TLFG: 23-28 April 2019

After three weeks where I've been incredibly pushed for time, this week has been a little quieter and TLFG is back to normal service with all its normal features restored.

The next few days will be amongst the most crucial of the season with Premier League and EFL teams preparing for their last two or three matches.

Below them, all leagues from the fifth to the 10th tiers will end on Saturday with the play-offs getting underway early next week.

There are also a few minor cup finals over the next few days to keep you going before a huge Sunday of women's football ends the week - Chelsea entertain Lyon in the Champions League semi-finals whilst Arsenal have the chance to win the FA Women's Super League at Brighton.

Over the last few weeks, I've been so pushed for time that I've had to delay mentioning a few things that readers have sent in.

One of the most important came from Nick S who made me aware of a charity sleep out taking place at Leyton Orient in aid of World Child Cancer. If you'd like to take part then follow this link for more details.

We're also lucky enough to have a video from our old friends at 'Two Men In Search Of The Beautiful Game' who recently paid a visit to Clapton CFC - probably the biggest club anywhere in the English 12th tier.

On a personal note, my football week saw me take in two games.

First up on Tuesday I headed to Griffin Park to watch Brentford B take on Harrow Borough in the Middlesex Senior Cup Final. Boro acquitted themselves pretty well and at 1-0 down with eight minutes to go they still had a chance. Sadly those remaining minutes saw a collapse which resulted in them ultimately losing 4-0.

Despite the scoreline, it still provided a memorable night for the fans and players of the Evo-Stik League side. Once again I'd like to put on record how much I'd like to see other top London clubs put development sides into their local county cup competitions as they used to do in the past and how many northern clubs have always done. It gives the youngsters some competitive football against clubs who actually want to play them - unlike the Checkatrade Trophy.

On Friday I took my daughter to Loftus Road to see QPR play Blackburn Rovers, hoping that her status as good-luck charm would continue but it was not to be. The side that played were nowhere near as committed or as good as the one which thrashed Swansea last Saturday and they duly lost 2-1 - it could've been much more.

Harrow Borough's Joshua Andrew gets the chance to impress at Griffin Park

QPR suffered another defeat at Derby on Monday but thankfully, Rotherham lost again meaning Rangers are now mathematically safe from relegation with two games to go - phew!

Meanwhile, Harrow Borough bounced back from their cup final disappointment with a 9-1 thrashing of a hapless Staines Town side who were relegated weeks ago. With one final match at Salisbury on Saturday, the Boro could still finish as high as seventh which is way beyond what I was expecting at the start of the campaign so congratulations to everyone involved.

In other personal news I completed my 50th different parkrun at Valentines park in Ilford on Saturday but earlier in the week I missed out on a promotion at work so it's been a bit of a rollercoaster few days.

Lastly this week, many thanks to Peter S from the Netherlands who donated to TLFG's lung cancer fighting fund this week. I really really appreciate it and thanks also for your kind words.

To recap, I recently received the news that my Dad has lung cancer. This condition also claimed the lives of my Mum and grandfather so with me powerless to do anything medically to help him, I've decided to ask for all donations to this blog to go to the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation which you can contribute to through the fundraising page I've set up. 

As always - enjoy your football and have a great week.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include some crucial games in the Premier League and EFL and the final games in many of our local non-league competitions too.

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

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

Donate to TLFG's lung cancer fighting 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.

Tuesday 23 April

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton & Hove Albion @745pm - with their new stadium now well and truly broken in Spurs play host to a game of huge significance at either end of the table. With their title challenge well and truly over, it's now all about securing a top-four finish and a place in the Champions League. With Liverpool and Manchester City having secured their places already, only two more remain and four of the country's biggest teams are fighting hard to get them. If Tottenham slip up here, then Arsenal and Manchester United both have the chance to capitalise on Wednesday. Brighton are in desperate need of the points to avoid the drop. It will be incredibly tough for them to get anything here but they picked up a point at Wolves on Saturday so can't be written off. Tickets are only available to members
Watford v Southampton @745pm - the Hornets have had a fantastic season and will move up to seventh if they beat the struggling Saints. Although Southampton will start as underdogs, they are a bit of a bogey side for Watford and have only lost one of their last 11 games against them. The sides produced a 1-1 draw when they last met in November. Tickets are available to non-members

Combined Counties League Division 1
Tooting Bec v Frimley Green @745pm - there's a huge game in the 10th tier where a win for the visitors will see them claim the CCL Division 1 title. Anything less will see them finish as runners-up. The hosts could finish as high as third but that won't be enough to get them promoted

Middlesex County League Premier Division
St Panteleimon v CB Hounslow United Reserves @745pm - despite being an 11th-tier side, the hosts drew some attention from this blog earlier in this season after some fine performances in the FA Vase. With the cup run over, St Panteleimon continued to impress in the league and now only need to draw this match to claim the MCFL title. Most of their home games have been at North Greenford United this season but this one is being played at Hendon's ground

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Wednesday 24 April

Hertfordshire Senior Cup Final
Boreham Wood v St Albans City @745pm - the Wood host Wednesday's final against their local rivals and will start as strong favourites. They are the reigning champions and have made four of the last five finals so it would appear to be a big priority for them. With Boreham Wood having already secured their National League status, St Albans are still involved in a tight promotion race leading me to think City might have their eye on bigger things. Tickets are £12 and unusually for a county cup final, rival supporters will be segregated which tells you something about the rivalry between the two clubs (this match has been added since the blog's publication on Sunday)

London Senior Trophy Final
Bridon Ropes v Erith & Belvedere @745pm - two of the top teams in the SCEFL Division 1 meet for a juicy bit of county silverware at Champion Hill, home of Dulwich Hamlet (not Fisher's ground as originally advertised). With Bridon Ropes now out of the title race and E&B still firmly in it, the former may well be more focused on winning this

Middlesex Intermediate Cup Final
PFC Victoria London v Pitshanger Dynamo @745pm - the sides who are likely to finish second and third behind St Panteleimon in the MCFL meet at Hendon for the chance to win a nice bit of consolation silverware

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Friday 26 April

Premier League 2
Arsenal v Leicester City @7pm - the Gunners' U23 side bring their season to a close with a match against the Foxes at the Emirates Stadium. On paper they should win and could finish as high as second in the PL2 table if results go their way. Tickets are only £4 and will be on sale to non-members from 11am on Wednesday until 3pm on matchday - you must purchase in advance and no tickets will be on sale on the night
Fulham v Norwich City @7pm - if the high society of Islington isn't for you, then you could head to leafy south-west London where the Cottagers take on their Canaries counterparts at the club's Motspur Park training ground. Tickets are £3 and are available on the gate
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Saturday 27 April

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United @1230pm - a packed day of top-flight action gets underway in the capital with this derby game up in N17. With the Hammers' season effectively over, it's all about whether or not Spurs can hold on to their place in the top four. Their old rivals from the east side of town will no doubt be more than happy to trip them up. Tickets are only available to members
Fulham v Cardiff City @3pm - in terms of importance, this match at the bottom could decide whether or not the Bluebirds join the Cottagers back in the Championship next season. With the hosts already down, Cardiff are three points adrift of safety with three games to go so defeat and positive results for Brighton and Southampton could all but finish them off. Tickets are available to non-members
Watford v Wolverhampton Wanderers @3pm - below the battle for European places there's also quite an intense fight to see who will finish seventh. These two are among a group of four who are all well capable of doing it. Apart from anything else, this will also be a chance for Wolves to avenge their recent painful FA Cup semi-final defeat where the Hornets came from nowhere to win in extra-time. At the time of writing, tickets appear to be sold out
Crystal Palace v Everton @3pm - in the day's other game, Palace entertain another side who are going for seventh. With their fantastic win at Arsenal securing their place in the top flight for another season, the pressure is well and truly off for Roy Hodgson's side. Not so the Toffees who will be aiming to follow their 4-0 crushing of Manchester United with another three points here. Tickets are only available to members

Championship
Millwall v Stoke City @130pm - Monday's results mean it's now a straight fight between Millwall and Rotherham for the last relegation place. The Lions are currently three points ahead with a game in hand so if they can win here against a midtable Stoke side going nowhere then they'll be pretty much home and dry as their goal difference is way better. Of their three remaining fixtures, this would appear to be the easiest so they've got to go for it. Tickets are available to non-members

Queens Park Rangers v Nottingham Forest @3pm - with the Easter weekend now out of the way, both these clubs' seasons are now over. QPR lost at Derby but the teams below them all lost too meaning relegation is now impossible whilst Forest are now seven points adrift of the play-offs with two games to go. With nothing at stake, the sides could really go for it and put on a bit of a show. With many players out of contract at the end of the season, QPR could well field a load of youngsters but you never know. Historically, Forest usually do pretty well in W12 and have won on two of their last three visits. Tickets are available to non-members

League One

AFC Wimbledon v Wycombe Wanderers @3pm - the Dons have been in the relegation zone pretty much all season and looked finished a while back. However, they've kept fighting and have stayed in touch with the rest of the pack. With the end of the season in sight they're just two points adrift with a game in hand on all of those around them. The three fixtures they have are not easy though - on Tuesday they travel to a sold out Kenilworth Road to play leaders Luton Town who still need points to win the title and then they welcome Wycombe for this one. Gareth Ainsworth's side aren't out of the relegation woods themselves yet so there's plenty at stake for what is also effectively a derby with Wycombe located just outside London. A few tickets are still available to non-members

National League

Leyton Orient v Braintree Town @1230pm - with all the relegation places filled and no-one from outside capable of breaking into the top seven, the final day of the National League is really all about deciding who will win the title. Currently three points clear and with a better, but overturnable, goal difference than Salford City and Solihull Moors - it's Leyton Orient's for the taking. They're also playing Braintree who are one of the four relegated sides whilst the other two have tricky away games to negotiate. After being in the depths of despair under very poor ownership only a couple of years ago, the O's have made a real go of it in non-league and are still on for the double as they are also in the FA Trophy Final at Wembley in May. Unsurprisingly tickets are sold out

Dagenham & Redbridge v Solihull Moors @1230pm - ironically local rivals Dagenham could play a part in deciding whether or not the O's win the title as they host one of their challengers at Victoria Road. The Daggers have avoided relegation so have little to play for but know that if they take anything off Solihull it will knock them out of the title race. Realistically only a major capitulation by themselves and Orient will make much difference but you never know. Tickets are available to non-members

National League South

Wealdstone v Hemel Hempstead Town @3pm - in the sixth tier we could be in for a real ding-dong at Grosvenor Vale where the Stones go into their final game knowing a win could squeeze them into the play-offs. Currently two points adrift, they need to take maximum points from this one and hope Billericay, St Albans and Dartford all slip up which is possible as they all have tough games. Hemel are usually among the promotion contenders themselves but have had a pretty mediocre season and should be beaten - they're also likely to bring quite a few with them as this is in derby territory too. Tickets are usually easy to get but with so much riding on this I could see it becoming all-ticket at some point in the next few days so buy online to avoid disappointment

Evo-Stik League Premier Division South

Hendon v Swindon Supermarine @3pm - after finding themselves just a penalty shoot-out away from a place in the National League South at the end of last season, it's been quite a comedown for fans of the Greens who approach their final game knowing that only a win will guarantee their place in the seventh tier for another year. With long-serving manager Gary McCann departing after that play-off defeat and taking several star players with him to Hampton & Richmond, it's become a season of struggle for Hendon and this match against midtable opposition is now arguably more important than that huge match against Dulwich Hamlet last May. If they do stay up, it's likely that fellow TLFG side Walton Casuals will go down instead as they face a tough trip to Wales to play Merthyr Town

Bostik League Premier Division

Carshalton Athletic v Bishop's Stortford @3pm - with Dorking Wanderers having already claimed the one automatic promotion spot and second placed Haringey Borough one of the four play-off spots, it's all about who will finish in the top five and claim the other three. Carshalton and Bishop's Stortford will come into this in fourth and fifth respectively but teams all the way down to eighth are still in with a chance so there's loads at stake. Also of note, if selected by Stortford, veteran striker Jamie Cureton (formerly of many EFL clubs) will make the 1,001st appearance of his career. Despite being 43 he's still the top scorer in the Bostik Premier this season

Bostik League South Central

Molesey v Northwood @3pm - in the eighth tier all the title winners and play-off contenders have been confirmed - it's just a case of deciding who will get home advantage in the post-season games. However, at the other end, Molesey have a chance to avoid the drop if they beat midtable Northwood here. They will also need Hertford Town and/or South Park to lose to be certain of staying up

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division

London Tigers v Cockfosters @3pm - most of the promotion issues have also been settled throughout the ninth tier but there are still some relegation battles taking place. Arguably the biggest is this match - only two go down in this division and these are the current bottom two. If one of them wins they'll probably catch Stotfold who sit just above the drop zone and have a tough away game at Hadley. A draw will sink both of them so neither can afford to sit back 

Thurlow Nunn League Division 1 South

Hashtag United v Coggeshall United @3pm - the hosts have already wrapped up the league title and it's now up to them who finishes second. Coggeshall are currently second and to remain there and be in with a chance of promotion they have to match or better Halstead Town's result against Wormley Rovers

Surrey Elite Intermediate League Challenge Cup Final

Battersea Ironsides v NPL @3pm - two of the best named teams in the south-east do battle at Abbey Rangers' ground for a bit of 11th-tier silverware. Battersea narrowly missed out on the league title so will start as favourites against National Physical Laboratories (NPL) who finished down in tenth

Middlesex County League Division 1 Central & East

Clapton CFC v London Samurai @3pm - a highly dramatic 6-5 win over The Curve at the Stray Dog on Saturday kept the Tons in title contention. With two games to go, three teams can still win the division and two of them meet here. If leaders Stonewall win their game at Eastfield then the loser of this one will see their season effectively end. Although only a 12th-tier match, Clapton CFC regularly draw lively crowds of 500+ which some sixth-tier sides would be more than happy with. If you want entertainment then head to Wadham Lodge

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Sunday 28 April

Women's Champions League Semi-Final Second Leg
Chelsea v Lyon @2pm - the Blues women find themselves just 90 minutes away from the most prestigious match in women's club football. To get there they will have to overturn a 2-1 deficit against the most successful club in the competition's history. Lyon have made seven of the last nine finals and won five of them. It looks like a tall order but they've got a chance and hopefully a decent crowd will turn out to watch them at the compact ground they share with AFC Wimbledon. Tickets are only £6 and there aren't a huge amount left so buy in advance if you do want to go

FA Women's Championship
Crystal Palace v Charlton Athletic @2pm - neither of these sides have anything left to play for so it's all about local bragging rights in this south-east London derby. I've included it here primarily because it's being played at Selhurst Park - men's games are usually very hard to get tickets for without membership but not so this match which is open to all. Tickets are £5 if bought in advance or £7.50 on the day

A bit further afield
Just beyond the edge of London in Merstham, you've got a chance to see the recently formed Surrey international side take on the Chagos Islands in a CONIFA-inspired friendly at 3pm. Whilst a few miles further south of that, Brighton & Hove Albion Women take on Arsenal at the Amex in a match which could see the Gunners clinch the FA Women's Super League title

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 lung cancer fighting fund here

TLFG: 15-22 April 2019

Greetings one and all - welcome to the Easter weekend edition of TLFG.

With it being Easter I've extended this week's piece to include next Monday too so you can help plan what to watch.

As usual, there's an absolute banquet of games to dine on with over 90 between Friday and Monday (19-22 April) let alone the 29 earlier in the week!

Aside from the Premier League and EFL, there are loads of great non-league games to consider, many of which are derbies. There are also some county cup finals with my beloved Harrow Borough contesting the Middlesex Senior Cup Final against Brentford B at Griffin Park. Tickets are only £10 and with the fine old ground set for demolition in a year, this could be your only chance to see a game there so don't miss out.

A chance to see a game at Griffin Park for just £10

On Easter Monday we often get the chance to enjoy two or even three games thanks to the Combined Counties League putting on a load of matches in the morning but sadly this year that's not the case. However, there is a 1230pm kick-off in the groundshare derby between Lewisham Borough and Forest Hill Park which can probably be combined with the games at Dulwich Hamlet or Cray Valley PM later in the afternoon.

I'm afraid it's been another busy week and once again I've only been able to produce the match maps at this stage. I will try and add some more detail as the week progresses.

On a personal note, I made it to QPR on Saturday to see them demolish Swansea City 4-0 with a performance no-one saw coming. Hopefully we'll enjoy some more of the same against Blackburn on Friday.

We now also know who will contest the Women's FA Cup Final on Saturday 4 May at Wembley after Manchester City and West Ham United scraped through their very tight semi-finals. Tickets for this are only £15 for adults and free for kids and I'd highly recommend it.

Lastly from me, many thanks to James D and the other readers who have donated to TLFG's lung cancer fighting fund over the last week - you've taken the total way beyond the £150 mark. I really really appreciate it.

To recap, I recently received the news that my Dad has lung cancer. This condition also claimed the lives of my Mum and grandfather so with me powerless to do anything medically to help him, I've decided to ask for all donations to this blog to go to the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation which you can contribute to through the fundraising page I've set up. 

As always - enjoy your football and have a great week.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include action in the Premier League, EFL and loads of games in our local non-league competitions too.

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

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

Donate to TLFG's lung cancer fighting 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
Good Friday fixtures - black pin
Easter Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Easter Sunday fixtures - orange pin
Easter Monday fixtures - yellow pin

GET INVOLVED

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

NEED HELP?

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

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

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's lung cancer fighting fund here

TLFG: 8-14 April 2019

Greetings one and all - welcome to the latest edition of TLFG.

I'm afraid it's been another busy week and once again I've only been able to produce the match maps. Instead of working on this blog this morning, I was doing a run from Waterloo to Hampton Court via the South Western Railway stations on the route. I clocked up 28km in the process and have been a bit frazzled since.

It's a real shame because I've got so much to tell you about but don't have enough time to do it properly here but in a nutshell I won an 'Unsung Hero' award from QPR last Saturday. Why? I hear you ask. Well way back in 2010 a couple of friends and I set up an annual fundraising walk for the QPR Tiger Cubs - a sports club for children with Down's syndrome. This year's event has now generated over £11,000 taking the overall total past the £100,000 mark.

Soon after this, I was then lucky enough to get a ticket for the opening match at Tottenham's new stadium on Wednesday thanks to an old friend unexpectedly coming through with one at the last minute - it was awesome!

There was also a special friendly in north-east London on Sunday morning where UE Sant Miquel from Catalonia celebrated their 40th anniversary by taking on Clapton CFC at the Stray Dog - winning 6-2 in the process in front of almost 200 fans (not bad for 11am on a Sunday).

A proud moment - leading my daughter onto the pitch at Loftus Road

This was particularly pleasing for me as the visitors had approached me several weeks ago looking for suggestions as to who to try and play. I suggested Clapton CFC, the two got in touch and the rest is history.

Unbelievably, the 12th tier MCFL side are travelling out to Barcelona to play another friendly on Monday as their links with sides in the region seem to get stronger by the day. They've also got a cup final on Saturday which is being played at Uxbridge so get down to Honeycroft for what will probably be one of the liveliest crowds of the day - it kicks off at 745pm too so you can easily combine it with an earlier game.

The week ahead has thrown up some more quirky and unusual fixtures including the 100th playing of the AFA Senior Cup Final at the Bank of England Sports Club in Roehampton. Old Carthusians, one of the finalists, are one of the oldest clubs in the country and won the FA Cup way back in 1881.

I've included some other minor cup finals and matches in the 11th and 12th tiers so you should have plenty to choose from over the next few days.

Lastly from me, many thanks to all who have donated to TLFG's lung cancer fighting fund over the last few weeks - you've raised nearly £150 between you. I really really appreciate it.

To recap, I recently received the news that my Dad has lung cancer. This condition also claimed the lives of my Mum and grandfather so with me powerless to do anything medically to help him, I've decided to ask for all donations to this blog to go to the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation which you can contribute to through the fundraising page I've set up. 

As always - enjoy your football and have a great week.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include action in the Champions League, Europa League, Premier League and EFL and loads of games in our local non-league competitions too.

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

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

Donate to TLFG's lung cancer fighting fund here

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

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

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

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

GET INVOLVED

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

NEED HELP?

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

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

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's lung cancer fighting fund here

TLFG: 1-7 April 2019

Greetings one and all - welcome to the  latest edition of TLFG.

It's been a crazy week and despite getting up at around 6am today to work on this, I've only been able to produce the match maps.

Hopefully I'll get the chance to put a bit more info in over the next few days but it looks like being one of those weeks where I can only produce the bare minimum - apologies.

Lastly from me, many thanks to Scott T who donated to TLFG's lung cancer fighting fund this week. I really really appreciate it.

To recap, I recently received the news that my Dad has lung cancer. This condition also claimed the lives of my Mum and grandfather so with me powerless to do anything medically to help him, I've decided to ask for all donations to this blog to go to the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation which you can contribute to through the fundraising page I've set up. 

As always - enjoy your football and have a great week.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include action in the Premier League and EFL and loads of games in our local non-league competitions too.

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

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

Donate to TLFG's lung cancer fighting fund here

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

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

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

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

GET INVOLVED

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

NEED HELP?

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

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

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's lung cancer fighting fund here

TLFG: 25-31 March 2019

Greetings one and all - how has the international break been for you?

Did you go to Wembley for England's resounding win over the Czech Republic? Did you try out some non-league football for the first time or just get more confused and/or frustrated by all the Brexit shenanigans?

It's been a great weekend for some of our local non-league sides with Leyton Orient and Cray Valley PM both making it to Wembley for the finals of the FA Trophy and FA Vase respectively.

Chertsey Town have just finished the first leg of their Vase semi-final and will be very optimistic about making it to the national stadium too after drawing their tough looking away leg against Northwich Victoria 1-1.

Tickets to see all of them take part in Non-League Finals Day on Sunday 19 May are already on sale and I can assure you that it's a great day out. It's £25 for adults but only £12.50 if you get a group of mates together which is what I'm doing - remember, that's the drama of two cup finals back-to-back for that great price.

The QPR Tiger Cubs have inspired many fans to walk miles and raise £££s since 2010

I've been entertaining some old friends from overseas over the last few days so haven't been to any games but I did learn that I've won a community award from QPR which will be presented to me on the pitch at half-time during the Bolton game on Saturday.

Back in 2010 I helped to set up what has become an annual supporters' fundraising walk on behalf of the QPR Tiger Cubs - a sports club for children with Down's syndrome. I'm not sure of the exact amount raised over the years but it's topped £100,000.

Most walks have started at Loftus Road and headed crosstown to a derby match with walks going to games at Crystal Palace, Watford, Tottenham, Arsenal, Charlton, West Ham and Fulham. The other years have seen us walk from QPR's training ground near Heathrow to a home game and we'll be doing that this year too.

With it being the 10th event, a real effort is being made to get people involved and donating with other walks being undertaken by fan groups abroad so hopefully we'll get a really decent amount.

In other news I'd like to give a mention to Essex Senior League club Barkingside who are celebrating their 120th anniversary with a friendly against Clapton CFC on Monday. They've had a tough year resultswise so a big crowd for this match would mean the world to them.

As mentioned a few weeks ago, nominations and voting are now open for the 'Football Blogging Awards'.

This is something I've never got involved in and I'm not even sure which category this blog would fall into but I got an email from the organisers giving me the info so I might as well give it a go so if you could put a vote my way I'd really appreciate it. NOMINATION VOTING CLOSES AT 2359 TONIGHT (SUNDAY 24 MARCH)

There are many fine blogs including other local writers like 'The Cold End' and 'Two Men In Search of The Beautiful Game' who have made a huge contribution over the last few years. 

As always - enjoy your football and have a great week.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include matches in the Premier League and EFL, an FA Vase semi-final and loads of games in our local non-league competitions too.

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

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

Donate to TLFG's lung cancer fighting fund here

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

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

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

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

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Monday 25 March

Professional Development League
The week gets underway with a couple of U23 games featuring Charlton Athletic and Crystal Palace. Both south-east London clubs are hosting lunchtime games at their main stadiums so it's a great opportunity to visit The Valley and Selhurst Park on the cheap. Hull City and Sheffield United provide the opposition respectively

Friendly
Barkingside v Clapton CFC @745pm - despite having a rough time in the Essex Senior League, the 'Side will still be doing their best to celebrate their 120th anniversary with this friendly. Although Clapton CFC play in the 12th tier, they draw crowds of several hundred (comparable to and better than many seventh-tier clubs) and have therefore been invited to take part in this historic occasion. A special programme and various other pieces of merchandise have been produced to mark the game so get yourself along to Cricklefield if you want to take part

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Tuesday 26 March

National League
Leyton Orient v AFC Fylde @745pm - there is a busy programme of games in the National League on Tuesday night and this one immediately grabbed my attention. Not only does it see the league leaders host another member of the top five but the two clubs both made it through to the FA Trophy Final on Saturday so we'll get to take a look at both sides prior to their big Wembley match-up in May
Boreham Wood v Solihull Moors @745pm - if a trip for Brisbane Road isn't for you, the next best option in my opinion would be this match at Meadow Park. The Wood still aren't out of the fight to avoid the drop after suffering a woeful home defeat to fellow strugglers Aldershot on Saturday. Also in need of points are Solihull who are currently level on points with leaders Leyton Orient and are well in with a chance of the title

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Wednesday 27 March

Essex Senior League
Leyton Athletic v Walthamstow @745pm - it's groundshare derby time at Wadham Lodge where the two clubs involved have had very different seasons. With no other teams in sight, Leyton Athletic are locked in a fight with Barkingside to avoid finishing bottom whilst Walthamstow are up in fourth and still have an outside chance of winning the title

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Cray Valley PM v Bearsted @745pm - CVPM are celebrating their centenary season and what a season it has become. On Saturday they drew at Canterbury City to make it through to the FA Vase Final at Wembley in May. They are also very much in the race to win the SCEFL title and have games in hand on all their challengers. If they win this game against midtable Bearsted they could climb to third

Southern Counties East League First Division
Bridon Ropes v Erith & Belvedere @745pm - a short walk from The Valley you'll come across the Meridian Sports Club which plays host to this hugely important 10th-tier game on Wednesday night. Currently third and second respectively, both sides have games in hand on leaders Welling Town who could very easily be caught before the end of the season
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Friday 29 March

U23 Development matches
The biggest game of the day is the Premier League 2 derby match between Arsenal and West Ham United at Boreham Wood. It kicks off at 7pm and entry is usually free but check this on the day. Earlier in the day at 3pm, Watford take on Cardiff City at Wingate & Finchley's ground meaning you could very easily get to enjoy a 'double' on Friday

A bit further afield
There are a couple of non-league options on Friday. Firstly there's some ninth-tier action as Woodford Town entertain Sawbridgeworth Town in the Essex Senior League up in Harlow. Secondly, I've included an 11th-tier match in the Southern Combination where you can watch the brilliantly titled Brighton Electricity host Worthing Town at Withdean Stadium - the home of Brighton & Hove Albion from 1999-2011

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Saturday 30 March

Premier League
Fulham v Manchester City @1230pm - a busy day of top-flight action gets underway at lunchtime with a game of critical importance to both teams. Second from bottom and with the worst form in the Premier League, the Cottagers find themselves 13 points adrift of safety with just seven games to go. If they are to mount a miraculous comeback it's going to have to start here against the reigning league champions. Pep Guardiola's side are the exact opposite of Fulham right now being second from top and in the best form - it would be quite possibly the shock of the season if they were to lose here. Tickets have sold out
Crystal Palace v Huddersfield Town @3pm - relegation looks even more certain for the visiting Terriers who are bottom and 16 points from safety. Despite this, they are still putting in a shift and were very unlucky to lose a seven-goal thriller at West Ham last week. As a result, Palace cannot afford to be complacent. With their own relegation fight not yet over, Roy Hodgson's side will view anything less than a win as a significant setback. Tickets are available to non-members but only in the Huddersfield fans' section of the ground
West Ham United v Everton @530pm - with the prize of a seventh-place finish the best either of these sides can hope for, there's not a huge amount at stake (bar a couple of million quid in prize money). There's been a lot of negativity around West Ham over the last two or three years but they always seem to get it together on the pitch to finish quite comfortably - they haven't ended below 13th since 2011. The Toffees are another solid member of the English football aristocracy who haven't really done much for years but at the same time rarely struggle - they haven't finished below 11th since 2004. I can't see it being anything other than a draw. Tickets are available to non-members

Stadium Test Event
Tottenham Hotspur Legends v Inter Forever @530pm - the second test event at Tottenham's new ground sees some old favourites return to the White Hart Lane pitch. Tickets are not available to non-members

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Bolton Wanderers @3pm - QPR can pretty much secure their place in the Championship for next season with a win here against struggling Bolton. Sadly, Wanderers are in trouble off the pitch as well with the proud old club told by a court on Friday that they would be given two weeks to settle a £1.2m tax bill or face going into administration. Rangers' record against relegation-threatened sides is not good as shown most recently by the loss to Rotherham. However, QPR are unbeaten in seven against Bolton which must be one of the best records they have against any club. Tickets are available to non-members. If you want to get a cheap ticket, there are a few on re-sale through the club's official partner Twickets - I often get my tickets this way and you pick them up from the box office as normal

League One
Charlton Athletic v Bradford City @3pm - the Addicks extended their unbeaten run to seven games with a draw at Bristol Rovers on Saturday. Now 11 points adrift of automatic promotion and 10 points ahead of seventh, a play-off place is pretty much guaranteed. Another former Premier League side, Bradford are one of the biggest clubs in this division but they've failed badly on the pitch this season and will almost certainly be relegated. Tickets are available to non-members

National League
Barnet v Leyton Orient @3pm - the match of the day at non-league level must be this London derby between clubs who are way more used to playing each other in the EFL. Now both in the fifth tier, the O's won the reverse fixture 3-1 back in September and should expect to win here as Barnet are nowhere near the title-chasing team the O's have become. However, Darren Currie's side are starting to build a decent unbeaten run and they could cause a few problems

National League South
Dulwich Hamlet v Billericay Town @3pm - the biggest crowd of the day in the sixth tier will come at Champion Hill where the teams who both came up from the Bostik League last season meet again. Billericay ended up as champions, with Dulwich coming up via the play-offs with quite a rivalry getting built in the process. The hosts have found the step up tough, sitting just above the relegation zone for most of the season whilst Billericay have spent most of it in the top six despite another year of off-field turbulence. However, it is Dulwich who are currently in better form and cheered on by the best part of 3,000 fans, they have an excellent chance of three points here

Bostik League Premier Division
Haringey Borough v Lewes @3pm - the hosts kept hold of second place with a fine 3-1 win over Enfield Town in the 'Other North London Derby' on Saturday in front of a very impressive crowd of 875. Lewes have an outside shot at the play-offs and also drew a crowd of over 800 on Saturday as they beat Kingstonian 3-0. Two teams in a bit of form with large fan bases should hopefully mean a fine afternoon out for all involved

Bostik League South East Division
VCD Athletic v Haywards Heath Town @3pm - despite being up in seventh, the Vickers are nine points adrift of the play-off places with eight games to go meaning their chances of making the post-season look slim. If they are to have any chance then they'll need to win this as Haywards Heath currently occupy the final play-off spot and are therefore the team that everyone's trying to catch

FA Vase Semi-Final Second Leg
Chertsey Town v Northwich Victoria @3pm - nevermind the games in the National League, for me the biggest non-league match of the weekend is this one at Alwyns Lane. After drawing 1-1 in Sunday's away leg up in Cheshire, Chertsey find themselves just 90 minutes from Wembley where Cray Valley PM await the winners. Northwich used to be one of the biggest non-league clubs in the country, making the FA Trophy final three times but off-field problems have seen them slide down the divisions in recent years. This match must be the biggest in Chertsey's history and the last I heard no tickets were being sold in advance so you should just be able to turn up and pay on the day

Southern Counties East League Division 1
Welling Town v Kennington @3pm - having been top pretty much all season, the Boots now look in danger of being caught at the last moment. Although still six points clear, the three teams below them all have games in hand. A lot will depend on the midweek game between Bridon Ropes and Erith & Belvedere but Kennington are fourth and still in with a chance themselves. If the visitors win this and their game in hand then they'll be just a point behind but if they lose then their title chances are all but over - the stakes are high for both
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Sunday 31 March

Checkatrade Trophy Final
Portsmouth v Sunderland @230pm  - the organisers of this competition must be delighted that two former Premier League teams have made it to Wembley this year. Demand for tickets has been unprecedented and both sides have sold out meaning the event is likely to get its highest ever attendance. With the sides currently only a point apart in League One's top four it should be a cracker

FA Women's Super League
Chelsea v West Ham United @2pm - if you haven't got a ticket for the match above, your next best option is this women's game at Kingsmeadow. Chelsea enjoyed a fine Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain in midweek and should start as favourites for this derby

A bit further afield
Just beyond the M25 at Cheshunt FC, Tottenham Hotspur Ladies will be entertaining their counterparts from Manchester United in this second tier 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.

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 lung cancer fighting fund here

TLFG: 18-24 March 2019

Greetings one and all - I hope you're well.

I'll keep this pretty brief as I'm on early shifts at work and I'm well past my bedtime!

The main thing to note about the week ahead is that it's an international break which means there are no Premier League or Championship games - in fact there's only one EFL game at AFC Wimbledon.

With games a little bit thin on the ground, I've included a few more than usual from outside London or from lower levels - you can find them all on the match maps.

The main match of the week is England's Euro 2020 qualifier against the Czech Republic at Wembley whilst over in N17 on Sunday, Tottenham Hotspur host the first test event at their new stadium - sadly getting tickets for both events will now be very difficult or probably quite expensive as the first is sold out and the second must be close, with any available tickets going to members and season-ticket holders only.

With all the big teams having the week off, it's a great time to check out a non-league game and/or a women's match - Chelsea's Women's Champions League quarter-final against PSG being a particular highlight on Thursday.

On a personal note I got to go and see QPR play Rotherham United on Wednesday.

The Millers are battling relegation, hadn't won away all season and hadn't won at Loftus Road since 1951 but on Wednesday night they created a bit of history and did just that as they ran out 2-1 winners courtesy of a 94th-minute goal.

TLFG reader Moran M gets to meet his hero Tomer Hemed on a visit to QPR

It was one of the worst games of football I have ever seen - with both teams playing highly uninspiring stuff. How we got three goals (one of which was a cracker) I'll probably never know.

Thankfully Rangers recovered from 2-0 down to get a very useful point at Hull City on Saturday to partially sweep the awful midweek result somewhat under the carpet.

The best thing about the Rotherham game was getting to meet long-term TLFG reader Moran M from Israel who came on a multi-game tour last season and was back for another one this year.

With trips to various clubs up and down the divisions during his stay, it was a bit of an embarrassment to see him visit W12 for this one.

However, QPR's on-loan striker Tomer Hemed is one of Moran's favourite players and after I advised him to make a banner to catch his attention, the Israeli international came over for a quick chat and a photo after the game - so what could have been a night to forget, ended up being quite the opposite.

As mentioned last week, nominations and voting are now open for the 'Football Blogging Awards'.

This is something I've never got involved in and I'm not even sure which category this blog would fall into but I got an email from the organisers giving me the info so I might as well give it a go so if you could put a vote my way I'd really appreciate it.

There are many fine blogs including other local writers like 'The Cold End' and 'Two Men In Search of The Beautiful Game' who have made a huge contribution over the last few years.

Lastly this week, many thanks to Chris H who donated to TLFG's lung cancer fighting fund this week. I really really appreciate it and thanks also for your kind words.

To recap, I recently received the news that my Dad has lung cancer. This condition also claimed the lives of my Mum and grandfather so with me powerless to do anything medically to help him, I've decided to ask for all donations to this blog to go to the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation which you can contribute to through the fundraising page I've set up. 

As always - enjoy your football and have a great week.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include some international football plus some action in the EFL and loads of games in our local non-league competitions too.

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

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

Donate to TLFG's lung cancer fighting fund here

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

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

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

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

TLFG DAILY DIGEST

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

Monday 18 March

Essex Senior League
Barkingside v Redbridge @745pm - the week begins with a bit of a grudge match at Cricklefield where the 'Side entertain the club who effectively evicted them from their own ground a few years ago (they sold them the lease and then the rent got too high for them to stay). Now groundsharing at Ilford, this is very much a local derby. Barkingside are bottom but have this game in hand which if drawn will see them climb above Leyton Athletic in the battle to avoid the wooden spoon - they certainly shouldn't be lacking any motivation

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Tuesday 19 March

National League
Barnet v Harrogate Town @745pm - back-to-back draws against Halifax and Hartlepool have left the Bees precariously perched just above the relegation zone but they have four games in hand on all those around them which makes their position a little false. This match is one of those games but it's a tough one. Harrogate were one of the early season pacesetters and although probably out of title contention, are very much in the race for the play-offs and are one of the form teams of the division

A bit further afield
Just beyond the M25 you can catch some seventh-tier football as Beaconsfield Town entertain Welsh club Merthyr Town in an Evo-Stik League game. Over at Hemel Hempstead Town's ground it's also the Herts Senior Centenary Trophy Final between Belstone and London Lions 

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Wednesday 20 March

Essex Senior League
Sporting Bengal United v Ilford @745pm - these two east London clubs sit snugly in the top 10 and apart from maintaining position, have little to play for as the leaders are so far clear. If you're a visitor to London, Sporting Bengal play at the Mile End Stadium and are one of the capital's most centrally located non-league clubs as a result

Herts Senior County League Premier Division
New Salamis v Sandridge Rovers @745pm - with not a huge amount on I thought I'd give this 11th-tier match a mention. Being played at Enfield Town's ground, this is a top-four clash. New Salamis are third and still have a shot at the title

A bit further afield
Hitchin Town v Coalville Town @745pm - a short journey north into deepest Hertfordshire will bring you to Top Field where the hosts entertain promotion chasing Coalville in this seventh-tier Evo-Stik League game
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Thursday 21 March

Women's Champions League Quarter-Final First Leg
Chelsea v Paris Saint-Germain @705pm - women's football tops the bill on Thursday with this hugely important European tie. French clubs have dominated this competition since 2010 with Lyon making the final seven times (winning five) and PSG twice. Both clubs have made it to this year's quarter-finals too. Thankfully for Chelsea they've drawn the 'weaker' of the two with PSG currently second domestically. The Blues won the English double last season and made it through to the FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday. However, they still aren't quite the side they were so this could be quite a challenge. Adult tickets are £6

A bit further afield
The other main match of the night is the England U21 friendly against Poland at Bristol City's Ashton Gate. It's over 100 miles from London but the trains take less than two hours and the last direct one to Paddington leaves Temple Meads at 2235. Adult tickets are £15

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Friday 22 March

Euro 2020 qualifier
England v Czech Republic @745pm - the Three Lions begin their qualifying campaign at Wembley against the Czechs who are, according to the Fifa rankings, the next best team in the group. With Bulgaria, Montenegro and Kosovo also in Group A it should be England's to win but there might be one or two tricky away games which should be negotiated carefully. Although it took a while, this game has now sold out which shows how Gareth Southgate's team have been able to re-engage with the English fans after a very successful 2018

Professional Development League
If you're coming into London for the England game you could make a real day of it and combine that match with an U23 fixture earlier in the day. Millwall, QPR and Watford all have games and to top it all they're all being played at their main stadiums - all three also play near stations with direct links to Wembley too

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Saturday 23 March

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Gillingham @1215pm  - the Dons looked certainties for relegation but they've picked up 10 points from their last four games to put themselves only three points adrift of safety. They've beaten some good sides in the process too. The Gills are only five points above them so are no great shakes but there is an element of a derby about this as they only have to travel from Kent - it's a big game for both teams. This is the only EFL game in London on Saturday and tickets are available

National League
Boreham Wood v Aldershot Town @3pm - one of the smallest teams in the division, The Wood did really well to make the play-off final last year. This year it's been a different story and they find themselves six points above the relegation zone with eight games to go. The Shots have been in the bottom four for a while and with four defeats on the bounce look almost certain to go down. If they win here, things will start to become very uncomfortable for the hosts
Dagenham & Redbridge v Dover Athletic @3pm - the Daggers were in terrible trouble at the start of the season but with their financial problems now behind them, Peter Taylor has managed to stabilise them in midtable. Dover also seemed destined for the drop but they've fought hard to keep their heads above water and will be hungry to pick up something here UPDATE: This match has now been moved to 26th March

National League South
Dartford v Hampton & Richmond Borough @3pm - the Darts are pushing hard for promotion again. They came agonisingly close last year and will be desperate to put that heartache behind them. The title is out of their reach so a play-off place is the best they can hope for but even that isn't a foregone conclusion. Boro have had a disappointing season of transition after seeing boss Alan Dowson leave for Woking but they seem to have done enough to stay up
Wealdstone v Chippenham Town @3pm - if Dartford do slip up, the Stones are one of the teams hoping to nip in and nick one of those play-off places. There or thereabouts all season, Bobby Wilkinson's side haven't quite been able to crack the top seven but with Billericay on the slide, there is a chance of making it. Visitors Chippenham are down in 11th and have almost certainly left themselves with too much to do

Bostik League Premier Division
Corinthian Casuals v Dorking Wanderers @3pm - these two contested a thrilling play-off final a couple of years ago which Wanderers eventually won on penalties. Thankfully Casuals only had to wait another year to enjoy promotion and joined them in the Bostik League's top tier. This season the visitors, after a fairly average start, have grown to become a formidable team and have opened up an almost insurmountable 13-point lead at the top. The hosts, however, need points to avoid the drop but cheered on by a passionate following they should have at least half a chance

Bostik League South Central Division
Hayes & Yeading United v Bracknell Town @3pm - there's no question about which is the game of the week in the eighth tier as the top two meet at the SkyEx. However with H&YU 14 points clear at the top, it's surely just a case of dotting the i's and crossing the t's as far as their title bid is concerned. Whatever happens, there should be plenty of goals - the clubs have banged in a whopping 200 between them in the league this season!

Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Croydon v K Sports @3pm - it's been a really tough season for the Trams. Currently 10 points adrift at the bottom you'd think things couldn't get much worse. Ten days ago thieves ransacked their clubhouse, stealing loads of valuables and causing lots of damage. Financially the club were struggling anyway so this was the last thing they needed. They're asking for donations or simply for more people to come down and watch their games so if you're free, get yourself along to the Croydon Arena for this one

Combined Counties League Division 1
Bedfont & Feltham v Farnham Town @3pm - B&F are in a three-way fight for the title with Sheerwater and Frimley Green as we head into the last six games of the season. Farnham are fourth and mathematically also in with a shout so this should be a significant game for all concerned

A bit further afield
With it being an international break, I've added several League One and League Two games to the match map - all of them are less than an hour's journey by train from London. Luton Town's game against Doncaster Rovers is the pick of the matches
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Sunday 24 March

U18 Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton @3pm - ladies and gentlemen the moment we've all been waiting for - the first test event at Tottenham's new stadium! It seems to have been a long time coming but this Sunday is the day. Unsurprisingly tickets aren't available to non-members as the capacity is being limited to 30,000

FA Women's Championship
Charlton Athletic v Manchester United @2pm - the only game in the London area you'll be able to get into is this women's second-tier match but it should be a cracker as it features the recently created Manchester United side who are second and Charlton who are third - the top two go up. Loads to play for!  

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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