TLFG: 17-23 December 2018

Welcome everyone to the latest edition of TLFG and the final one before next week's Christmas/New Year Special which is going to keep me busy over the next few days.

Once again I've been confined to barracks so haven't seen anything live but it's been a great week for the teams I follow.

QPR ended their four-game winless run with a very impressive 2-1 win over Middlesbrough whilst Harrow Borough bounced back from their 7-0 mauling at Taunton Town (three players were sent off) with a 9-3 (!) win at North Greenford in the cup and a 3-0 win over Merthyr Town. The visiting Welsh side also organised a toy collection for children affected by the Grenfell Tower fire which Harrow supporters also took part in so every credit to all those involved.

So what else has been happening in the world of London football?

Our friends at 'Two Men...' paid a visit to The Hive to watch Barnet

In the Premier League, the charge is still being led by Spurs who enjoyed a narrow win over Burnley but they're being closely followed by Chelsea and Arsenal.

In fact it was a great weekend for the remainder of London's top flight clubs with all of them bar Fulham winning.

Things are looking pretty grim for the Cottagers. They enjoyed a victory soon after Claudio Ranieri's arrival but have now failed to win in four. Although bottom, three points would put them right back in contention to stay up so it's not a lost cause just yet.

In the EFL, League One side Charlton are the only one of our local clubs who appear to be mounting a serious promotion challenge. QPR have an outside chance in the Championship whilst Brentford, Millwall and AFC Wimbledon all seem to have long tough winters ahead of them.

Since I last wrote, tickets for Dulwich Hamlet's first game back at Champion Hill on Boxing Day against Eastbourne Borough have gone on sale.

The online allocation for this match appear to have sold out already but some are still available for the following game against Slough on 29 December. I think it's usually the policy of the club to hold some tickets back for sale on the day so getting to the Boxing Day game might still be possible but check with the authorities at Dulwich to make sure.

Lastly this week it was great to be able to help out Gregor from Austria who was looking for a game today (Sunday).

There was nothing on in London but I managed to find out that tickets were available for Southampton v Arsenal and gave him some travel advice.

It all worked out well and he got to see a cracking game too. If you're prepared to travel that bit further but aren't sure about the logistics then get in touch.

Given the highly interrupted sleep I'm getting at the moment, TLFG's coffee drinking fund is coming in very handy during my working days so thanks again to those of you who have donated.

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 Premier League, EFL and most of our local non-league competitions. There are also some eye-catching U23 matches and FA Youth Cup games.

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 17 December

Premier League 2
Arsenal v Blackburn Rovers @7pm - the Gunners' U23 side begin the week by playing Blackburn at Boreham Wood's ground. Freddie Ljungberg's team are struggling for wins at the moment so will want to kick-start their season here

FA Youth Cup Third Round
Millwall v Tottenham Hotspur @7pm - there's an eye-catching London derby in the cup for U18 sides. The match is being played at The Den and adult tickets are £5

Bostik League Premier Division
Haringey Borough v Carshalton Athletic @745pm - since narrowly losing to AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup, Haringey have gone on a sensational eight game winning run which has seen them become joint league leaders with Lewes and Dorking Wanderers. When I started writing this blog, Boro were playing two levels below this in front of tiny crowds. Two promotions later, with a 4G pitch installed and the club giving out free season tickets, they really are a club to keep an eye on. Carshalton got promoted alongside Haringey last season and haven't made quite the same impact but are more than holding their own

Bostik League North Division
Aveley v Great Wakering Rovers @745pm - Essex clubs are dominating this division at the moment with eight of the top 10 coming from the county. The Millers will move level on points with leaders Bowers & Pitsea if they beat Great Wakering who are struggling and should be beaten

Combined Counties League Premier Division
Sutton Common Rovers v AFC Hayes @745pm - most of the talk in this division has been about Chertsey Town who have led from the off and have only lost one game. However, SCR have kept in touch and will be only a point behind if they beat Hayes who are fighting to avoid the drop

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Tuesday 18 December

Evo-Stik League Premier Division South
Harrow Borough v Beaconsfield Town @745pm - two of the most entertaining teams in the division do battle at Earlsmead on Tuesday night in this re-arranged fixture. Harrow, by their usually modest standards, are enjoying a fantastic season following their move over from the parallel Bostik League and have the second highest goals per game ratio in the division. They've played four times over the last two weeks winning three, losing one, scoring 17 and conceding 10. Beaconsfield won the division below this last season and have continued to impress. Although just behind Harrow in eighth, they've had a great FA Trophy run which only ended on Saturday at National League leaders Leyton Orient - it could be a cracker

Bostik League Premier Division
Wingate & Finchley v Bishop's Stortford @745pm - Wingate have had a rocky time of late but recorded an impressive 2-0 win over Dulwich Hamlet in the FA Trophy on Saturday which few expected. Bishop's Stortford are well in the hunt for a play-off place and have former QPR, Norwich and Reading striker Jamie Cureton in their squad who despite being 43 is still banging them in for fun and is top scorer in the division

Combined Counties League Premier Division
Colliers Wood United v Chertsey Town @3pm - midtable CWU entertain the league leaders who could extend their lead at the top to as much as seven points here if Sutton Common come unstuck on Monday

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Edgware Town v Wembley @3pm - plodding along nicely in midtable, it looks like being a pretty forgettable season for the hosts but this derby against near neighbours Wembley should be worth getting up for. The Lions are just above the relegation zone so will be thankful for any points gleaned here

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Wednesday 19 December

Carabao Cup Quarter-Finals
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur @745pm - given the amount of reserve sides that Premier League clubs tend to field in this competition, the organisers will be pretty happy that four of the country's biggest six clubs are still in it. By far and away the tie of the round, these two old rivals have been drawn together four times since 2007 with some memorable games ensuing. There's little between them in the league at the moment with Arsenal beating Spurs 4-2 at the Emirates two weeks ago. Given the high security which always surrounds this fixture, any remaining tickets are available to members only
Chelsea v AFC Bournemouth @745pm - in the other match of the night we have a repeat of last season's tie which also took place just before Christmas. Since making it up to the Premier League in 2015, the Cherries have won on two of their four visits to Stamford Bridge and can't be underestimated. The Blues have won this cup five times and could well make it a sixth this season

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Friday 21 December

Friendly
Brentford B v Queens Park Rangers U23 @12pm - these two development sides meet for a west London derby at the Bees' training ground next to the picturesque National Trust property Osterley House which you could also visit if you've not been to the area before. Games at this venue are usually open to the public and free to get into but make sure you check all the details before you set off

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Saturday 22 December

Premier League
Arsenal v Burnley @1230pm - both sides suffered disappointing defeats over the weekend. The Gunners rather surprisingly lost 3-2 at struggling Southampton on Sunday whilst the Clarets were a little unlucky to be undone by an injury-time goal by Spurs at Wembley. Arsenal will still start as overwhelming favourites because they've won their last eight games against Burnley with the Lancashire club not having won at Arsenal since 1974
Chelsea v Leicester City @3pm - after a couple of iffy results, the Blues have turned things around with a couple of very tidy wins. They should pick up another one here as the Foxes have managed only one victory against the west Londoners in their last 16 attempts and that, unsurprisingly, came during their title winning season
West Ham United v Watford @3pm - tickets for both of the above will be hard to get without membership but the good news is that plenty appear to be on general sale for what should be a decent derby. The Hammers are on a great four-game winning streak and are now up into the top half. The Hornets beat Cardiff on Saturday to remain on level points with West Ham so this should be close

Championship
Brentford v Bolton Wanderers @3pm - as we approach the half-way point of the season this is taking on the look of a relegation six-pointer. Both are on a poor run of form and lost important games on Saturday. The Bees are unbeaten in five against Bolton so should start as marginal favourites

League One
Charlton Athletic v Gillingham @3pm - despite all the off-field problems at The Valley, Charlton keep on winning - the derby victory over AFC Wimbledon kept them in the top five. Gillingham are coasting along in midtable but this is worth watching as this is effectively derby given the Gills location in nearby Kent

National League
Leyton Orient v Chesterfield @3pm - the O's are having one of their best seasons in years. Top of the league and still in the FA Trophy, the east Londoners are on course for a memorable double. Chesterfield fell out of the EFL last season and started really well under new boss Martin Allen but it's all gone wrong since then and they're just above the relegation zone. However, they are unbeaten in five and might not be the pushovers the table suggests

National League South
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Torquay United @3pm - the Beavers might be down in 13th but they're only three points adrift of the play-off places such is the tightness of the table. Torquay got relegated to this level last season and started a bit slowly but they're in full flow now and with five wins on the bounce, they're top

Bostik League Premier Division
Corinthian Casuals v Kingstonian @3pm - in my opinion the game of the day at this level is the Kingston derby. From the beginning of this season the clubs began groundsharing at Casuals' King George's Arena. Both made a pretty poor start to the campaign but both have picked up considerably and are in the top 10 at the time of writing. The clubs are also holding a food and clothes collection for a local homeless charity so bring an item

Bostik League South Central
Hayes & Yeading United v Bedfont Sports @3pm - Paul Hughes is doing a fine job at Beaconsfield Road and a win in this derby could well put them top. Even if they don't, they have three games in hand on leaders Marlow and are only a point behind

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Beckenham Town v Corinthian @3pm - the game of the day in the ninth tier sees second take on third in the SCEFL. If leaders Fisher slip up at Erith Town then Beckenham could retake the top spot they surrendered earlier in the season

Spartan South Midlands League Division 1
Harefield United v Broadfields United @3pm - in the 10th tier there shouldn't be too many games better than this. The two are currently first and second in the table and they groundshare - it should be a pre-Christmas cracker!

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Sunday 23 December

Bostik League South East
Cray Wanderers v Sittingbourne @3pm - the hosts have gone three games without a win but are still eight points clear at the top. Sittingbourne ended a worrying losing streak with a solid 4-1 win over Sevenoaks on Saturday

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: 10-16 December 2018

Welcome one and all to this week's TLFG and apologies for the late publication.

Work and childcare have caught up with me this week and the blog is back to match maps only as a result.

I haven't really got very much more to add and don't have the time to anyway so enjoy your football watching and I hope to have a bit more for you next week.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include action in the Europa League, Premier League, EFL, FA Trophy and most of our local non-league competitions. There are also some eye-catching U23 matches and FA Youth Cup games.

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

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: 3-9 December 2018

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

With my recently born daughter nearly six weeks old, this edition of the blog is pretty much back to full strength with all the normal features restored.

Not only that but I did manage to finally get to a game, taking my five-year-old to her first Harrow Borough match.

With QPR playing Hull on my doorstep, it looked highly likely that that would be our destination but as a result of the fairly last-minute decision to attend, we'd have been looking at a whopping £50+ for the two of us to go!

The purse strings are a bit tight at the moment so it wasn't that hard to decide that a non-league option would be better value.

So with snacks and distractions secured in a rucksack we headed out to the north-western suburbs to watch The Boro who I followed avidly as a youth.

Steve Baker's side have been a revelation since being moved from the Bostik League to Evo-Stik League over the summer.

My eldest daughter snaps some of the action at her first Harrow Borough game

It was usually a case of trying to stave off relegation every year but now Harrow are play-off contenders and scoring for fun.

On Saturday they welcomed a midtable Farnborough side for what could have been a tricky fixture.

With two of Boro's stars of the recent past, Marc Charles-Smith and Kurtis Cumberbatch, in their squad they looked good on paper.

However, that never even came close to being the case as Harrow totally played them off the park.

After wasting a couple of gilt-edged chances, it took 28 minutes for the first goal to arrive when the ball was forced home from close range by top scorer Ryan Moss at a corner.

It stayed that way until the interval and you thought it could be one of those days when a dominant team failing to score more could have been punished but that simply didn't happen.

The goals just kept coming at roughly 10-15 minute intervals for the rest of the half as Farnborough capitulated.

The 5-0 win lifted Harrow to sixth and also gave them the highest goals per game ratio in the division as they continue to entertain.

Despite this, average crowds remain way below what they could and should be so if you live in the area, please get along and see them soon, you won't be disappointed.

Next up they face an incredibly tough trip to leaders Taunton but in form like this who knows what they might achieve?

As for my daughter she actually really enjoyed herself.

A warm welcome from all the club staff she engaged with, a few treats from the tea bar and the chance to run up and down the terraces made a big difference.

She also received a kids' mini camera as a present recently and spent most of the time photographing things - the match, the sky, the Harrow Borough Ultras or moss on the terraces. She even asked if we could come back the next day. Job done!

When I think of her being restricted to an expensive seat at Loftus Road, getting bored and cold I know I definitely made the right call.

The match at Harrow cost us £10 to get into (it was free for her), the programme was £2 (I only bought this because it was her first game) and I think I spent about £4 on refreshments (a hefty slab of bread pudding, a KitKat and a portion of chips). With the Tube and bus fares it probably totalled around £20.

If you've got young kids then give non-league a try - they won't worry about the standard and will probably enjoy the experience a lot more.

Given the highly interrupted sleep I'm getting at the moment, TLFG's coffee drinking fund is coming in very handy during my working days so thanks again to those of you who have donated.

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 Premier League, EFL and most of our local non-league competitions. There are also some eye-catching U23 matches and FA Youth Cup games.

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 3 December

FA Youth Cup Third Round
West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers have both landed home ties in this competition for U18 sides. The Hammers play Brighton at Dagenham & Redbridge whilst QPR will entertain Rochdale at Loftus Road. Both matches kick-off at 7pm and cost somewhere in the region of £3 to get into

London Senior Cup Second Round
Haringey Borough v Leyton Orient @745pm - after pushing AFC Wimbledon hard in their recent  FA Cup First Round tie, Haringey next get the chance to take on the O's in another big cup tie. The visitors, who currently top the National League, will probably rest a few players but it should still be worth a watch

A bit further afield
In the Premier League International Cup the Tottenham U23 side will play their counterparts from Wolfsburg at Stevenage's Lamex Stadium in Hertfordshire at 7pm

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Tuesday 4 December

Premier League
Watford v Manchester City @8pm - Saturday's 2-0 loss at Leicester extended the Hornets' winless streak to four games, a period in which they've scored only one goal. Leaders City are seemingly unstoppable at the moment, scoring an average of just over three goals a game. It doesn't look great for the hosts...
West Ham United v Cardiff City @745pm - both sides picked up valuable wins this weekend to keep themselves clear of the bottom three. They haven't played each other for nearly five years when the Hammers won 2-0 in Wales, a result which took their winning run against the Bluebirds to six games in all competitions

EFL Trophy
Chelsea U21 v AFC Wimbledon @7pm - the Dons have had a miserable time in the league this season but made it through to the Third Round of the FA Cup with a win at Halifax on Saturday. Next up they travel to Stamford Bridge to play a Blues' development side. Tickets are only £5 for adults

National League South
Dartford v Torquay United @745pm - the Gulls won at Dulwich on Saturday and play another game south of the river on Tuesday (do they go all the way back to Devon or stay in town???). That win them propelled them into the top three and given Dartford are also in the top six, this could be a cracker

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Wednesday 5 December

Premier League
Fulham v Leicester City @745pm - after losing Sunday's derby at Chelsea, the Cottagers will come into this game at the foot of the table. Although nowhere near their championship winning form of 2016, the Foxes are still a very solid Premier League outfit with their current five game unbeaten run lifting them to eighth so they should start as favourites here. Most notably it will also see new Fulham boss Claudio Ranieri have the chance to get one over his former employers
Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton @8pm - having suffered the disappointment of defeat in Sunday's North London Derby, Spurs will want to get back to winning ways immediately. In Southampton they face one of the best opponents they could hope for as they have been poor this season. However, they took a point of Manchester United on Saturday so can't be completely written off

FA Continental Tyres Cup
Arsenal, Chelsea, London Bees and Millwall Lionesses all have games in the latest round of group matches in this women's competition
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Thursday 6 December

A bit further afield
I never thought I'd be writing about the possibility of watching Paris St Germain play PSV Eindhoven at Woking but that's exactly what you'll be able to do on Thursday night as the clubs' U23 sides meet in the Premier League International Cup

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Friday 7 December

U23 Development Matches
There are three games on Friday and they're staggered nicely so you could see all of them. The action starts at midday at Spurs' training ground where Tottenham entertain Everton - check with the club whether the public will be admitted but it's quite common. Then at 3pm Watford face Millwall at Wingate & Finchley and finally Chelsea play West Ham at 7pm at Aldershot Town's ground

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Saturday 8 December

Premier League
Chelsea v Manchester City @530pm - the game of the week in London is this clash between two of the top three. Chelsea conceded their unbeaten record a couple of weeks back but City still have theirs intact (unless they lose at Watford). Including the FA Community Shield, City have won their last three against the Blues and will fancy their chances of extending that run here
West Ham United v Crystal Palace @3pm - there's an intriguing derby at the London Stadium where two sides towards the other end of the table battle it out for what could be three important points. Palace have only lost on four of their last 10 trips to West Ham so history suggests they should be able to get something
Arsenal v Huddersfield Town @3pm - the Terriers' recent revival came to an end against Brighton on Saturday, a defeat which must have been disappointing. The Gunners ended their week with a very satisfying 4-2 win over arch rivals Spurs to climb back into the top four. Huddersfield haven't beaten Arsenal since 1971 and that doesn't look like changing here

Championship
Brentford v Swansea City @3pm - at the time of writing the Bees have lost four of their last five and now lie just three points above the relegation zone. Swansea are back in this division after several years in the Premier League but aren't having it all their own way and are slap bang in midtable after also losing four of their last five. If you want to see two sides in bad form, this is the one for you!
Millwall v Hull City @3pm - it's a battle of the Lions against the Tigers at the Den on Saturday as two teams fighting hard to avoid the drop go head-to-head. Both had reasonable weekends with Millwall drawing at Bristol City and Hull beating QPR at Loftus Road

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Rochdale @3pm - neither side are having a great time in the league at the moment so it could be quite close. The Dons will look to have appointed a new manager by the time this game comes round with former player Wally Downes currently the favourite

Premier League 2
Fulham v Stoke City @1pm - if you've never been to Craven Cottage then this U23 fixture gives you a fine opportunity at a low price of just £3 payable on the gate

National League
Boreham Wood v Leyton Orient @1235pm - the game of the day in this division is the televised derby between last season's beaten play-off finalists and the current league leaders. The Wood aren't quite the force they were last season but are more than holding their own whilst the O's have lost only once and have already reached 50 points
Dagenham & Redbridge v FC Halifax Town @3pm - facing financial ruin, the Daggers were really struggling but with their future secured following a takeover fronted by former Man Utd goalkeeper Tim Howard, they've won four in a row and are now up in 15th. Saturday's win at Hartlepool actually put them above Halifax who were playing AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup
Sutton United v Solihull Moors @3pm - with only one win in six, the U's promotion challenge has faltered. They'll do well to get it back on track against Solihull who are on a decent unbeaten run and held League One side Blackpool to a 0-0 draw in the FA Cup on Friday

National League South
Dartford v Slough Town @3pm - if the Darts beat Torquay in midweek they could start this as proud members of the top four. Slough play just outside London and should muster a decent away following. The Berkshire club narrowly lost to League One outfit Gillingham in the FA Cup on Sunday so could be a tricky opponent

Bostik League Premier Division
AFC Hornchurch v Kingstonian @3pm - despite getting walloped by Haringey Borough on Saturday, the K's ended the weekend as the top ranked London club in the Bostik League. The Urchins aren't having a great time and will do well to win here
Haringey Borough v Folkestone Invicta @3pm - since narrowly losing to AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup, Haringey have gone on a spectacular five game winning run, beating some of the best teams in the division. Up to seventh, they could make serious inroads into the top five with another win here

Bostik League North
Aveley v Coggeshall Town @3pm - at Parkside we've got an epic clash to look forward to with the current leaders taking on the side in third. The Seed Growers are probably most famous for having pop star Olly Murs on their board

Bostik League South East
Cray Wanderers v Phoenix Sports @3pm - there's a south-east London derby at Hayes Lane where the current top club, and London's oldest, play host to Phoenix who are still very much in contention for a play-off place

FA Vase Third Round
Redbridge v Chertsey Town @3pm - after seeing this match postponed last week these sides from parallel ninth tier leagues will have another go. The winners will have a home tie in the last 32. Chertsey are currently top of the Combined Counties League so should start as favourites

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Fisher v Chatham Town @3pm - it's also leaders versus fourth at Salter Road. The difference here is that Chatham have two games in hand on Fisher and are currently six points behind so this game could be crucial

Combined Counties League Division 1
Epsom & Ewell v Bedfont & Feltham @3pm - B&F were top but have dropped to second recently as a result of playing three less games than leaders Frimley Green. They are still only two points behind but could find it tough to win at E&E who are third

Southern Counties East League Division 1
Welling Town v Sutton Athletic @3pm - with 12 wins from 17 the Boots are four points clear at the top. Although well down in sixth, Sutton have four games in hand which if won would put them top so, again, this could be a significant game come the end of the season

Spartan South Midlands League Division 1
Broadfields United v Winslow United @3pm - Broadfields groundshare with Harefield and the two currently fill the top two spots. If they're to keep pace with Harefield they'll need to beat Winslow who are in third. The Buckinghamshire side have a number of games in hand after having their pitch vandalised so their third place is slightly false
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday 9 December

FA Women's Championship
London Bees v Leicester City @2pm - things are looking pretty quiet on Sunday with this women's game between two midtable sides being the only thing on offer

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: 26 November - 2 December 2018

Welcome to TLFG.

For any who might be new to this blog or haven't read it for a while let me re-cap - my wife had a baby a few 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 the daily digest makes its return in a slightly briefer form than usual as the blog almost returns to normal service.

Family life and my work schedule is still hectic - I'm writing this at 2am on Sunday morning during a relatively quiet hour or two but a restive baby is starting to stir in the background.

I haven't been to a match since Non-League Day six weeks ago in which time QPR and Harrow Borough have both continued to impress - perhaps I should stay away - but I'm champing at the bit to get out there and see a game.

I am off work this Saturday and QPR v Hull is a possibility - I might even take my eldest daughter to her first game at Loftus Road but it's something I'm nervous about.

Has anyone else had the experience of taking a young child to a game and them absolutely hating it or at best been bored to tears?

I have and it becomes pretty miserable for all involved. The child hates it and you spend your time trying to entertain/bribe them for 75+ minutes and you wonder why you bothered.

What is the right age for a first game?

My friend's four-year-old joined me for QPR v Preston in 2009 when Adel Taarabt scored one of the finest goals I've ever seen and orchestrated a barnstorming 4-0 win but my young companion lost interest after 20 minutes and it ruined my enjoyment of one of the finest Rangers performances there's been in the 35 years I've been following them.

'Two Men In Search...' pay a visit to Cray Wanderers for their latest vlog

I'd love to take my daughter along regularly and bond with her over the shared love of our local team but I really doubt it will happen.

Should she be playing the game more or watching it regularly on TV before I take her or should I just let her grow up a bit more? I was nearly nine before I went to a game but then no-one in my family really watched football so it could have been different if they had.

Anyway, enough of my personal quandaries - I'm happy to say that a new vlog from our friends at 'Two Men In Search Of The Beautiful Game' is now available.

In it they visit Cray Wanderers who are the oldest team in London. They currently groundshare with Bromley but have ambitious plans to build a stadium of their own soon. They're also currently top of the eighth tier Bostik League South East and pushing hard for promotion so it's a good time to get along and watch them if you haven't been already.

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 shorter 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, FA Trophy, FA Vase and 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

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 26 November

Bostik League Premier Division
Carshalton Athletic v Dorking Wanderers @745pm - the Robins enjoyed a solid win over Walton Casuals on Saturday to move into the first round proper of the FA Trophy. They'll be joined in the draw by Wanderers who are currently top of the Bostik League and enjoying a fine season

U23 Development Matches
There are two games in the Professional Development League on Monday but the matches featuring Crystal Palace and Millwall are at the clubs' respective training grounds so you probably won't be able to get in but check on the day what the final details are

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

Tuesday 27 November

Championship
Brentford v Sheffield United @745pm - after seeing manager Dean Smith leave for Aston Villa last month, the Bees' form has fallen apart. With four defeats from their last five Brentford are looking shaky and the visit of promotion chasing United isn't going to make things any easier

National League
Leyton Orient v Aldershot Town @745pm - the O's increased their lead at the top to three points after winning 2-0 at title rivals Wrexham on Saturday. They should win again here

FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round Replays
Dartford v Eastbourne Borough @745pm - after drawing 1-1 on Saturday these two NLS sides will have another go on Tuesday. The draw for the first round proper will have been made by then so the winners will know who'll they play next
Wingate & Finchley v Chippenham Town @745pm - Wingate did well to earn a replay at a team playing one division above them. The north London club should fancy their chances back on home soil

A bit further afield
Sparta Prague U23 v Feyenoord U23 - there's some Premier League International Cup action at Aldershot Town's ground on Tuesday. If you've not been here before, it's about a 45-minute train ride to this Hampshire town from Waterloo and then only a short walk to the ground

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Wednesday 28 November

Champions League
Tottenham Hotspur v Inter Milan @8pm - with only one victory from their first four group games, a win here is absolutely essential for Spurs. Like Tottenham, Inter are third in their league and will be no pushovers

Championship
Millwall v Birmingham City @745pm - if a trip to Wembley and the finery of Europe's elite is not for you, then head to Bermondsey to see the Lions continue their battle against the drop

FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round Replay
Dulwich Hamlet v Welling United @745pm - after drawing 1-1 on Saturday these two south London rivals from the NLS get the chance to lock horns again in one of Dulwich's last games at Imperial Fields

London Senior Cup Second Round
Metropolitan Police v Brentford B @745pm - I've written many times on here how I wish more of our local pro clubs would field development sides in the county cups as they used to do and as many clubs in other cities do. So hats off to the Bees who have entered an XI in the London and Middlesex cups this season

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday 29 November

Europa League
Chelsea v PAOK Salonika @8pm - the Blues welcome the current Greek league leaders to Stamford Bridge on Thursday knowing only a draw will see them win the group. When they last met in September, Chelsea won 1-0 so they should triumph again here

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday 30 November

Essex Senior League
Tower Hamlets v Clapton @745pm - bring November to a close with this east London derby at Mile End Stadium

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Saturday 1 December

Premier League
Crystal Palace v Burnley @3pm - the Eagles picked up a priceless and very impressive point at Manchester United on Saturday to keep them just above the relegation zone. Last season's success story Burnley are really struggling to recapture the form which got them into Europe and are just alongside Palace in the battle to avoid the drop. This is a huge game for both and tickets are on sale to non-members

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Hull City @3pm - the only EFL game in London this weekend sees Steve McClaren's in-form QPR side entertain the struggling Tigers who are finding it hard to adjust to life in the second tier since falling out of the Premier League in 2017

FA Cup Second Round
Charlton Athletic v Doncaster Rovers @3pm - two of the League One play-off contenders meet in the latest round of the FA Cup with the prospect of a big Third Round tie against one of the Premier League giants dangling in front of them

National League
Leyton Orient v Gateshead @3pm - the match of the day in this division sees the leaders, at the time of writing, entertain one of the other promotion contenders
Bromley v Wrexham @3pm - the Ravens welcome the Dragons all the way from north Wales who are pushing for the title themselves

National League South
Dulwich Hamlet v Torquay United @3pm - if the Hamlet lose their midweek FA Trophy replay against Welling, then this will be their last game at Imperial Fields before their long-awaited return to Champion Hill on Boxing Day. A big crowd is expected for the visit of the former League One Gulls

Bostik League Premier Division
Kingstonian v Haringey Borough @3pm - after a sluggish start the K's have turned things round and a run of only one defeat in seven has seen them jump to second in the table. Haringey are back in ninth but have made far more headlines this season for their fine FA Cup run which saw them lose narrowly to AFC Wimbledon in a live TV game a couple of weeks back

Evo-Stik League Premier Division South
Hendon v Merthyr Town @3pm - despite a three game winless run the Greens are still a top five club and could push into the top three with a win over fourth-placed Merthyr who face a long trip up from Wales

Bostik League North
Grays Athletic v Heybridge Swifts @3pm - at Parkside we've got an Essex derby between the sides in fifth and sixth

FA Vase Third Round - this national knockout competition for teams in the ninth to 11th tiers with its final at Wembley in May is now down to its last 64 teams. The winners of each tie receive £1,125 and the losers £375
Redbridge v Chertsey Town @3pm - with the Wembley Arch starting to just appear on the horizon, things are beginning to get serious for the remaining clubs. As far as I'm aware, there are only seven TLFG clubs left in and two of them meet at Oakside here. Whilst the hosts are having a pretty unremarkable season in the Essex Senior League, Chertsey are four points clear at the top of the Combined Counties League which should in theory make them one of the favourites to win the whole thing
Erith Town v Windsor @3pm - with all our other local clubs playing away, this is the only other tie in the London area. This is a repeat of the second round tie from last season which the visitors won 2-1. Both are currently in midtable in their respective ninth-tier leagues so it should be close again
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday 2 December

Premier League
Chelsea v Fulham @12pm - it's a huge day of football in London with this west London derby kicking off the action at noon. After 13 games, the Blues finally saw their unbeaten start to the season end at Wembley against Spurs on Saturday whilst the Cottagers arrested their terrible losing run with a 3-2 win over Southampton as new boss Claudio Ranieri, formerly of Chelsea, took charge for the first time. I expect a spirited performance from the visitors but they'll still do well to draw
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur @205pm - with that delicious starter out of the way, the north London derby makes up the main course shortly after. Arsenal got back to winning ways at Bournemouth so come into this just three points behind Spurs - it's anybody's

FA Cup Second Round
Barnet v Stockport County @2pm - with tickets hard to come by for both of the above, your next best option is this cup tie at The Hive. Although playing opposition from a division below them, Barnet could get one of their biggest crowds of the season on Sunday. This is because Stockport were a second tier side until as recently as 2002 and still attract average crowds of around 3,000 in the sixth tier today

FA Women's Super League
Chelsea v Reading @2pm - last season's double winners made a very iffy start but have turned things around and have made it back up to third. Still eight points adrift of leaders Arsenal, they'll need to beat fifth placed Reading to keep their already slim title hopes alive

A bit further afield
Slough Town v Gillingham @2pm - a little way beyond TLFG's western boundary, just past Heathrow we have this FA Cup Second Round tie. Slough always used to be one of the local non-league powerhouses as I was growing up and after a very rocky few years without a ground of their own, they're now back in the town with a smart new stadium and up in the sixth tier. They pulled off a cupset to beat FA Cup giantkillers par excellence Sutton United in the last round so will fancy their chances against the League One Gills. A few tickets are still on sale but are only available in person from the stadium and will probably be long gone by matchday

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: 19-25 November 2018

Welcome to TLFG.

For any who might be new to this blog or haven't read it for a while let me re-cap - my wife had a baby a few 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.

With a very successful international break now over (well done England) - the Premier League and Championship clubs return to action and you'll be able to see all our local clubs in League One too.

I've also thrown in three fixtures outside London which might be of interest.

First up on Monday, the England U20 side have a match against their counterparts from Germany. It is being played at Colchester United's ground out in Essex. It looks close to sold out already so check before travelling whether any tickets are still available.

On Tuesday, Brazil play the next leg of their English tour with a friendly against Cameroon in Milton Keynes. Whatever you think about MK Dons, they do have a start of the art stadium which was part of England's last unsuccessful World Cup bid. Over 20,000 tickets have so far been sold so there should be a good atmosphere.

Finally on Friday evening, Chelsea entertain Tottenham in an U23 match at Aldershot Town.

There are some absolutely huge games in the Premier League this weekend and consequently tickets will be hard to get hold of for most of them but there were a few available for the matches at Fulham and West Ham the last time I checked. If you've got a previous purchasing history with Spurs then you should also be able to get one for their big derby against Chelsea at Wembley.

In the Championship tickets are available to watch Brentford take on title contenders Middlesbrough and you shouldn't struggle getting into the relegation six-pointer between Millwall and Bolton.

Despite all their off-field problems, Charlton are still proving to be highly competitive on it and are among the play-off contenders coming into this week's games. Tickets are readily available for both their fixtures this week.

Elsewhere in League One, AFC Wimbledon are struggling badly - eight straight league defeats have left them in the relegation zone and without a manager following Neal Ardley's departure.

There's plenty to enjoy at non-league level too with several derbies and the latest round of the FA Trophy where the ties at Hampton & Richmond and Welling United look rather interesting.

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 the Premier League, EFL, 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
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: 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