Sunday 30 September 2012

TLFG: 1-7 October 2012

Hi there and welcome to the latest edition of TLFG.

Apologies for another later than normal publication. This week's excuse - I was volunteering on the Ealing Half Marathon earlier today which required a very early start and went on into the afternoon.

Lugging 5,000 people's bags around in the baggage tent for five or six hours is actually quite tiring so I had to have a couple of hours kip when I got home.

Consequently I've had to trim things down a bit again. Although there is a TLFG Top 10 this week, I've just listed my choices rather than explain them. Most of them are derbies or FA Cup ties with the matches towards the end of the list being top of the table clashes in their respective leagues.

My only football watching this week was done at Loftus Road on Wednesday night when I went to the League Cup tie between QPR and Reading.

With the Royals playing 30 miles or so to the west of London this is seen by many as a derby. The rivalry is enhanced by the fact that both teams wear blue and white hoops with each set of fans branding the others as followers of the 'fake hoops'.

QPR decided to cut prices to £15 which generated a third round crowd of nearly 12,000 which is almost unheard of except when the really big teams come to visit.

Non-League Day is getting close
For the neutral this game must have been a cracker. If you didn't see the result, Reading came from behind twice to ultimately win 3-2. All the goals were of a high quality and the drama was added to by Julio Cesar's penalty save at the death to deny the visitors an even greater victory.

Once again QPR's play deserved a better result and Monday's derby against West Ham is now even more crucial than it already was.

Non-League Day is now less than two weeks away so, if you haven't already, we need you to help spread the word with the odd tweet, message on Facebook or just by telling your friends. If you've got your own blog or website, we'd really appreciate it if you could add one of our banners to it. Thanks a lot if you do.

LATEST TICKET NEWS
Each week at TLFG we attempt to compile a list of what's on general sale to non-members at London's Premier League clubs and for other notable matches (click on the team name for details).

Nothing currently available

Nothing currently available

Friday 5 October, 7pm - Chelsea, U21 Premier League
Saturday 20 October, 3pm - Aston Villa, Premier League
Saturday 3 November, 3pm - Everton, Premier League
Sunday 18 November, 4pm - Sunderland, Premier League

QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Monday 1 October, 8pm - West Ham United, Premier League
Sunday 21 October, 4pm - Everton, Premier League (on sale 1 Oct)

Sunday 7 October, 3pm - Aston Villa, Premier League
Saturday 20 October, 1245pm - Chelsea, Premier League
Saturday 3 November, 3pm - Wigan Athletic, Premier League

WEST HAM UNITED
Saturday 6 October, 530pm - Arsenal, Premier League
Saturday 20 October, 3pm - Southampton, Premier League
Saturday 3 November, 530pm - Manchester City, Premier League (on sale 2 Oct)

Aside from these there are also tickets going for England's World Cup qualifier against San Marino at Wembley Stadium on 12 October.

Charlton Athletic are also offering you the chance to watch their Championship match against Barnsley on Saturday 20 October for just £5. Yes you heard that right, only a fiver. What a cracking deal!

If you read my piece about Brentford a few weeks back and want to check out Griffin Park, it's also only £5 to get into their Johnstone's Paint Trophy tie against Crawley Town on Tuesday 9 October too.

It's another big week of football in London with over 80 matches taking place. There are some big local derbies, the next round of the FA Cup and a few FA Trophy replays too. 

With all that in mind, here's this week's match map. If you've never used it before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the left side of the page to make sure you get all the information.

MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Magenta pin - Friday fixtures
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures


View London match map 1-7 October 2012 in a larger map

As always, please check with the host club whether a match is still taking place before you travel. Please also let me know if any of the details are wrong or missing.

TLFG TOP 10

1. Arsenal v Olympiakos - Champions League
2. QPR v West Ham United - Premier League
3. West Ham United v Arsenal - Premier League
4. Charlton Athletic v Watford - Championship
5. Cray Wanderers v Chelmsford City - FA Cup
6. Northwood v Boreham Wood - FA Cup
7. Welling United v Thurrock - FA Cup
8. Dulwich Hamlet v Folkestone Invicta - Ryman Div 1 South
9. London Bari v Enfield 1893 - Essex Senior League
10. Cockfosters v Harpenden Town - Spartan South Midlands Div 1

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via FacebookTwitter or email.

Sunday 23 September 2012

TLFG: 24-30 September 2012

Well that was disappointing beyond belief!

You may have guessed I've just walked in the door from White Hart Lane having watched QPR dominate Spurs for long periods and still lost.

To add insult to injury, it's been a thoroughly grotty day in London and the clouds saved their biggest shower for the last few hundred yards of my walk home.

Aside from the negatives, QPR were really good today despite having most of their first choice defenders out injured. When Jose Bosingwa went off in the first minute and got replaced by Kieron Dyer we thought we were in for a thrashing.

However, Dyer was arguably Rangers' best player and showed some real flashes of brilliance. If he stays fit, Mark Hughes' seemingly strange decision to offer him a new contract could prove to be an act of genius.

Although they won today, Tottenham fans will probably still be a little concerned. Apart from the two or three minutes when they scored their goals, they really were very average. You know they have the quality and I felt that if they'd wanted to win handsomely then they probably could've done - but that was they point, they didn't seem to want it.

The stories about new boss Andre Villas-Boas and unrest in the Spurs camp looked to have some foundation after this performance.

Ultimately though, Tottenham won and QPR still have only two points to their name and a mounting injury list. Rangers now have two home games in a week against Reading (in the Cup) and West Ham United with wins in both a must in order to keep up morale.

Tottenham Hotspur defend a second-half corner as QPR look to equalise
Sadly this week's blog is going to be slightly shorter than normal as I'm really pushed for time. As a result there will be no TLFG Top 10 which is a shame as there are some big derbies on - Arsenal v Chelsea and Sporting Bengal United v Bethnal Green United being just two of the fine matches on offer.

Take a good look at the ticket news below too. There are two matches on general sale at Arsenal which is almost unheard of while you can get cheap entry to Chelsea, QPR and West Ham for their midweek League Cup ties.

LATEST TICKET NEWS
Each week at TLFG we attempt to compile a list of what's on general sale to non-members at London's Premier League clubs and for other notable matches (click on the team name for details).

Wednesday 26 September, 745pm - Coventry City, League Cup
Wednesday 3 October, 745pm - Olympiakos, Champions League

Tuesday 25 September, 745pm - Wolverhampton Wanderers, League Cup

Friday 5 October, 7pm - Chelsea, U21 Premier League
Saturday 20 October, 3pm - Aston Villa, Premier League
Saturday 3 November, 3pm - Everton, Premier League
Sunday 18 November, 4pm - Sunderland, Premier League

QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Wednesday 26 September, 745pm - Reading, League Cup
Monday 1 October, 8pm - West Ham United, Premier League (on sale 24 Sept)

Sunday 7 October, 3pm - Aston Villa, Premier League
Saturday 20 October, 1245pm - Chelsea, Premier League
Saturday 3 November, 3pm - Wigan Athletic, Premier League

WEST HAM UNITED
Tuesday 25 September, 745pm - Wigan Athletic, League Cup
Saturday 6 October, 530pm - Arsenal, Premier League
Saturday 20 October, 3pm - Southampton, Premier League 

Aside from these there are also tickets going for England's World Cup qualifier against San Marino at Wembley Stadium on 12 October.

This week is a bumper one for football fans in the capital. There are over 90 matches taking place including some big derbies and a batch of ties in the League Cup, FA Cup and FA Trophy. 

With all that in mind, here's this week's match map. If you've never used it before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the left side of the page to make sure you get all the information.

MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Friday fixtures
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures


View London match map 24-30 September 2012 in a larger map

As always, please check with the host club whether a match is still taking place before you travel. Please also let me know if any of the details are wrong or missing.

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via FacebookTwitter or email.

Sunday 16 September 2012

TLFG: 17-23 September 2012

After a week of fairly relentless media build-up, Saturday afternoon arrived meaning it was time for the latest instalment of QPR v Chelsea or Anton Ferdinand v John Terry.

Would there be pre-match handshakes? Would there be trouble away from the pitch?

In the end, handshakes with Terry and Ashley Cole were avoided by Ferdinand and aside from a bit of booing by the respective fans when one of the three got the ball that was about it.

Generally the atmosphere was simply that of a derby. There was lots of noise, a bit of macho posturing and some unimaginative and fairly standard insults.

Unless I missed it, there was nothing particularly distasteful being sung or said and that was to everyone's credit. Although I didn't see it, I've read reports that some Chelsea fans actually displayed a banner of support/remembrance for a young QPR fan who died in a holiday accident recently.

I've experienced far more toxic atmospheres at Loftus Road, usually when a certain club from south east London pay us a visit.

Chelsea prepare to defend a corner during the derby at QPR
The game itself, from a QPR fan's perspective was very encouraging. The new signings looked good and made a big impact. To go from losing our last home game against Swansea 5-0 to holding the current league leaders and champions of Europe to a 0-0 draw says a lot.

Overall it was a fair result - there were chances at both ends. Chelsea should probably have had at least one penalty while Bobby Zamora should've done better for QPR when one-on-one with Petr Cech. I and those with me thought it was a decent game and I've seen various pundits say the same. However, Yasser (a Chelsea supporting acquaintance from Twitter who I finally met after several attempts) described it as a 'drab affair'. A spoilt man indeed!

On the Non-League Day (NLD) front things are getting busier. There's now less than four weeks to go so please help us get the message out there.

If you have your own blog or website, please think about adding one of our banners to it. You can also keep up to date with what's going on by 'liking' our Facebook page and/or following us on Twitter and inviting your friends to do the same. Thanks if you do.

On Friday I went to Parliament to meet Clive Betts MP, chair of the All Party Football Group. Apart from anything else, he's going to try and table an Early Day Motion for us in the Commons meaning little old NLD will get a mention in Hansard which is quite significant.

I'm also working on tying up the official backing of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in the search for more recognition for NLD.

By the middle of the week, all FA Vase replays should be completed meaning we'll have a full list of games that are taking place on the day.

News of special deals and events at clubs are also starting to filter through. In the TLFG area alone clubs are running football tournaments, offering free admission and there are groundhops too so keep your eyes peeled for further details.


LATEST TICKET NEWS
Each week at TLFG we attempt to compile a list of what's on general sale to non-members at London's Premier League clubs and for other notable matches (click on the team name for details).

Wednesday 26 September, 745pm - Coventry City, League Cup

Tuesday 25 September, 745pm - Wolverhampton Wanderers, League Cup

Friday 5 October, 7pm - Chelsea, U21 Premier League
Saturday 20 October, 3pm - Aston Villa, Premier League
Saturday 3 November, 3pm - Everton, Premier League
Sunday 18 November, 4pm - Sunderland, Premier League

QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Wednesday 26 September, 745pm - Reading, League Cup

Sunday 23 September, 4pm - Queens Park Rangers, Premier League
Sunday 7 October, 3pm - Aston Villa, Premier League
Saturday 20 October, 1245pm - Chelsea, Premier League

WEST HAM UNITED
Saturday 22 September, 3pm - Sunderland, Premier League
Tuesday 25 September, 745pm - Wigan Athletic, League Cup
Saturday 6 October, 530pm - Arsenal, Premier League
Saturday 20 October, 3pm - Southampton, Premier League 

Aside from these there are also tickets going for England's World Cup qualifier against San Marino at Wembley Stadium on 12 October.

This week is a pretty exciting and busy one in the capital. There are over 80 matches taking place including some big derbies and games in the Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup. 

With all that in mind, here's this week's match map. If you've never used it before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the left side of the page to make sure you get all the information.

MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Magenta pin - Friday fixtures
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures



View London match map 17-23 September 2012 in a larger map


As always, please check with the host club whether a match is still taking place before you travel. Please also let me know if any of the details are wrong or missing.

Here's a list of few games that I think could be worth watching in the week ahead:

TLFG TOP 10

CHELSEA v JUVENTUS (Wednesday 19 September, 745pm)
After the derby at QPR on Saturday, Chelsea face another big match just four days later as they begin the defence of their European title. The draw hasn't been kind as Juventus are one of the toughest opponents they could have possibly got for an opening fixture. The Italians won their 28th league title last season and have made a decent start to this campaign having put four goals past both Napoli and Udinese to win the Italian Super Cup and their first Serie A match of the season. The Blues will need to hit the ground running to come out on top in this one. TICKETS: SOLD OUT

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR v QPR (Sunday 23 September, 4pm)
A tough run of games for QPR culminates with another derby against Spurs at White Hart Lane on Sunday. At the time of writing, neither side have managed a win in the Premier League so far this season. Rangers are still very much a work in progress as they bed in a number of new players and there were dramatic signs of improvement against Chelsea. The pressure for success if far greater for new manager Andre Villas-Boas at Spurs and rumours are already circulating about disquiet in their camp. Last season the north London club comfortably saw off their west London opponents at home but came unstuck at Loftus Road. If Spurs struggle at Reading and then have a tough game against Lazio in midweek, the Hoops could get something from this. TICKET INFO

MILLWALL v BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION (Saturday 22 September, 3pm)
With Nottingham Forest, Cardiff City and Brighton all making multiple visits to the capital there are a lot of decent Championship games taking place this week. I've gone for this one as Millwall are currently the top ranked club in town and Brighton are the top ranked of the visitors. Apart from that, Brighton is also only a short journey from London so this will have the touch of a derby feel to it. On paper, the Seagulls should win this as they've had a much better start - three points here could well put them top. TICKET INFO

SUTTON UNITED v BROMLEY (Saturday 22 September, 3pm)
Nothing takes my fancy elsewhere in the Football League so I'm going to concentrate on FA Cup fixtures for the rest of the top 10. The competition has now reached the Second Qualifying Round, the point at which Conference North and South clubs enter the draw. First up we've got this all Conference South match between these two south London rivals. Neither will probably have wanted a draw like this, especially the hosts who have had a poor start to the season (they are winless in eight). Last year both sides had decent cup runs - Bromley got to the First Round before losing at Leyton Orient while Sutton went a round further before bowing out to Notts County. As mentioned, form suggests an away win here but that often goes out the window in the FA Cup. TICKET INFO

ENFIELD TOWN v BISHOP'S STORTFORD (Saturday 22 September, 3pm)
These two sides can be found close to either side of the M25 to the north of London meaning that even though Stortford isn't in TLFG's catchment area, this still has the feel of a derby to it. Enfield used to be one of the finest non-league clubs in the country but financial problems and mismanagement caused a schism and in 2001 a supporters group founded a new club - 'Enfield Town'. The old Enfield continued but eventually went into liquidation in 2007 leading to the creation of 'Enfield 1893' giving us two rival clubs again. Since then Enfield Town have been more successful and now sit proudly in the Ryman League Premier Division a level below Saturday's Conference North opponents. The fact Stortford are in the Conference North is something that mystifies most at first glance but they are just unfortunate enough to be that little bit more north than 22 other clubs at this level. Both sides have had similar starts to the campaign so it should be close. CLUB INFO

WEALDSTONE v LOWESTOFT TOWN (Saturday 22 September, 3pm)
Two of the pre-season favourites for the Ryman League title go head-to-head at Grosvenor Vale in this interesting looking FA Cup tie. Although the Stones have only lost once this season, they have drawn a game or more than they would probably have liked and are eighth at the time of writing. In Saturday's big game, Lowestoft, who were second, drew at leaders Hampton & Richmond causing them both to slip down a place or two. Nonetheless this should be a decent game with a decent crowd so check it out if you're not too far from the Ruislip area. TICKET INFO

HENDON v LEWES (Saturday 22 September, 3pm)
There's another all Ryman Premier affair at Vale Farm too. Both these sides were just pipped to a place in the play-offs on the final day of last season so you might expect them to be doing well this time too. However, that has not been the case so far. The Greens are currently winless in six and sit second bottom while Lewes have only won twice to languish in midtable some eight points off championship pace. Both will view this as chance to kick-start their seasons so will hopefully really go for it. As an aside, both these clubs are well known for being run by supporters' trusts so go and give them your support too. TICKET INFO

AVELEY v MARGATE (Saturday 22 September, 3pm)
Having watched Hampton and Lowestoft cancel each other out on Saturday, Margate took full advantage by beating Enfield Town and nipping into top spot on goals scored. Four wins and two draws means it's been a superb start to the campaign for the Kent seaside club who usually finish around fifteenth. Aveley, on the other hand, aren't doing too badly either. Last season they suffered relegation from the Ryman Premier but green shoots of recovery seem to be sprouting under new boss Justin Gardner who was brought in from Bethnal Green United. Having watched his former club several times, I know they like to attack and the 21 goals Aveley have scored in seven games this season is testament to that. Possible cupset. CLUB INFO

ASHFORD TOWN (MIDDX) v ST ALBANS CITY (Saturday 22 September, 3pm)
It's also a case of Step 4 versus Step 3 over at the Robert Parker Stadium too. This time it's an all Southern League game with fifth in the Central Division against fifth in the Premier Division. In the last round Ashford made heavy weather of beating Step 5 club Dunstable Town, coming through only after a replay. City, however, made relatively light work of Harrow Borough in a game which had a bit of a back story to it. Overall though, both sides have made very positive starts so this could go either way. TICKET INFO

WALTHAM FOREST v HAMPTON & RICHMOND (Saturday 22 September, 3pm)
This contest has a little of the David versus Goliath about it. Although there are much lower ranked teams than Waltham Forest still left in the competition, their chances against Hampton look slim on paper. As already mentioned, the visitors have had a fine start to their campaign with only goals scored keeping them off the top of the Ryman Premier. The Stags, by contrast, play at a level below, have made a slow start and still don't have a ground of their own. If they do win, it will be one of the results of the round. CLUB INFO

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via FacebookTwitter or email.

Sunday 9 September 2012

TLFG: 10-16 September 2012

I'm putting this post up a little later than normal this week as I've been at a Non-League Day planning meeting in central London.

Scarily there's only just over a month to go until NLD 3 arrives and there still seems so much to do.

The main priority, as always, is simply to spread the word and let football clubs and fans know it's happening on Saturday 13 October.

Even after two pretty successful events, many people still don't know that NLD exists and we want them to get involved.

As NLD is primarily a supporter-led movement we need as much help as possible from people like you in helping us get the information out there.

If you have your own blog or website, please think about adding one of our banners to it. You can also keep up to date with what's going on by 'liking' our Facebook page and/or following us on Twitter and inviting your friends to do the same. Thanks if you do.

Aside from that, I've also spent a bit of time watching some football this weekend.

I'm very aware that over the last 11 months this blog has either concentrated on QPR's exploits in the Premier League or teams from Steps 3-7 of the non-league ladder.

QPR are featured because I support them, while the rest cost £10 or less to get into. All other clubs in between charge anything from £11 upwards which is hard to justify on a regular basis.

However, this weekend I decided to push the boat out and set sail for Griffin Park the home of League One side Brentford.

I had started Saturday fully intending to take Welling United up on their half-price admission deal for season-ticket holders of other clubs for their game against Staines Town but I ended up changing my mind.

After my usual 5km parkrun around Wormwood Scrubs I talked myself, with the help of fellow runner James, into believing that a trip to see his beloved Bees take on Colchester United was the better option.

For those who don't know, Brentford is a western suburb on the Thames about seven or eight miles from the centre of London.

The view from Brentford's sun drenched Ealing Road terrace
They are very much a local club with most of their fans coming from surrounding areas like Ealing, Chiswick and Isleworth and they do well to continue to exist when you consider Premier League clubs Chelsea, Fulham and Queens Park Rangers are all a stone's throw away.

In days gone by the rivalry between the Bees and the latter two was quite notable as they were in the same divisions but Brentford haven't faced either since they held QPR to a 1-1 draw in 2004 and 'hostilities' have pretty much disappeared.

As a QPR fan I have no problem seeing Brentford do well and am happy to go and see them play - I couldn't say the same about Chelsea.

Anyway, back to yesterday. After a short bus ride from Shepherd's Bush to the Watermans Arts Centre, it's an easy stroll to the ground. Griffin Park is legendary for having a pub on each corner of the ground so if that's something that might interest you I recommend a visit.

Having not been to a League One game for a while, the one thing I was struck by was the admission cost. To stand behind the goal on the Ealing Road terrace cost £21 (approx €26 or $33) which would put me off going on a more regular basis. This was offset slightly by the fact that the best seats in the house could be had for only £2 more but then I guess that made the terrace look even more overpriced. 

Overall it was another stark reminder of how the wages of top players and all the other associated costs of the Premier League are affecting everyone else - there can't be another third tier in the world whose clubs charge this much to get in.

The game itself was pretty even and although Brentford shaded things in the second half it looked like being a 0-0 draw until Farid El Alagui popped up to head the hosts' 88th-minute winner.

For me it was good to see former QPR midfielder Marcus Bean still earning a living in Colchester's colours (after leaving Brentford in the summer). The Essex side also fielded Freddie Sears the former West Ham youth team player who famously scored on his Premier League debut in 2008. 

Sadly it's never really worked out for him since and it would've been no surprise if he'd dropped out of the game after unsuccessful spells at Crystal Palace and Scunthorpe but he acquitted himself well on Saturday and I hope he is able to carve out a career.

LATEST TICKET NEWS
Each week at TLFG we attempt to compile a list of what's on general sale to non-members at London's Premier League clubs and for other notable matches (click on the team name for details).

Nothing currently available

Tuesday 25 September, 745pm - Wolves, League Cup (on sale 12 Sept)

Saturday 15 September, 3pm - West Bromwich Albion, Premier League
Saturday 29 September, 3pm - Manchester City, Premier League
Friday 5 October, 7pm - Chelsea, U21 Premier League
Saturday 20 October, 3pm - Aston Villa, Premier League
Saturday 3 November, 3pm - Everton, Premier League
Sunday 18 November, 4pm - Sunderland, Premier League

QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Wednesday 26 September, 745pm - Reading, League Cup

Thursday 13 September, 7pm - Barcelona, NextGen Series
Sunday 23 September, 4pm - Queens Park Rangers, Premier League
Sunday 7 October, 3pm - Aston Villa, Premier League

WEST HAM UNITED
Saturday 22 September, 3pm - Sunderland, Premier League
Tuesday 25 September, 745pm - Wigan Athletic, League Cup
Saturday 6 October, 530pm - Arsenal, Premier League 

Aside from these there are still tickets going for England's World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and San Marino at Wembley Stadium on 11 September and 12 October while the Republic of Ireland's friendly against Oman at Craven Cottage on Tuesday has availability too.

In the Championship we've also got the derby between Charlton Athletic and Crystal Palace coming up on Friday 14 September at 745pm and tickets are on general sale for that as well.

Over the next seven days there are more than 70 matches happening in the London area. This week our local Premier League and Championship clubs return to action after the international break. There are some big derbies, ties in the FA Cup, FA Trophy and FA Vase plus Barcelona's U19s are in town to play Spurs at White Hart Lane in the NextGen Series.

With all that in mind, here's this week's match map. If you've never used it before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the left side of the page to make sure you get all the information.

MATCH MAP
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Magenta pin - Friday fixtures
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures


View London match map 10-16 September 2012 in a larger map

As always, please check with the host club whether a match is still taking place before you travel. Please also let me know if any of the details are wrong or missing.

Here's a list of few games that I think could be worth watching in the week ahead:

TLFG TOP 10

QUEENS PARK RANGERS v CHELSEA (Saturday 15 September, 3pm)
Although Chelsea and Fulham's grounds are almost on top of each other, the rivalry between these two is far more bitter. QPR have lived in Chelsea's shadow for most of my lifetime and the gulf between the two was absolutely massive in 2003/04 when Rangers were in what is now League One. While the Shepherd's Bush club were achieving promotion on a fairly tight budget, Chelsea splurged over £120 million on 14 new players. This year's game will be even spicier than usual because of the John Terry/Anton Ferdinand situation which still seems unresolved even though the court case has been completed. As it stands Blues captain Terry is nursing a minor injury after playing for England so things could simmer down considerably if he's unable to play. Aside from that incident, last season's game was a cracker - QPR only just managed to win 1-0 despite playing against a Chelsea team who had two players sent off in the first half! More of the same please. TICKET INFO

CHARLTON ATHLETIC v CRYSTAL PALACE (Friday 14 September, 745pm)
The night before we have another derby this time in the south east of town. Although Millwall are Charlton's biggest local rivals, Palace come a close second. When the Addicks became homeless in the 1980s, they ended up groundsharing with the Eagles whose fans used to give them plenty of stick for it. Unsurprisingly there was also quite a bit of gloating in 2005 when Crystal Palace lost their place in the Premier League after drawing 2-2 with Charlton at the Valley. So although there isn't a blood feud, they ain't the best of friends. The last three years have seen Charlton languishing in League One so there hasn't been a game between the two for a while. The last time they met in early 2009, the Addicks triumphed 1-0. Neither have made a great start this season so I expect another close contest. TICKET INFO

LEYTON ORIENT v BRENTFORD (Thursday 13 September, 745pm)
The derbies are plentiful this week with this east versus west clash in League One next up. As with the game above, this has been moved to an odd night of the week for live TV purposes suggesting that some broadcasting executives think its worth watching too. You've heard plenty about Brentford already although I didn't mention that Saturday's win moved them into the top six. Orient have had a far rockier start to the season having lost their opening three league games. However, on Saturday they picked up a fine 1-0 win at Paolo Di Canio's Swindon Town to keep them off the bottom. Home advantage always seems to count for a lot between these two with the Bees not having won here since 1995. TICKET INFO

DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE v ACCRINGTON STANLEY (Saturday 15 Sept, 3pm)
If for no other reason, this match gives you the chance to see the legendary Accrington Stanley play a match in London. Having fallen out of existence in 1966, Stanley were reformed two years later and gradually rose through the non-league system to regain Football League status in time for the start of the 2006/07 season. After flirting with relegation, promotion and the prospect of going bust again, the club have managed to stay afloat and retain their League Two status throughout. They head into this game in pretty decent form having won three of their opening five to be fifth in the table. In contrast to this, the Daggers have yet to win and sit just above the bottom two. An away win looks likely. TICKET INFO

AFC HORNCHURCH v DORCHESTER TOWN (Saturday 15 September, 3pm)
After winning promotion to the Conference South in May, the Urchins have found life at the higher level a little tough to get to grips with. Having mustered only six points from their opening seven fixtures, they currently find themselves only a point and two places above the relegation zone. Things are unlikely to get any easier for them when Dorchester arrive in this part of Essex on Saturday. The Magpies have won five, drawn one and lost only once to sit joint top with Salisbury City on 16 points so will present a tough challenge. TICKET INFO

HAMPTON & RICHMOND v LOWESTOFT TOWN (Saturday 15 September, 3pm)
This is undoubtedly the game of the weekend in the Ryman League as first host second. Both sides have come flying out of the blocks and have only lost one game between them. Possibly the most impressive part about Hampton's five game unbeaten start is the fact that they haven't conceded a single goal. Lowestoft, despite losing once, are more free scoring and have netted almost double the amount the hosts have. Having both suffered big disappointments last season (Hampton got relegated from the Conference South and Lowestoft lost in the Ryman Premier play-off final) both will want to make top spot their own this time round so quite a lot is riding on this even at this early stage. TICKET INFO

DULWICH HAMLET v GODALMING TOWN (Tuesday 11 September, 745pm)
Got nothing better to do on Tuesday night? Then why not treat yourself to some FA Cup replay action? After battling to a 1-1 draw on Sunday afternoon these teams will do it all over again at Champion Hill a little over 48 hours later. Last season these two were both in the Ryman League Division One South and both got to the play-off semi-finals before being knocked out. However, after a bit of summer restructuring, Godalming moved across to the Evostik League Southern Division One Central. Both have made strong starts to this campaign with Dulwich currently third and Godalming top of their respective divisions. That sounds like the recipe for a pretty good cup tie to me. CLUB INFO

WALTON & HERSHAM v MALDON & TIPTREE (Saturday 15 September, 3pm)
Two other clubs who have begun their seasons well and play in parallel divisions meet at Stompond Lane in this FA Trophy tie on Saturday. Walton are currently fourth in the Ryman South, just behind Dulwich, while Maldon are among the early pacesetters in the Ryman North. The stats so far slightly favour the hosts who have accrued one point more than their opponents but Maldon made smooth progress in the FA Cup on Saturday, something Walton failed to do. Perhaps the need for a tricky midweek replay against Combined Counties League side South Park could take that little bit more energy out of the Swans' players and give the visitors the edge. CLUB INFO

FELTHAM v HANWELL TOWN (Saturday 15 September, 3pm)
I think it's fair to class this FA Vase tie as a derby - not a particularly massive one but a derby nonetheless. These two play in the Combined Counties League Division One and Spartan South Midlands Premier Division respectively, which effectively means Hanwell play one division above Feltham. Since beating Sheerwater 6-2 on the first day of the season, the hosts have lost all their following league fixtures as things have gone a bit pear shaped for them. After a poor season last year, Hanwell have made a much better start having won four of their first eight to sit seventh in the table. If this doesn't turn out to be a classic then you can always gaze at the planes as they take off or land at Heathrow airport which is right next door. CLUB INFO

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR v BARCELONA (Thursday 13 September, 7pm)
Spurs v Barca listed after Feltham v Hanwell at the bottom of TLFG's Top 10?!! Have I gone mad? Possibly. If you didn't read my earlier mention of this above, this is a match between the two clubs' U19 sides in the NextGen Series - a kind of Champions League for big clubs' youth sides. As it's Barcelona, Tottenham have chosen to host them at White Hart Lane rather than their training ground which often happens with games at this level. Therefore this represents a great chance to see some of the stars of the future and visit one of the best grounds in the country for only £5. TICKET INFO

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via FacebookTwitter or email.

Sunday 2 September 2012

TLFG: 3-9 September 2012

I'm back on home turf this week so I'm in a position to resume normal TLFG service. It's been a busy week for London football with loads of games and quite a few transfers going through at some our top clubs ahead of deadline day. Are you happy with your team's signings?

Despite various other commitments I managed to squeeze a game in on Monday as I made my first visit of the season to Summers Lane, the home of Wingate & Finchley.

Regular readers will know that I often end up here as my Non-League Day colleague Mike is a volunteer at the north London club.

On offer this particular afternoon was the visit of Carshalton Athletic for a Ryman League Premier Division game. Both sides were winless going into the match so a classic wasn't expected.

The hosts are one of the smaller clubs in the division so their start to the campaign wasn't a huge surprise but the Robins are reputed to have one of the biggest budgets and appeared to be underachieving even at this early stage.

The view from Carshalton's bench during the first half
A couple of half chances either way looked like being the only talking points of the first half until Anderson Pinto collided with Carshalton keeper Nick Hamman while going for a cross shortly before the interval.

The promising young midfielder, who had hit the bar with an early effort, was left flat on his back and required treatment from paramedics before being taken away in an ambulance. The match was delayed  for around 35 minutes but I'm happy to report that he made a full recovery and scored Wingate's winner in Saturday's victory at Thurrock.

With this bit of drama out of the way the Blues composed themselves and went on to edge to a 1-0 win courtesy of the dependable Leon Smith's goal on the hour.

For all the money that is supposed to have been spent on the Carshalton side, owner/manager Paul Dipre will have seen little evidence that his side are anywhere near being title contenders as they already trail early leaders Hampton & Richmond Borough by 10 points.


LATEST TICKET NEWS
Each week at TLFG we attempt to compile a list of what's on general sale to non-members at London's Premier League clubs and for other notable matches (click on the team name for details).

Nothing currently available

Nothing currently available

Saturday 15 September, 3pm - West Bromwich Albion, Premier League
Saturday 29 September, 3pm - Manchester City, Premier League
Saturday 20 October, 3pm - Aston Villa, Premier League
Saturday 3 November, 3pm - Everton, Premier League
Sunday 18 November, 4pm - Sunderland, Premier League

QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Nothing currently available

Thursday 13 September, 7pm - Barcelona, NextGen Series
Sunday 23 September, 4pm - Queens Park Rangers, Premier League
Sunday 7 October, 3pm - Aston Villa, Premier League

WEST HAM UNITED
Saturday 22 September, 3pm - Sunderland, Premier League 
Saturday 6 October, 530pm - Arsenal, Premier League 

Aside from these there are still tickets going for England's World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and San Marino at Wembley Stadium on 11 September and 12 October while the Republic of Ireland's friendly against Oman at Craven Cottage on Tuesday week has availability too.

In the Championship we've also got the derby between Charlton Athletic and Crystal Palace coming up on Friday 14 September at 745pm and tickets are on general sale for that as well.

Over the next seven days there are more than 70 matches happening in the London area. This week is slightly different because there's an international break so there's no Premier League or Championship football taking place. This means it's a great time to check out some of the capital's smaller sides. Aside from all the various leagues that are in action, we've also got another big weekend of FA Cup football to look forward to. The historic competition has now reached the first qualifying round stage with ties on Saturday and Sunday for you to choose from. 

With all that in mind, here's this week's match map. If you've never used it before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the left side of the page to make sure you get all the information.

MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures



As always, please check with the host club whether a match is still taking place before you travel. Please also let me know if any of the details are wrong or missing. 

Here's a list of few games that I think could be worth watching in the week ahead:

TLFG TOP 10

BARNET v GILLINGHAM (Saturday 8 September, 3pm)
It's David against Goliath in this League Two game on Saturday as early season results have left the hosts rooted to the bottom and the visitors one point clear at the top. What is becoming the Bees' annual struggle against relegation seems to have set in early this season with only one point gleaned from their opening four fixtures. The Gills on the other hand have won three and drawn one and also knocked Championship club Bristol City out of the League Cup at Ashton Gate. Sadly from a London point of view, I've listed this match mainly because it gives you a chance to look at the in-form Kent side who should bring considerable support to Underhill. TICKET INFO

DARTFORD v NEWPORT COUNTY (Tuesday 4 September, 745pm)
After making a disappointing start to life in the Conference Premier, the newly promoted Darts have won three games on the bounce to climb to a respectable 12th place in the table. One of the bookies' favourites for relegation, those successes over Kidderminster, Cambridge United and Alfreton will have boosted team morale greatly ahead of Tuesday's visit by league leaders Newport. The Welsh side looked impressive in winning their opening five matches but lost 2-0 against Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground on Saturday. Dartford will no doubt be happy with a draw but could their current momentum carry them to victory? Head down to Princes Park and find out. TICKET INFO

BROMLEY v BATH CITY (Saturday 8 September, 3pm)
Bromley had a far from stellar campaign last season and they've made a pretty dismal start this time too being winless in five with just two points to their name. As above, this game is listed more because of the visitors than the hosts with Bath top of the Conference South at the the time of writing. City had a really poor 2011/12 and ended up getting relegated from the Conference Premier with games to spare. This was partly due to the fact that they remained a semi-professional outfit in a league which is increasingly becoming professional throughout. The Conference South is clearly much more to their liking and 10 points from 15 has left them sharing the lead with Dorchester and Salisbury. The Ravens shouldn't be too overawed though as those five dropped points proves they are beatable. CLUB INFO

WELLING UNITED v STAINES TOWN (Saturday 8 September, 3pm)
Regular readers will know that a lot was expected of Welling this season but they've made a faltering start with only six points from five games. Staines are only a place ahead in 14th but have played a game less. Although both clubs fall in TLFG's catchment area this isn't really classed as a derby of any great significance so why list it I hear you ask. With it being an international break all the same conditions that exist on Non-League Day apply here and because Welling are away next month they are operating a promotion to try and get fans of bigger clubs through their turnstiles this weekend. If you're a season-ticket holder at a Premier League or Football League club you'll get in for a reduced rate of £7 adults, £5 concessions, £1 under-12s with an adult. TICKET INFO

HARROW BOROUGH v ST ALBANS CITY (Saturday 8 September, 3pm)
As you'll see from my profile, Harrow are my first love when it comes to non-league football having spent my teenage years living just a short walk from their ground. This Saturday they welcome St Albans to Earlsmead for this FA Cup tie. These two used to play each other regularly in the Isthmian League but in recent years the Hertfordshire club managed to climb to the giddy heights of the Conference Premier before sliding back down two divisions into the parallel Southern League Premier Division. This match is of particular significance as it represents the return of David Howell who managed Boro for seven years, taking them to the FA Cup first round and Ryman Premier play-offs in his final season (2010/11) before departing to St Albans in shock fashion on the eve the new campaign. Consequently Harrow fans will want to see their side win just that little bit more than usual. CLUB INFO

WEALDSTONE v BIGGLESWADE TOWN (Saturday 8 September, 3pm)
Harrow's biggest rivals Wealdstone are also in FA Cup action on Saturday when they entertain the Waders. The Bedfordshire club play in the Southern League Division One Central, one level below the Stones so will start as underdogs. However, they have made a fine start to the season and are currently fourth in the division, unbeaten and have a game in hand on their rivals. Despite this, Gordon Bartlett's side should still have enough to see them off as they have only lost once in five outings and drew with Whitehawk, one of the pre-season favourites, on Saturday. TICKET INFO

WINGATE & FINCHLEY v ROYSTON TOWN (Saturday 8 September, 3pm)
Two clubs from the same divisions as above meet in this FA Cup tie too. On this occasion though, I feel there is a much greater chance of an upset. As I mentioned earlier, Wingate aren't one of the strongest sides in the Ryman Premier while Royston are currently joint top of the Southern League Division One Central having won all their games. They were also crowned Spartan South Midlands League champions last season so they have real momentum behind them. TICKET INFO

CHIPSTEAD v MAIDSTONE UNITED (Saturday 8 September, 3pm)
With both sides currently on level points and just a place apart in eighth and ninth in the Ryman League Division One South table I've gone for this as I expect it to be a close one. Since moving back to Maidstone over the summer and into a new ground of their own, the Stones' attendances have averaged an impressive 1,261 for the three league and cup games played there. Hopefully the glamour of the FA Cup will lure a good few of them to Chipstead and we'll get a competitive game in front of a sizeable crowd. TICKET INFO

VCD ATHLETIC v HORSHAM (Saturday 8 September, 3pm)
After successfully tipping VCD Athletic to do well against Whitstable in the last round of the FA Cup, the Kent League side could do well against another side from the Ryman South here. The Vickers have got off to a great start so far winning four of their five league games and picking up two wins in the cup as well. Horsham suffered relegation from the Ryman Premier last season and aren't in devastating form this time round either. In the last round of the cup they needed a replay to beat Raynes Park Vale who play at a similar level to VCD but aren't as good. CLUB INFO

GREENWICH BOROUGH v CRAY WANDERERS (Sunday 9 September, 3pm)
Last up this week we have this local derby between two clubs from south-east London. Strangely it takes on 'derby' status because neither side have their own ground and they share with two clubs who are close together (Holmesdale and Bromley respectively) so the rivalry probably won't be as intense as it could be. There is also a gulf of two divisions which suggests Cray should win but the FA Cup is a great leveller particularly at this stage of the competition so anything's possible. CLUB INFO


If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via FacebookTwitter or email.