TLFG: 26 September - 2 October 2016

After last week's moaning I'm feeling a bit more positive.

I'm not sure why - QPR have gone another two games without winning as have Harrow Borough but I've had a few days in the country enjoying a bit of rest and relaxation.

I've received some interesting emails from some of you and saw an interview I gave about Non-League Day published in this month's copy of German football magazine 11Freunde. I've also been invited to co-author a book which is both flattering and a really big challenge. 

It looks like being another action-packed week with even more on offer than the last seven days. 

The chances of me seeing a game look slim again as I move on to early shifts (I have to be up at 4am tomorrow and 3am on Tuesday) but Wednesday could be a possibility.

This week 'Two Men In Search...' pay a visit to Wembley

Our good friends at 'Two Men In Search Of The Beautiful Game' have been out and about again. Their latest trip took them to Wembley for Tottenham's first Champions League 'home' game against Monaco a couple of weeks back. The other two games against Bayer Leverkusen and CSKA Moscow are set to go on general sale on Wednesday at pretty reasonable prices so see the Spurs website for more info if you're interested.

Personally, the main highlights of the week for me will be QPR's big derby game at Fulham and also the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round both of which take place on Saturday afternoon. If you fancy going to the game at Craven Cottage, at the time of writing, there are still tickets available on general sale in the QPR end for £25.

I think that's about it from me - enjoy!

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 100 matches in the London area over the next week with games in the Champions League, Premier League, EFL, FA Cup, FA Vase, several county cups and the development leagues.

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
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Monday 26 September

Premier League 2
Fulham U23 v Norwich City U23 @7pm - Monday is becoming the day to get your dose of development football with the Cottagers entertaining the Canaries at their Motspur Park training ground where it's only £3 to get in
West Ham United v Brighton & Hove Albion @7pm - if you'd rather see a game at a proper stadium, the Hammers will playing this at Dagenham & Redbridge's ground

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Tuesday 27 September

Championship
Brentford v Reading @745pm - in terms of mileage, Brentford are the Royals' nearest divisional rivals so this is a derby. They're both also in with an excellent chance of making the play-offs this year

League Two
Leyton Orient v Plymouth Argyle @745pm - the O's welcome the leaders for this match between clubs who should be playing at a higher level

Ryman League Division 1 North
Phoenix Sports v Maldon & Tiptree @745pm - the hosts have had a great few years which has seen them win a couple of promotions and develop their ground significantly. They now find themselves top of this division and take on one of the other early pacesetters here
Thurrock v Aveley @745pm - if it's a derby you want, these two play just one mile apart, they're both also in with a shout of the play-offs

Essex Senior League
Clapton v London Bari @745pm - we've got a grounshare derby in Forest Gate where only one place and two points separate the teams in the ESL table
West Essex v Barking @745pm - a bit further to the east we've got another groundshare derby where the 'visitors' are among this season's title contenders

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Wednesday 28 September

Champions League

Arsenal v FC Basel @745pm - at first glance you'd expect an in-form Gunners side to win this with ease but the Swiss outfit have become a decent side in recent years and have won nine out of nine domestically this season so should be no pushovers

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
AFC Croydon Athletic v Beckenham Town @745pm - on Wednesday night we've got a chance to take a look at the Rams who've made a great start to sit two points clear after eight games, it's also a derby too

FA Vase Second Qualifying Round Replay
SC Thamesmead v Ringmer @745pm - both sides play in the 10th tier and both are down near the bottom, partly due to having had a decent cup run. If the hosts win, it will be the furthest they have been in the competition

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Friday 30 September

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Cray Valley PM v Erith Town @745pm - CVPM have made a great start to the campaign and are second at the time of writing whilst Erith are rooted to the bottom

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Saturday 1 October

Premier League
Watford v Bournemouth @3pm - the Hornets and Cherries both came up last season and confounded many by staying up. The hosts could well be up in seventh by the time this game comes round which would be some achievement
West Ham United v Middlesbrough @3pm - the Hammers have arguably been the disappointment of the season so far with five defeats from six. They really must win against new boys Boro or things will start to get really tricky for boss Slaven Bilic

Championship
Fulham v Queens Park Rangers @1245pm - this west London derby is one of the biggest non-Premier League games you can see in London. The Cottagers are a huge bogey team for QPR so will start as considerable favourites

League One
Charlton Athletic v Rochdale @3pm - neither side are doing particularly well but it's a great chance to watch some EFL action on the cheap as all tickets are just £5

League Two
Barnet v Leyton Orient @3pm - we've also got a derby at The Hive where the Bees welcome the only other London club in the division

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Tranmere Rovers @530pm - the game of the day in non-league takes place at Victoria Road where first plays fourth, a huge game

FA Cup Third Qualifying Round - it's starting to get serious for the 80 clubs who have made it to this round with £7,500 of prize money up for grabs and only two matches between themselves and the likes of Bolton, Charlton and Sheffield United in the first round proper 

Wealdstone v Banbury United @3pm - the Stones play a division above their visitors so should start as favourites but the Puritans are having a fine season so should push them
Welling United v Swindon Supermarine @3pm - the Wings have drawn eighth-tier opposition for the second round running which should see them progress despite their poor league form
Hendon v AFC Rushden & Diamonds @3pm - the Greens welcome the reincarnation of a former third tier team for this tie. Rushden have been climbing the leagues in recent seasons but are still a division below their hosts
Harrow Borough v Winchester City @3pm - Boro made it to the fourth qualifying round two years ago and the first round in 2010 and with this home draw against lower division opposition, have a great chance of progressing again
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Sunday 2 October

Ryman League Premier Division
Kingstonian v Grays Athletic @3pm - neither side are pulling up any trees but there's nothing else on so give it a go

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GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. 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 September 2016

The last week has made me realise a few things, not least that as you grow older your tastes definitely change.

Last Saturday I had the chance to go and watch QPR for the first time this season but actively decided to make other plans. On Tuesday they played Newcastle, one of the biggest games of the season, and got hammered 0-6. This was Rangers' heaviest home defeat of all time and I hardly batted an eyelid and I've been trying to think why and how my interest has waned so spectacularly.

Probably the highlight of my entire football watching life was being at Wembley just over two years ago when Bobby Zamora netted that dramatic late winner in the play-off final against Derby. I've never felt such a football high as that ball went in and it's a feeling that hopefully I'll never forget. 

Five years ago I was having sleepless nights ahead of crucial games prior to our promotion back into the Premier League after a 15-year absence. In other years, I made firm decisions not to attend crucial promotion and relegation matches because my nerves simply couldn't take it. I would have Saturdays and whole weekends ruined by defeats.

But not any more.

The other day I admitted to friends that if I didn't live in Shepherd's Bush I probably wouldn't bother going any more. 

We're not even doing that badly so why do I feel like this?

Maybe it's the promise of great things that never materialised since welcoming a succession of billionaire owners to the club - yes, we got three seasons in the Premier League out of it but two were a complete embarrassment.

Had enough of my moaning? Watch this video from our friends at 'Two Men In Search of the Beautiful Game' instead

Maybe it's the fact that our failure to progress despite these riches can be put alongside the likes of Swansea, Southampton, Crystal Palace and Leicester who have all come up since 2011 and either got to cup finals, made it into Europe or won the blimming Premier League with far less. 

Maybe it's the thought that £29 is now the price of the cheapest ticket to watch a bog standard Championship game against the likes of Barnsley or Rotherham (no offence).

Maybe I'm just feeling glum as it's the end of the summer and we've had a dodgy result or two. 

I've got the chance to go and watch them play Sunderland in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night - tickets are only £6.70 and the Mackems are in worse form than we are. We could win against a Premier League side and make it into the last 16 of a major cup competition - I can feel a stir of excitement returning...

Now I've just heard that manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink intends to play a reserve team and with that I'm back to square one. 

Alongside this plunge in interest, my love of non-league has made a strong comeback. 

If you're a new reader, as a teenager I almost totally devoted my life to following my local club Harrow Borough all over the place. I had probably the most enjoyable times I've had as a football fan despite the team being pretty bad throughout that time and the entire 28 years I've been a follower.

Football at this level is far more accessible. You feel far more involved. The grounds, and some of the people are quirky, weird and wonderful. What the players may lack in ability is usually more than made up for with passion. There are strong fan rivalries but the atmosphere is rarely toxic or threatening as it is or has the potential to be at most games in the professional ranks. 

For me, it's generally more fun and I also know that my money makes a difference whereas in the Premier League clubs could play in empty stadiums all season and it would hardly impact on their balance sheets.

This might all simply be down to the fact that I'm now in my early forties and becoming very middle aged - I've seen it all before, I don't need the hassle or expense of the Premier League, my team are never going to win it so why get that worked up? I remember meeting a friend of my uncle's back in the '80s who told me he 'used to be a QPR fan' but had since lost interest. I thought such a statement was crazy back then. How could anyone fall out of love with their team? Now I am well on my way to becoming that man.

Maybe I will make it along to the Sunderland game, maybe we will mount a play-off challenge, maybe we will get back into the Premier League at some point and maybe we'll become the little guys punching well above our weight as we always used to, living within our means, spending prudently and creating stars, earning respect along the way. This might give me back a bit of pride and excitement about what we do but it seems a long way off at the moment.

Anyway, that's just me. Football is still a great game and London is a wonderful place to watch it and this week is once again bursting at the seams with action.

We've also heard from our friends at 'Two Men In Search...' who have been discovering the Beautiful Game in Mile End where they watched Sporting Bengal United take on fellow Eastenders London Bari.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are 100 matches in the London area over the next week with games in the Premier League, EFL, FA Cup, FA Vase, several county cups and the FA Women's Super League.

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
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Monday 19 September

Professional Development League
Millwall U23 v Nottingham Forest U23 @12pm - get your week of football watching underway with this development game at the Den, the early kick-off will allow you to see at least two games today
Watford U23 v Sheffield Wednesday U23 @7pm - one option is to combine it with a visit to Vicarage Road for this one

Premier League 2
Arsenal U23 v Everton U23 @7pm - or you could go to Boreham Wood for this one which should provide a higher standard of football but you won't get the big stadium

Ryman League Premier Division 
Kingstonian v Bognor Regis Town @745pm - the K's welcome Bognor who made it to the play-offs last season and are well placed for a promotion push again

Essex Senior League
Barkingside v Ilford @745pm - if you're on the east side of London, this groundshare derby could be for you

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Tuesday 20 September

FA Cup Second Qualifying Round Replay
Thamesmead Town v Hanwell Town @745pm - these two eighth-tier sides from the parallel Ryman and Southern Leagues cancelled each other out on Saturday and will do battle again on Tuesday for the £4,500 prize money

Ryman League Premier Division
Staines Town v Enfield Town @745pm - the Swans recorded a notable cupset over local rivals Maidenhead on Saturday and will look to get among the play-off places in the Ryman Premier as they return to league action here
Harrow Borough v Wingate & Finchley @745pm - these two met in the cup last week and produced a thrilling 4-4 draw which W&F eventually won 8-7 on penalties, it will probably be goalless this time

Ryman League Division 1 South
Tooting & Mitcham United v Guernsey @745pm - the Terrors have come flying out of the blocks and are currently four points clear at the top while the Green Lions have made a poor start and should be there for the taking

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Wednesday 21 September

EFL Cup Third Round

West Ham United v Accrington Stanley @745pm - on paper the Premier League Hammers should see off their League Two opponents with ease but they're in poor form and Stanley beat Burnley in the last round so shouldn't be underestimated
Queens Park Rangers v Sunderland @745pm - QPR have hit a bad patch and will hope to raise spirits with the scalp of Premier League strugglers Sunderland - also, tickets are only £6.70 if bought in advance

FA Cup Second Qualifying Round Replay
Colliers Wood United v Merstham @730pm - the Wood are one of the lowest ranked teams left in the competition and did superbly well to hold Merstham, from two divisions above them, to a 0-0 draw on Saturday. They've never been this far before, so to make the third qualifying round would be some achievement

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Friday 23 September

Premier League 2
Chelsea U23 v Arsenal U23 @705pm - with the clubs' first XIs meeting less than 24 hours later, this match at Stamford Bridge should provide a fine hors d'oeurve especially as it's only £5 a ticket

FA Vase Second Qualifying Round
Wadham Lodge v Enfield 1893 @745pm - it's also another big weekend of cup football in the FA Vase and it gets underway in London on Friday night up in Walthamstow with this one between two Essex Senior League sides

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Saturday 24 September

Premier League
Arsenal v Chelsea @530pm - the game of the week takes place at the Emirates Stadium where London's two biggest clubs meet in this teatime encounter

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Birmingham City @3pm - Rangers will be looking to avoid a third straight league defeat but they're up against a Blues side who've only lost once in their eight games so far this season

League One
Millwall v Rochdale @3pm - the Lions suffered a disappointing loss to struggling Southend on Saturday and surrendered their place in the top six in the process, Rochdale present a very real chance of regaining it as they have started poorly

National League
Bromley v Dagenham & Redbridge @3pm - it's derby day down at Hayes Lane as the Ravens welcome the league leaders

National League South
Wealdstone v Truro City @3pm - the Stones are fancied to do well this season and will probably move into the play-off places with victory against their Cornish visitors

Ryman League Premier Division
Dulwich Hamlet v Folkestone Invicta @3pm - the biggest crowd of the day in this division will almost certainly come at Champion Hill where two of its best supported sides meet
Enfield Town v Hendon @3pm - there should also be a healthy turnout for this north London derby

FA Vase Second Qualifying Round
Cockfosters v Hadley Wood & Wingate @3pm - it's derby time up in the far north of London where these two Spartan South Midlands League neighbours contest the bragging rights
London Tigers v Southall @3pm - if it's a derby you're after on the west side of town, then only a few hundred metres of the A40 separate these two local sides
North Greenford United v Oxhey Jets @3pm - an all ninth-tier game between teams from the parallel Combined Counties and Spartan South Midlands Leagues should produce a decent contest
Wembley v Hillingdon Borough @3pm - despite their name, the hosts have never made it to one of the big finals while Boro have been runners-up in the Trophy and Vase, the latter as recently as 2006
Glebe v Deal Town @3pm - Glebe are currently top of the Southern Counties East League Division 1 and are figuratively snapping at some of the lower ranked teams, like Deal, in the division above - this should be a good test of how good a team they are
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Sunday 25 September

Premier League
West Ham United v Southampton @4pm - these two have made underwhelming starts after great seasons last year but while West Ham aren't showing signs of recovery yet, the Saints have won two on the bounce

FA Women's Super League 2
Millwall Lionesses v Watford Ladies @2pm - if you can't get a ticket for the above, you could head down to the Den instead for some women's football but I doubt you'd want to if you're a West Ham fan

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GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. 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 September 2016

After what seemed like another successful Non-League Day, this week has been spent taking a bit of a breather.

I spent the day at St Albans City a little to the north of London where a crowd of  1,008 (roughly double their normal average) turned out to watch the visit of Hampton & Richmond Borough. For the neutral it delivered as a spectacle with six goals and a red card as the visitors triumphed 4-2.

Former Premier League stars Les Ferdinand and Alan Smith both put in special guest appearances on the pitch at half time too as the club looked to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK.

Elsewhere there were tales of big crowds and as someone who spends quite a bit of time on social media it was a proud moment to see #NonLeagueDay2016 crowned as the UK's top trend on Twitter for the 3rd September. It even made it to 129th in the overall list for the whole world too which shows there's some interest overseas as well.

Dulwich are planning ahead for the next international break - hopefully other clubs will do too

Did you go to a game? I'd love to hear what you made of the experience, especially if it was your first visit to a non-league match.

Looking forward, there are another couple of international breaks coming up in October and November which League One, League Two and non-league clubs should all be looking to exploit.

One London club with a plan in place for the 8 October are the always forward thinking Dulwich Hamlet who are holding a Trade Union Day - all trade union members will get entry to their match against Bognor Regis for just £4 (that's 60% off the normal price) on production of a membership card. Let me know if you're aware of any other deals.

This week all the local Premier League action is on Friday and Sunday meaning the lower divisions will take centre stage on Saturday.

The Champions League gets underway too with Tottenham, somewhat controversially, playing Monaco and all their following European games at Wembley while their ground gets redeveloped. It's almost certain that they'll play all their games at the national stadium next year so this is being seen as a bit of a trial run.

There are some eye-catching games in the EFL this week too with QPR hosting Newcastle on Tuesday and Charlton taking on AFC Wimbledon at the weekend - the first time these clubs have met since 1999.

It's also the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Cup with the draw throwing up several mouthwatering ties which include derbies and some very real cupset chances.

We've also got plenty of other local league action, the opening round of the Ryman League Cup and a few FA Vase replays so there's no reason to get bored. 

Finally, our friends at "Two Men In Search..." have been on their travels again and have written a review of their trip to see Croydon play VCD Athletic in the FA Cup. I'm looking forward to reading this as I've never been to their ground.

Anyway, have a great week and keep sending in your stories and questions.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 90 matches in the London area over the next week with games throughout the 10 levels TLFG covers.

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 - something which often happens at this time of year. 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
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Monday 12 September

Premier League 2
Fulham U23 v Aston Villa U23 @7pm - get your week underway with some development football at the Cottagers' Motspur Park training ground

Ryman League Cup
Kingstonian v Merstham @745pm - the pick of the non-league action sees the K's begin the defence of their League Cup crown against fellow Premier Division side Merstham

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Tuesday 13 September

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Newcastle United @745pm - two former Premier League teams meet at Loftus Road in what should be one of QPR's biggest games of the season
Fulham v Burton Albion @745pm - a couple of miles south we've got some more Championship football which could see the hosts break back into the top two with a win

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Dover Athletic @745pm - both sides are fancied to do well this season and both are well placed after nine games

National League South
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Whitehawk @745pm - the Beavers continued their fine run on Saturday and remain level on points with leaders Maidenhead. Will they move clear on Tuesday?

Ryman League Cup
Tooting & Mitcham United v Staines Town @745pm - there are several ties on Tuesday but this stands out for me as it pits the current Division 1 South leaders against the Swans who are pushing for a play-off spot in the division above

FA Vase First Qualifying Round Replays
Clapton v Hertford Town @745pm - the Tons managed a 0-0 draw in the original tie and should be confident of progress on home soil
North Greenford United v Stotfold @745pm - the hosts haven't played in the Vase for a few years and only a late extra-time goal on Saturday saved them

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Wednesday 14 September

Champions League

Tottenham Hotspur v AS Monaco @745pm - Spurs begin life back in the Champions League at Wembley with this match against the team which finished third in Ligue 1

FA Vase First Qualifying Round Replay
Southall v Cranfield United @745pm - the hosts' hopes of repeating their 1986 run to the final were put on hold by a Cranfield side who forced extra time on Saturday


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Friday 16 September

Premier League
Chelsea v Liverpool @8pm - televised Friday night football makes its return to the capital this week with this mouthwatering contest between two of the country's biggest clubs

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Saturday 17 September

Championship
Brentford v Preston North End @3pm - with no Premier League football on in London, the Bees' match against PNE takes top billing

League One
Charlton Athletic v AFC Wimbledon @3pm - neither side have started particularly well but that's a side issue as these two London rivals meet for the first time since 1999 when they were both in the Premier League

League Two
Barnet v Colchester United @3pm - the Bees could leapfrog London rivals Leyton Orient with a win here and get firmly into the race for the play-offs

National League
Sutton United v Tranmere Rovers @1215pm - the U's are new to the division and welcome the biggest club in it on Saturday, a bumper crowd is expected

FA Cup Second Qualifying Round
Dulwich Hamlet v Hendon @3pm - an all Ryman Premier clash at Champion Hill which should draw a crowd in excess of 1,000
Egham Town v VCD Athletic @3pm - it's Southern League versus Ryman League at the Runnymede Stadium where the Sarnies start as my likely winners
Hadley v Kings Langley @3pm - Hadley have recently returned to Brickfield Lane after several years away and are one of the lowest ranked clubs left in the competition, they'll need to be at their best against the Kings
Hanwell Town v Thamesmead Town @3pm - the Geordies enjoyed one of the results of the previous round when they beat Enfield Town, Thamesmead should be a walk in the park by comparison
Hayes & Yeading United v Worthing @3pm - after seeing off Sun Sports in the last round, H&Y welcome Worthing from the parallel Ryman League
Staines Town v Maidenhead United @3pm - the Swans are pushing for a Ryman League play-off place and they welcome local rivals Maidenhead who are currently top of the National League South
Uxbridge v Harrow Borough @3pm - on the west side of town we have a local derby which should see the visitors start as favourites but anything's possible at this stage
Wealdstone v Histon @3pm - the Stones start as overwhelming favourites against Histon who have fallen down the divisions in recent seasons and look set for another season of struggle
Whyteleafe v Welling United @3pm - the Wings got relegated from the National League last season and are already rock bottom of the NLS, the Leafe must really fancy their chances despite playing a further two divisions below
Wingate & Finchley v Tonbridge Angels @3pm - W&F have made a poor start and have landed a very tough draw against the joint leaders of the Ryman League

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Sunday 18 September

Premier League
Watford v Manchester United @12pm - a triple bill of top-flight action gets underway at noon when the Hornets welcome the Red Devils for the pick of the day's games
Crystal Palace v Stoke City @215pm - the Eagles play host to the Potters who are rooted to the foot of the table with no wins from their opening four games
Tottenham Hotspur v Sunderland @430pm - Spurs will look to end the day by dispatching another struggling side, consolidating their top-four place in the process

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GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. 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: 5-11 September 2016

Hi there, hope you're well. After the rigours of the last few days, putting together and promoting Non-League Day, I'm going to initially keep this very brief.

The maps and Daily Digest are all done but the ticketing info page needs a refresh and my own pre-amble telling you how NLD went will have to wait. In other words, all the really crucial stuff is further down the page.

I'll try to flesh things out a bit more later in the week but time has beaten me for now.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 90 matches in the London area over the next week as the season gets into full swing.

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 - something which often happens at this time of year. 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
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Monday 5 September

Professional Development League 2
Charlton Athletic v Coventry City @2pm - a chance to watch a game at the Valley as the clubs' U23 sides do battle, the early kick-off allows you to watch two games in a day

National League
Wealdstone v Weston-Super-Mare @745pm - a win for the Stones could put them into the top five in the National League South

FA Cup First Qualifying Round Replay
Carshalton Athletic v Worthing @745pm - the Robins did really well to hold the higher ranked Worthing to a 3-3 draw on Saturday and now have home advantage to try and claim a notable scalp

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Tuesday 6 September

National League
Dartford v Welling United @745pm - it's derby night at Princes Park. Why this is being held on a Tuesday night in September is unclear as it would normally be a Bank Holiday or Boxing Day special. This National League South match is definitely the game of the night.

Ryman League
Corinthian Casuals v Guernsey @745pm - the hosts could go top of Division 1 South with a win against the Green Lions
Whyteleafe v Tooting & Mitcham United @745pm - it will only happen if current leaders Tooting slip up in this south London derby

Southern Counties East League
Meridian VP v Bridon Ropes @745pm - in Division 1 we have a groundshare derby

Spartan South Midlands League Division 1 Cup
Broadfields United v Harefield United @745pm - another groundshare derby but this time on the far west side of town

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Wednesday 7 September

Ryman League

Romford v Phoenix Sports @745pm - early strugglers Romford welcome Phoenix who are currently one point clear at the top of Division 1 North

Southern Counties East League
AFC Croydon Athletic v Fisher @745pm - another south London side to have started well are the Rams who top the SCEFL after five games
Forest Hill Park v Lewisham Borough @745pm - in Division 1 we have yet another groundshare derby, this one at the Ladywell Arena

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Thursday 8 September

Friendly
Brentford B v Liverpool XI @7pm - the Bees' second string welcome a side from Anfield for an interesting friendly a Griffin Park

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Friday 9 September

Premier League 2
Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur @705pm - the respective U23 sides of these two London giants do battle at Stamford Bridge in what looks like a very entertaining way to kick-off a weekend of football watching
West Ham United v Wolverhampton Wanderers @7pm - in slightly less glamorous surroundings you can enjoy this fixture at Dagenham & Redbridge

FA Vase First Qualifying Round
Cray Valley PM v Glebe @745pm - if you'd prefer a bit of senior competitive football then this south-east London derby should appeal
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Saturday 10 September

Premier League
Arsenal v Southampton @3pm - neither side has got off to a flying start so will want to rectify things here
Watford v West Ham United @3pm - for the third game in a row, the Hornets come up against London opposition and are badly in need of a first win - they could get it here against a Hammers side who have been inconsistent to say the least

EFL
Fulham v Birmingham City @3pm - the Cottagers come into the game in second but face a tough challenge from the Blues who have lost only one of their five games
Queens Park Rangers v Blackburn Rovers @3pm - Rangers can move ahead of Fulham if they win against Rovers who are the only winless side in the Championship
AFC Wimbledon v Sheffield United @3pm - the Dons welcome the pre-season League One title favourites who are only just above them in the table
Millwall v Coventry City @3pm - the Lions were also fancied to do well and are living up to their billing, currently well on course for a play-off spot at the very least

National League
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Bath City @3pm - the Beavers are one of the hottest sides in London at the moment and they welcome fellow National League South promotion contenders Bath on Saturday

FA Vase First Qualifying Round
Hanworth Villa v Bedfont Sports @3pm - a local derby between teams who both hail from the Combined Counties Premier - they've both started reasonably well and know each other inside out

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Sunday 11 September

FA Women's Super League 1
Arsenal v Manchester City @2pm - end the week with this big game at Boreham Wood as the Gunners, in third, welcome runaway leaders City

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: 30 August - 4 September 2016

Last week I gave you a Bank Holiday Special, this week it's a Non-League Day Special.

Yes, it's that time of year when we at TLFG do our utmost to celebrate the semi-professional and amateur game and encourage you to check out your local team if you're not a regular already.

To reduce the temptation to go elsewhere, the Non-League Day team (i.e. me and a handful of other dedicated volunteers around the country) schedule the event to coincide with an international break so that there are no Premier League or Championship games to contend with. We also pick a day that England aren't playing on either so we can maximise our publicity.

If you really can't bear the thought of supporting the lower levels of the game with some of your hard-earned cash (fair enough), then there are a couple of League One games, a legends match and some women's football but I'm not going to give you any more details - you'll have to hunt them out on the match maps below.

Wealdstone are among the clubs hoping to welcome you on Non-League Day

Our charity fanfunder for Prostate Cancer UK is hovering around the £2,600 mark. A spectacular star prize of match tickets and accommodation to watch a Barcelona match at the Nou Camp have been added this week - it could be yours in return for a donation of just £10.

If you're a Chelsea fan there are some great signed books by Gianluca Vialli and if you're a 5-a-side footballer, there are places available in a special tournament at England's St George's Park facility (£250 for a squad of eight). There's also some exclusive NLD merchandise too.

Please take a look and if this blog has been of use to you, I'd really appreciate it if you could put a pound or two PCUK's way. Just to clarify - all profits will go to the charity, none of it will go to me or NLD in any way.

If you do want to take part in Non-League Day but don't know where to go or what to see, here's my list of recommendations:

TLFG'S NON-LEAGUE DAY TOP 10

1. Dagenham & Redbridge v Boreham Wood - in terms of league status this is the game of the day in London as two local clubs meet for this derby in the top division of the non-league pyramid. The Daggers have just returned to non-league football after several years in League One and Two while the visitors are one of the minnows of the division and did brilliantly to survive their first season in the fifth tier last year. A real David and Goliath contest. (National League, 3pm Ticket info)

2. Dartford v Maidenhead United - the Darts welcome leaders Maidenhead who have exploded out of the blocks with six wins out of seven. The hosts have ploughed a lot of time and effort into this year's NLD with events for kids getting underway at 10am. It's also free for U16s to attend the match, family tickets are available for £15 while season-ticket holders from any other club will get in for just £5.  (National League South, 3pm Ticket info)

3. Wealdstone v Poole Town - over in Ruislip the Stones are also throwing their full weight behind NLD in the hope of getting a mammoth crowd for this match between two play-off hopefuls. It's just £5 for adults (normally £13) and you might get to see the legendary Wealdstone Raider too. It's also £3 for U18s and free for U16s. With those prices and the effort they've put into marketing it, they'll be hoping for a four-figure crowd. (National League South, 3pm, Ticket info)

4. St Albans City v Hampton & Richmond Borough - normally I wouldn't include this game as the Saints play just outside TLFG's catchment area to the north of London but they're playing one of our clubs and are also making a real effort to get a big crowd. They are reducing admission prices for everyone and offering further discounts to kids and season-ticket holders of other clubs. They will also be raising funds for Prostate Cancer UK and I'm advised there will be more announcements later in the week about other things they're doing - oh yes and this is the match I'm currently scheduled to be attending so maybe see you there. On paper it also looks like a cracker as it's third versus second - huge! UPDATE - former England striker and current QPR Director of Football Les Ferdinand will be guest of honour (National League South, 3pm, Ticket info)

5. Clapton v FC Romania - although they play several divisions below some of the clubs above, this game could well attract one of the highest attendances of the day in London. I attended Clapton's match against Ilford on NLD last year which pulled in nearly 800 people which is almost unheard of for clubs in the ninth tier. If you've not heard of them, the Tons are one of the oldest clubs in London and play at the city's oldest ground. The Old Spotted Dog is a place all football fans should visit to see it in all its ramshackle glory. The Clapton Ultras (politically left wing) who pack out the ground these days are fairly new on the scene and some people have their reservations but they generate a fantastic atmosphere and are regularly told off for the use of flares (naughty). Given their pro-migrant and pro-refugee views, a match against FC Romania (who are made up almost exclusively of expats) is one of the highlights of their season. There's talk of getting more than 1,000 on Saturday which would surely break some record. UPDATE - some discounts have now been announced so please see the club's website for details (Essex Senior League, 3pm, Club info)

6. Hanwell Town v Enfield Town - there are also several FA Cup ties on Saturday and if I was picking some for Match Of The Day I would go for those where the underdog hosts a bigger club that they could conceivably beat. This game definitely fits that criteria. The Geordies, from the eighth tier, went two rounds further than this last year and played in front of then FA chairman Greg Dyke on last season's NLD. Enfield play a level above, have a significant fanbase and were among the favourites for the Ryman League title at the start of the season. However, they've flattered to deceive so far with one win in six so could be there for the taking. (FA Cup First Qualifying Round, 3pm, Club info)

7. Sun Sports v Hayes & Yeading United - this is one of the biggest games in the Sun's history as it marks the Watford club's first appearance at this stage of the competition. When I started NLD in 2010, Hayes were in what is now the National League but they sold their ground soon after and have been groundsharing at various places until a few weeks ago when they finally came home. They've dropped two divisions since 2010 and are in pretty poor shape on the pitch again this season. The hosts hail from the ninth tier so are massive underdogs on paper but the talk on their website appears bullish and anything could happen. (FA Cup First Qualifying Round, 3pm, Club info)

8. VCD Athletic v Kingstonian - this all-Ryman League tie is also flashing the word 'cupset' at me. Both these sides were in the Ryman Premier a couple of years ago but VCD, who to be fair were punching above their weight, came back down after a brief stint. Neither side have started well this time round but the K's have begun winning again and will be dangerous. (FA Cup First Qualifying Round, 3pm, Club info)

9. Tooting & Mitcham United v Horsham - the Terrors have begun well and are yet to lose. A win on Monday at Corinthian Casuals would actually have put them top but they drew 3-3. The visitors are still finding their way in the division after winning promotion from the Southern Combination so will start as underdogs. TMU charge only £5 to armed forces and emergency service personnel, students, the unemployed and season-ticket holders from any other club other than their opponents on the day. It's also £1 for U16s and free if accompanied by an adult. (Ryman League Division 1 South, 3pm, Ticket info)

10. Cray Valley PM v Croydon @3pm - it's third versus first in this exciting looking clash in the Southern Counties East League and I hope it gets a bumper crowd. CVPM are always happy to help the NLD cause and this year they're offering £5 entry to season-ticket holders or members from any other team and free entry to armed forces and emergency services personnel. (Southern Counties East League Premier Division, 3pm, Club info)

I have heard from some clubs that news of their plans are still to be finalised so further information could be added as the week goes on

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UPDATE - 01/09/16 (@1755)
Several clubs have announced their NLD plans since Monday so here's the info:

Aveley - the Ryman League side have announced half-price admission for season-ticket holders from other clubs for the visit of Wroxham (Club info)

Haringey Borough - it's FA Cup time at Coles Park where regular NLD supporters Haringey host Witham Town, they are also slashing admission prices to just £3 for adults and then giving the lot to Prostate Cancer UK. Awesome! (Club info)
Phoenix Sports - it's Pay What You Want for their Ryman League game against Brentwood and all money from programme sales will be given to charity (Club info)

Erith & Belvedere - the Deres welcome partner charity Sands to their match against Whitstable who will be doing some awareness work and fundraising (Club info)
West Essex - the Essex Senior League new boys have made their game against Barkingside 'Pay What You Want' (Club info)

Hillingdon Borough - I've had it confirmed in a tweet that the club will be giving all gate receipts to Prostate Cancer UK for their Spartan South Midlands League game against Langford (Club info)

THE REST OF THE WEEK

Despite there being an international break there are still well over 60 matches in the London area over the next week.

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 - something which often happens at this time of year. 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
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Tuesday 30 August

Checkatrade Trophy - previously known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, the competition has received a controversial revamp which allows the top clubs' U23 sides to enter and play against League One and League Two first teams much to the dismay of many of the clubs and fans involved. It begins this week with meagre attendances predicted, as a result most clubs are charging nominal admission prices of around £10 to get in.

AFC Wimbledon v Swansea City U23 @745pm  - the Dons are so against the new format that they are actively encouraging their fans not to attend this match so you might have the place to yourself
Charlton Athletic v Southampton U23 @745pm - the Saints' academy is famous for producing great players (e.g. Gareth Bale) so they should be a good test for the Addicks
Millwall v West Bromwich Albion U23 @745pm - one of the goals of this competition is to toughen up the youngsters and prepare them for first-team football, a night at the Den should leave an impression
Leyton Orient v Stevenage @745pm - the only genuine tie of the night, from the purists' point of view, is this all-League Two encounter at the Matchroom Stadium

Combined Counties League
Raynes Park Vale v Colliers Wood United @745pm - Tuesday night sees our first A3 derby of the season, neither have started their Premier Division campaigns spectacularly so will want to win
Chessington & Hook United v Epsom Athletic @745pm - in the division below we have a groundshare derby to look forward to

Spartan South Midlands League
Wembley v Cockfosters @745pm - locked together with several teams on six points, a win could propel either side into the upper echelons of the table

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Wednesday 31 August

Essex Senior League

Sporting Bengal United v Tower Hamlets @745pm - it wasn't hard to pick the Mile End derby between these two groundsharers as game of the day

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Thursday 1 September

FA Women's Super League 1
Chelsea v Notts County @730pm - the Blues are second in the league but a whopping 10 points behind Manchester City - however, they have two games in hand so must win here against one of the league's also-rans

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Friday 2 September

Southern Counties East League
Erith Town v Fisher @745pm - get your Non-League Day weekend underway with a south-east London derby down at VCD Athletic's ground

The Wembley Cup @730pm - to be honest I've read and re-read the blurb describing what this event is all about and I still don't get it - essentially there will be some legends and some people from YouTube kicking Xboxes around for charity at Wembley Stadium. Well I think football's involved somewhere - you'll have to find out for yourself because I can't fathom it.

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Saturday 3 September: Non-League Day - see above

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GET INVOLVED

If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. 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: 22-29 August 2016

Greetings one and all and welcome to the August Bank Holiday special edition of TLFG.

If you thought last week's football menu was extensive and tasty, then you'll be left drooling by what's on offer this time.

Not only are there over 130 games taking place, many of them are derbies and on the Bank Holiday (29 August) the Combined Counties League are starting most of their games at 1130am meaning you can see at least two games in a day.

And that's not all - for the first time ever we have a guest ground review from reader Nick Willis who took the time and effort to produce a piece on his trip to AFC Wimbledon as they played their first home game in League One against Bolton Wanderers last weekend.

Also, there's only 13 days until this year's Non-League Day which is keeping me incredibly busy alongside this blog.

By the middle of the week we should get final confirmation of all the day's fixtures following the FA Cup replays so keep checking the map on our site to see what's on come the 3rd September.

If you want to see and hear what I've got to say then watch this short film

Our charity fanfunder for Prostate Cancer UK is now up and running and we're getting close to £2,000. As with all such pages, there's an obligatory video which I make an appearance in alongside the likes of far greater football luminaries like Les Ferdinand, Gianluca Vialli, Matt Elliott and Guillem Balague.

All have donated rewards and prizes which you can buy or bid for and there's also some exclusive NLD merchandise too. Please take a look and if this blog has been of use to you, I'd really appreciate it if you could put a pound or two PCUK's way. Just to clarify - all profits will go to the charity, none of it will go to me or NLD in any way.

That's enough from me, enjoy your week and let me know what you've been up to. Now over to Nick and AFC Wimbledon...

GUEST GROUND REVIEW: AFC WIMBLEDON

by Nick Willis

AFC Wimbledon were promoted via the playoffs in May 2016 to League One (the third tier of English football), their sixth promotion in 14 years. ​The feel­good factor from the League Two play-off win still hangs in the air, and I was keen to see this occasion at Kingsmeadow.

Bolton find themselves in League One after relegation from the Championship, and presumably fixtures like these represent something of a novelty given some of the grounds they are used to seeing their team play at in recent years.

 

I travel by train to Norbiton station and then walk for 10 minutes through a tidy looking residential area until arriving at the Cambridge Road, passing a cafe and a fish and chip shop, both full of supporters. The ground is situated down a small side road, just past the row of shops. It is not a ground that one sees coming from miles around (though I suppose this could be different on a night fixture, with the floodlights turned on). 

The grand entrance to AFC Wimbledon's Kingsmeadow home

The ground (official name the Cherry Red Records Stadium) was leased by local club Kingstonian until 2003, when AFC Wimbledon took it over. It has undergone quite a few changes since then. The Chemflow end ­ formerly the Tempest end ­ had a roof installed and the John Green stand became seated, while access was improved for away fans as well. 

Away fans are mainly housed in a section of the newly renamed RyGas stand, a partially covered shallow­roofed terrace that runs along the sideline of the pitch opposite the main stand. Some away fans are also seated in a small area of the adjacent John Green stand. There are around 800 tickets available for away fans, and presumably these are likely to be sold out quickly against League One opposition this season. 

Many supporters are proudly wearing the latest iteration of the Dons' replica kit, an attractive, round­collared, electric blue number with canary yellow trim. There is lots of yellow and blue on show in general, with some supporters opting for shirts that date back to the Premiership era, and some inevitably sporting the 1988 FA Cup winning shirt. A few are bravely wearing the Dons’ third kit ­ and it’s not for the faint­hearted ­ of alternating vertical stripes of pea green and swamp green. One supporter wearing this shirt assures me that despite the garish colour combination, the shirt is viewed with affection ­ the team achieved some important results at the end of last season while wearing it. 

There was a turnout of 4,600 for this game, which is nearly a sell­out. Tickets to Wimbledon’s home games are going to be hard to come by this season ­ the programme informs us that 3,100 season tickets have been sold. Once up to 800 away fans have been subtracted, it doesn’t leave many tickets in a ground of 4,800 capacity. 

Pre kick­-off I talk to Dennis, in his late forties, with a Van Halen haircut, who has travelled over from Berne in Switzerland with a group of friends to watch Brighton & Hove Albion and AFC Wimbledon.

He is particularly knowledgeable about English football, and is very interested in the wording of the chants going on around him. He seems upset when he is told that Adebayo Akinfenwa is not at the club anymore. That a middle­aged man from Switzerland would know who was playing upfront for a then fourth­tier English football club is evidence of the broad international appeal of the English game.

The ChemFlow end I am stood in, behind the goal furthest from the Cambridge Road, is by a stretch the noisiest in the ground. The area of this stand directly behind the goal is seemingly responsible for the generation of most of the chanting. The roof that covers the stand does a decent job in amplifying the sound out on to the pitch. 

Nick's friends enjoy some refreshment despite a disappointing result

Wimbledon don’t seem to have any real bitter local rivalry. When asked, people might murmur about ‘Palace’, and there are a couple of chants about Chelsea, but most of the real feeling is reserved for a team that moved to Milton Keynes. There is no need to go into the history of this here as I’m sure most readers will be aware of the story, but safe to say that AFC Wimbledon’s supporters have not forgotten about that decision to move their club to a new town in Buckinghamshire.

The toilets for the Chemflow end are a small outhouse near to the exit. There is one door in and out, and by the time I get there after half­time, there is a sizeable queue. There is an even bigger queue for the ‘Gourmet Burger’ stand positioned at the corner of the Chemflow and main stand. Even though the burgers that people are holding with sheets of kitchen tissue paper look better quality than the average football ground fare, I decide it will take too long to queue and head back to the stand. 

With the game over, a large number of fans meet in one of the three bars positioned under the main stand. The atmosphere is genuinely convivial, which is something of a surprise given that the home team have just lost (Bolton come back from a goal down to beat AFCW 2­1). There are groups of friends catching up with each other over a post­match pint, some watching the late kick­off Premier League fixture, some spilling out on to the outdoor area in front of the bars, enjoying the afternoon sun.  

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As well as Nick's fine review, our good friends at 'Two Men In Search...' have also put up their latest piece about a visit to QPR so you're really spoilt this week.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are well over 100 matches in the London area over the next week thanks in part to all the extra Bank Holiday games.

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 - something which often happens at this time of year. 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
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

Orange pin - Sunday fixtures
Grey pin - Bank Holiday Monday fixtures

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Monday 22 August

Premier League 2
West Ham United v Newcastle United @7pm - the Hammers' U23 side play the first of their games at Dagenham & Redbridge who they will groundshare with for most of this season's games

Essex Senior League
Tower Hamlets v Ilford @745pm - staying on the east side of town, we've got a derby at the Mile End Stadium between sides looking to bounce back from FA Cup defeats at the weekend

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Tuesday 23 August

EFL Cup

Chelsea v Bristol Rovers @745pm  - having failed to qualify for Europe, the Blues enter a round earlier than normal and host League One opposition, tickets are available
Crystal Palace v Blackpool @745pm - on paper the Eagles have an even more beatable opponent in the form of the Seasiders from League Two, tickets are also available which is rare for non-members
Watford v Gillingham @745pm - it's Premier League against League One here too, although it might not be the most enticing fixture it is a great way to get on the Hornets' ticket database so you can qualify for bigger games in future

FA Cup Preliminary Round Replays
Thamesmead Town v Guernsey @745pm - the Green Lions travel to the mainland after the sides fought out a 2-2 draw on Saturday in what was the first ever FA Cup tie played in the Channel Islands
Walton & Hersham v Greenwich Borough @745pm - the Swans did well to hold Greenwich, from the division above, on Saturday so will hope to go one better here
Harefield United v Wembley @745pm - as above, Harefield did well to draw at higher ranked opposition in the original game and will want to make the most of their second chance here

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Wednesday 24 August

EFL Cup

Fulham v Middlesbrough @745pm - the Cottagers take on Premier League new boys Boro and it's only £15 to get in

FA Cup Preliminary Round Replays
Croydon v VCD Athletic @745pm - the Trams have a chance of causing a cupset at the Croydon Arena as they welcome a Ryman League outift
Colliers Wood United v Banstead Athletic @730pm - the hosts should have too much for Banstead but anything's possible at this stage of the competition

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Thursday 25 August

Europa League
West Ham United v Astra Giurgiu @745pm - after drawing the first leg in Romania, the Hammers should be favourites to progress but they came unstuck against Astra last year so won't take anything for granted

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Friday 26 August

Premier League 2
Arsenal v Liverpool @7pm - it may only be the U23s in action but it's a great way to see a game at the Emirates Stadium and at a fraction of the cost but please bear in mind that tickets must be bought in advance

Combined Counties League
Colliers Wood United v Epsom & Ewell @730pm - the best non-league option of the night sees two sides from south-west London duel at the Wibbandune

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Saturday 27 August

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool @1230pm - two of the big boys meet in the televised lunchtime kick-off in a game that doesn't really need any selling
Watford v Arsenal @3pm - the Hornets continue their ridiculously tough run of Premier League games with this derby against the Gunners

EFL
Brentford v Sheffield Wednesday @3pm - with two wins and two defeats, the Bees will be happy enough with their form as they prepare to welcome one of the favourites for promotion
Charlton Athletic v Bolton Wanderers @3pm - these sides suffered relegation together last season but have both begun life in League One well, a top-five clash
Leyton Orient v Mansfield Town @3pm - the O's started their League Two campaign well last season but fell away, again they've got off to a good start but will they be able to keep it going...

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Wrexham @3pm - the Daggers dropped out of the Football League at the end of last season but have raced out of the blocks and are second only to former second-tier club Tranmere at the time of writing
Wealdstone v Hampton & Richmond Borough @3pm - in the southern section of the league, new boys Hampton seem to have made a pretty seamless transition from Ryman League football and should be confident heading into this derby against the Stones who are also looking good

Ryman League
Staines Town v Kingstonian @3pm - it is very early days but of our local teams, Staines are the pick of the bunch in the Premier Division and they should feel confident of beating the K's who have had a bit of a shocker so far
Phoenix Sports v Heybridge Swifts @3pm - in Division 1 North, Phoenix are the early pacesetters having scored a spectacular nine goals over the course of their two games thus far
Tooting & Mitcham United v Dorking Wanderers @3pm - this top-six clash at the well appointed Imperial Fields looks like the match of the day in Division 1 South

Spartan South Midlands League
Oxhey Jets v London Colney @3pm - the hosts have won two of their three opening games and they'll need to be at their best as they welcome the only team in the Premier Division with a 100% record

Combined Counties League
AC London v Cobham @3pm - not much is floating my boat in the Premier Division but this game between two of the top four in the division below looks decent

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Sunday 28 August

FA Women's Super League
London Bees v Aston Villa @2pm - with nothing else on, this is a great chance to catch some women's football at Barnet's ground

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Monday 29 August

National League
Sutton United v Dagenham & Redbridge @3pm - it wasn't hard to pick this one as both sides are currently in the top three and it's also a derby
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Dartford @3pm - Boro will look to continue their great start against the Darts who have only lost one of their first five

Ryman League
Hendon v Dulwich Hamlet @3pm - the London contingent, often among the powerhouses of the Premier Division, have made a slow start and both of these will want to start building some momentum
VCD Athletic v Phoenix Sports @3pm - in Division 1 North we have possibly the closest derby in the whole league, you can sometimes hear what's going on at the other ground if they're playing at the same time
Corinthian Casuals v Tooting & Mitcham United @3pm - at the time of writing these sides are in the top six in Division 1 South and it's another derby too

Combined Counties League
Bedfont Sports v Bedfont & Feltham @1130am - it's derby day in the CCL and these clubs are even closer than VCD and Phoenix, they are literally next to each other
Chertsey Town v Abbey Rangers @1pm - the Chertsey/Addlestone derby between two sides who were several divisions apart until recently
Banstead Athletic v AC London @1130am - a groundshare derby between sides in Division 1's top five

Southern Counties East League
Crockenhill v Orpington @3pm - a derby featuring sides in the top six of Division 1
FC Elmstead v Holmesdale @3pm - elsewhere in the division we have a groundshare derby near Bromley

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.

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