TLFG: 9-15 November 2015

Hello there and welcome to the latest edition of TLFG.

How has your week been?

It's been another important one in the world of London football.

The big match of the week between Arsenal and Spurs produced a highly entertaining 1-1 draw on Sunday which kept the Gunners tied on points at the top of the Premier League with Manchester City. The point was also enough for Tottenham to move above West Ham, who drew with Everton, into fifth as the two north London clubs become the capital's top-ranked teams.

Chelsea's woes continued with a 1-0 defeat at Stoke to leave them down in 16th just three points above the relegation zone.

Elsewhere, Crystal Palace ended their three-game winless streak with a superb 2-1 win at Liverpool to stay firmly in the hunt for a place in the top six whilst Watford lost 2-1 at high-flying surprise package Leicester.

The main story in the Championship this week was manager Chris Ramsey being 'relieved of first-team duties' by QPR. He was by no means a disaster in the job but the board want at least a top-six finish and that appears to be slipping away. Former boss Neil Warnock, who brought the Championship title to Loftus Road in 2010/11, has replaced him on at least a temporary basis and began with a 0-0 draw against Preston.

My most recent #instabalti contribution - Clapton v Ilford

All our other local Football League clubs and a few non-league ones were involved in the first round of the FA Cup this weekend.

Of the ones that progressed to the second round, Barnet were the only ones to cause an upset as they beat former Premier League side Blackpool at The Hive.  

Leyton Orient, Millwall and Welling United all won through too while Dagenham & Redbridge and Boreham Wood earned replays so will take their places in Monday night's draw as well.

This week sees another international break so if you were hoping to see one of London's top clubs then I'm afraid you're out of luck. There are a couple of U21 games at some of the clubs' main stadiums that might interest you instead but mainly the focus shifts onto our local non-league teams again.

There are some big games in the National League, some FA Trophy ties, several derbies and lots of midweek county cup action.

Lastly if you're an Instagram user, our friends at 'The Chicken Balti Chronicles' would love to see your football photos from wherever you are in the world. Whether you're at the Old Spotted Dog, the Olympiastadion or Ordos Stadium they want your pictures - just tag them #instabalti and they'll be much appreciated. You can also add them to their Facebook page too.

Have a great week.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

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

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 80 matches in the London area over the next seven days so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

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

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

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

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

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Red pin - Wednesday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP

Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

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

TLFG TOP 10

1. Dagenham & Redbridge v Oxford United - as a result of this weekend's international break, the top ranked local team in action over the next seven days are the Daggers. Of 'the 92' Football League clubs they are currently bottom of the pile with only one league win all season. On Wednesday they welcome Oxford for this Johnstone's Paint Trophy tie and will start very much as second favourites to a side who are challenging for the divisional title. Tickets start at just £10 for adults. (Johnstone's Paint Trophy Area Quarter-Finals, Wednesday 11 November, 745pm. Ticket info)

2. Bromley v Boreham Wood - last season these two fought out a thrilling battle for the Conference South title with Bromley eventually coming out as champions. Undeterred, The Wood won the ensuing play-offs to join their rivals in the fifth tier. The hosts are a much bigger club than their opponents, averaging nearly 1,000 more through the turnstile for each game (a huge amount at this level) and have unsurprisingly made a much better start to life at this level. After 19 games they sit fourth just five points behind leaders Forest Green while Boreham Wood are doing superbly well to be above former Football League sides Torquay, Southport, Kidderminster and Halifax who currently fill the relegation places. Strangely, this season's reverse fixture at Meadow Park has already been played and produced a thrilling 3-2 win for the Kent outfit. Over the last decade or so, Bromley have much the better record between the two and should be confident of adding another win. (National League, Tuesday 10 November, 745pm. Ticket info)

3. Welling United v Forest Green Rovers - a few miles to the north east the same evening, Bromley's local rivals Welling will be entertaining the aforementioned Forest Green. The Gloucestershire club provide daunting opposition for the struggling Wings as not only are they top of the league, they beat League Two's AFC Wimbledon 2-1 on their own pitch in the FA Cup on Saturday. Welling also made progress in the cup but only at the expense of Barwell who play two levels below them - a draw will therefore be a fine achievement. (National League, Tuesday 10 November, 745pm. Ticket info)

4. Dartford v Maidstone United - there's a mouthwatering Kent derby to look forward to at Princes Park on Saturday in the National League South. The Darts, alongside Welling, were the big boys of the non-league scene on the western side of the county over the last couple of years but got relegated last season and now look like falling behind a resurgent Maidstone who have been climbing steadily up the divisions in recent seasons. Having won six on the bounce in the league and narrowly lost to League Two strugglers Yeovil Town in the FA Cup on Sunday, the Stones are well on course for at least a play-off place. The hosts, however, are undergoing a season of consolidation and sit comfortably enough in midtable having gone on a nice little run which has seen them take seven points from three games. Both sides are well supported so I'd expect a turn out of 1,500-2,000. (National League South, Saturday 14 November, 3pm. Ticket info)

5. Harrow Borough v Wealdstone - another, sadly more low-key, derby is taking place at Earlsmead on Tuesday. Following the Stones' promotion to the National League South, these old rivals only now get the chance to meet in cup competitions and this week the two have been paired in the Middlesex Senior Cup of which Harrow are the current holders. Boro are the smaller club and very much the underdogs but are doing better than they have for several seasons so will hopefully give it a good go (not that I'm biased - much). Wealdstone looked vulnerable earlier in the season but have now gone seven league games without defeat and gave League One side Colchester United a tough first half in the FA Cup on Saturday before losing 6-2. The fact this is only a county cup tie could see either or both clubs rest some players but the fans will still want those bragging rights regardless. (Middlesex Senior Cup First Round, Tuesday 10 November, 745pm. Club info)

6. Dulwich Hamlet v VCD Athletic - after comfortably seeing off Harrow last weekend, Dulwich next take on fellow south-east Londoners VCD in next round of the FA Trophy. Both sides currently compete in the Isthmian League Premier Division but the chasm between the two is vast with the hosts top and backed by over 1,000 fans a game and the visitors bottom with a tenth of the support. They last met in the league just over a month ago with the Hamlet enjoying a resounding 5-2 win - it's hard to see anything much too different happening here. (FA Trophy Second Qualifying Round, Saturday 14 November, 3pm. Ticket info)

7. Molesey v Harlow Town - there's an interesting inter-division tie elsewhere in the draw which plays off promotion contenders from the Isthmian League's Division 1 South and North respectively. The Moles are new to this level having won the Combined Counties League title last season and are already up to second after making a dream start. Harlow, however, are down in 12th in their division but an extended FA Cup run means they have a whopping seven games in hand on leaders Cray Wanderers and four or five on most of the teams immediately above them. Having come close to promotion last year and with a relatively strong support base, they should provide tough opposition for anyone at this level. (FA Trophy Second Qualifying Round, Saturday 14 November, 3pm. Ticket info)

8. Egham Town v Beaconsfield SYCOB - for me, the brilliantly nicknamed Sarnies have been one of the surprise packages of the season so far. Following promotion from the Combined Counties League in 2013, Egham have held their own in Southern League Division 1 Central but have never finished higher than 11th. This time they've come flying out of the blocks to establish themselves as title contenders. Although currently down to second, they have a game in hand on leaders Chalfont St Peter so are well in the hunt for honours alongside a string of other clubs including visitors Beaconsfield who are just a point behind down in sixth. In fact, only three points separate the top 10 so this looks like being a very exciting title race indeed. (Southern League Division 1 Central, Saturday 14 November, 3pm. Club info)

9. Clapton v Newham - our final derby of the week takes place at London's oldest ground - the Old Spotted Dog - over in Forest Gate in east London. Regular readers will know I paid the Tons a visit on Non-League Day just over four weeks ago (time flies) when an impressive crowd of nearly 800 turned up for another derby against Ilford. For one reason or another, this will be their first home league match since so it will be interesting to see how many attend this one. Cross-borough rivals Newham, who used to groundshare with Clapton, are having to travel all the way to the Essex port town of Tilbury to fulfil their home fixtures at the moment - something no doubt contributing to their poor record this season. (Essex Senior League, Saturday 14 November, 3pm. Club info)

10. Worcester Park v Bedfont & Feltham - looking for a fix of tenth-tier football? Then this could be the match for you. Worcester Park have been one of the most successful sides in the Combined Counties League Division One since I began writing this blog back in 2011 but they never get promoted because their ground is nowhere near good enough. With no floodlights or perimeter fencing, watching a game here is very much akin to attending a match at your local park (albeit within a private sports club). If that hasn't put you off, they are once again top of the league and entertain B&F who are currently fourth but with four games in hand so it should be a good contest. It is also very easy to get to by public transport with the pitch overlooked by the southbound platform of Worcester Park station around 25 minutes ride from Waterloo in central London. Please also note the early kick-off time because of the aforementioned lack of floodlights. (Combined Counties League Division One, Saturday 14 November, 2pm. Club info)

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

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

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

TLFG: 2-8 November 2015

I've been a bit pushed for time again this week having spent a hectic couple of days split between the Kent seaside resorts of Broadstairs and Margate and work back in London.

I enjoyed a good parkrun along the seafront in Margate on Saturday morning but sadly all the local football teams were away this weekend so had to content myself with a walk by the beach at Broadstairs instead in the afternoon - very nice too especially given the unseasonally fine weather.

Once again we have another interesting week to look forward to with nearly 100 games taking place. The Champions League makes its return with the spotlight falling once again on the almost unbelievable struggles of Chelsea.

In the Premier League we've got the North London derby between Arsenal and Spurs and for many, the highlight will be the FA Cup First Round where the surviving non-league teams get to take on the pros from League One and League Two.

Happy football watching people.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

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

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 90 matches in the London area over the next seven days so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

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

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

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

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

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Red pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP

Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

White pin - Sunday fixtures

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

TLFG TOP 10

1. Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur - it's North London derby time again and we have to wait right until the end of the week to enjoy it. With the Gunners joint top and Spurs nestled nicely in sixth, both will be pretty happy with their respective starts to the season. It's only about six weeks since the sides last met in the League Cup where Arsenal took the honours in a 2-1 win at White Hart Lane. Given they have home advantage, are the stronger side on paper and unbeaten in their last five meetings at the Emirates Stadium, the hosts must start as strong favourites. (Premier League, Sunday 8 November, 4pm. Ticket info)

2. Chelsea v Dynamo Kiev - before that we have what would normally be a fairly unremarkable looking Champions League game. In the past, sides like Dynamo could be expected to turn up at Stamford Bridge, get beaten with relative ease, go home again and no-one would bat an eyelid. Now the eyes of many in the football world will be firmly focused on this fixture as the crisis surrounding the Blues and manager Jose Mourinho lurches on. Having seen his side knocked out of the League Cup by Stoke and humiliated at home by Liverpool in the league, it's been a disastrous week for the Portuguese. Defeat in this one too would see Chelsea struggle to get out of their group - a result which would surely seal even the most special individual's fate. (Champions League, Wednesday 4 November, 745pm. Ticket info)

3. West Ham United v Everton - the Hammers after a long successful run, finally saw one of their famous bubbles burst on Saturday. The ever improving Watford recorded a fine 2-0 win to knock the east Londoners down to fifth. Next up they welcome Everton whose recent inconsistent form seemed to vanish this week following a cup win over Norwich and a 6-2 drubbing of Sunderland in Sunday's league match. It's also fair to say the Toffees have become a bit of a bogey team for the Boleyn Ground club who haven't beaten their Scouse rivals in 17 attempts. (Premier League, Saturday 7 November, 3pm. Ticket info)

4. Brentford v Hull City - after their win in the derby against QPR on Friday, the Bees are starting to make some decent strides up the Championship table. That result saw them leapfrog their local rivals into 11th to put themselves just four points away from the play-off places. On Tuesday they welcome high-flying Hull City who are making good progress in their efforts to bounce straight back up after their relegation last season. The two haven't met for over 10 years but last time it was Brentford who came out on top. (Championship, Tuesday 3 November, 745pm. Ticket info)

5. Millwall v AFC Fylde - the rest of this week's Top 10 will be dedicated to the FA Cup. With League One and Two clubs now joining the non-league sides who have made it this far, the Lions have landed a home tie with National League North side Fylde. Although playing three divisions below their hosts, the Lancashire outfit are a club on the up. Having enjoyed some significant investment, they've made good progress in recent seasons and are top of their current division. Even so, Millwall are the pro team, are on a good run and should have too much for them. Complacency, however, will be the watchword. (FA Cup First Round, Saturday 7 November, 3pm. Ticket info)

6. Barnet v Blackpool - there's a fair chance of an upset here even though Barnet play a division below the Seasiders. The Bees aren't even doing that well in League Two but have improved of late and could push Blackpool hard. The former Premier League side have had a number of well-documented problems over the last few years and they could well suffer another relegation this season. It could be close. (FA Cup First Round, Saturday 7 November, 3pm. Ticket info)

7. Dagenham & Redbridge v Morecambe - there's an all-League Two tie at Victoria Road to look forward to on Saturday. Following defeat to Luton on Sunday, the Daggers were left rooted to the bottom as their miserable season continued. A win against play-off chasing Morecambe could be all they need to get their campaign back on track. Here's hoping they get it. (FA Cup First Round, Saturday 7 November, 3pm. Ticket info)

8. AFC Wimbledon v Forest Green Rovers - former non-league side AFC Wimbledon will have to be on their game as they take on National League leaders FGR. The Gloucestershire club are well backed and have been knocking on the door of League Two for a couple of years now so should be well up for this. The Dons, however, have won three on the bounce so a controlled and focused performance should see them over the line. (FA Cup First Round, Saturday 7 November, 3pm. Ticket info)

9. Leyton Orient v Staines Town - Isthmian League side Staines have had to successfully negotiate four rounds to get this far and their reward is a trip to the League Two O's which they must be happy with. In regional terms, it's a derby of sorts although I doubt the sides have ever played before. Dogged determination will be a must for the Swans to stand any chance but with only two wins in 10 league games, the hosts might be a little nervous. (FA Cup First Round, Saturday 7 November, 3pm. Ticket info)

10. Wealdstone v Colchester United - from a personal point of view, if I was available, this would be the match I'd go to. Having grown up on Wealdstone's side of town, I know what a big deal this is for all concerned with the Ruislip-based club. The best team in non-league football 30 years ago, the Stones have had a turbulent time in the intervening years with several grounds and relegations. The last few years have seen the good times return with promotion to what is now the National League South and a run to the FA Trophy semi-finals. This game against League One also-rans Colchester is huge and winnable. The home fans are a passionate bunch and will surely be out in force for one of their biggest games in years. (FA Cup First Round, Saturday 7 November, 3pm. Ticket info)

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

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

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

TLFG: 26 October - 1 November 2015

It's been another big week in the world of London football.

Arsenal beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League and then briefly went top of the Premier League. West Ham climbed to third whilst inflicting Chelsea's fifth league defeat of the season to leave the champions in 15th some 11 points off top spot.

Spurs saw off Bournemouth to stay in touch with the top four and Watford won again as their return to the top flight continues to go well.

Aside from Chelsea, only Crystal Palace let the side down with defeat at Leicester.

In the Championship, Fulham completed a stunning comeback from 2-0 down to beat high-flying Reading with four goals in a little over 20 minutes whilst Brentford won the derby at Charlton 3-0 which led to the dismissal of Addicks boss Guy Luzon as a result.

QPR picked up four points from back-to-back home games against Sheffield Wednesday and MK Dons and most notably kept two clean sheets in the process.

Millwall picked up an excellent victory at Sheffield United to move within touching distance of the play-off places again and in League Two there were fine away wins for Barnet, Leyton Orient and Wimbledon. Sadly, Dagenham & Redbridge lost at Accrington to remain rooted to the bottom of the division.

There was also a big weekend of FA Cup football and I'd like to say many congratulations to non-league sides Boreham Wood, Staines Town and Wealdstone who all made it into the hat for the first round draw. Grays Athletic and Welling United also fought out a 1-1 draw on Sunday and will replay in midweek to see who goes through.

Said draw will be live on BBC2 at 7pm on Monday where the minnows will be joined by all the clubs in League One and League Two. Boreham Wood v Barnet, Staines Town v AFC Wimbledon, Wealdstone v Wycombe Wanderers are all potential derbyish ties that could come out. The biggest teams available include former Premier League sides Bradford City, Coventry City and Sheffield United and Millwall will also be in there too - a great tie for Welling if they should progress.

We've also got the FA Trophy and FA Vase this week so there's plenty of cup football to enjoy again.

Have a great week. 

LATEST TICKET NEWS

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

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 90 matches in the London area over the next seven days so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

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

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

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

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

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Red pin - Wednesday fixtures
Claret pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP

Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

White pin - Sunday fixtures

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

TLFG TOP 10

1. Chelsea v Liverpool - this match between two of the Premier League's heavyweights has created some memorable matches over the years with the rivalry particularly fierce when Rafael Benitez was in charge of the Reds. Usually the sides are scrapping for titles and places in cup finals but this year couldn't be more different as both have made poor starts but their high standards. Despite lavishing millions building their respective squads, both lie in the bottom half of the table behind the likes of Leicester, Crystal Palace and West Brom. The Reds have already dispensed with their manager while Chelsea must surely also be thinking about it after suffering their fifth league defeat at West Ham on Saturday. These games are usually tight but Liverpool haven't won in eight attempts in all competitions and I think they'll be happy with a draw here. (Premier League, Saturday 31 October, 1245pm. Ticket info)

2. Crystal Palace v Manchester United - after flying out the blocks and into the league's top four, Palace seem to be coming back down to earth. Although still among the leading pack, four defeats in six have shown them to be vulnerable. Things won't get any easier on Saturday when the Red Devils come to town. Depending on how they do against Manchester City in today's derby, they could be joint top when they arrive. Despite being a match for anyone on home turf, the Selhurst Park club have a bad record against United and haven't beaten them for nearly 25 years. Away win. (Premier League, Saturday 31 October, 3pm. Ticket info)

3. Watford v West Ham United - these two must be very happy with where they are right now. Newly promoted from the Championship, the Hornets sit snugly in 13th some two points ahead of reigning league champions Chelsea. With a fine 2-0 win at Stoke on Saturday, they should be in good spirits heading into this derby. The Hammers, on the other hand, seem to go from strength to strength with their weekend win over the aforementioned Blues lifting them into the top three. After their early exit from the Europa League, Slaven Bilic's detractors have now gone very quiet. (Premier League, Saturday 31 October, 3pm. Ticket info)

4. Brentford v Queens Park Rangers - to say this west London derby has been hotly anticipated would be an understatement - tickets, certainly for the away allocation, sold out in minutes. The clubs play about four miles apart, either side of the leafy suburb of Chiswick, but haven't met in competition for nearly 12 years. The Bees have spent most of their history flitting between the third and fourth tiers of English football but made it into the Championship last season. They strongly threatened to replace relegated QPR in the Premier League as they made the play-offs but lost out to Middlesbrough. With manager Mark Warburton leaving for Rangers in Scotland, Brentford are already on their second manager of the season with former coach Lee Carsley lifting them away from the bottom three and into midtable just behind the visitors. QPR are the bigger club and have far more to lose in what should be a cracking game. Under-fire manager Chris Ramsey has enjoyed a decent week and a win here will earn him some much needed breathing space. Although QPR's unbeaten record against Brentford goes all the way back to 1965, their recent performances in televised derbies on Friday nights have been atrocious so if things start going wrong they could fall apart. (Championship, Friday 30 October, 745pm. Ticket info)

5. Leyton Orient v Accrington Stanley - after their wobble of recent weeks, the O's steadied the ship on Saturday with a much needed 1-0 win at fellow promotion contenders Morecambe. The result keeps them in League Two's top six just two points behind second placed Portsmouth in what is a very congested table. Another side in the mix are Accrington, who on attendances, are the smallest club in the division. The former non-league side average less than 1,500 a game so to achieve a place in the top seven is no mean feat. Both sides are among the division's highest scorers so a high-scoring draw could ensue. (League Two, Saturday 31 October, 3pm. Ticket info)

6. Welling United v Grays Athletic - after the weekend's FA Cup excitement, there's only need for one replay in the London area. Isthmian League side Grays were on the verge of causing a significant upset until Welling found a late equaliser in Sunday's tie. The National League side, two divisions above Grays, spared their blushes and get another chance to make sure of a place in the First Round Proper on Tuesday. With the draw live on BBC2 on Monday at 7pm, the sides will know who awaits them should they win. (FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round Replay, Tuesday 27 October, 745pm. Ticket info)

7. Harrow Borough v Dulwich Hamlet - with the FA Cup out of the way, this weekend sees the FA Trophy and FA Vase take centre stage as many of our local clubs get plunged into cup action again. The Trophy is the more senior competition and includes sides from the top four levels of non-league football - in other words, the fifth to the eighth tiers nationally. The teams in the eighth tier contested the Preliminary Round and now the survivors are joined by teams from the seventh tier. Two such clubs are Harrow and Dulwich. Both from the Isthmian Premier, it's a David v Goliath contest with midtable Boro and their select group of fans playing host to league leaders Dulwich whose crowds often top 1,000. Despite these differences, the games between them have been competitive in recent years and I even witnessed a 3-1 win for Harrow at Earlsmead on Non-League Day 2013. The hosts made a shockingly good start to the season but have slipped back of late so will very much start as second favourites as they set out along another 'Road to Wembley'. (FA Trophy First Qualifying Round, Saturday 31 October, 3pm. Club info)

8. AFC Hornchurch v Metropolitan Police - after narrowly losing at National League outfit Boreham Wood in the FA Cup on Saturday, the Urchins welcome The Met to Bridge Avenue as they look for another extended cup run. Having pushed an opponent from three divisions above them so hard, the visit of a team from the lower reaches of the division above won't faze them. The visitors also exited the FA Cup against a team from a parallel level to Hornchurch so they've got form when it comes to being 'cupset'. (FA Trophy First Qualifying Round, Saturday 31 October, 3pm. Ticket info)

9. Ilford v AFC Kempston Rovers - in the FA Vase, a competition primarily for clubs in the ninth and tenth tiers which also finishes at Wembley, we have a tie between two of the better teams in the Essex Senior League and United Counties League. The hosts, who featured in my Non-League Day match two weeks ago, have had a very solid start to the season and have climbed to fourth. Kempston have an almost identical record in the parallel UCL so couldn't be much better matched in that regard. These games are a useful indicator of what leagues are strongest at this level with clubs from the Northern League (Newcastle/Sunderland region) dominating in recent years. (FA Vase First Round Proper, Saturday 31 October, 3pm. Club info)

10. Edgware Town v Whitton United - after some time away, Edgware reformed last year and moved to a new ground in Hendon. After consolidating their position in the Spartan South Midlands League Division 1, they are firmly going after the title this season. Having won 10 of their 11 league games, they've pretty much made it a two-horse race with Crawley Green already. Whitton, who hail from the Ipswich area, play at a level above them but are struggling and could be there for the taking. (FA Vase First Round Proper, Saturday 31 October, 3pm. Club info)

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

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

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

TLFG: 19-25 October 2015

After all the craziness of last weekend's Non-League Day (NLD), the last few days have been spent tying up a few loose ends and generally taking a breather.

I've watched no football and have been doing late shifts at work getting home well after 11pm most nights.

It's been really interesting to see how many articles were written by people attending the match at Clapton last week - be it bloggers like me or national media outlets like the Daily Mirror. I hope this shows that NLD is getting people interested in the game at this level and without doubt, the immediate future looks really bright for the Tons and their Ultras.

Once again, if you can get over to one of their games at The Old Spotted Dog then I really urge you to give it a go. On Tuesday they have a derby againt east London rivals Barking which should be well worth going to. I doubt anywhere near the 800 we saw last week will come but 300-400 would be a great achievement and quite possible.

It's FA Cup weekend again - which clubs will continue along the Road to Wembley?

Aside from the big games in the Champions League, Premier League and Football League this week, we've also got the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round to look forward to.

I explain more below but essentially this is the final hurdle the remaining non-league clubs have to jump before going into the draw for the 'First Round Proper' against sides from League One and League Two. This means AFC Hornchurch, the lowest ranked TLFG side still in the competition, could end up playing former Premier League sides like Bradford City, Coventry City or Sheffield United which would be quite something.

One other thing about the blog itself - for the first time in about three years I've brought back the 'Midweek Match Map' so you've now got two maps to scour for games. Hopefully it will make things less cluttered and easier to find. I originally ditched it because I didn't have time to do two maps but things have changed and the process is much quicker.

Have a good week of football watching. I'll be at QPR v Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday, which sounds a bit odd, where former R's and Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock has returned to the Loftus Road club's coaching staff. Mr Ramsey's days look numbered.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

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

THE WEEK AHEAD

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

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

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

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

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

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Red pin - Wednesday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP

Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

White pin - Sunday fixtures

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

TLFG TOP 10

1. Arsenal v Bayern Munich - two games into this year's Champions League campaign and it's already looking grim for the Gunners. With back-to-back defeats against Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiakos they now really need to beat Bayern to stay in with a chance of making it through. Easy, right? Wrong. With three UCL final appearances in the last six years and 12 wins from 12 games in all competitions this season they couldn't really be facing much tougher opponents. However, Arsene Wenger has overseen a win and a draw over the German giants in recent seasons but both were away from the Emirates where they lost both return games. (Champions League, Tuesday 20 October, 745pm. Ticket info)

2. West Ham United v Chelsea - back in the Premier League we've got a very interesting East versus West derby. The Hammers have made a great start and continued it with an impressive 3-1 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday to move back into the top four. They are now unbeaten in six and will really fancy their chances against the Blues who have been in poor form of late. Jose Mourinho's side did manage to beat Aston Villa this weekend but anything less would've been a disaster given how poor the Brummie outfit are right now. Nothing should be taken for granted though as Chelsea have only lost once in the last 19 meetings between the two sides and still have star players coming out of their eyeballs. (Premier League, Saturday 24 October, 3pm. Ticket info)

3. Charlton Athletic v Brentford - just across the river we've got another derby going on. This time it's in the Championship but between two of the strugglers. Things looked good for Charlton when they beat QPR on the opening day but things have gone downhill since then and they're perched just two points above the relegation zone. Brentford made it to the play-offs last season but the owner fell out with the manager and the two parted company. Sadly the replacement boss wasn't up to the job and now coach Lee Carsley is filling in. On Saturday the Bees managed to arrest a poor run with a crucial win over Rotherham, another side at the wrong end of the table. In essence this is a derby and an early season 'six-pointer' - plenty to play for. (Championship, Saturday 24 October, 3pm. Ticket info)

4. Fulham v Reading - elsewhere in the division, two former Premier League sides do battle in their attempts to get back up. The Cottagers came down last season and had a pretty rough time but kept their heads above water to stay up. They have made a satisfactory start and are anchored in midtable just behind local rivals QPR. The Royals also had a forgettable time in the league last season but did make the FA Cup semi-finals where they gave Arsenal a run for their money. This campaign has been very different though and with only two defeats from 11 they're right up in second. The last four games between the two have been highly entertaining, generating a whopping 18 goals and looking at this season's stats we could well have more of the same. (Championship, Saturday 24 October, 130pm. Ticket info)

5. Bromley v Eastleigh - this weekend sees one of the high points of the non-league calendar - the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round. At this point all the teams that have battled through up to five previous rounds go into the hat with the big boys of the National League (the top division in the non-league pyramid). The winners get £12,500 in prize money and the right to go up against a club from League One or League Two - something which can be the pinnacle of a club's history. After a tough week which saw them take only one point from matches against Cheltenham and Aldershot, Bromley welcome the Spitfires for one of the ties of the round. The Hampshire club have a decent budget and were expected to do well this year. Although not rampaging through the division, they beat leaders Forest Green on Tuesday and drew with second placed Cheltenham on Saturday to stay firmly in touch with the play-off places. It will be close and I'm sure there'll be a monster crowd to compliment this great looking game. (FA Cup, Saturday 24 October, 3pm. Ticket info)

6. Boreham Wood v AFC Hornchurch - the Wood are playing in the National League for the first time and will start as big favourites against the Urchins who play three levels below. As one of the smallest sides in the division, Boreham Wood have struggled this season and have just seen their manager step down. Although Hornchurch play at a much lower level, they are in form, have momentum and should have a 'nothing to lose' attitude which can cause upsets at this stage. (FA Cup, Saturday 24 October, 3pm. Ticket info)

7. Grays Athletic v Welling United - two divisions separate these teams with the hosts starting as underdogs. Grays finished strongly last season and have continued to produce good results since August meaning they are up among the frontrunners in the Isthmian League. The Wings escaped relegation from the Conference by a whisker last season and are in the lower reaches again so could be there for the taking. (FA Cup, Sunday 25 October, 2pm. Ticket info)

8. Staines Town v Gloucester City - the Swans suffered the trauma of relegation from the Conference South last season and have had to readjust to life in the seventh tier. They've made a reasonable start and with games in hand could well push towards the play-off spots if results go their way. Gloucester, by a quirk of geography, ply their trade a level above in the National League North. Despite being a West Country side, they are deemed 'northern' enough to play games against sides from Lancashire and Yorkshire which must incur a lot of travelling. Coupled with the fact they play all their home games in Cheltenham could be a reason why they currently find themselves in the bottom three. As above, great chance of a cupset. (FA Cup, Saturday 24 October, 3pm. Ticket info)

9. Wealdstone v Bognor Regis Town - if this game were taking place at Bognor's Nyewood Lane then I'd really fancy their chances. However, it's not so the Stones should start as favourites. Hailing from the National League South, the Ruislip-based club should have too much for their Isthmian League opponents. The Rocks are doing well this season though and should make the play-offs. They also stuffed Oxford City, one of the best teams in Wealdstone's division, in the last round and are well supported so shouldn't be underestimated. (FA Cup, Saturday 24 October, 3pm. Ticket info)

10. Glebe v Gravesham Borough - last up this week, we drop down to the 10th tier for a top of the table clash in the Kent Invicta League. Glebe only stepped up to this level of senior football last year, having been mainly famous for their youth teams, and held their own. This season they have moved to a ground of their own in Chislehurst where they have taken the division by storm, opening up a five-point lead over Saturday's visitors. Gravesham were also new to the league last season and finished just behind Glebe in midtable. With eight wins from 11 and a game in hand, this game could have a huge bearing on whether they'll be title contenders or not. (Kent Invicta League, Saturday 24 October, 3pm. Club info)

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

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

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

TLFG: 12-18 October 2015

Non-League Day (NLD) is all over for another year.

The last two weeks have flown by as we've tried to cram as much prep in as possible to make things as good as they could be.

Making sure the match map was correct, giving interviews to people who wanted them, making sure t-shirts got to their buyers and keeping across all messages and stories of support to guarantee we made the most of them.

A first for me was being invited to appear on the set of Sky Sports News for an interview with Adam Leventhal on Friday afternoon. I've worked in the BBC newsroom before so it wasn't a totally alien environment but it's been a while and I'd never been the guest before so going into make-up alongside Hayley McQueen and Tony Wrighton was a new experience.

Fully powdered up, I was taken through the questions I would face before being sat on the sofa ready for action.

Adam Levanthal quizzes me about Non-League Day

I was pretty nervous from the moment the interview was booked but as soon as the questioning began I switched into game mode and it went fairly smoothly.

Not long after getting out of the Sky complex in Isleworth I was contacted by a friend saying the NLD site had been taken down.

Our developer made several calls to our host's support team but they took an age to answer. When they did, we discovered the site had been subject to a 'DOS attack' - I felt kind of privileged to have been regarded as important enough and the site was up again shortly after.

On the day itself, #nonleagueday soon established itself in Twitter's UK trend list and was third or fourth for most of the time. It even briefly charted in the USA and Canada.

After doing another interview for BBC London, I met my friend James and we headed east to watch the derby between Clapton and Ilford.

The Tons are based at the Old Spotted Dog - possibly the best named and certainly the oldest ground in London. For the latter reason alone, football fans living in the capital or visiting it should go.

I hadn't been for three or four years but it was in a pretty similar state of disrepair to how I remembered it.

There was, however, one main difference - a crowd.

On my previous couple of visits there had been no more than 20 people there and it looked like the proud old club, formed in 1878, was on its last legs.

This time there was an obvious procession of people from Forest Gate station, down Upton Lane to the ground. As we came round the final bend, I had to rub my eyes with disbelief as there was a queue to get in! Possibly the longest one I've ever seen at any non-league match. 

The queue to get into the Old Spotted Dog

It must have been at least 100 long and snaked around several bends to the turnstile - it must have taken us 15-20 mins to reach the front because the game was already underway by the time we got in.

So long was said queue that the turnstile didn't stop clicking people through until the latter stages of the first half.

The fact there was a decent turnout wasn't really a huge surprise. Over the last couple of years, the club has been adopted by the anti-fascist group the Clapton Ultras.

Much has been written by myself and others about their fantastic support but I'd never been to see them in person - they were not a let down.

Singing loudly from well before kick-off, I could hear them while I queued just like being at a 'big game'. Once inside, they sang solidly until well after the final whistle - pausing only briefly for half-time refreshments.

There were a couple of naughty smoke bombs and flares which have threatened to get the club into trouble with the FA but it's what I and doubtless many others wanted to see.

Overall the atmosphere was fantastic. Men, women, children and dogs from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities made up a crowd of 761 which must be the highest attendance the club have had for quite literally years. When you consider the average turnout for matches in the Essex Senior League, in which this was played, is around 60 it puts it into context how big an occasion this was.

Much of this was down to the Ultras' offer of 'solidarity tickets' for the unemployed, those on benefits and also refugees and asylum seekers which had made the headlines in many national and local publications. 

Aside from this, there was the aforementioned derby to enjoy too. 

Forest Gate, Clapton's home, and Ilford are neighbouring suburbs and the two have a long and friendly rivalry. Thousands would probably have attended games between them in decades past.

The hosts took an early lead before going 3-1 down but had pulled it back to 3-2 at half-time. They grabbed an equaliser in the latter stages of the second half and came close to stealing it after a flap by Ilford's substitute keeper led to a frantic goalmouth scramble right at the death.

The Ultras celebrate with a flare after Clapton (red) make it 3-3

With the game finishing 3-3, both teams were then invited to line up in front of the Ultras who then proceeded to salute both in a truly sporting way. With Ilford heading back to the dressing room, Clapton then engaged in some further rituals with their supporters which ended with them walking round the edge of the pitch shaking hands with everyone in the crowd who reached out to them. I get the impression this happens after every match and must build a strong bond between the two groups. 

Non-League Day was obviously a rip-roaring success here but was it a success nationwide?

It's hard to say. Some crowds were very significantly up. In the London area clubs like Bromley, Enfield Town, Hampton & Richmond Borough, Hanwell Town, Thamesmead Town and Wingate & Finchley all had crowds which were well above average to name just a few.

Nationally there were also winners but there were a few disappointing turnouts too.

As a general rule, the more clubs put into the day, the more they get out of it. 

There are so many factors to consider when trying to draw conclusions about attendance numbers that it almost becomes a pointless exercise but the general feedback has been good and there are calls to do it all again next year.

We still haven't got things quite right and possibly never will unless we get some miraculous scheduling help from the FA. Probably our biggest challenge comes from the naysayers within the non-league community itself. Although small in number, they are the most critical of what we do.

The Premier League and its member clubs couldn't have been much more helpful this year and the FA assisted us more than ever before. Hats off also to all the Football League clubs who supported us too, especially those in League One and League Two who had games of their own but still promoted their local sides nonetheless. Teams at this level could do with a special day of their own but that's another story.

Right, that's enough about my adventures. We've got another packed week of games to look forward to in London so read on and find out what's in store.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

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

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are 90 matches in the London area over the next seven days so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

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

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

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

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

MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Red pin - Wednesday fixtures
Claret pin - Friday fixtures
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

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

TLFG TOP 10

1. Crystal Palace v West Ham United - there are four Premier League games in the capital this week and I'm going to list them all, something I never do, as they are all significant. First of all we've got this derby between two teams who have made a very encouraging start to the season and who will both start this game in the top six. The form of both is quite even at the moment and although the Hammers have been hard to beat of late, they haven't won as many as the Eagles. They are, however, far more free-scoring with over two goals a game. The south-east London club have only lost two of their last 10 against West Ham so I'm predicting them to edge it by no more than a single goal. (Premier League, Saurday 17 October, 3pm. Ticket info)

2. Watford v Arsenal - the Hornets went into the international break on what some may have seen as a disappointing draw at Bournemouth. Meanwhile, the Gunners were recording their result of the season seeing off Manchester United 3-0 at the Emirates. That result propelled Arsene Wenger's side up to second and they'll undoubtedly start as hot favourites here. Recent games between the two have always gone Arsenal's way but back in the '80s when Watford were an established top-flight side, the Highbury outfit hardly got a look in as the team built by Graham Taylor regularly saw them off. (Premier League, Saturday 17 October, 530pm. Ticket info)

3. Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - traditionally two of the biggest names in England's top division, this is always a fixture which catches my eye. Both sides may be well past their best years and both are having disappointing seasons. The Reds were so unhappy with their progress, despite being only a win away from a place in the top four, that they sacked manager Brendan Rodgers last weekend and brought in Jurgen Klopp instead. The German brought great success to Borussia Dortmund and his highly fancied to do well on Merseyside. This will be his first game in charge so the football world will be watching closely. (Premier League, Saturday 17 October, 1245pm. Ticket info)

4. Chelsea v Aston Villa - I can't believe I'm about to describe this match as an early season relegation six-pointer but that's what the league table suggests. The fact Villa have made a poor start and are in the bottom three isn't a huge surprise as they struggled last season too but Chelsea? The Blues have, by their lofty standards, had an horrific opening to their campaign. Down in 16th, they have won just two of their eight league games as divisions have sprung up within the camp. What's going on is unsure but the results are bad and if this one doesn't yield three points then Mr Mourinho's days will surely be numbered. (Premier League, Saturday 17 October, 3pm. Ticket info)

5. Leyton Orient v Oxford United - nothing is really grabbing me in the Championship or League One this week so next we have this encounter between a couple of promotion-chasing clubs in League Two. The O's began strongly and became early leaders but have wobbled significantly of late, winning only one of their last seven. Despite this, they are still only five points off top spot so a win against third-placed Oxford will get them right back in it. Although Orient have a decent record against Oxford, the visitors are on a fine run and have only lost once all season. (League Two, Saturday 17 October, 3pm. Ticket info)

6. Bromley v Cheltenham Town - Mark Goldberg's side enjoyed the perfect Non-League Day cramming in nearly 2,500 spectators who cheered them on to a resounding 5-0 win over Barrow. The result pushed them up to fourth in the National League to keep them firmly ranked as the top non-league club in London. On Tuesday they face one of their toughest challenges of the season as fellow title contenders Cheltenham visit Hayes Lane. Recently relegated from League Two, the Robins are on course for at least a play-off spot. They should really be top but a very iffy run has seen them win only one of their last five allowing local rivals Forest Green Rovers to pull five points clear at the top. The sides are the two highest scoring in the division too so this really could be a corker. (National League, Tuesday 13 October, 745pm. Ticket info)

7. Sutton United v Hemel Hempstead Town - it wasn't a great weekend for London clubs in the FA Cup with several bowing out. Sutton are one side that have got another bite at the cherry after drawing 1-1 with the Tudors. Both currently lie midtable in the National League South and also drew in the league game at Gander Green Lane last week so are very evenly matched. A strong crowd of over 700 attended the original tie and over 900 went to the league game. Depending on Monday's fourth qualifying draw, we could see a four-figure crowd for this one. (FA Cup Third Qualifying Round Replay, Monday 12 October, 745pm. Ticket info)

8. Thamesmead Town v Cray Wanderers - these two have had a rocky couple of years, getting relegated together from the Isthmian Premier at the end of the 2013-14 season. Cray looked like suffering another relegation last year but turned things round late on to avoid the drop. Thamesmead simply consolidated. This year, they are both among the frontrunners. The Mead are sitting nicely in fourth while Cray are six points clear at the top, extending their lead yesterday while their nearest rivals took part in the FA Cup. Cray's resurgence has coincided with the appointment of Tony Russell who recently took VCD Athletic from the ninth to seventh tiers in successive seasons and he looks to be working his magic again. Thamesmead enjoyed a good Non-League Day in terms of result and attendance and will look to secure any new fans who might return with a good result here. (Isthmian League Division 1 North, Tuesday 13 October, 745pm. Club info)

9. Hanworth Villa v Camberley Town - during the time I've been writing this blog, Hanworth have usually been one of the better sides in the Combined Counties League so it came as a bit of surprise to see them struggle so badly last season. They avoided the drop and have come back much stronger, climbing into the top five after 10 games. Camberley finished runners-up to Molesey last time and are second, three points behind leaders Ashford, at the time of writing. They'd dearly love to go one better this year and look perfectly capable of doing so. (Combined Counties League Premier Division, Saturday 17 October, 3pm. Club info)

10. Edgware Town v Wodson Park - the north-west London suburb of Edgware lost its club in 2008 and after an absence of six years it reformed and set up again a short journey down the road in Hendon. Year one back in the Spartan South Midlands League was steady but unspectacular but now standards have markedly improved. With 24 points from nine games they're tucked nicely in second just three points behind Crawley Green who still have a 100% record. Wodson Park are not far behind in fourth so this could be a good indicator of who the real promotion contenders are. (Spartan South Midlands League Division 1, Saturday 17 October, 3pm. Club info)

GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

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

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