Sunday 22 December 2013

TLFG 23 December 2013 - 5 January 2014

Greetings one and all and welcome to the Christmas/New Year special double issue.

This is possibly the best time of year to be in London to watch football as there are games crammed into every nook and cranny and most are either local derbies or top-of-the-table clashes.

For the occasion I've produced two match maps so you can see what's on more clearly.

Have a good dig through and choose wisely, occasionally you might be able to see two games in a day.

Earlier in the week I headed down to Champion Hill where I introduced a Dutch football fan (who I've mentioned in previous weeks) to the joys of non-league football.

On offer was the Isthmian League Premier Division fixture between title contenders and recent rivals Dulwich Hamlet and Maidstone United.

The sides both got promoted last season from the division below after being and neck and neck for most of the campaign and they're both threatening to do it again this term.

Dulwich have a burgeoning fan base while Maidstone, a former Football League side, are the biggest club in the division. Consequently a large crowd of 817 turned out for this crucial game in south-east London, this despite the fact it was a midweek match shortly before Christmas and constant drizzle blighted things.

The first half was pretty open with chances at both ends but it was the hosts who took the lead. They then doubled their advantage soon after the break and largely controlled proceedings from then on to send most of the crowd home happy.

I really enjoy my trips to Champion Hill and would recommend anyone visiting London to go there if you want to experience non-league football in the capital - the ground is one of the best at this level, the fans are vocal and friendly, the football's pretty good and it's one of the most centrally located and easy to get to. 

TRAVEL ADVISORY
If you're travelling to a game on Boxing Day, public transport will be greatly reduced. Travelling by Tube should be fine in most cases but most National Rail services will not operate so plan before you travel or buy match tickets.

The following clubs in the top five divisions will be harder to get to than usual:

AFC Wimbledon - Norbiton and Kingston stations will be closed so get the District Line to Wimbledon and then the 57 bus. Don't hang around after though as the Wimbledon branch of the District Line will be shutting at 630pm.

Brentford - Brentford station will be closed so get the Piccadilly Line to South Ealing and walk down or get the 65 bus.

Charlton Athletic - Charlton station will be closed so get the Jubilee Line to North Greenwich (there is no service between Finchley Road and Waterloo so perhaps go via Stratford) and then bus 161, 472 or 486.

Dartford - Dartford station is closed. Sadly there is no Tube station anywhere near so I'd give this a miss as it will require a combination of buses to get from central London.

Tottenham Hotspur - White Hart Lane station will be closed so take the Victoria Line to Seven Sisters and then either walk or get the 149, 259, 279 or 349 buses.

Watford - Watford Junction and Watford High Street are closed so take the Metropolitan Line to Watford and then it's about a one-mile walk.

Hope this helps.

GET INVOLVED
As always, please remember to let me know what you've been up to and if you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

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


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 5 March, 8pm - Denmark, international friendly, Wembley

Nothing currently available

Wednesday 29 January, 745pm - West Ham United, Premier League (on sale 6 Jan)
Saturday 8 February, 3pm - Newcastle United, Premier League (on sale 13 Jan)

Tickets are only available to season-ticket holders, members and their guests

Wednesday 1 January, 3pm - West Ham United, Premier League
Saturday 11 January, 3pm - Sunderland, Premier League

Wednesday 29 January, 745pm - Manchester City, Premier League
Sunday 9 February, 130pm - Everton, Premier League 
Thursday 26 December, 3pm - Arsenal, Premier League
Saturday 28 December, 1245pm - West Brom, Premier League
Saturday 18 January, 3pm - Newcastle United, Premier League
Tuesday 21 January, 745pm - Manchester City, League Cup semi-final (on sale 2 Jan)
Saturday 1 February, 1245pm - Swansea City, Premier League (on sale 31 Dec)
Saturday 22 March, 3pm - Manchester United, Premier League
Saturday 5 April, 3pm - Liverpool, Premier League
Saturday 3 May, 3pm - Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League


TICKET DEALS
The Christmas/New Year fixtures are often some of the biggest of the season so deals are rare at this time of year. The FA Cup third round, however, often provides a good source of cheap tickets but sadly only two London clubs are at home this time.

Arsenal are hosting their biggest rivals Spurs so there'll be no discounts there but Championship club Charlton Athletic are offering entry for only £10 as they take on League Two title contenders Oxford United on Saturday 4 January.

On Boxing Day, Isthmian League club Wingate & Finchley are giving you the chance to do a 'double' by offering half-price admission (£5) to their derby match against Hendon if you go to the early kick-off between Enfield Town and Wealdstone and bring your ticket stub with you.

Elsewhere that day, the aforementioned Dulwich Hamlet are also offering half-price admission (£5) to their game against Grays Athletic to season-ticket holders, members and December match ticket-stub holders from Crystal Palace and Millwall. Fans of those clubs, if they qualify, can also get a concessionary price of only £2. While all under-12s go free.

Also at Champion Hill, on Saturday 28 December, Fisher are offering half-price admission (£3.50) to Premier League and Football League season-ticket holders and anyone in Christmas fancy dress for their Southern Counties East League game against Greenwich Borough. They've created this fantastic poster to help promote the deal:

Get yourself to Fisher for some festive football fun
If you know of any other deals I may have missed or your club is running a promotion let me know.

There are well over 150 matches in the London area over the next two weeks so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

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

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following 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 map page to make sure you get all the information.

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

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

MATCH MAP 23-29 DECEMBER 2013
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday (Boxing Day) fixtures
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures


View London match map 23-29 December 2013 in a larger map




MATCH MAP 30 DECEMBER 2013 - 5 JANUARY 2014
Turquoise pin - Wednesday (New Year's Day) fixtures
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures


View London match map 30 December 2013 - 5 January 2014 in a larger map


Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list a few games which I think could be worth a watch. As there are so many at this time of year, I've decided to do a day-by-day listing with some of the most eye-catching games highlighted. Click on the match for ticket and club info. There are often many more games that are worthy of a mention but I simply don't have the time or space to squeeze them all in so add your own in the comments section below.

TLFG CHRISTMAS CRACKERS

Monday 23 December
Arsenal v Chelsea - massive derby between two Premier League title contenders

Wednesday 26 December
West Ham United v Arsenal - east versus north derby match in the Premier League
Watford v Millwall - derby match approaching a sell-out in the Championship
Brentford v Swindon Town - two promotion chasers meet in League One
AFC Wimbledon v Southend United - kind of a derby, tickets selling fast
Barnet v Luton Town - top five clash in Conference Premier
Dartford v Welling United - big local derby in Conference Premier
Bromley v Ebbsfleet United - derby and top three clash in Conference South
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Kingstonian - local derby in Isthmian Premier
Enfield Town v Wealdstone - two old rivals meet in the Isthmian Premier
Walton Casuals v Walton & Hersham - derby in Isthmian Division 1 South
Chertsey Town v Egham Town - local derby in Southern League Division 1 Central

Saturday 28 December
West Ham United v West Bromwich Albion - Premier League relegation 'six-pointer'
Staines Town v Sutton United - Conference South play-off hopefuls in sort of a derby
Tooting & Mitcham v Peacehaven & Telscombe - Isthmian Div 1 leaders pay a visit

Sunday 29 December
Chelsea v Liverpool - two of the Premier League's top five do battle
Watford v QPR - local rivals meet in a near sell-out Championship game

Wednesday 1 January
Fulham v West Ham United - derby and massive relegation dogfight
Dagenham & Redbridge v AFC Wimbledon - local derby in League Two
Welling United v Dartford - big derby in Conference Premier between two local rivals
Wealdstone v Harrow Borough - big derby in the Isthmian Premier
VCD Athletic v Thurrock - current top two in Isthmian Division 1 North

Saturday 4 January
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur - huge local rivals meet in FA Cup third round
Charlton Athletic v Oxford United - potential upset on the cards in this FA Cup tie
Barnet v Alfreton Town - top five clash in Conference Premier
Thurrock v Witham Town - two of the top three in Isthmian Division 1 North

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 15 December 2013

TLFG: 16-22 December 2013

Hi there one and all and welcome to the latest edition of TLFG.

Not a lot of football watching has gone on this week as I've been in Ireland for a funeral for most of it and working the rest.

I hope you managed to get out and see something though, let me know if you did.

As we head towards the crucial Christmas period it's good to be able to take stock of a fairly healthy London football scene right now.

The top three divisions in the country are all topped by London clubs, we have play-off contenders in League Two and the Conference Premier and also have the top club in the Conference South. There's a lot to be excited about.

There's some really crucial games this week that could see a few of those teams toppled so make sure you see something.

If you're fast you can even enjoy a Championship doubleheader on Saturday with the top-of-the-table clash betweeen QPR and Leicester at 1215pm and Millwall v Middlesbrough at 530pm. I say act fast because the former is almost sold out and the latter is only £5 to get into - details in the ticket section below.

Personally I'm looking forward to seeing the Dulwich Hamlet v Maidstone United game on Tuesday. These two have been close rivals in the Isthmian League over the last couple of seasons and are both going for back-to-back promotions this year too. Both are well supported so it should be lively.

Aside from that, it's all about getting TLFG's bumper Christmas/New Year double issue together. If you're going to be in London over the festive period, you really will be spoilt for choice.

GET INVOLVED
As always, please remember to let me know what you've been up to and if you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

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


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 5 March, 8pm - Denmark, international friendly, Wembley

Nothing currently available

Nothing currently available

Tickets are only available to season-ticket holders, members and their guests

Saturday 21 December, 3pm - Manchester City, Premier League
Wednesday 1 January, 3pm - West Ham United, Premier League
Saturday 11 January, 3pm - Sunderland, Premier League

Wednesday 18 December, 745pm - West Ham United, League Cup
Wednesday 29 January, 745pm - Manchester City, Premier League
Sunday 9 February, 130pm - Everton, Premier League (on sale 19 Dec)
Thursday 26 December, 3pm - Arsenal, Premier League
Saturday 28 December, 1245pm - West Brom, Premier League
Saturday 18 January, 3pm - Newcastle United, Premier League
Saturday 22 March, 3pm - Manchester United, Premier League
Saturday 5 April, 3pm - Liverpool, Premier League
Saturday 3 May, 3pm - Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League


TICKET DEALS
The main deal on offer this week is to be had at The Den where it's only £5 to get into Millwall v Middlesbrough in the Championship. Bargain!

The other good thing about this match is its late kick-off time of 530pm which means you could see another game before it. The Championship table-topper between QPR and Leicester at 1215pm would be ideal but there are very few tickets left so be quick if you want one. Alternatively you could take in a Kent Invicta League match at somewhere like Bridon Ropes who start at 2pm.

There's also more FREE FOOTBALL up at Boreham Wood on Monday night where Arsenal entertain Leicester City in the U21 Premier League.

If you know of any other deals I may have missed or your club is running a promotion let me know.

There are well over 70 matches in the London area this week so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

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

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following 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 map page to make sure you get all the information.

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

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

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


View London match map 16-22 December 2013 in a larger map


Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list a few games which I think could be worth a watch. There are often many more games that are worthy of a mention but I simply don't have the time or space to squeeze them all in so add your own in the comments section below.

TLFG TOP 10
1. Fulham v Manchester City - a game of huge importance at both ends of the Premier League. The Cottagers put on two much-improved displays after the arrival of new boss Rene Muelensteen but took quite a beating at Everton on Saturday to stay in the bottom three. Sadly they will probably still be there after this one as City seem to be scoring for fun (nine in their last two against Bayern Munich and Arsenal) and are now only three points off top spot. It could be a cricket score!  (Premier League, Saturday 21 December, 3pm. Ticket info)

2. Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United - it's League Cup quarter-final time at White Hart Lane on Wednesday where these two London rivals meet. In recent years I'd like to think this match woud've been quite a big priority for both teams but at the moment they may well view it as a distraction as Spurs push for a Champions League place and West Ham scrap to avoid the drop. Consequently both managers will probably field weakened teams but that doesn't mean it'll be a poor game as players look to make their mark. Hopefully we'll get a repeat of the semi-finals between Spurs and Arsenal a few years ago which produced loads of goals. (League Cup, Wednesday 18 December, 745pm. Ticket info)

3. Queens Park Rangers v Leicester City - the game of the weekend in the Championship pits first against third. QPR, Burnley and Leicester have all shared the top spot in recent weeks and after the latter two cancelled each other out on Saturday, Rangers took full advantage with a 2-0 win at Blackpool to go two points clear at the top. The hosts will start as favourites but the Foxes' three-game winless run will come to an end sooner or later and they've only lost on two of their last five visits to Loftus Road. It's anyone's!  (Championship, Saturday 21 December, 1215pm. Ticket info

4. Leyton Orient v Crawley Town - few expected the O's to top the table at any point this season but top it they have, pretty much from day one. When Wolves caught them a few weeks ago, I feared the inevitable but they've fought hard and edged back in front on Saturday with a draw at Bradford. Can they keep going? Will they be top at Christmas? Midtable Crawley, under new manager John Gregory, are next up. Although winless in nine, they came back from 2-0 down to get a draw against in-form Preston this weekend so can't be dismissed. (League One, Saturday 21 December, 3pm. Ticket info)

5. Dagenham & Redbridge v Torquay United - another east London club to be having a better season than expected are the Daggers. After missing relegation from League Two by the skin of their teeth last season, they're currently only a win away from a play-off place. The Gulls also struggled last term and are bottom but Saturday's win over promotion chasing Southend will give them hope of getting something here (League Two, Saturday 21 December, 3pm. Ticket info)

6. Welling United v Wrexham - there's not much happening locally in the Conference this week so this midtable game is as good as it gets. These two really are about as midtable as it's possible to be with the play-off and relegation zones both three or four wins/defeats out of reach. When the sides met back in August, the Welsh side won 2-1. They are also in better form at the moment so may have the edge. (Conference Premier, Saturday 21 December, 3pm. Ticket info)

7. Wealdstone v Maidstone United - Maidstone make two visits to the capital this week and both are Isthmian League blockbusters. The first sees them travel to old rivals Dulwich Hamlet on Tuesday (I hope to go to this one) before this game on Saturday. I've gone for this one purely because Wealdstone are higher up the table than Dulwich - just. If you haven't seen the Isthmian Premier table recently, when games in hand are considered, there's nothing between the top five teams. As it stands this is second versus fourth but it could be very different by kick-off. Expect a large crowd for this one too - 1,000 plus wouldn't be a surprise. (Isthmian League Premier Division, Saturday 21 December, 3pm. Ticket info)

8. Walton & Hersham v Peacehaven & Telscombe - in the division below, W&H welcome the current leaders who have won their last three league games scoring 13 goals in the process. Not only are they freescoring, they don't lose too often either with their last defeat coming three months ago against Faversham Town who are top five side themselves. Walton have been a bit inconsistent of late but did draw 2-2 at Peacehaven on the opening day of the season. (Isthmian League Division 1 South, Saturday 21 December, 3pm. Ticket info)

9. Epsom & Ewell v Windsor - it's third versus second in the Combined Counties in this one. These two were contenders last season, finishing in the top six. Both have upped their games this time but are still playing catch-up to South Park who are seven points clear. With only one point separating them at the moment, it should be close. (Combined Counties League Premier Division, Saturday 21 December, 3pm. Club info)

10. Haringey Borough v Enfield 1893 - it looks like being a tough week for Haringey who welcome the top two in successive games. On Tuesday Great Wakering Rovers pay a visit before north London rivals and league leaders Enfield come to town. Hopefully the derby nature of the game and the fact Haringey won the reverse fixture in October should make it competitive. Strangely this is an Essex Senior League game - strange because neither team are from Essex but that's FA league structuring for you!  (Essex Senior League, Saturday 21 December, 3pm. 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 8 December 2013

TLFG: 9-15 December 2013

Greetings one and all and welcome to TLFG.

I didn't think I'd get anything published this week as I was struck down with a fairly debilitating bout of food poisoning on Friday night which completely wiped me out until this morning.

I also learned this evening that the poorly relative I mentioned a couple of weeks ago passed away this evening. With the wife and child also unwell, it's been a trying few days.

Yesterday's illness was particularly annoying as it scuppered plans I'd laid down months ago to entertain a young Dutch football fan who is in town to write a book about London football.

Operating as a 'fixer' for as much of it as I could, I had intended to host him as he did the QPR leg of his research.

Dutch TLFG readers are well looked after on their visit to QPR
Sadly it was not to be but I did get to meet him for the ticket handover and set him up with some other far more knowledgeable Rangers fans who looked after him for the rest of the day - Paul Finney I thank you :-)

I even managed to get him a welcome message on the Loftus Road scoreboard at half-time and a trip down the 'Adelaide' for a meeting with the FA Cup (sort of) after the game.

He's visiting every professional London club over the next few weeks so if you're a fan and would like to host him and give him a few stories then let me know and I'll put you in touch.

GET INVOLVED
As always, please remember to let me know what you've been up to and if you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

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


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 5 March, 8pm - Denmark, international friendly, Wembley

Nothing currently available

Sunday 19 January, 4pm - Manchester United, Premier League (on sale 23 Dec)

Tickets are only available to season-ticket holders, members and their guests

Saturday 21 December, 3pm - Manchester City, Premier League
Wednesday 1 January, 3pm - West Ham United, Premier League
Saturday 11 January, 3pm - Sunderland, Premier League

Thursday 12 December, 805pm - Anzhi Makhachkala, Europa League 
Wednesday 18 December, 745pm - West Ham United, League Cup
Wednesday 29 January, 745pm - Manchester City, Premier League 
Saturday 14 December, 3pm - Sunderland, Premier League
Saturday 28 December, 1245pm - West Brom, Premier League
Saturday 22 March, 3pm - Manchester United, Premier League
Saturday 5 April, 3pm - Liverpool, Premier League
Saturday 3 May, 3pm - Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League


TICKET DEALS
The main deal on offer this week is to be had at Tottenham Hotspur who are pricing all adult tickets at £20 for the visit of Anzhi Makhachkala on Thursday in the Europa League. Family tickets are also available.

On Saturday, one of the ties of the round in the FA Trophy pits former Football League clubs Barnet and Grimsby Town against each other and prices have been reduced to a flat rate of £10 for non-members.

Once again there's also some cheap football down at Motspur Park where Fulham host Tottenham Hotspur in the U21 Premier League on Friday. It's £3 for adults.

Earlier in the week, on Wednesday, it's also £3 to see QPR v Fulham in the FA Youth Cup (U18s) at Loftus Road.

Looking ahead a couple of weeks, it's getting all festive down at The Den where it's only £5 to get into Millwall v Middlesbrough in the Championship. Bargain!

If you know of any other deals I may have missed or your club is running a promotion let me know.

There are well over 80 matches in the London area this week so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

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

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following 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 map page to make sure you get all the information.

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

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

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 9-15 December 2013 in a larger map


Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list a few games which I think could be worth a watch. There are often many more games that are worthy of a mention but I simply don't have the time or space to squeeze them all in so add your own in the comments section below.

TLFG TOP 10
1. Chelsea v Crystal Palace - a month ago this game wouldn't have made the top 10 so bad were Palace. Since then Tony Pulis has come in and their fortunes have turned around fairly dramatically. With only one defeat in five they are a very different proposition and will go to Stamford Bridge with some belief. Belief, though, almost certainly won't be enough. Even though the Blues came unstuck at Stoke on Saturday, they should still win comfortably. (Premier League, Saturday 14 December, 3pm. Ticket info)

2. Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - there's a top six clash up at White Hart Lane on Sunday afternoon. It's a sign of Spurs' improvement over recent seasons that Andre Villas-Boas' job is under threat when they're sixth, two points off a Champions League place with only 15 games played but that's what we keep hearing. Consequently a match against second-placed Liverpool is pretty massive. The smart money is probably on a draw but the Reds' recent record at WHL is poor, having lost on all of their last six visits. (Premier League, Sunday 8 December, 4pm. Ticket info)

3. West Ham United v Sunderland - there's a crucial game at the other end of the table too as the Hammers host the Mackems. Sam Allardyce's side gave Fulham a good stuffing last weekend but normal service swiftly resumed with back-to-back defeats against Palace and Liverpool. Aside from outstanding victories over Newcastle and Manchester City, Sunderland have been flatlining all season and badly need something here. It could be a cracker between two very even teams or a tense and nervy 0-0. (Premier League, Saturday 14 December, 3pm. Ticket info

4. Brentford v Oldham Athletic - after losing their way a bit, Brentford have become League One's form team and as a result are right back in the hunt for promotion. With seven wins from their last eight they've cut the gap on the automatic promotion spots to six points. Although the Latics are way back in 14th, they're on a decent five game unbeaten run of their own so shouldn't be pushovers. Stat - the Bees have won their last four games against Oldham, scoring seven goals and conceding none. (League One, Saturday 14 December, 3pm. Ticket info)

5. Barnet v Grimsby Town - we're down to the last 32 in the FA Trophy and remarkably there's only one London club left in it. The Bees are the highest ranked non-league club in London so it's no surprise that it's them. The draw could've been kinder to Barnet as only goal difference currently separate them in fifth and sixth in the Conference table and Grimsby have already beaten them in the league this season. Grimsby also made it to last season's final but lost on penalties so will want to go one better. (FA Trophy, Saturday 14 December, 3pm. Ticket info)

6. Boreham Wood v Sutton United - this is a game of great importance to both these London sides but for different reasons. After surprisingly pushing for promotion last season, the Wood have struggled so far this time and are in the bottom three having not won in four. Sutton, on the other hand, are in the top five and could go into the top three if they win here. In recent seasons the U's have just about had the edge in these contests and they should come out on top again. (Conference South, Monday 9 December, 745pm. Ticket info)

7. Kingstonian v Wealdstone - the match of the week in the Isthmian League takes place right at the start of it when two of the top three clash at Kingsmeadow. AFC Hornchurch are currently top but have played more games than both of these two. Consequently if the K's win this they'll go top on goal difference. The Stones will take a large vocal following to this so the atmosphere is likely to be lively. Massive game, be there! (Isthmian League Premier Division, Monday 9 December, 745pm. Ticket info)

8. Northwood v Barton Rovers - local Southern League clubs haven't featured much in the top 10 this season because most of them are having a stinker! All that is except for Northwood who have crept into the top six recently. To be taken seriously as play-off contenders they'll have to beat the likes of Barton who were top but are currently third. (Southern League Division 1 Central, Saturday 14 December, 3pm. Ticket info)

9. Molesey v South Park - we've got a top-six clash to look forward to in the Combined Counties League too. The Moles have stuttered a bit of late but on Saturday gave Farnham Town a thorough thrashing to get back on track. They'll find things tough against South Park though as they've won 16 of their 19 games to go six points clear at the top. They are also scoring a whopping 3.3 goals a game so this match has real potential. (Combined Counties League Premier Division, Tuesday 10 December, 745pm. Ticket info)

10. Orpington v Hollands & Blair - last up this week we have a Kent Invicta League match. Orpington were pretty mediocre last season, coming home ninth. This year they're much improved and are third at the time of writing. Hollands & Blair finished runners-up to the impressive Phoenix Sports last term and are currently on course to go one better being two points clear at the top. Despite the closeness in position, there are 11 points between them so H&B should triumph. (Kent Invicta League, Saturday 14 December, 2pm. 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 1 December 2013

TLFG: 2-8 December 2013

Hi there fans of all things football and thanks for giving TLFG a few seconds of your time.

It's been work, work, work this week so there's been no live action for me to enjoy over the last few days.

Consequently I don't really have much to talk about and I'm also pretty short on time so I'll keep this brief.

What I have been doing, though, is starting to prepare the Christmas and New Year double issue of TLFG which really does rival the festive Radio Times for its blockbuster listings. I intend to publish it on 22 December - don't miss it!

GET INVOLVED
As always, please remember to let me know what you've been up to and if you're interested in reviewing a ground within the London area for this blog then get in touch. You might also want to have a go at writing a 'Top Ten' one week. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

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


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 5 March, 8pm - Denmark, international friendly, Wembley

Nothing currently available

Nothing currently available

Tickets are only available to season-ticket holders, members and their guests

Wednesday 4 December, 8pm - Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League
Sunday 8 December, 130pm - Aston Villa, Premier League
Saturday 21 December, 3pm - Manchester City, Premier League
Wednesday 1 January, 3pm - West Ham United, Premier League
Saturday 11 January, 3pm - Sunderland, Premier League

Thursday 12 December, 805pm - Anzhi Makhachkala, Europa League 
Wednesday 18 December, 745pm - West Ham United, League Cup
Thursday 26 December, 3pm - West Bromwich Albion, Premier League
Saturday 11 January, 3pm - Crystal Palace, Premier League
Wednesday 29 January, 745pm - Manchester City, Premier League 
Saturday 14 December, 3pm - Sunderland, Premier League
Saturday 28 December, 1245pm - West Brom, Premier League
Saturday 22 March, 3pm - Manchester United, Premier League
Saturday 5 April, 3pm - Liverpool, Premier League
Saturday 3 May, 3pm - Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League


TICKET DEALS
I'm not aware of any ticket deals this week but there is good value to be had watching some of the big clubs' reserve and youth teams.

Once again there's some FREE football up at Boreham Wood where Arsenal entertain Sunderland in the U21 Premier League on Monday.

The same night across town, Fulham U21s host Sunderland at the club's Motspur Park training ground. There's a small £3 entry fee for non-members.

Also on Monday night, Tottenham Hotspur U18s take on their Middlesbrough counterparts in the FA Youth Cup. Admission is £5 on the door and the game is being played at Leyton Orient.

At the end of the week you can trek up to Boreham Wood again to see Arsenal v Torquay United in the same competition. I'm not sure if there's an entry fee.

Looking ahead to next week, Tottenham Hotspur are pricing all adult tickets at £20 for the visit of Anzhi Makhachkala in the Europa League. Family tickets are also available.

If you know of any other deals I may have missed or your club is running a promotion let me know.

There are well over 70 matches in the London area this week so there's plenty to choose from whatever your budget.

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

Details on all of this week's games can be found in the following 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 map page to make sure you get all the information.

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

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

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 2-8 December 2013 in a larger map


Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list a few games which I think could be worth a watch. There are often many more games that are worthy of a mention but I simply don't have the time or space to squeeze them all in so add your own in the comments section below.

TLFG TOP 10
1. Arsenal v Everton - after another solid win at Cardiff on Saturday, the table-topping Gunners face a week where they play two back-to-back home matches against Hull City and the Toffees. Given their form you'd expect them to see off the Tigers but Roberto Martinez's side will be a much tougher proposition. Fifth at the time of writing and unbeaten in six, they'll hope to at least match the 0-0 draw they recorded at the Emirates last season. (Premier League, Sunday 8 December, 4pm. Ticket info)

2. Crystal Palace v West Ham United - before that we have a derby and relegation crunch match at Selhurst Park. After taking four points from two games, the Palace revival took a step back on Saturday when they lost 1-0 at fellow strugglers Norwich. The Hammers, on the other hand, won their big 'six-pointer' against Fulham by a solid three-goal margin so will be full of optimism coming into this one. (Premier League, Tuesday 3 December, 745pm. Ticket info)

3. Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur - In case you don't know, Fulham have lost five games in a row and are now in the relegation zone three points adrift of safety. However, this could be the moment things begin to change as new manager Rene Meulensteen takes charge for the first time following the sacking of Martin Jol. Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas is also walking on thin ice after a four-game winless run but Sunday's 2-2 draw with league champions Manchester United has put him on firmer ground. Plenty to play for. (Premier League, Wednesday 4 December, 8pm. Ticket info

4. Leyton Orient v Walsall - it's FA Cup second round weekend and there's just the one tie in London. It takes place at Brisbane Road the home of League One leaders Leyton Orient. The O's were briefly replaced at the top in midweek by Wolves but Saturday's draw against Sheffield United was enough to return the east Londoners to first place. Walsall are having a solid season and are only four points off a play-off place - they also drew 1-1 with Russell Slade's team earlier in the season. (FA Cup, Saturday 7 December, 3pm. Ticket info)

5. Barnet v Dartford - it's a little over a week since these two last played but a quirk of the Conference fixtures has paired them up again. The promotion-chasing Bees won 2-0 at Princes Park that time and they should win again as Dartford's league form is atrocious with six defeats in a row. They did, however, hold Forest Green to a 1-1 draw in the FA Trophy on Saturday but that just means an energy-sapping midweek replay to negotiate before this one. (Conference Premier, Saturday 7 December, 3pm. Ticket info)

6. Bromley v Farnborough - it's an exciting time to be a Bromley fan as we begin to near the halfway point of the season. After 15 games they sit proudly atop the Conference South, one point ahead of Eastleigh with a game in hand. There's a long way to go but a win here against midtable Farnborough, who have lost their last two, could put them four points clear and might start to get people thinking a title shot is realistic. (Conference South, Saturday 7 December, 3pm. Club info)

7. Enfield Town v Carshalton Athletic - if a gritty relegation dogfight is your cup of tea then this could be the match for you as two of the Isthmian League Premier Division's strugglers clash at Donkey Lane. Personally I'm quite surprised Enfield are in the bottom three but just three wins from 18 tells its own story. Carshalton finished in the bottom two last season but were reprieved after Thurrock fielded in ineligible player and went down in their place. They've won only two of their 18 fixtures and are currently rock bottom. Both sides are already losing touch with the rest and badly need to win. (Isthmian League Premier Division, Saturday 7 December, 3pm. Ticket info)

8. Hanwell Town v Lordswood - if it's cup action you want it's also FA Vase weekend with two of our local clubs hosting ties. The first sees Spartan South Midlands League high-flyers Hanwell welcome Lordswood of the Southern Counties East League. The hosts are having a cracking season and will go eight points clear at the top of the SSML if they win all four of their games in hand. They are also scoring at a huge rate of 3.6 goals a game! The visitors are tonking along nicely enough in midtable in their league but I'd be surprised if they have any joy here. (FA Vase, Saturday 7 December, 3pm. Club info)

9. Haringey Borough v Brantham Athletic - the other game features sides from the Essex Senior and Eastern Counties leagues. Not only are these leagues supposed to be of a parallel standard, these sides are both seventh in their respective divisions so it should be pretty close. Fact - Haringey Borough actually play on White Hart Lane unlike Spurs, their more famous neighbours, who are located just off Tottenham High Road. (FA Vase, Saturday 7 December, 3pm. Club info)

10. Clapton v Barking - I've been looking for an excuse to give the Tons a mention for a while and this east London derby against the Blues is a fine reason. Apart from the closeness of the teams, you should check out this game because Clapton play at the oldest ground in London - the Old Spotted Dog. It's one of my favourites and should be a place of pilgrimage for all football fans visiting the capital. Don't be under any illusion, the ground is very rundown but I've heard improvements have been made as things are beginning to look up for a club that have struggled for a while. The other massive change over the last few months has been the emergence of the Clapton Ultras who have made the club one of the best supported in the league. They're a boisterous and fun bunch by all accounts and have given this blog a lot of support for which I'm very grateful. If you want to go, get in touch with them before the game and I'm sure they'll make you very welcome. (Essex Senior League, Saturday 7 December, 130pm. 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.