Greetings one and all and welcome to this week's TLFG.
How was your Easter weekend? Did you manage a game every day? How many of you squeezed in a double or two?
Sadly I had to work the whole thing, but my railway job got me down to Kew Bridge a couple of times to drop off and pick up fans either side of the Brentford v Brighton game.
As football fans go, they behaved in an exemplary fashion and gave me no problems at all - Brentford crowds very rarely do to be fair.
Aside from that, I'm excited to report that Non-League Day (NLD) discussions with a potential first Bundesliga partner began this week.
They were very impressed with what they heard and seem keen to get involved so let's see what happens - it's very early days though.
Talking of international NLD partners - Athletic Bilbao made it to the semi-finals of the Europa League and will play Manchester United.
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| The SCEFL Division 1 title race is one of the tightest in the country |
Discussions have already begun about possibly weaving a non-league element into their trip to Old Trafford next month but again, it's way too early to see if anything will come of that.
Over the weekend, some promotion and relegation issues were decided as leagues began to wrap up for the season.
In the National League South, Boreham Wood have confirmed a place in the play-offs but are still one of six teams who could win the title on the final day. At the bottom Aveley and Welling United have both been relegated.
In the Isthmian Premier, Dartford lost their place at the top but they now share the lead with Billericay Town and Horsham ensuring an incredibly nervy final day - remember, only one of them can get promoted automatically. Cray Valley PM have also guaranteed a play-off spot. At the other end, Hendon went down.
In the parallel seventh tier Southern League Premier South, Walton & Hersham will finish third whatever happens in their final game, meaning they'll host Gloucester City in the play-offs on Wednesday 30 April.
Moving into the eight tier, only Uxbridge have so far confirmed a play-off spot with one game to go in the Isthmian League South Central but Ashford Town (Middlesex) and Sutton Common Rovers found the going too tough and will be in the ninth tier next season.
There were also relegations for Sporting Bengal United in the Isthmian North and Phoenix Sports in the Isthmian South East.
It's a more successful story in the ninth tier where Egham Town won the CCL Premier North and Bedfont Sports and Harefield United have so far claimed play-off places. In the CCL South, AFC Whyteleafe and Cobham will contest the play-offs but Spelthorne Sports went down.
With a game to go, Woodford Town and Barking have secured play-off places in the Essex Senior League as have VCD Athletic in the SCEFL Premier. There's also set to be a mouthwatering north London derby between Cockfosters and London Lions in the SSML Premier play-offs after the sides finished third and fourth respectively.
In the 10th tier, Westside and Belstone have secured play-off places in the CCL Division 1 whilst FC Deportivo Galicia suffered relegation.
Over in the SCEFL Division 1, Forest Hill Park and SOUL Tower Hamlets have confirmed play-off places but more importantly are in a three-way battle with Faversham Strike Force for the title with only goal difference separating the three going into the final game. Just below them, Croydon have also confirmed a play-off place too. At the wrong end, Meridian VP and Welling Town have both been relegated - although the latter might get a reprieve.
Finally, in the ECL Division 1 South there was also bad news from north-east London where Newbury Forest also went down after a disappointing campaign.
Most non-league competitions will conclude this weekend, so we'll have a far more complete picture of what's going on come Saturday evening.
THE WEEK AHEAD
This week's highlights include games in the Premier League, EFL, FA Cup, National League, Women's Champions League, Women's Super League and lots of other games featuring our local non-league and women's clubs.
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.
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 - turquoise 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 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 22 April
Premier League International Cup Semi-Final
Fulham v Lyon @7pm - the biggest crowd of the night should be at Craven Cottage for this important U21 game. With Crystal Palace and PSV making the last two finals, this year's final four are a completely fresh crop who've never made it. The Cottagers have made the semis a couple of times so they'll be hoping that it's third time lucky. Lyon beat Valencia and West Ham in previous rounds so will be dangerous opponents. The winners will play Nottingham Forest in the final after they beat Athletic Bilbao. Tickets
CCL Premier North
North Greenford United v Wembley @745pm - everyone else in this division completed their seasons over the weekend but not these two who have this one game left and it's a huge one. Put simply, NGU need only to draw to steal the last play-off place away from Burnham whilst Wembley have to win or they'll be relegated. Tickets are £8 on the gate
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Wednesday 23 April
Premier League
Arsenal v Crystal Palace @8pm - for some reason we've got this random derby taking place all on it's own on Wednesday - the teams haven't got any games in hand so I'm not too sure why. Anyway, there's a not an immense amount immediately riding on it either. With five games to go, the Gunners look pretty certain to finish second whilst Palace are playing for position in midtable, with a top-ten finish still on the cards. To be fair, the difference between finishing 10th and 12th is over £5m in prize money so there's plenty of incentive for the owners at least. Tickets are only available to members but hospitality packages are available from £495
Women's Super League
Chelsea v Crystal Palace @715pm - after their Champions League humbling at the hands of Barcelona on Sunday, the Blues will want to put in a very strong showing here to rebuild confidence. They won't get a much better opponent as Palace are bottom and seemingly heading down. Drop any points here and the wheels might start coming off. This is being played at Kingsmeadow. Tickets
Middlesex Intermediate Cup Final
Hayes & Hillingdon v Shepherds Bush @745pm - two 11th tier MCFL Premier clubs meet at Northwood for this juicy bit of silverware. Both sides' league seasons are still ongoing and with H&H well ahead of their opponents in third, they will start as favourites. Tickets
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Thursday 24 April
Suburban League Shield
Molesey v Metropolitan Police @745pm - the only match I'm aware of on Thursday is this U23 game in south-west London. Entry to games at Molesey at this level is usually £3
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Friday 25 April
Professional Development League
There are a couple of games in this U21 competition on Friday. Watford will host Cardiff City at Vicarage Road at 2pm and you can buy tickets now. The other one is the derby between QPR and Brentford which is being played at the R's training ground. It's also a 2pm start but check with the club what the admission requirements are as it does change. It's usually always free entry but sometimes they insist on spectators pre-registering
CCL Division 1
PFC Victoria London v Colliers Wood United @745pm - if you fancy a bit of groundhopping on Friday night then get yourself along to the recently reopened Robert Parker Stadium. Following the installation of a new 3G pitch, matches are being played again after around a six-month hiatus. There's not a huge amount riding on this 10th-tier game, with both sides in no danger of being promoted or relegated. Tickets are £6 on the gate
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Saturday 26 April
FA Cup Semi-Final
Crystal Palace v Aston Villa @515pm - Wembley plays host to semi-final weekend with game one taking place at tea-time on Saturday. The Eagles have never won this competition but have been to the final twice in my lifetime. They also made it to this stage three years ago before losing to Chelsea. Of the remaining clubs, they are the lowest ranked and aren't expected to progress. Although Villa are the next lowest-ranked team, they're in great form in the league and won the second leg of their Champions League tie against PSG in midweek too. It's going to be tough but not impossible. Tickets have sold out
Premier League
Chelsea v Everton @1230pm - talking of Champions League, the Blues are still trying to make sure of their place in it. With the top five all qualifying for next season's competition, Chelsea are one point adrift with five games to go. Although Everton haven't become the most exciting team to watch in recent weeks, David Moyes has made them tough to beat and they could easily come away with at least a point. Tickets
Championship
Millwall v Swansea City @3pm - the Lions' play-off hopes live on after they managed to beat Norwich on Monday. With the clubs immediately above them all losing, they're now three points back with two games to go. With five victories on the bounce, the midtable Swans are the division's form team and, mathematically, they still have the slimmest of play-off chances so they'll be wanting to win at all costs too. Tickets
QPR v Burnley @1230pm - in the early game, the R's welcome the title-chasing Clarets to Loftus Road. After the joy of beating Preston on Friday, QPR's four game unbeaten run ended on Monday when they became Swansea's latest victims. With absolutely nothing to play for, it will be interesting to see how they approach the Burnley game. Last year they thrashed Leeds at a similar stage. However, with their ridiculously miserly defence (15 conceded all season) and only two defeats, I think that's highly unlikely. Tickets
League One
Leyton Orient v Wycombe Wanderers @1230pm - the O's came from behind to win 2-1 at struggling Cambridge United on Monday to keep their place in the top six. Next up they face a side who have already booked their play-off place and are still fighting hard for automatic promotion. With Wycombe located just outside London, there's usually a derby feel to any game they have in the capital so this should be a cracker. Tickets have sold out
League Two
AFC Wimbledon v Port Vale @1230pm - overall it's a pretty massive afternoon of EFL action in the capital with this hugely important game at Plough Lane too. With only one win in six, the Dons are still hanging on in fifth and will make sure of a play-off place if they win this. Vale, on the other hand, could go top if they come away with three points but could also end up back in the play-off places if they lose. Tickets have sold out
National League
Barnet v Aldershot Town @3pm - after going three games without a win, it was starting to look like the Bees might choke and throw away the title but after some nervous moments on Monday they came through and won at Sutton. Now six points clear with two games to go, they simply need to draw this to win the title and return to the EFL. The Shots have made it to the FA Trophy Final but Monday's derby loss to Woking means they're still not mathematically safe from relegation. A draw will save them though. Hmmm, I wonder what odds you can get on a draw here??? Tickets haven't sold out yet but they probably will so buy in advance
Dagenham & Redbridge v Altrincham @3pm - at the other end, the Daggers need a win. Although three points won't guarantee survival, anything less could send them down. Sadly for the east London club, Alty are still very much in the hunt for a play-off place so have plenty to play for too - it's going to be tense. Tickets
National League South
Enfield Town v Worthing @3pm - the Towners drew the biggest crowd in their history for their big game against St Albans on Friday but the win they needed to guarantee safety eluded them and then they lost at Boreham Wood on Monday. Consequently, they can still be caught on the final day. For that to happen, they need to lose this and see both St Albans and Salisbury win their matches. So what are the chances? On paper, Enfield will do well to get anything out of Worthing who are one of six teams in a frantic fight to be crowned league champions. St Albans make the incredibly long journey down to Cornwall to play leaders Truro so their chances look really bleak but Salisbury have a very winnable game against already relegated Welling. For me, Enfield survive - just! Another huge crowd is expected so buy your tickets in advance
Isthmian League Premier
Dartford v Carshalton Athletic @3pm - the game of the day in the seventh tier sees the Darts going for the title. As mentioned above, they are one of three teams heading into the final day on level points at the top. However, their goal difference is the worst so they'll need both Billericay and Horsham to drop points. Although Carshalton have nothing to play for, they're a decent side and if they avoid defeat they'll finish seventh. Tickets
Isthmian League South Central
Hanworth Villa v Horndean @3pm - the hosts kept their play-off hopes on track with a 2-0 win at Met Police on Monday. With the table still really tight, only a win will ensure Hanworth go to the post-season. Horndean are in the bottom six but are safe and should be beaten. Tickets are £11 on the gate
Kingstonian v Ascot United @3pm - the game of the day in this division sees two of the top five meet at Raynes Park Vale's ground. To recap, the teams in second to fifth make the play-offs. These sides are in that group. A draw will be enough for Ascot but the K's have to win to be sure. Tickets are £10 on the gate
CCL Premier North play-off semi-final
Bedfont Sports v North Greenford United @3pm - after winning their crucial final game against Wembley on Tuesday, NGU squeaked into the play-offs to set up this game. These matches are winner-takes-all one legged affairs. The hosts finished second, beat champions Egham Town in their last game and made the play-offs last year too, so they'll start as favourites. The winners will play Amersham Town or Harefield United in the final. Tickets are £8 on the gate
SCEFL Premier
Fisher v Hollands & Blair @3pm - the Fish have been there or thereabouts all season and need a draw to confirm a fourth-place finish and a place in the play-offs. Given they have a decent goal difference, even a loss will probably see them keep their spot. The visitors are in the bottom six, safe from relegation and should be beaten. Tickets are £8 on the gate
Essex Senior League
Woodford Town v Barking @3pm - both sides have already confirmed their play-off spots and if Barking win here, there's a good chance they'll end up playing Woodford in the semi-finals so it will be interesting to see how they both approach this. Tickets are £7 on the gate
Middlesex Charity Cup Semi-Final
Broadfields United v Hillingdon Borough @3pm - this was supposed to have been played on Wednesday but with Hillingdon still having a final league game on Tuesday, it was pushed back to the weekend. The hosts had a decent season and finished 10th in the division above their opponents so will start as favourites. Borough also suffered the crushing disappointment of missing out on the play-offs after losing heavily and inexplicably at home to bottom club Woodley on Saturday. With spirits down, it'll take quite an effort for Hillingdon to win here. Tickets are £5 on the gate
SCEFL Division 1
Clapton CFC v Forest Hill Park @3pm - one of the most exciting title battles of the day will be found in this 10th-tier division. Four sides will start the day in contention, with three of them on level points and three of them being TLFG teams. The biggest crowd is likely to come at the Old Spotted Dog for this one. CCFC have sadly missed out for another year, falling just short of the play-off places but a large attendance should still be expected to see one of the title challengers come to town. FHP aka SE Dons looked like they were strolling to the title but only three wins from 11 has seen their dominance disappear. They must win here to maximise their chances of glory but even that might not be enough as Faversham Strike Force have a superior goal difference. Tickets are £5 on the gate
Bridon Ropes v SOUL Tower Hamlets @3pm - just to the south of Charlton Athletic's ground, BR host another one of the contenders. The hosts have had a solid season and could leapfrog Clapton CFC into seventh if they win. STH have had a great campaign at the Mile End Stadium and will be hopeful of getting the promotion which should put them back in the same division as groundshare rivals Sporting Bengal United. I'm not sure of admission prices but it should be £5-6
Croydon v Canterbury City @3pm - the Trams have the most outside chance of winning the title but they've done really well to still be in touch. Two points behind the leading trio, they need to win and see Faversham lose and the other two draw as they have a better goal difference than FHP and STH. Canterbury, however, still have a great chance of claiming the last play-off place so they've got loads to play for too. Tickets should be in the £5-6 range again UPDATE - the good folks at Croydon have taken the time to let me know that Canterbury actually have nothing to play for. I was aware a groundshare had fallen through but didn't realise that it had forced them to resign from the league and take relegation - sad times
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Sunday 27 April
FA Cup Semi-Final
Nottingham Forest v Manchester City @430pm - the second semi-final looks like a really tough one to call, something I didn't think I'd say 12 months ago. Forest have been so hugely improved under Nuno Espirito Santo that they come into this ahead of Manchester City in the Premier League. They also haven't had an FA Cup run as good as this since they made the final in 1991, a match which they lost 2-1 to Tottenham. Possibly a portent of good fortune - they will head to Wembley on the back of a 2-1 league win over Spurs yesterday (Monday). City are way off the pace in the top flight this season but have been to the last two FA Cup Finals, winning in 2023. Even though far from their best, their aura and title-winning pedigree will still see them start this as favourites. Tickets are only available to members
UEFA Women's Champions League Semi-Final second leg
Chelsea v Barcelona @2pm - if you can't get a ticket for the above, then getting one to see this important women's match at Stamford Bridge should be far more straightforward. Sadly for Blues fans, they saw their side lose the opening leg 4-1 last weekend. As a result, it's going to be incredibly tough for them to make the final as they're playing the best team in Europe, if not the world. Even with the hugely impressive Sonia Bompastor in charge, Chelsea's Champions League hoodoo looks like it will continue for another year. Tickets
Women's Super League
Crystal Palace v West Ham United @1230pm - the Eagles are bottom and, at the time of writing, are about to play leaders Chelsea which they're unlikely to get much out of. If that does happen, they'll come into this seven points adrift with three games to go. West Ham have been hugely improved this season and took a point off Manchester United in their last game. A win here could move them into the top six. This is being played at Sutton United. Tickets
Women's Championship
London City Lionesses v Durham @2pm - with two games to go LCL are two points clear at the top. It seems all of Michele Kang's money has been well spent and they could win the title at the first attempt. Durham are the only other fully professional independent women's club in the country and they're in the top four too - their ownership structure changed a couple of months ago when a couple of EuroMillions winners from Northern Ireland bought their way onto the board so they could be ones to watch in the transfer market over the summer. If Birmingham drop points in their tricky fixture at Newcastle, a win here will clinch the title for LCL. This is being played at Bromley. Tickets
FAWNL Southern Premier
AFC Wimbledon v Billericay Town @2pm - the Dons' first season in the third tier reaches its end here. Survival would've been the priority and they've done it comfortably. A win in this final game, which takes place at Plough Lane, could see them finish in the top six which would be a great achievement. Billericay, however, are fighting for their lives. Level on points with Plymouth, only one of them can stay up so they have to try and get something here. Tickets
FAWNL Division 1 South East
Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Actonians @2pm - the season also concludes in the fourth tier. It's a sad end for the Tangerines who spent possibly every week in the bottom two and unsurprisingly went down. A lot of the club's problems, the men got relegated too, stem from a protracted 3G pitch installation which took six months and was beset by planning problems. This resulted in the teams playing away from Ashford and caused huge financial restraints. The A's, as regular readers will know, are a volunteer-run independent women's club who amazingly found themselves top back in November. Sadly, AFC Wimbledon came calling for star striker Dior Knorr, she was never replaced and they've dropped down to sixth which is still highly acceptable. Now they just need to win to keep hold of it. Despite Ashford's ground re-opening, this is being played at Hanworth Villa. Tickets are £5 on the gate
Dulwich Hamlet v Real Bedford @2pm - the biggest crowd of the day at this level should come at Champion Hill. The Hamlet's debut season at this level has probably been a bit tougher than most expected. I thought they'd make the top six, possibly higher but it hasn't happened and a win here will see them finish eighth. Real Bedford, backed by crypto millions, have already won the title and have yet to lose. Although they achieved their objective, most expected them to steamroller through the division and that hasn't happened - they've drawn a third of their games. It will be really interesting to see how they fare in the third tier where the standard shoots up considerably. Tickets
London Seaward v AFC Sudbury @2pm - the battle to avoid relegation never really got going this season with Seaward, alongside Ashford, struggling all the way through. They lost manager Dan McKimm to London Bees over the summer and a number of players went with him. The squad never recovered and since relegation was confirmed a few weeks ago, more players have moved on. With youngsters and players used to lower levels making up the numbers, their results have collapsed and a heavy defeat to a solid Sudbury side is likely. Tickets should be in the £5-6 region
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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