TLFG: 27 November - 3 December 2017

Unbelievably December is almost upon us but this is a good thing as it means the annual festive football feast is only a few weeks away.

But park that thought as there's still plenty going on between now and then.

One thing to note is that tickets for England's World Cup warm-up game against Italy at Wembley at the end of March go on general sale tomorrow (Monday) at 12pm. Once upon a time that would've been a huge event as two of the Titans of the football world went head-to-head but with the Three Lions' matches lacking excitement and the Azzurri not qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1958, the match has lost a lot of its appeal.

More interestingly there are several derbies this week. Tickets for Watford v Spurs will be very hard to get but you should be able to get one for QPR v Brentford in the Championship and AFC Wimbledon v Charlton in the FA Cup which reaches its second round this weekend.

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I've got some time off next weekend so might get to continue my cup adventures with Leatherhead who travel to League Two side Wycombe Wanderers. To re-cap, a friend's 18-year-old son has just made it into the Tanners' first-team squad and was on the bench for the first round tie and replay against Billericay so if he makes the squad again then Adams Park here we come.

In other news it's been good to hear that the fundraising efforts to keep Dulwich Hamlet afloat have been going well and that fans of other sides, particularly the Clapton Ultras, have also been doing their bit to keep Waltham Forest going so well done to all those involved and keep it up.

Lastly from me I'd like to say a massive thank you to Kelvin W and Paul C who very generously donated to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund this week. I really appreciate this as a lot of late nights are involved in putting this together every week and the caffeine will come in very handy especially tomorrow when I have to be up for work at 4am!

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 90 matches in the London area over the next seven days. The highlights include some huge Premier League games, several London derbies and the next rounds of the FA Cup and FA Vase.

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

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

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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

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

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

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

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Monday 27 November

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Brentford @745pm - the week gets underway with one of the biggest London derbies outside the Premier League. Neck-and-neck in midtable, these two near neighbours usually produce a decent contest and the good news is that tickets are still available on general sale if you want to be there

Professional Development League
If you want to gorge yourself on football you could combine the game above with one of three U23 games taking place at lunchtime. QPR and Watford have matches at their respective training grounds which are fairly remote, whilst Charlton play Ipswich at Greenwich Borough's ground which should provide a more comfortable experience - as always, double check the details with the clubs before you travel as these type of fixtures are notoriously subject to change at short notice

Bostik League South Division
Carshalton Athletic v Walton Casuals @745pm - the pick of the non-league action is to be found at Colston Avenue where two of the division's top six will look to close the gap on the leaders

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Tuesday 28 November

Premier League
Watford v Manchester United @8pm - there's a full programme of midweek Premier League fixtures with this the only one in the London area on Tuesday. With a solid 3-0 win at Newcastle on Saturday, the Hornets continue to impress. On home turf they should be more than a match for Jose Mourinho's side

League One
Charlton Athletic v Peterborough United @745pm - tickets for the match above will be very tough to get which means the next best option will be this fixture at The Valley. After coming unstuck at promotion rivals Scunthorpe on Saturday, the Addicks face one of the teams just below them so a win is essential if they want to keep the chasing pack at bay

EFL Trophy
Barnet v Tottenham Hotspur U21 @8pm - after picking up a shock win at Newport County on Tuesday, the Bees returned to losing ways against Grimsby this weekend. Next up is this EFL Trophy group game against Spurs' youngsters. Struggling in this competition too, it will be interesting to see what kind of side Barnet decide to field. Despite being a north London derby, tickets are readily available and cost just £10

National League
Bromley v Aldershot Town @745pm - this was supposed to be played last Tuesday but floodlight failure shortly before the game saw it postponed. As a result, ticket prices for tonight have been reduced and there are special prices for season-ticket holders at pro-clubs. Also, all tickets purchased for the original game will of course be valid as well with a partial refund available on arrival

Bostik League Premier Division
Harrow Borough v Billericay Town @745pm - Boro were just seconds away from an eighth consecutive defeat on Saturday but an injury-time equaliser saw them salvage a 2-2 draw at bottom club Worthing. Next they welcome the team everyone is talking about as Glenn Tamplin brings his expensively assembled squad to HA2. Currently second but with six games in hand on leaders Dulwich, they are still seen by many as title favourites. Paul Konchesky, arguably their biggest name signing, announced his departure from the club last week so it will be interesting to see what impact that has

Evo-Stik League East Division
Hayes & Yeading United v Beaconsfield Town @745pm - there seems to have been nothing but gloom hanging over Hayes in recent years but now it appears things may at last be on the up. Finally into their new ground, they are once again winning games and are up in the top six. On Tuesday they welcome the side in fourth with whom they groundshared for part of last season

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Wednesday 29 November

Premier League
Arsenal v Huddersfield Town @745pm - the Terriers were minutes away from a famous point against leaders Manchester City on Sunday but conceded a late goal to heartbreakingly lose 2-1. The Yorkshire side are clearly a match for anyone on their day and they'll look to give Arsene Wenger's side a run for their money here. The Gunners bounced back from their Europa League loss in Germany with a hard-earned win at Burnley - a result which took them above arch-rivals Spurs and into the top four
Chelsea v Swansea City @745pm - on paper this should be a pretty routine game for the hosts. The reigning champions are highly unlikely to regain their title but are going along well enough in third and should have more than enough to see off Swansea who are winless in six

Bostik League South Division
Cray Wanderers v Ramsgate @745pm - the Wands, founded in 1860, are believed to be the oldest club in London and are currently well in the hunt for a return to the seventh tier. A win here against lowly Ramsgate could propel them into the top three

Surrey Senior Cup First Round
Tooting & Mitcham United v Corinthian Casuals @745pm - these two south London rivals don't play a million miles apart and are only four places apart in the Bostik League - although Tooting are in the division above. Really unlucky not to go up alongside the Terrors last season, Casuals are well on course for another tilt at promotion this time. If the clubs both put out strong sides, it could be interesting

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Thursday 30 November

Premier League International Cup
Arsenal v Reading @7pm - some of the biggest sides in Europe have entered sides in this U23 competition which sees all fixtures played on British soil. We're still at the group stage at the moment which the Gunners began with a win over Porto last week. Next up is a far less glamorous game against the Royals who are currently bottom

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Saturday 2 December

Premier League

Arsenal v Manchester United @530pm - the game of the weekend is this blockbuster between two members of Premier League royalty at the Emirates. Often title deciders in years gone by, these matches have lost a bit of their significance recently as neither side have really challenged for the title. Make no mistake, though, this will still be huge with tickets virtually impossible to come by 

Chelsea v Newcastle United @1230pm - if Jose Mourinho's current club have a bad week then one of his previous ones could be on hand to capitalise and move into second. With very winnable back-to-back home games against Swansea and Newcastle, Chelsea could be three points clear of United by close of play on Saturday
Watford v Tottenham Hotspur @3pm - we're really spoilt for games in the top flight on Saturday with this third option also likely to produce a very competitive encounter. A north London derby of sorts, Watford have the ability to bully more skillful sides into mistakes as they did against Arsenal earlier in the season. After only drawing with struggling West Brom, Spurs will need to be right back on their game to avoid another slip up here

Championship

Brentford v Fulham @3pm - for some reason the EFL authorities have scheduled loads of London derbies together over the course of a week. With Fulham v Millwall last week, QPR v Brentford on Monday and now this match a few days later - they've really crammed them in. Fulham are currently the pick of the bunch when it comes to London clubs in the second tier but at only 12th in the table, that's not saying much. The Cottagers won 2-0 at Griffin Park last season and might edge it this time too. To get a ticket, you must have a previous purchasing history with Brentford - the away allocation is sold out
Millwall v Sheffield United @3pm - this is the best option on offer to any casual visitors to London on Saturday who want to see a game and don't want to pay a king's ransom. It should be a pretty decent game too. Although the Lions aren't doing hugely well, the Blades were top not that long ago and still have automatic promotion very much in their sights

National League

Bromley v Dover Athletic @3pm - none of our local third or fourth tier sides are playing at home on Saturday meaning the focus instead moves to the National League. The title race in this division must be among the most thrilling anywhere in the world with just six points separating the top 10 clubs. As a result, the majority of sides in that leading group have briefly held top spot at some point. Dover were the leaders this time last week but two losses since then have seen them plummet to fifth. Bromley have picked up four points in the same period to move themselves up to eighth
Sutton United v Eastleigh @3pm - it's been a weird old week for the U's who began it by losing at home to the seemingly hopeless bottom club Torquay but ended up going top after winning 2-0 at Guiseley. Eastleigh are also currently plying their trade towards the wrong end of the table so should be beaten but who knows?!!

National League South

Wealdstone v Braintree Town @3pm - after holding one Essex club (Chelmsford) to a draw in the FA Trophy on Saturday, the Stones now have to play another in the league. Braintree got relegated from the fifth tier last season but are on course to go straight back up as they currently find themselves joint top with Dartford. However, they are winless in two in the league so could be vulnerable
Welling United v East Thurrock United @3pm - the Wings bowed out of the FA Trophy at the first hurdle on Saturday but will still start this league match amongst the play-off places. Currently in seventh, they sit just three points and three places above the Rocks

Bostik League Premier Division

Enfield Town v Dulwich Hamlet @3pm - among the promotion contenders for the last few years and both backed by decent support, my initial reaction was to instantly rub my hands and say this is definitely one for the week's guide. However, Enfield have been significantly below their usually much higher standards. Following the departure of their manager to Braintree over the summer, the Towners have failed to get going this year and are way down in 17th at the time of writing. It should be noted that they do have games in hand on most of those above them and they often put together a late run which sees them finish well but they could find things tough against the leaders

Bostik League South Division
Greenwich Borough v Lewes @3pm - third versus first, at the time of writing, this big game in the third tier could have quite a bearing on how the promotion race ends up. Greenwich are said to have spent a lot to get this far but they're now winless in four and will be desperate not to repeat the loss they suffered in last season's play-offs

Evo-Stik League East
Uxbridge v Hayes & Yeading United @3pm - the visitors follow up their tricky midweek encounter with Beaconsfield with this local derby. Actually based more in West Drayton than Uxbridge, the Reds' ground is walkable from the SkyEx Stadium

FA Vase Third Round - this national knockout competition for clubs in the ninth to 11th tiers is now down to its last 64 teams. With Wembley's arch now starting to appear over the horizon, the winners of each tie will receive prize money of £1,125 whilst the losers get £375
Beckenham Town v Eastbourne Town @3pm - given that hundreds of clubs started out on the road to Wembley at the beginning of September, it's a great achievement by the Becks that they've got this far. One of only two clubs who play their games in London still left in the competition, they face a challenging tie against the Yellows who are currently third in the parallel Southern Combination. The visitors are also getting known for the ultras who have begun supporting them over the last couple of years so they could add a decent bit of extra atmosphere to an already important game
Walton & Hersham v Windsor @3pm - in the other tie, the Swans who are third in the Combined Counties welcome Windsor who recently moved to the Hellenic League for the start of this season. The Royalists are currently ninth in their league but have games in hand on all those above them and saw off Erith Town in the last round

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Sunday 3 December

FA Cup Second Round
AFC Wimbledon v Charlton Athletic @2pm - one of the ties of the round, this London derby has been held over until Sunday. Struggling in League One, the Dons will want to give their season a lift with a win against the Addicks who are pushing for promotion. The sides last met a month ago for a league game at The Valley which Charlton won 1-0. The good news is that tickets are available on general sale so fill your boots! (Update - you now need a previous purchasing history to buy tickets for this match)

Fundraiser
Waltham Forest XI v Leyton Pennant XI @2pm - with Waltham Forest facing financial problems a fundraiser for their 'Save Our Club' campaign has been arranged featuring teams of former players and non-league legends. Leyton Pennant was the name Forest went by until 2002/03 - if you were in any doubt. The match is being played at Wadham Lodge and it's 'Pay What You Like' on the gate

FA Women's Super League Cup
Millwall Lionesses v Reading @2pm - there are several women's games in the capital on Sunday but this is marginally the best on offer as it pits Millwall from the FAWSL2 against Reading who play in the top division

GET INVOLVED

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

NEED HELP?

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

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

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

TLFG: 20-26 November 2017

For the first time in a while I got to see a live game just over a week after the previous one - I haven't enjoyed that kind of run for a while.

It was to Champion Hill that I headed on Tuesday night to watch Dulwich Hamlet host my beloved Harrow Borough in a Bostik League game.

It was the first time I'd got to watch Harrow this season and they competed well with the league leaders until an unnecessary foul on the hour handed the hosts a penalty which they scored and from which the Boro never looked like coming back from.

A second goal came in closing stages to confirm a 2-0 win for Gavin Rose's side.

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However, the football was secondary on Tuesday as Dulwich began their campaign to raise funds after property developer owners Meadow Residential had announced their plans to massively scale back their involvement.

With posters all over the ground, a fan with a megaphone beseeching supporters to donate to the 12th man fund and not one but three TV crews covering proceedings, the campaign's launch got off to a good start.

An impressive crowd of 1,199 turned out to support the team which I'm told by long standing fans is the highest midweek attendance for decades.

Given the Hamlet's current table-topping status, large supporter base and high media profile I'd be staggered if they didn't turn things around. As non-league clubs go, they present one of the best investments around.

Not all other clubs are in such a healthy position and I overheard some locals remark that if Harrow were to have a rich owner suddenly pull the plug they'd be '####ed!' which sadly I'm afraid to admit they would.

Although close enough on the pitch, the gulf between the two clubs off it was stark with the stands and terraces packed on three sides of the ground whilst the away end had maybe 10-15 in it at most.

'Two Men In Search...' pay a visit to Erith Town

It is a huge credit to the committee, vice presidents and the manager that they manage to compete at this level year after year with the likes of far bigger and richer clubs but that kind of success can only go on for so long - only another club suffering financial difficulties elsewhere in the country saw the club reprieved from relegation last season.

Worryingly, the fantastic start to this campaign which saw Boro top the league for most of August has fizzled out and they've now lost six in a row in all competitions and eight of their last 10. The last team beaten were Bedfont Sports who play two levels below and that was only by 3-2.

On Saturday the losing streak was extended by a heartbreaking defeat at home to Dorking Wanderers. The visitors raced into a 3-0 lead only for Harrow to equalise but then concede again to lose 3-4.

If they lose at bottom club Worthing next Saturday then some serious questions will need to be asked if they aren't already.

Enough of my moaning, in other news I was pleased to hear that one of my American readers Mauricio had enjoyable visit to Shepherd's Bush on Saturday to watch QPR play Aston Villa. Although it wasn't quite the Arsenal v Spurs game he and most other fans were trying to get tickets for, it seems to have been a decent enough substitute.

In other news I'm pleased to be able to say that good friends 'Two Men In Search Of The Beautiful Game' have been groundhopping in London again. They paid a visit to Erith Town last weekend as they played Windsor in the FA Vase. These fine gentlemen put in a lot of effort as they not only write about their experiences but also vlog about them and produce a photo gallery so make sure you check out their fine work.

Lastly from me I'd like to say a massive thank you to Scott T who became the first person to donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund. I really appreciate this as a lot of late nights are involved in putting this together every week and the caffeine will come in very handy especially tomorrow when I have to be up for work at 345am!

THE WEEK AHEAD

With the international break now well and truly over, there are over 100 matches in the London area over the next seven days. The highlights include three important Premier League games, a London derby in the Championship, some big games in the National League and the next round of the FA Trophy.

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

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

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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

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

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

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

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Monday 20 November

Surrey Senior Cup First Round
Carshalton Athletic v Egham Town @745pm - the top match of the day is this county cup game between sides from the parallel Bostik South and Evo-Stik East

Essex Senior League
Tower Hamlets v Redbridge @745pm - county cup games like the one above can be treated by managers and fans as a bit of a distraction so the first XIs aren't picked and the crowds are smaller than normal, as a result this match at a slightly lower level could be a better watch. Not only is this a bit of a derby but it pits the team in seventh against the current league leaders. The Mile End Stadium is one of the most centrally located grounds in London and is close to Mile End station meaning it's easy to get to too

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Tuesday 21 November

Championship
Brentford v Burton Albion @745pm - there's a decent serving of EFL football in London on Tuesday. The Bees are currently the capital's top ranked club in this division after a fine recent run of results. Sadly that run came to an end at Cardiff on Saturday but they should feel confident of beating Burton who are in the bottom three
Millwall v Hull City @745pm - in Bermondsey, the Lions welcome Hull who are finding things tough after their relegation from the Premier League. Not many would've predicted Millwall to be above the Tigers by late November but that's the way things currently stand

League One
Charlton Athletic v Rochdale @745pm - unbeaten in eight league games, the Addicks are currently fifth in the third tier and looking good for a play-off spot. Rochdale are struggling and should lose here

National League
Bromley v Aldershot Town @745pm - there's a blockbuster night of action in the fifth tier with some big matches on at both ends of the table. Currently the second highest ranked non-league team in London with the third highest crowds, the hosts probably don't get as much attention as they deserve. Still relatively new to this level, they're doing really well to be up in seventh and are still very much in touch with all the teams above them. One of those are Aldershot who hail from just outside the capital so expect a decent turnout for this match
Dagenham & Redbridge v Dover Athletic @745pm - after being surprisingly held by struggling Leyton Orient on Saturday, leaders Dover stay in the east of London for their next match at Victoria Road. On paper, the Daggers should present a much tougher challenge as they're chasing promotion too
Leyton Orient v Chester @745pm - at the other end of the table, two of the biggest clubs in the division are scrapping to avoid the drop. Both sides come into this match on the back of positive results so it should be close
Sutton United v Torquay United @745pm - the U's could go top if they win and Dover drop points at Dagenham. The Gulls are rock bottom and have lost their last three so if they get anything it will be one of the results of the night

National League South
Dartford v Wealdstone @745pm - the Darts returned to top spot on Saturday with a comprehensive 4-1 win over Gloucester City. Next up are the Stones from the opposite side of London - these two couldn't be much further apart from a London perspective. Wealdstone's Bobby Wilkinson was recently named manager of the month but in typical fashion saw his side lose at struggling Oxford City on Saturday as their fine run came to an end

Bostik League Premier Division
Hendon v Dulwich Hamlet @745pm - the standout game in the seventh tier on Tuesday is this match at Silver Jubilee Park between two of the top six. The Greens have spent most of this month playing cup matches but returned to league action with a slightly disappointing draw against struggling Burgess Hill on Saturday. Despite their off-pitch worries, the Hamlet on are on fire at the moment. On Saturday they demolished title rivals Metropolitan Police 4-1 at Imber Court to move seven points clear at the top

Essex Senior League
Clapton v Basildon United @745pm - two of the top six in the ESL do battle at London's oldest ground on Tuesday. Sadly the Clapton Ultras are still boycotting home games so the crowd and atmosphere won't be anything like it could be

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Wednesday 22 November

FA Trophy Second Qualifying Round Replay
Cray Wanderers v Moneyfields @745pm - an intriguing tie between two of the best sides in the eighth tier. Cray are fourth in the Bostik South while Moneyfields, from Portsmouth, currently top the Evo-Stik East. Having done the hard work of drawing away, Cray must surely back themselves to win here. The winners will travel to Braintree Town in the next round on Saturday

London Senior Cup Second Round
Balham v AFC Wimbledon @730pm - the hosts only joined the Combined Counties League last season, got promoted at the first attempt and are now playing AFC Wimbledon in the cup - quite an achievement. Of course the Dons will only field a development XI but there could be one or two first-team players in there so this is a significant moment for Balham

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Friday 24 November

Premier League
West Ham United v Leicester City @8pm - David Moyes will take charge of his first home game against the Foxes. At the time of writing, his first match against Watford has yet to be played but that will undoubtedly affect the performance here. Still not the side they were when they won the title two seasons ago, Leicester are comfortably holding their own in midtable and will be dangerous opponents

Premier League 2
Fulham v Newcastle United @2pm - if you're in town for the match above as a tourist or groundhopper then you could do a lot worse than get yourself down to Fulham's training ground for this U23 game earlier in the day. It's located close to Motspur Park station so is easy to get to with frequent trains from Waterloo and Clapham Junction

Essex Senior League

Tower Hamlets v Hackney Wick @745pm - the now customary Friday night game in the ESL takes place at Mile End Stadium just a short distance away from the big game at the London Stadium. Neither side are likely to push for honours this season but this is very much a derby so some east London bragging rights will be up for grabs

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Saturday 25 November

Premier League

Crystal Palace v Stoke City @3pm - the Eagles threw away a winning position against Everton on Saturday as they had to settle for a draw. The point took their tally for the season to just five points as they remained bottom. On Saturday they welcome the Potters who are also amongst the division's strugglers for another crucial game

Tottenham Hotspur v West Bromwich Albion @3pm - Spurs suffered the shame of defeat in Saturday's north London derby against Arsenal so will be desperate to return to winning ways on their return to Wembley. With four defeats on the bounce the Baggies are in worrying form and manager Tony Pulis is facing the very real prospect of a rare sacking. Unlike the match above, tickets are on general sale 

Championship

Fulham v Millwall @3pm - the match of the day in the second tier is this tasty looking derby. Neither side are pulling up any trees this season so this could be quite a dogged affair. The Lions and their fans tend to relish these occasions and I can see them winning. Sadly, because of security reasons, tickets are not on sale to non-members

League One

AFC Wimbledon v Walsall @3pm - the Dons picked up a priceless 3-1 win at Bristol Rovers on Saturday to move out of the relegation zone and onto level points with fellow strugglers Walsall. As a result, this game is of huge significance in both sides' attempts to avoid the drop

League Two

Barnet v Grimsby Town @3pm - despite the appointment of Mark McGhee as new manager at the beginning of the week, the Bees lost again at Port Vale on Saturday to remain in the bottom two. Midtable Grimsby are the next to visit The Hive and Barnet fans will be hoping for a repeat of the 3-1 win they recorded last season

National League

Boreham Wood v Woking @3pm - neck-and-neck in the table just outside the play-off places, these two relatively local sides should produce a good game. Both have been drawing a lot in the league recently but both produced stunning upsets in the First Round of the FA Cup seeing off League One sides Blackpool and Bury respectively

FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round - this national knock-out competition for clubs in the fifth to eighth tiers with its final at Wembley has reached the last of its qualifying rounds where clubs from the sixth tier enter the draw alongside all the surviving ones from the seventh and eighth tiers. The winners of each tie will receive a cheque for £5,000. These for me, are the pick of ties:

Wealdstone v Chelmsford City @3pm - probably the tie of the round locally pits these two NLS sides together. The Stones were on a decent run until Saturday while Chelmsford are firmly among the title chasers
Welling United v Weston-Super-Mare @3pm - in terms of league ranking, this match is very similar to the one above but the teams aren't hugely well supported and the visitors have a long way to travel so it might lack a bit in that respect
Hendon v Slough Town @3pm - personally I'd probably go to this match if I had to choose. Two of the top teams in the seventh tier from the parallel Bostik and Evo-Stik Leagues meet at Silver Jubilee Park. This brings back memories from the late '80s when these two were among the powers in the Isthmian League
Haringey Borough v Thame United @3pm - the hosts are one of the lowest-ranked teams left in the competition and will fancy their chances of progress here as they've drawn another side from the eighth tier who aren't doing all that well

Combined Counties League Premier Division
Bedfont Sports v Hanworth Villa @3pm - there's a bit of a Super Saturday in the CCL Premier it's just a shame the kick-offs aren't being staggered. First off here we have a local derby between the sides in the third and fifth and over at Gander Green Lane we have...
Sutton Common Rovers v Walton & Hersham @3pm - a battle between the teams in fourth and second, this match could see the sides cancel each other out allowing leaders Westfield to move even further clear

Essex Senior League
Clapton v Ilford @3pm - on paper a cracking east London derby between two well matched teams but as mentioned above, the crowd and atmosphere will be well down on what it could be if the Clapton Ultras' boycott continues

London Senior Trophy Second Round
Stonewall v FC Elmstead @2pm - for groundhoppers, this tie being played in Barnes could be a good one for you. Stonewall are the most successful gay football club in the world having won European and World club titles. Currently going for the Middlesex County League Division 1 Central & East title (12th tier), they'll start as underdogs against the Cocks from the SCEFL Division 1

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Sunday 26 November

Kent Senior Trophy Second Round
Erith & Belvedere v Erith Town @3pm - the only men's game in the capital on Sunday is this local derby in south-east London. Sadly both sides groundshare and play away from Erith but hopefully we'll still get a decent tie

FA Women's Premier League Southern
Charlton Athletic v Swindon Town @2pm - with several games on Sunday, it could be a good day to check out a women's match. The Addicks are currently top of what is effectively the third tier of the women's game and should beat Swindon at SC Thamesmead's ground

GET INVOLVED

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

NEED HELP?

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

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

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

TLFG: 13-19 November 2017

Welcome one and all to the latest edition of TLFG.

How was the international break for you? Did you venture into the lower leagues for the first time or do something completely different instead?

With non-league football taking a more prominent position than normal, the plight of some of our local sides came more sharply into focus.

One of the biggest stories of the last few days is what has happened at Dulwich Hamlet.

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Amongst the most well known non-league sides in the country, it's been feared for a while that for all their progress on and off the pitch it could all be undone by their property developer owners Meadow Residential if a deal to develop the land around the stadium fell through.

This week those fears came to pass when the company effectively pulled the plug meaning Dulwich now have to raise their own funds fast to keep things going.

Waltham Forest, one of the oldest clubs in London, need help to survive

With average crowds of 1,500 (huge by seventh-tier standards) and with quite a few high profile fans and friends - hopefully they'll pull it off but fans are still being urged to donate and head to Champion Hill in large numbers for their next three home games to give them as much chance as possible.

In north-east London a distress call was also sent out by Essex Senior League side Waltham Forest who have fallen on hard times as well.

The announcement came shortly after the news that the club's chairman had died though whether it is related is unclear.

Why should you care? Formed in 1868, Waltham Forest are the second oldest club in London and therefore one of the oldest in the world so it would be a huge shame to see them fold.

Throughout non-league football, clubs are scrimping and saving to make ends meet so getting along to a game, even if it's just once a season, came make a difference so give it a go if you can.

I fully intend to be at Dulwich on Tuesday to watch my beloved Harrow Borough. Maybe see you there.

THE WEEK AHEAD

With the international break coming to an end, there are over 90 matches in the London area over the next seven days. The highlights include England's game against Brazil and a couple of cracking local derbies.

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

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

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

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

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

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

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Monday 13 November

FA Trophy Second Qualifying Round Replay
Haringey Borough v Sittingbourne @745pm - after fighting out a 1-1 draw on Saturday, these two promotion chasers from the parallel Bostik North and Bostik South do battle again at Coles Park

Combined Counties League Premier Division
Sutton Common Rovers v Spelthorne Sports @745pm - the hosts have strung together an impressive 11 match unbeaten run which has seen them climb to fourth. Spelthorne are a top eight side themselves

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Tuesday 14 November

International friendly
England v Brazil @8pm - after holding world champions Germany to a 0-0 draw on Friday, the Three Lions next welcome the top side from South America to Wembley. With just one win in 10 against the five-time World Cup winners, it's going to be tough for Gareth Southgate's team

Professional Development League
Charlton Athletic v Millwall @1pm - if you're in town for the match above you could begin your day by watching this south London derby between the clubs' U23 sides at Greenwich Borough's ground

Bostik League Premier Division
Dulwich Hamlet v Harrow Borough @745pm - things have been going pretty well for the Hamlet on the pitch this season where they top the Bostik League. Sadly things have taken a very serious turn for the worse off it where the property group who own the club have suddenly pulled the plug. Although the club are still functioning, they need to raise their own money meaning even more effort that normal is being made to get a huge crowd for this game and all others in November - I fully intend to be there

Bostik League South Division
Whyteleafe v Lewes @745pm - the Leafe are well in contention for a play-off spot but Lewes are top and in great form
Walton Casuals v Greenwich Borough @745pm - if Lewes slip up, Greenwich will go top if they win here but the Stags could make it back into the top five themselves

Essex Senior League
Redbridge v Clapton @745pm - two of the league's top four meet for an important game at Oakside. Despite being a ninth-tier game it could easily get a crowd in excess of 200 thanks to the travelling support of the very vocal Clapton Ultras

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Wednesday 15 November

Bostik League South Division
Thamesmead Town v Phoenix Sports @745pm - the top-ranked match of the day is to be found at Princes Park where two midtable sides will be hoping to push on

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Friday 17 November

Premier League International Cup
Arsenal v Porto @7pm - the weekend gets underway with some decent U23 games. The first sees the Gunners begin their European campaign by entertaining their counterparts from Portugal. Porto beat Reading 2-0 in their opening game so arrive in Boreham Wood as Group E leaders

Premier League 2
West Ham United v Derby County @7pm - the Hammers' U23 side are currently ranked fourth in the country and top in London so should be worth a watch. This match is being played at the London Stadium and is only £5 for a ticket but you're advised to buy in advance as only a small section of the ground is being opened

Essex Senior League

Redbridge v West Essex @745pm - if they beat Clapton earlier in the week, Redbridge could come into this match as league leaders. West Essex topped the table themselves earlier in the season and could get right back into things with a victory

Southern Counties East League Division 1

FC Elmstead v K Sports @745pm - the Cocks have made a fine start to the season and find themselves in fourth at the time of writing. On Friday they play host to the division's top side

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Saturday 18 November

Premier League

Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur @1230pm - on most normal weeks England v Brazil would be the standout match, however I think most neutrals would probably prefer to watch this if given the choice. The first north London derby of the season has arrived and it looks like being as intriguing as ever. For years the Gunners have dominated the relationship but that seems to be changing. Spurs finished above Arsenal last season and have only lost one of their last seven against their old rivals. Mauricio Pochettino's side also come into this game in better form and should be confident of getting at least a point

Crystal Palace v Everton @3pm - with both sides having already sacked their managers this season, this is of huge significance at the other end of the table. It looked like Roy Hodgson might have stopped the rot a few weeks ago when the Eagles managed to beat Chelsea but since then a draw with fellow strugglers West Ham is the best they've managed. The Toffees were on a terrible run until last week when they picked up a crucial 3-2 win over Watford. Palace's record against Everton is also pretty poor with only five wins since the formation of the Premier League 25 years ago

Championship

Queens Park Rangers v Aston Villa @3pm - the match of the day in the second tier features these two former Premier League teams. QPR picked up highly impressive back-to-back victories against Wolves and Sheffield United then followed it up by getting thrashed at Nottingham Forest last weekend. Aston Villa are sixth at the time of writing and did the double over Rangers last season so should be favourites here

Fulham v Derby County @3pm - since beating QPR in the derby at the end of September, the Cottagers' season has taken a bit of nosedive. Winless in five, they'll be looking to arrest that run here but perennial promotion chasers Derby are looking good again and will be tough to beat

League One

Charlton Athletic v MK Dons @3pm - the Addicks' fine season continued last weekend as they comfortably saw off non-league Truro to make the second round of the FA Cup. They get back into league action here with a derby of sorts against a side with few friends from just outside London

Premier League 2

Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea @12pm - one of the most attractive U23 matches of the season has been weirdly scheduled to coincide with the first team's derby match against Arsenal. Taking place at the club's training ground, I'm not even certain if it will be open to the public but it was last season - check before you travel

National League

Leyton Orient v Dover Athletic @3pm - the O's initially looked like they'd settled quite well into non-league football but it's all fallen apart. Winless in the league since the 2 September, they now find themselves just three points above the relegation zone. Dover have been pushing hard for promotion in recent seasons and arrive as the latest of many sides to top the league this season

National League South

Dartford v Gloucester City @3pm - the Darts lost control of top spot after coming unstuck at Truro on Saturday. A win here could well see them return to the summit

Bostik League Premier Division

Metropolitan Police v Dulwich Hamlet @3pm - I didn't think that by the middle of November I would be describing the Met as title contenders but currently in third that's exactly what they are. Although they've played more games than anyone else it's still quite an achievement for a side with a tiny fanbase. Whatever happens in midweek, Dulwich will arrive as league leaders

Southern Counties East League Premier Division

Beckenham Town v Croydon @3pm - these two are the top ranked clubs in this division from the London area. If Croydon win they could go joint top with Sevenoaks

Combined Counties League Division 1

AC London v Worcester Park @3pm - groundsharing at Whyteleafe, AC London have enjoyed a fine start to their campaign. Up in fourth they have a good shot at getting promoted. On Saturday, leaders Worcester Park come to Church Road for one of the biggest matches of the season

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Sunday 19 November

Premier League

Watford v West Ham United @4pm - the week comes to an end with this derby at Vicarage Road. The Hornets have made a strong start to the season and were briefly in the top four. However, three defeats in a row have seen them start to slip in a way that will worry fans. On Sunday they welcome a Hammers side who will be overseen by new manager David Moyes for the first time and his players will hopefully want to impress

FA Women's Premier League Southern

West Ham United v Crystal Palace @2pm - earlier in the afternoon, the pick of the women's action is this derby which is being played at Thurrock FC

GET INVOLVED

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

NEED HELP?

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

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

Has this blog been helpful? Support TLFG here

TLFG: 6-12 November 2017

Apologies for the late publication again, it was my birthday over the weekend and I got a bit sidetracked.

One of the positives was that I actually got to go and see a game live - the FA Cup match between Leatherhead and Billericay Town.

The Surrey club are one of those teams I don't usually cover in this blog as they are located just beyond the M25 motorway but as a result they're actually not a million miles away and pretty easy to get to.

The ESL groundhop should provide one of the highlights of the week 

I made a real effort to get to this as a friend's son, Kristian Wynter, had just turned 18, signed for the hosts in midweek and made the subs' bench so it was a huge occasion for him. Sadly the game developed into a tight a 1-1 draw so with plenty of FA Cup glory and prize money at stake, he never made it on but I'm sure it won't be too long.

Points to note - it's an international break this week so aside from the blockbuster friendly between England and Germany at Wembley on Friday, there are only four games featuring sides in the second and third tiers over the whole week with one of those matches in the EFL Trophy, one in a county cup and the other two in the league.

One of the non-league highlights is likely to be the Essex Senior League groundhop which sees games spread over Friday and Saturday so you can really fill your boots with these. The three matches on Saturday in east London should form a great value day out but a car or bike might be required as 45 minutes to get from the opening game at Redbridge to the second match at Waltham Forest could be tricky on public transport.

Once again I'm up against it for time and must now get the school run underway. I've got the match maps up and will attempt to fill out the rest later.

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THE WEEK AHEAD

Despite the international break, there are still over 70 matches in the London area over the next seven days. At non-league level it's a big week of cup football with the next rounds of the FA Trophy and FA Vase taking place and there are a number of county cup matches too.

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

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

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

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

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

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

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Monday 6 November

Essex Senior Cup Third Round
Aveley v Brightlingsea Regent @745pm - the only game of the night takes place on the far-eastern side of town. The competition is down to its last 32 and, on paper, the visitors should start as favourites as they play a division above their hosts

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Tuesday 7 November

EFL Trophy
Charlton Athletic v Portsmouth @745pm - a pretty decent fixture for a game in this much maligned competition with two former Premier League clubs meeting in this group stage match. Tickets are only £10 but don't expect much of a crowd

Middlesex Senior Cup Second Round
Barnet v Ashford Town (Middlesex) @8pm - I'm a huge advocate of the pro teams fielding sides in county cups so it's pleasing to see the Bees doing just that. Even though it's likely you'll only see a development team in action, you'll get to see a competitive game at The Hive and it's only £3 to get in
Wealdstone v Hayes & Yeading United @745pm - a few years ago this might well have been the tie of the round but changing fortunes for both sides have seen circumstances change significantly for these local rivals. The Stones play two divisions above H&YU and although they may be tempted to rest a few players, they tend to take this competition pretty seriously - they've made three of the last six finals
Enfield Town v Hampton & Richmond Borough @745pm - aside from Barnet, Hampton are the highest ranked team left in the cup and take things even more seriously. They've also made three of the last six finals and won them all, beating Wealdstone on each occasion. The Towners lost in the final to Northwood two years ago and should start as underdogs here
Hendon v Harrow Borough @745pm - the second round draw has thrown up some really cracking ties this year with this derby also coming out of the hat. Both these sides made good starts to the season but Harrow's run at the top of the Bostik League was unceremoniously ended by the Greens who stuffed them 6-0 at the end of August. Hendon have continued to stay in touch with the leaders and should win again

Bostik League Premier Division
Metropolitan Police v Kingstonian @745pm - the Met are on a stonking 11-game unbeaten run in all competitions which has seen them climb to a very impressive fourth in the league. On Tuesday they welcome near neighbours and eighth-placed Kingstonian knowing a win could put them second

Bostik League South Division
Greenwich Borough v Carshalton Athletic @745pm - the big spenders from south-east London missed out in the play-offs last season but are pushing hard for promotion again. Currently in second, they welcome a Robins side who they beat 3-0 in the reciprocal fixture two weeks ago
Corinthian Casuals v Molesey @745pm - if Greenwich slip up, Casuals will leapfrog them into second if they manage at least a draw here. The Tolworth club also made the play-offs last season on more meagre finances and are right up there again

FA Trophy First Qualifying Round Replay
Egham Town v Bowers & Pitsea @745pm - a trip to the seaside to play Margate awaits the winners of this tie between promotion chasers in the Evo-Stik and Bostik Leagues

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Wednesday 8 November

Bostik League North Division
Romford v Haringey Borough @745pm - if leaders Dereham fail to win at Witham on Tuesday then Haringey can go top with victory here. They have games in hand on both of the top two so even a point will be useful

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Friday 10 November

International friendly
England v Germany @8pm - top billing this week goes to this friendly at Wembley Stadium. The rivalry, certainly from England's point of view, is one of the biggest there is internationally with memorable penalty defeats to Germany in the 1990 World Cup and European Championships of 1996 the most painful. Although the record between them in recent years is pretty even (Germany 3-2 up over the last five games), England haven't beaten a unified Germany at home since 1935!  The last win over a West Germany side on home soil was in 1975 so it's not much better

Professional Development League
Millwall v Ipswich Town @12pm - if you're visiting London for the match above then why not do a bit of groundhopping and check out this U23 game at the Den earlier in the afternoon

Essex Senior League
Barkingside v Clapton @745pm - if international football isn't your thing or the ticket prices are beyond your means then get involved in the first leg of the ESL groundhop. Entry is only £5 which includes a special commemorative programme celebrating 120 years of Barkingside's existence. There will also be a food collection for the homeless and you'll get to see the Clapton Ultras in action - given it's a Friday night and they're boycotting home games, there'll probably be loads of them for what is also a local derby

FA Vase Second Round
Walton & Hersham v Hanworth Villa @745pm - one of the ties of the round pits two of the top five from the Combined Counties League against each other at W&H's new state-of-the-art ground. It's just a shame it has to go up against the England game

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Saturday 11 November

League Two
Barnet v Colchester United @3pm - thanks to the international break, this is the game of the day in London certainly in terms of league position. Pressure is really building on Bees boss Rossi Eames as his side have now gone 13 games without a win in all competitions - only goal difference is keeping them out of the relegation zone. Colchester are having a pretty mediocre season and are in midtable as a result. They also lost at home to non-league Oxford City in the FA Cup on Saturday in one of the biggest upsets of the first round

National League
Boreham Wood v Hartlepool United @3pm - talking of FA Cup upsets, the Wood also pulled off a big shock with a home win over Blackpool on Saturday. The Hertfordshire club are also having a decent season in the league and welcome former EFL side Hartlepool for another big game

National League South
Welling United v Concord Rangers @3pm - after a couple of challenging seasons, the Wings are firing on all cylinders again and find themselves up in third at the time of writing. A possible duel for the title with local rivals Dartford could well be on the cards this year and they should win against struggling Concord

FA Trophy Second Qualifying Round - at this stage there are 36 ties taking place around the country featuring teams from the seventh and eighth tiers of the national system. The winners of each tie receive prize money of £4,000 and go into the hat for the third qualifying round when teams from the sixth tier join the competition. The final takes place at Wembley on 20 May
Hendon v Burgess Hill Town @3pm - the Greens have started well in the Bostik Premier and should have too much for opponents from Sussex who are far nearer the wrong end of the table
Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Kingstonian @3pm - the Tangerines play a level below the K's so will be underdogs, They are, however, pushing for promotion and did well to make the third qualifying round of the FA Cup
Corinthian Casuals v Wingate & Finchley @3pm - there's some real cupset potential here with the Casuals one of the strongest teams in the division below Wingate who have lost six of their eight away games in the league this season
Thamesmead Town v Metropolitan Police @3pm - like the two games above, this is an eighth-tier side against a seventh-tier one. As already mentioned, the Met are doing really well at the moment so should win but Thamesmead did manage to hold Billericay here earlier in the season. Despite looking like a decent game on paper, the crowd will probably be negligible - Thamesmead were poorly supported before their groundshare move to Dartford and the Met have hardly any fans at all

Essex Senior League Groundhop - the highlight of the weekend in the ninth tier is this three-match feast in east London. The action gets underway at 12pm when Redbridge host Burnham Ramblers before the action switches to Walthamstow for the Waltham Forest v Woodford Town game at 230pm and finishes at the Old Spotted Dog in Forest Gate at 530pm with Hackney Wick v Wadham Lodge. As mentioned above, logistically it could be a bit tricky to get from Redbridge to Waltham Forest by public transport in under 45 minutes so having access to a car or bike might be worth considering. In all honesty, you'll probably find it much easier to get from Redbridge (Barkingside Tube) to Tower Hamlets (Mile End Tube) and their 3pm kick-off against Enfield 1893 in the FA Vase which is then much easier to get back to Forest Gate for afterwards - sorry Waltham Forest and groundhop organisers!

FA Vase Second Round - a total of 128 teams remain in this national competition for clubs in the ninth to 11th tiers. Winners of each tie receive £900 in prize money. The final takes place at Wembley on 20 May
Tower Hamlets v Enfield 1893 @3pm - the only tie in London featuring two ninth-tier clubs is this one between two Essex Senior League clubs. The hosts have made a solid start to the campaign and should start as favourites
Enfield Borough v Berkhamsted @3pm - the Panthers only formed last season and got promoted at the first attempt. Currently in the top three of the SSML Division 1 they're on for a second consecutive promotion. On Saturday they welcome the SSML Premier Division leaders for what should be an incredibly tough game
Meridian VP v Horley Town @3pm - tenth tier Meridian have done superbly well to make it this far and have set a club record in the process. Horley play one level above in the CCL Premier so will do incredibly well to keep their run going
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Sunday 12 November

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Peterborough United @230pm - end the week with a bit of third-tier action at Kingsmeadow. The Dons are teetering just above the relegation zone so badly need to win this one. It won't be easy though as Posh are chasing a play-off place themselves

FA Vase Second Round
Erith Town v Windsor @3pm - if you're a Vase fan you could see three games over the weekend thanks to this game being moved to Sunday. Erith groundshare with VCD Athletic who play on Saturday. Although the Dockers have home advantage, they are struggling this season and could find Hellenic League side Windsor to be just too strong

FA Women's Super League 1
Arsenal v Sunderland @2pm - the pick of the women's action is to be found in Boreham Wood where the Gunners will look to close the gap on joint leaders Chelsea and Manchester 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 in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

NEED HELP?

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

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

Subscribe to The London Football Guide

TLFG: 30 October - 5 November 2017

It occurred to me the other day that TLFG must be hitting some kind of anniversary and it turns out this blog became a six-year-old at the beginning of October.

How things have changed in that time.

Back then, 50 page impressions a day was a big thing to get excited about. Now at least 10 times that is a given (still not much I know but it'll do for me).

During that first season I was unemployed and childless so had a lot more time on my hands and went to games at all levels once or twice a week - I also had a QPR season-ticket as they returned to the Premier League after a 15-year absence. Consequently I did a lot of groundhopping and the reviews appeared here. Nowadays I leave that task mainly to you dear readers or other bloggers who are happy to have their work promoted here.

A free cuppa you say? What a fine start to the weekend

Back then the guide used to feature a TLFG Top 10 which fairly strictly had one game and one game only from each of the 10 levels this blog covers. You could therefore see a game played on little more than a park pitch recommended over one in the Premier League but times have changed.

Over the years I'm pleased to say women's football has grown significantly in popularity and made its way into TLFG, various other pages/indexes have been added and several clubs have come and gone at non-league level.

It also says something that on week one of this blog, the top match in London was a game between a struggling Arsenal side and Sunderland who were both in the bottom six - the Gunners won 2-1.

There have been lots of other moments but it has definitely had a big impact on my life. Not only do I know more about football in this city than I ever have but I have made some amazing contacts and experienced some great football moments both here and in Europe as a result.

Apart from that, the other main highlights have all been in the form of feedback I've received from you. The whole purpose of this blog is to promote London football and make it as accessible to you as possible so when I hear or read that people have acted on advice I've given them and had a great time, then it makes all the effort that goes into this really worthwhile.

To coincide with the First Round of the FA Cup, we've got this interesting game

On average this blog takes about eight hours a week to put together and often takes me well past my self-imposed midnight deadline on Sunday night/Monday morning as I try to cram in as much as possible while doing shift work - but if I didn't enjoy it then I wouldn't do it.

It's also my birthday this week so hopefully I'll get to indulge in some live football at some point and tell you all about it on Sunday.

Ok I think that's enough from me, enjoy your week and let me know what you've been up to - photos are always welcome on TLFG's Facebook page.

UPDATE: (02/11/17): If you're at a loose end on Sunday, it's just come to TLFG's attention that there's an historic match taking place in East London where the re-formed Upton Park FC will be playing Clapham Rovers in a re-enactment of the match which produced the first ever goal in the history of the FA Cup back in 1871. The match is being played in West Ham Park where the original tie was played. It will also be the first time Upton Park FC have played at their old home ground for over 100 years so it should be quite an occasion. It kicks off at 115pm and it's free to get in.

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THE WEEK AHEAD

There are over 90 matches in the London area over the next seven days as the Champions League, Premier League and Championship take centre stage. It's also a big week of cup football with the next round of the FA Cup taking place and a number of FA Trophy replays too.

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

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

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

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

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

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

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Monday 30 October

FA Trophy First Qualifying Round Replay - this national knockout cup competition is for sides in the fifth to eighth tiers with its final at Wembley. At this stage the draw is regionalised and limited to clubs in the seventh and eighth tiers. The winning clubs in each tie will receive £3,250 in prize money
Haringey Borough v Harrow Borough @745pm - eighth tier Haringey nearly pulled off a cupset on Saturday but were denied by a last-minute equaliser. Back on their own 3G pitch and in great form, it could be tough for Harrow in this 'Battle of the Boros'

Professional Development League
Earlier in the day there are also U23 games at QPR and Watford. As it stands both games are being played at the clubs' training grounds. If you do want to go, please make sure you check the matches are still taking place, where and when they're being played and if you'll be allowed in

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Tuesday 31 October

Championship
Fulham v Bristol City @745pm - the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is the place to be for the pick of the football action on Tuesday. In the south of the borough we have this interesting game between midtable Fulham who are only four points off a play-off spot and the team currently in fourth
Queens Park Rangers v Sheffield United @745pm - a couple of miles north in Shepherd's Bush, QPR welcome the leaders. The Blades are top courtesy of Rangers' victory over their title rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday so Ian Holloway's team shouldn't be underestimated

EFL Trophy
AFC Wimbledon v Luton Town @745pm - the Dons have made no secret of their dislike for this competition after academy sides from Premier League and Championship clubs were introduced last season. As a result they barely advertise these games (I can't find anything about tickets for the game on their website) and consequently attendances are pretty sparse. However, they've won their opening two games and top their group. Luton are just behind and on any other occasion this would be quite a big game as the Hatters play just outside London and used to be a top-flight club at the same time as the original Wimbledon. To clarify, thanks to Luton's website, tickets will be £10 and are only available on the gate

FA Trophy First Qualifying Round Replays
Thurrock v Kingstonian @745pm - there's an all-Bostik Premier tie to be enjoyed at Ship Lane where if we get anything close to a repeat of the 3-3 draw the two played out on Friday in the original game, we'll be very happy indeed
Egham Town v Bowers & Pitsea @745pm - two play-off hopefuls from the parallel Evo-Stik East and Bostik North fought out a 1-1 draw on Saturday. On paper B&P would appear the slightly stronger but they've lost home advantage

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Wednesday 1 November

Champions League
Tottenham Hotspur v Real Madrid @745pm - we're into November already but what a cracking way to start it with this sold out monster of a game at Wembley Stadium. Not many people gave Spurs much of a chance at the Bernabeu a couple of weeks ago but they recorded a fantastic 1-1 draw to go into this match as joint group leaders with the Spanish giants. A lot could depend on whether Tottenham's star striker Harry Kane will be fit in time to play after tweaking a hamstring last week

Uefa Youth League
Tottenham Hotspur v Real Madrid @3pm - earlier in the day, the sides' U19 teams will also do battle at Spurs' training ground in Enfield. A small amount of tickets were available for this match but they have all been taken

EFL Trophy
Charlton Athletic v Fulham U23 @745pm - your next best option if you want to see some professional footballers in action is this game at The Valley. As with the AFC Wimbledon game above, the crowd is likely to be small as the Addicks' first-team squad take on the Cottagers' youngsters. Tickets are £10

FA Trophy First Qualifying Round Replay
Grays Athletic v Cray Wanderers @745pm - the non-league option is over at Parkside where sides from the Bostik North and South meet for what should be a pretty even contest - the initial game produced an entertaining 2-2 draw

FA Women's Super League Cup
Millwall Lionesses v Arsenal @745pm - the hosts face a tough game against the Gunners who come from the division above. We are still at the group stage of the competition, with this being the second of four matches for each of the sides. The top two in the five-team group progress to the knockout stages. The match takes place at Fisher's ground in Rotherhithe and costs £5 for adults

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Thursday 2 November

Europa League
Arsenal v Red Star Belgrade @745pm - Arsene Wenger's side are undoubtedly the strongest side in Group H and should beat last season's Serbian League runners-up. Having won the reverse fixture 10 days ago, the Gunners come into this game with a 100% record from their three matches and are already five points clear at the top

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Friday 3 November

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Glebe v Beckenham Town @745pm - get your weekend underway with this south-east London derby in Chislehurst. The hosts have recently installed former Dagenham & Redbridge captain Anwar Uddin as manager. The first British Asian to captain one of 'the 92', he is also the Diversity & Campaigns Manager working on the 'Fans for Diversity' project which is run by the Football Supporters Federation and Kick It Out. This game is being dedicated to that cause and to entice you along, all spectators will get a 'free cuppa at Half Time'

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Saturday 4 November

Premier League
West Ham United v Liverpool @530pm - after seeing his side mount a remarkable comeback at Spurs in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, Slaven Bilic was just moments away from a perfect week when Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha plundered a 96th-minute equaliser to deny the Hammers another derby win. With five goals in two games, West Ham are looking much better than they did against Brighton just over a week ago and will fancy themselves to get something against the Reds' suspect defence

Championship
Brentford v Leeds United @530pm - at exactly the same time on the opposite side of London we have what could be a humdinger of a game in the second tier. The Bees are in lower midtable but are potentially a side on the rise after stringing together a seven-game unbeaten run. I say potentially because four of those games have been draws and it's holding them back. Leeds, on the other hand, made a great start and are up in fifth but on a worrying slide with four defeats from five. Brentford also have a great home record against the Yorkshire club with their last defeat coming nine games ago, way back in 1950!
Millwall v Burton Albion @3pm - tickets for the match above will be hard to get without membership or a previous purchasing history but there shouldn't be any problem getting one for this game. That's because it isn't a particularly mouthwatering prospect. Respectively 15th and 22nd in the table, they've managed only 25 goals between them so far this season which is less than one a game

FA Cup First Round - with the qualifying rounds completed we've reached that magic moment when the surviving non-league clubs get the chance to play against professional sides from League One and League Two. In some cases, this can mean some of the minnows taking part in the biggest match in their history. Not only is this prestigious but it nets the smaller sides thousands of pounds in gate receipts and prize money which can prove to be transformational if invested wisely. The winners of each tie will receive a cheque for £18,000. 
AFC Wimbledon v Lincoln City @3pm - both these clubs are associated with FA Cup magic. The Dons famously won the competition in 1988 beating a seemingly unstoppable Liverpool side 1-0 in a dramatic final to cause one of the greatest cup upsets of my lifetime. Whilst the Imps, as a non-league side, made it all the way to the quarter-finals last season seeing off the likes of Ipswich, Brighton and Burnley before finally losing to eventual winners Arsenal at the Emirates. Now back in League Two, Lincoln are pushing for promotion again and should prove to be tricky opponents for the hosts who are struggling in the division above
Boreham Wood v Blackpool @3pm - the more romantic tie is to be found at Meadow Park where non-leaguers Boreham Wood welcome former Premier League side and FA Cup winners Blackpool. The Seasiders fielded a very entertaining side in their one season in the top flight back in 2010/11 but some terrible off-the-field shenanigans have seen the club plummet to League Two since then. Now back in the third tier and pushing for promotion, things are looking a bit more promising for the Lancashire club and they should win here. However, the Wood have a habit of making the first round and are no strangers to playing the big boys. Currently one of the top 10 sides in non-league football, the Hertfordshire side should give it a good go

Bostik League Premier Division
Hendon v Kingstonian @3pm - the Greens face a tricky game against the K's who have started the season well at their new temporary home in Leatherhead. Despite some upheaval off the pitch, the Surrey club are still in the top eight and win as many as they lose. If Hendon do triumph they could well return to the top of the table
Thurrock v Dulwich Hamlet @3pm - whether they do depends entirely on the Hamlet. With the main title challengers Billericay otherwise engaged in the FA Cup, Dulwich could potentially open up a six-point lead at the top if they vanquish lowly Thurrock

Bostik League North Division
Haringey Borough v Dereham Town @3pm - after their fine FA Cup run, Haringey have seen a number of league matches postponed meaning they're only in fifth at the time of writing. With games in hand on most of the sides above them, they could well become title challengers. We'll get a good indication of how likely that is here as Dereham are the current leaders

Combined Counties League Premier Division
Spelthorne Sports v Westfield @3pm - in my opinion, the pick of the action in the ninth tier is to be had over in Ashford where fifth-placed Spelthorne entertain the league leaders. Westfield, from Woking, are four points clear at the top with two games in hand and are averaging nearly three goals a game

Combined Counties League Division 1
Staines Lammas v FC Deportivo Galicia @2pm - the hosts, with several games in hand, are well placed to push for promotion this year. Recently promoted FCDG have been more than holding their own at this level and made headlines this week by announcing the signing of veteran Spanish midfielder Quique de Lucas. The 39-year-old had a season at Chelsea in 2002/03 and also played many times for Espanyol, Alaves and Celta Vigo during a career totalling well over 500 appearances
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Sunday 5 November

Premier League
Chelsea v Manchester United @430pm - the week comes to an end on my birthday and the football schedulers obviously noticed this as there's a great selection of games. The biggest game of the weekend takes place at Stamford Bridge where two of the heavyweights of the Premier League slug it out in the teatime game. The reigning champions are finding things relatively tough this season and struggled to get past struggling Bournemouth in Dorset on Saturday. Former Blues boss Jose Mourinho is likely to get a good reception on his return to Stamford Bridge but he'll be desperate to win this otherwise his current side could start to look like also-rans too.
Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace @12pm - earlier in the day there's also an important London derby at Wembley. Both sides need the points to further their causes at either end of the table. Spurs should be strong favourites to win but with four points from three games, Roy Hodgson is starting to move Palace in the right direction

FA Cup First Round
Charlton Athletic v Truro City @2pm - the Addicks are fourth in League One so should stroll to victory against Truro. The Cornish side play three levels below their hosts but are the highest ranked club in the county's history and will have absolutely nothing to lose
Dartford v Swindon Town @2pm - in the other tie of the afternoon a side from the National League South host one from the fourth tier. With Swindon a former Premier League club, albeit for just one season over 20 years ago, this is also a prestigious occasion for the Darts. Both sides are chasing promotion in their respective divisions so come into the game in reasonable form - there's some real cupset potential here

FA Women's Super League Cup
Arsenal v Reading @2pm - the pick of the women's action comes at Meadow Park where two of the country's top four sides meet for this group stage match
London Bees v Millwall Lionesses @2pm - a short journey to the south there's also a London derby in the same competition featuring two clubs from the second tier of the women's game

GET INVOLVED

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

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