everton and Man Utd goalkeeper Tim Howard. Sadly results have yet to improve and the east London club are still stuck in the bottom three. On Saturday they welcome title contenders Wrexham for a big game. If you're a friend of a Dagenham season-ticket holder or you are a season-ticket holder at a Premier League or Championship club, you'll be able to get in at reduced prices which start at £10

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National League South (Level 6)
Wealdstone v Hampton & Richmond Borough @3pm - one of the matches of the day in the London area will be this one at Grosvenor Vale. To all intents and purposes this is a derby and features two sides who are also ensconced in what will probably be a thrilling title race. The Stones have been big supporters of Non-League Day since it began in 2010 and were the first club to ever offer a discount to coincide with the event. This year is no different with a number of ticket promotions available and sponsors Wenzel's (a local bakery who make the best doughnuts in the world IMHO) will also be doing a few things. I'm highly tempted by this one and you should be too!
Welling United v Slough Town @3pm - there's also a very intriguing clash between two of the top five at Park View Road. Discounts are available for Premier League and EFL season-ticket holders.

A bit further afield
Billericay Town v Gloucester City @3pm - a lot has been written, much of it negative, about big spending Billericay and their high profile owner Glenn Tamplin. However, when it comes to NLD, the Essex club usually really go to town and create quite a buzz around their fixture. Last season nearly 2,000 people watched them beat Hendon 4-3 in a thrilling clash. This year they come into the game as leaders of the division and on the back of a 9-1 FA Cup win over Whitehawk. The club are offering a number of discounts to get in, most notably half price for people in fancy dress
St Albans City v Bath City @3pm - just to the north of London lies the market town of St Albans. Clarence Park is one of my favourite non-league grounds and is really easy to get to, just a few minutes walk from St Albans station. Like Wealdstone, City have been big supporters of NLD for a long time and always look to do something. This year they will be offering some ticket price reductions, raising money for Prostate Cancer UK and former Arsenal striker Alan Smith will be putting in an appearance. The match itself should also be well worth a watch as both sides are in the top eight

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Bostik League Premier Division (Level 7)
Corinthian Casuals v AFC Hornchurch @3pm - head down to Tolworth for some crossbar challenge fun and a number of other events as the club look to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK
Staines Town v Merthyr Town @3pm - the Swans announced their deal quite late but it's a good one - admission reduced to £5, armed forces and emergency personnel for free. If you want to pay the normal £10 to get in, the club will give £5 of it to Prostate Cancer UK
Wingate & Finchley v Leatherhead @3pm - up at Summers Lane former England player Nicky Shorey takes charge of his first game as new Wingate boss and it's also half price pro club season-ticket holders

A bit further afield
Burgess Hill Town v Haringey Borough @3pm - one of the deals of the day is to be found in deepest Sussex at the fantastically named Green Elephants Stadium where it will be only £1 for adults and free for U18s. The hosts narrowly avoided relegation last season and have made a poor start this time too but hey, it's only a pound and it's very much on my shortlist
Merstham v Bishop's Stortford @3pm - located just beyond the M25 to the south of London, you won't have too much further than normal to travel to get to this one - you'll even be able to use an Oyster Card to get there. The Moatsiders are offering free entry to all NHS workers and a number of other discounts as they prepare to take on a Stortford side which includes journeyman striker Jamie Cureton who is still banging them in at 43 years of age
Tonbridge Angels v Bognor Regis Town @3pm - almost certainly the game of the day at this level sees the current leaders host the team in third. Tonbridge are four points clear at the top whilst Bognor are unbeaten and the highest scorers in the division so it should be good. It's also only £5 if you arrive by 215pm - it then goes up to £11
Whitehawk v Brightlingsea Regent @3pm - the Hawks suffered relegation from the National League South last season and have made an iffy start this time round too. They suffered the ignominy of a 9-1 defeat at Billericay Town in the FA Cup on Saturday so will hope to bounce back strongly here. The club are making big efforts to engage with their local community and grow their supporter base and are really going to town with this game. Admission has been reduced to £5, there will be plenty of off-field entertainment and also some fundraising for Prostate Cancer UK - all a short walk from Brighton Marina

Evo-Stik League Premier Division South (Level 7)

A bit further afield
Chesham United v Salisbury @3pm - the Generals are another club who are long-term supporters of NLD and have come up with one of the most enticing deals on Saturday - Pay What You Want. At NLD Towers, if clubs want to reduce admission, this is the way we most strongly encourage them to go. The idea draws people in and many are more than happy to pay the going rate so you end up with a far bigger crowd than normal leading to bulging coffers as the extra punters will very often also spend on programmes, refreshments and lots of other things once they're in. Although I haven't been for years, Amy Lane was always one of my favourite grounds and despite being way out in the Chilterns, Chesham is still reachable by London Underground
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Bostik League South Central Division (Level 8)

A bit further afield
Cheshunt v Tooting & Mitcham United @3pm - with both clubs knocked out of the FA Trophy in the opening round they decided to bring forwards this fixture from later in the season. To their credit, the Ambers have also made the game 'Pay What You Want' to try and encourage as big a crowd as possible. Located a short distance from Tottenham's training ground, this could be a good one for local Spurs fans with a free afternoon

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Essex Senior League (Level 9)
Barkingside v Stansted @3pm - located a short walk from Seven Kings station, Barkingside's Cricklefields home (which they share with landlords Ilford) should provide a good value option on the east side of town. 'Side are always looking at ways to bring in new supporters and they're offering free entry to all emergency service workers, students and the unemployed. It's only £5 for everyone else and if a crowd of over 100 turn up, the chairman will refund their 'regular loyal band of supporters'
Sporting Bengal United v Hoddesdon Town @3pm - over in Mile End, the hosts have decided to knock a couple of quid off the normal admission price meaning it's only £4 to get into this one

Southern Counties East League Premier Division (Level 9)
Fisher v Glebe @3pm - there's a London derby at Salter Road where the hosts will be putting on a Groundhopper Appreciation Day. This will include the sale of vintage programmes and the showcasing of various trophies and memorabilia. Football magazine 'When Saturday Comes' will also be giving away a limited number of this month's edition to the first few people through the gates - the only London club where they'll be doing this

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division (Level 9)
Edgware Town v Biggleswade FC @3pm - the Wares are one of only seven clubs throughout the country who have been chosen to host a showpiece game with Kick It Out. The anti-discrimination charity are celebrating their 25th year and have raised their participation in the event to the highest level it's ever been. Edgware have made a solid start to the season but will probably find things tough as Biggleswade are top. It's also 'Pay What You Like' so there's plenty of good reasons to get down to Silver Jubilee Park on Saturday

Combined Counties League Premier Division (Level 9)
Colliers Wood United v Raynes Park Vale @3pm - although I'm not aware of any special deals or events at the Wibbandune on Saturday - the 'A3 Derby' has to make the guide as it is the A3 Derby. Named after the road which links to the two neighbouring clubs, this match is always one of my highlights of the CCL season. Hopefully they'll get their first 100+ attendance of the season

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Thurlow Nunn League Division 1 South (Level 10)
Hashtag United v Benfleet @3pm - the hosts were only founded in 2016 by football YouTuber Spencer Owen. They filmed and uploaded their exhibition and friendly matches onto the video-sharing platform and grew a large following on social media. The club have now gone semi-professional and entered the national system's pyramid at the start of this season, groundsharing with Haringey Borough. Things have gone well and they're currently one point clear at the top of the division. On Saturday they will be offering free admission to all, running a number of competitions and fundraising for Prostate Cancer UK

Combined Counties League Division 1 (Level 10)
Chessington & Hook United v Sandhurst Town @3pm - the Blues are offering free entry to the first five adults who bring a child and will then be hosting a half-time penalty competition for kids with 'prizes to be won'!
Tooting Bec v Fleet Spurs @3pm - the Bec groundshare at Raynes Park Vale and are making it only £3 for anyone with 'a shirt or season ticket at any Prem ot local NL club'for their CCL game
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FA Trophy Preliminary Round and FA Vase First Round
There are also a large number of ties in these two national knockout cup competitions, which have their finals on the same day at Wembley in May. The Trophy is for clubs in the fifth to eighth tiers but at this stage only teams in the eighth tier are taking part, with the winners of each tie pocketing £3,000. The Vase is for sides in the ninth to eleventh tiers with the winners of each tie receiving £825 and the losers £275. Sadly it is rare to find any clubs in FA competitions reducing admission as they have to agree it with the opposition. However, most clubs in these competitions will usually charge between £5-9 to get in so it's pretty cheap anyway. Here are a few ties that I like the look of:

FA Trophy
Barking v Hayes & Yeading United @3pm - it's an all-Bostik League east meets west clash at Mayesbrook Park on Saturday as teams from the North and South Central divisions go head-to-head. The visitors are on of the highest ranked London clubs at this level and should start as favourites
Grays Athletic v Sevenoaks Town @3pm - with landlords Aveley opting to play their tie on Friday night, Grays are the next best London-based club in the North Division. Sevenoaks are new to this level and will have to be at their best
Phoenix Sports v Ramsgate @3pm - among the frontrunners in the Bostik League South East, Phoenix should have too much for the visitors

FA Vase
Chertsey Town v Flackwell Heath @3pm - on Saturday the Curfews comfortably extended their unbeaten run to remain top of the Combined Counties League. Will midtable Hellenic League side Flackwell Heath cause a cupset and bring their hot streak to an end???
Harefield United v Woodbridge Town @3pm - the hosts are celebrating their 150th year in style - topping the league and doing well in this major cup competition. Woodbridge play a level above them but aren't pulling up any trees and could be there for the taking
St Panteleimon v Cray Valley PM @3pm - to my knowledge the Saints are the lowest ranked London club left in the competition. Playing in the 11th tier and groundsharing with North Greenford United, they have produced a couple of notable upsets in the two previous rounds. On Saturday they play a team who are doing well in the Southern Counties East League, two levels above them, who caused a number of upsets themselves on the way to winning the London Senior Cup in 2017 - surely they can't win again???

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Middlesex County League Premier Division (Level 11)
Lampton Park v PFC Victoria London @3pm - last but not least we have this MCFL game featuring our friends PFC who despite being the away team are marketing the match as if it were one of their own home fixtures, so keen are they to participate in NLD. Last year they managed to generate a crowd of around 400 for a match against North Acton and they'll be looking to appeal to the local Polish community, who they primarily represent, to back them in great numbers again. The match is being played at the Middlesex FA's brand new HQ in Northolt and it's free to get in

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