Sunday 27 January 2019

TLFG: 28 January - 3 February 2019

Welcome one and all to the latest edition of TLFG.

The highlights of this week have largely been provided by an exciting fourth round of the FA Cup which has been full of goals and one or two shocks.

Two of the biggest upsets were caused by London clubs with Millwall twice coming from behind to beat Everton 3-2 and AFC Wimbledon, struggling at the foot of League One, beating West Ham United 4-2 in games that were televised back-to-back on Saturday evening.

Elsewhere, Crystal Palace enjoyed an impressive 2-0 win over Tottenham who joined north London rivals Arsenal in tasting defeat - the Gunners succumbing 3-1 to Manchester United in the big game on Friday. Watford also recorded a very tidy 2-0 win at Newcastle to book their place in the fifth round too.

QPR salvaged a 1-1 draw at Portsmouth so will also be in the hat for the draw which takes place on Monday night around 7pm.

Chelsea were last to play, beating Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday evening. It capped off a great week for the Blues who also beat Spurs on penalties on Thursday night to book their place in next month's Carabao Cup Final against Manchester City.

Tickets for Tottenham's next three games at Wembley are all on general sale
With a rare weekend off, I fully intended to see a game and after a few last-minute challenges I ended up scrapping my initial plans and went to watch my nearest non-league side Hanwell Town take on Marlow in the Bostik League South Central.

Located just off the A40 and a short walk from Perivale Tube station, Hanwell is a pretty easy club to get to.

I was trying to work out when I'd last been and it could well have been six or seven years when I went to watch then groundsharers Southall in action.

Whenever it was, the ground had undergone a bit of a revamp with the most notable addition being a large electronic scoreboard on one side of the ground, the like of which you'll do well to find at any non-league ground never mind an eighth-tier one.

Nicknamed the Geordies, because they were founded by some people from Newcastle in 1920, they play in the famous black and white stripes of Newcastle United.

Moved from the Evo-Stik Southern League to the Bostik League at the start of this season because of the big restructure, Hanwell have won eight, drawn seven and lost eight of their games to sit 12th.

They have been models of inconsistency in recent weeks scoring six one week and none the next so it would be interesting to see how they would fare against a promotion chasing Marlow side.

Keeper Aaron Bufton can only watch as James Clark slots home Marlow's third
For me the visitors are most famous for playing Tottenham at White Hart Lane in the FA Cup back in 1993. It created a lot of interest in the club and they gave a decent account of themselves in what turned out to be a 5-1 defeat.

Saturday's game started off competitively enough with both sides creating chances until the first goal arrived for the visitors on the half hour before a second came shortly after, making it 2-0 at the interval.

Hanwell came out early after the break and appeared eager to reduce the deficit but when James Clark neatly finished Marlow's third on 54 minutes, the hosts fell apart.

Twenty minutes later it was 6-0 and it looked like the goals would just keep coming but thankfully for Hanwell it wasn't the case and Marlow settled for the win which lifted them up to second.

A decent crowd of 153 enjoyed this match - a very healthy turnout for eighth-tier football.

I think that will be it for me until next week when I fully intend to go to the QPR v Portsmouth game alluded to above. If you want to go it will be on Tuesday 5 February - tickets are only £15 and go on sale at 2pm on Monday 28 January.

Finally, thanks to Melissa B from Texas, USA who donated to TLFG's coffee drinking fund this week. I really appreciate it and thanks again to all those who have contributed in the past.

As always, have a great week and enjoy your football watching.


THE WEEK AHEAD
The highlights of the next few days include action in the Premier League and EFL, the latest rounds of the FA Trophy and FA Vase plus loads of action in our local non-league competitions. There are also some eye-catching U23 matches too.

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

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (orange pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.
Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

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

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



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



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

Monday 28 January

FA Cup Fourth Round
Barnet v Brentford @745pm - a thrilling round of FA Cup action comes to an end with this very interesting London derby at The Hive. After a weekend of shocks, non-league Barnet look well placed to upset their Championship opponents. The clubs haven't met since 2011 when they ground out a 0-0 draw in the EFL Trophy. In general, these games don't produce many goals but with the teams now three divisions apart that might not be the case this time. Tickets in home areas have sold out and I couldn't find any availability on Brentford's website either so don't make the journey without one

Professional Development League
Charlton Athletic v Crystal Palace @1pm - if you're around during the afternoon then this lunchtime U23 match at The Valley is a fine way to while away a couple of hours - UPDATE: THIS MATCH IS NOW ON TUESDAY

Essex Senior League
Barkingside v Redbridge @745pm - after seeing a fine crowd turn out for their last Monday night game against Hullbridge, the 'Side will be hoping for an even better crowd for the visit of the club who effectively forced them out of their own ground.  Way back in 2001-02, Redbridge (then known as Ford United) bought the lease off Barkingside but allowed them to groundshare. In 2014 they put the rent up to an unaffordable level and Barkingside opted to move to Ilford where they continue to this day

A bit further afield
Colchester United v Queens Park Rangers @7pm - if you fancy ticking Colchester's ground off your list then this U23 match is a great chance to do it. It's a fair distance from the town centre but is very accessible by car. For some reason, the U's charge an inexplicable £10 to get into U23 games so be prepared for it

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Tuesday 29 January

Premier League
Arsenal v Cardiff City @745pm - neither of these sides have been having a great time of late. The Gunners got dumped out of the FA Cup on Friday by a resurgent Manchester United and Cardiff are struggling to win in the league and are still suffering the effects of losing new signing Emiliano Sala in a plane crash on Monday - although the search for him is still ongoing. It says quite a lot about the current state of affairs at Arsenal that this match actually went on general sale for a while - something which hardly ever happens for Premier League games. Anything less than a home win will be seen as an upset
Fulham v Brighton & Hove Albion @745pm - three defeats on the bounce have left the Cottagers seven points adrift of safety so they've got to start picking up points soon or relegation will become a certainty. Midtable Brighton are one of those teams that they simply must beat if they can seriously think about turning things around. The Sussex club have sold out their allocation but tickets are available in home areas of the ground and also in Fulham's (in)famous neutral section

Professional Development League
Charlton Athletic v Crystal Palace @1pm - if you're around during the afternoon then this lunchtime U23 match at The Valley is a fine way to while away a couple of hours

London Senior Cup Quarter-Finals
Welling United v Leyton Orient @745pm - with the first two quarter-finals already played, the second two take place on Tuesday. This is the bigger match with two of London's biggest non-league sides going head-to-head. As it is only a county cup competition and both sides are pushing for promotion in their respective divisions, a few players will probably be rested but it should still be worth a watch
Clapton v Harrow Borough @745pm - the winners of the tie above will then travel to whoever comes out on top at The Old Spotted Dog. If you've never heard of it, the OSD is the oldest football ground in London so should be on the list of anyone with a sense of history. It is incredibly run down and the crowd will probably be small, since the departure of the Clapton Ultras, but you must get it ticked off your list if you're a groundhopper. On paper Harrow, who play two levels above Clapton, should win. Manager Steve Baker has been taking county cups pretty seriously so far this season and saw his side score nine against the last ninth-tier side they played against

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Wednesday 30 January

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Watford @8pm - for me, this derby at Wembley should be one of the best matches of the week. Both sides are in the top seven and often produce entertaining games. This will be the third time the sides have met this season. Watford won the reverse fixture 2-1 at Vicarage Road in early September before losing on penalties in an Carabao Cup tie after a 2-2 draw. Despite my positive vibes about this fixture, there appear to be plenty of tickets on general sale so you should have no trouble getting to watch this match

Essex Senior League
Walthamstow v Stanway Rovers @745pm - the hosts crushed Redbridge 5-1 on Saturday to remain as London's top club in this league. Up in fifth, they are still way off the top four so this is realistically as high as they are likely to go. Stanway are slap bang in the middle of the table so should be beaten

A bit further afield
There's not much else happening within the confines of the M25 on Wednesday so I've added a few games from the home counties to the match map. The most notable is the Premier League game between Southampton and Crystal Palace which at the time of writing does have a few tickets left for it. There are several trains back to London after the match so it is very doable. There is also a Premier League International Cup U23 match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Bayern Munich down in Sussex but it's being played at Brighton's training ground which although impressive is still only a training ground - also check before you head off whether you will be admitted and how much it costs as details are sketchy at the moment (UPDATE: some TLFG readers are reporting that this has sold out already). There are also several non-league games which you can find on the map too

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Thursday 31 January

A bit further afield
Having gone through all the fixture resources I could find, it appears the only match of any note in the whole of England is the FA Youth Cup tie between Derby County and Manchester City at Pride Park. To be clear, this is an U18s match a long way from London but admission is free and the 7pm kick-off means you should be able to get the last direct train back to London at 2122 - if you make it to this I'll be very impressed/slightly worried!

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Friday 1 February

Professional Development League

Watford v Cardiff City @3pm - the Hornets' U23 side play their latest Friday afternoon game at Wingate & Finchley's ground against the Bluebirds. Neither team have been pulling up any trees this season but I can think of far worse things to do

A bit further afield
For the second week running, the Essex town of Harlow could well be your destination for some Friday night football as Woodford Town take on Redbridge in the Essex Senior League
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Saturday 2 February

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United @1230pm - a full programme of top-flight action gets underway at lunchtime with this important match at Wembley. With Spurs looking to catch Manchester City and the Magpies teetering just above the relegation zone, this will have ramifications at both ends of the table. Newcastle have been pretty tough to beat on their travels this season but Tottenham have won their last three against Rafa Benitez's side and will expect to triumph again. As with the Watford game above, tickets are available on general sale
Crystal Palace v Fulham @3pm - next up in order of importance must be this derby between two sides who are fighting to avoid the drop. Both have midweek games so the picture for both could be very different come kick-off. Unsurprisingly a big crowd is expected with the away section already sold out. If you want to get one for the home end then membership is required
Chelsea v Huddersfield Town @3pm - aside from hospitality packages, this match has also sold out. In theory this game against bottom club Huddersfield should be a bit of a stroll for the Blues but maybe with new boss Jan Siewert, another youthful German, now in charge the Terriers could have a chance

Championship
Brentford v Blackburn Rovers @3pm - although way down in 18th, the Bees are starting to string together a decent unbeaten run. Next up they face Blackburn who with four wins in a row are one of the form teams of the division. Up in eighth and just three points off a play-off spot they should be tough opponents
Millwall v Rotherham United @3pm - after enjoying the glory of a televised FA Cup win over Everton on Saturday, the Lions return to earth with a far less glamorous fixture against Rotherham. It is, however, a very important one as they look to put more daylight between themselves and the relegation zone - if results go their way, they could be eight points clear by the end of the day


With all of our other local EFL teams playing away, the focus next moves to non-league games and Saturday gives us the chance to enjoy the next rounds of the FA Trophy and FA Vase where both are down to their last 16 teams. Both competitions have their finals on the same day in May at Wembley. The Trophy is for clubs in the fifth to eighth tiers and the Vase is for clubs in the ninth to 11th tiers.

FA Trophy Third Round
Leyton Orient v Blyth Spartans @3pm - one of the beauties of this competition is that it throws clubs together who would rarely if ever play each other. To my knowledge these two have never played before and it's no surprise as the O's have spent most of their history in the EFL and Blyth have been playing in the regional leagues of the north east for most of their history. The hosts are currently top of the National League so should in theory be the top seeds to win this competition. Blyth are midtable a level below so will arrive as significant underdogs. However, they do have a proud history in the FA Cup and even made it as far as fifth round on one occasion so are no strangers to causing an upset
Carshalton Athletic v Barnet @3pm - after facing Brentford in the FA Cup on Monday, the Bees then travel to south London for some more knockout football against the Robins. Playing two divisions above their hosts, Barnet should start as strong favourites. Having never won the Trophy before, you'd like to think new boss Darren Currie would make it one of his priorities especially with a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs. Carshalton have struggled to find any form in the Bostik League this season but this cup run is keeping things interesting. The 4G pitch they use may also prove to be a bit of a leveller

FA Vase Fifth Round
Cray Valley PM v Abbey Rangers @3pm - this is the first round of the competition where the draw has stopped being north/south and been nationalised so anybody could draw anybody else. Somehow two of the three remaining TLFG clubs managed to get each other thus avoiding what could have been a long journey north. This match couldn't be much better balanced with both sides sitting fourth in their respective ninth-tier divisions. South-east London club Cray have had a good record in cup competitions in recent seasons and this represents their best ever showing in the Vase. Abbey, who hail from Addlestone in Surrey, are a relatively new club so they must be pinching themselves that they've got this far. The other TLFG side to have made the fifth round are Abbey's neighbours Chertsey Town who face a tough trip up to Manchester to play Irlam - all the best to them

National League
Boreham Wood v Wrexham @3pm - the hosts are five without a win and will do well to pick up three points here as Welsh giants Wrexham will look to keep their title challenge on track. The former third-tier club have been in this division for way too long and are one of the five sides separated by just four points at the top of the table MATCH OFF

National League South
Wealdstone v Billericay Town @3pm - represented by a number of big characters both on and off the field, this would appear to be the game of the day in the sixth tier. Essex club Billericay won the Bostik League title last season after spending a huge amount of money on the wages of a few former Premier League players. This season, they've scaled things back a bit but owner Glenn Tamplin is still behaving erratically especially when it comes to the hiring and firing of managers and their form has suffered. Still in the top five, promotion is very much a possibility but the Stones in 10th are very much in the reckoning themselves and will want to bridge what is only a four-point gap between the clubs here MATCH OFF

Bostik League South Central Division
Hayes & Yeading United v Hertford Town @3pm - nothing really stands out in the seventh tier this week and there's not much that really grabs me in the eighth tier either so why not get yourself along to see the highest scoring club in at least the top eight levels of English football. With 82 goals from 21 league games you'll be sure to be entertained at Hayes & Yeading. It's also the first full season they've played in their fine new ground so check it out if you've not yet been

Essex Senior League
Leyton Athletic v Walthamstow @3pm - this match is notable simply because it's a groundshare derby. Leyton Athletic were known as Wadham Lodge (the name of the ground) until the start of this season but they changed it as did Walthamstow (who were known as Waltham Forest). The change hasn't done much for the hosts who recently went bottom and stayed there after losing 7-0 at Saffron Walden on Saturday. As mentioned above, Walthamstow are in much better form and should win

Southern Counties East League Division 1
Welling Town v Erith & Belvedere @3pm - it's first versus fourth at Bayliss Avenue where the hosts will look to extend their lead at the top to eight points. As far as I understand it, only the top two can be considered for promotion so E&B really need to win big derby games like this MATCH OFF

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Sunday 3 February

Women's FA Cup Fourth Round
Sunday's football in London is totally dominated by this competition. The pick of the ties would appear to be Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur which is being played at Bromley's ground at 2pm. There are also home games for AFC Wimbledon, Charlton Athletic, Millwall and West Ham United - bear in mind that none of these teams are playing at the same stadium as their male counterparts so check all the details on the match map.

A bit further afield
The only men's game I can find is the interesting FA Vase Fifth Round tie between Biggleswade FC and Windsor. The match is being played at Biggleswade Town's ground which appears to be very walkable from the town's station. Direct trains from Kings Cross take about 45 minutes but there's only one every hour so make sure you check your departure times carefully. The hosts look well placed to challenge for the Spartan South Midlands League title this season whilst Windsor are midtable in the parallel ninth tier Hellenic League so a home win looks likely.

There are also a number of Women's FA Cup ties just beyond the edge of London and these are also on the match map.


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

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

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

Sunday 20 January 2019

TLFG: 21-27 January 2019

As always it's been another busy week of football in London.

The biggest match was Saturday's derby between Arsenal and Chelsea which the Gunners did well to win 2-0. With a resurgent Manchester United hot on their heels in the battle for fourth it was a result that was badly needed by the north London club.

Also on the subject of Arsenal, the last few tickets for their Premier League game against Cardiff City on Tuesday 29 January have gone on general sale which is very rare so don't miss out if a trip to the Emirates is on your to-do list.

At the time of writing this on Sunday morning, the weekend's other derby between Fulham and Tottenham is still a few hours away and its impact on the Premier League table could be significant at both ends.

Elsewhere in the top flight it was largely a weekend of disappointment with Crystal Palace and West Ham both losing and Watford grinding out a draw with lowly Burnley.

In the Championship, the good news was all about Brentford who recorded a fine 4-2 win at Rotherham to extend their unbeaten run to seven games in all competitions under new Danish boss Thomas Frank.

If you fancy a short trip out of London on Sunday then this U23 match could be for you

Millwall picked up an excellent point at Middlesbrough whilst QPR suffered a surprising 4-1 home defeat at the hands of Preston.

Charlton Athletic kept their place in League One's top four with a narrow win over Accrington Stanley but the bad news continued for AFC Wimbledon who lost heavily at home to Barnsley.

Despite a disappointing 2-0 reverse at Ebbsfleet, Leyton Orient just about managed to hold on top spot in the National League but Solihull Moors are now level on points after winning at Maidenhead.

In the lower non-league divisions there were also wins for Haringey Borough, Hayes & Yeading United, Cray Wanderers, Chertsey Town, Hadley, Bedfont & Feltham and Harefield United who all ended Saturday top of their respective divisions so we're doing pretty well locally!

I didn't manage to see a game this week but I am hoping to get to a match on Saturday.

I had toyed with the idea of going to the FA Cup tie between Portsmouth and QPR but demand has been so high from both sets of supporters that the match is close to a sell out - the away end is completely full.

It is therefore likely that I'll go to the Southern League match between Basingstoke Town and Harrow Borough instead. I haven't been to a match there for almost exactly 25 years so it will be interesting to revisit it. I think it was 1-1 that day and a similar result wouldn't surprise me.

Finally, thanks to Daniel K from Ohio, USA who donated to TLFG's coffee drinking fund this week. I really appreciate it and thanks again to all those who have contributed in the past.

As always, have a great week and enjoy your football watching.


THE WEEK AHEAD
The highlights of the next few days include action in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup and the Fourth Round of the FA Cup plus loads of action in our local non-league competitions. There are also some eye-catching U23 matches too.

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

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (orange pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.
Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

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

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



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



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

Monday 21 January

Premier League Cup
Charlton Athletic v Sunderland @7pm - the respective U23 sides from these two League One sides meet at Greenwich Borough's ground. The competition is still in its group stage at the moment with the Mackems currently top of Group A. Charlton are yet to win so they'll need to get something out of this

Bostik League Premier Division
Carshalton Athletic v AFC Hornchurch @745pm - both sides won promotion to this level at the end of last season and are struggling to assert themselves. The Urchins are just above the relegation zone and the Robins aren't much further ahead so this is a pretty important match for both

Essex Senior League
Barkingside v Hullbridge Sports @745pm - there's also an important game in the ninth tier where an improving 'Side will haul themselves off the bottom of the table with a win. However, Hullbridge are one of four teams involved in a tight title race and will start as strong favourites

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Tuesday 22 January

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Fleetwood Town @745pm - a run of only one defeat in four had made things look a little better for the Dons but Saturday's heavy home defeat by Barnsley once again underlined how perilous their position is. Now seven points adrift of safety, it's going to take a remarkable change in fortune to see them stay up. Joey Barton's midtable Fleetwood are winless in four and are the kind of team you feel the hosts will have at least a chance against if they can get themselves motivated enough

Friendly
Brentford B v Huddersfield Town U23 @1pm - if you've got the whole day off, you might fancy combining a trip to Kingsmeadow with this match over at Brentford's training ground. There's nothing riding on it but it's usually free to get in (double check with the club before you travel) and you'll get to see some promising young talent. This Bees side are currently unbeaten in 10 and have recently notched up wins over Brescia, Bayern Munich and Wingate & Finchley!

Kent Senior Cup Quarter-Final
Dartford v Maidstone United @745pm - on paper this Kent derby would normally be a cracker but I think it's fair to say that neither club will put out a full-strength side which is a shame. If nothing else, give Princes Park a visit - it's got some of the most hi-spec facilities in non-league

Evo-Stik League Premier Division South
Hendon v Weymouth @745pm - the Greens were among the early season pacesetters but eight straight defeats have seen them plummet into midtable. They finally managed to arrest that run on Saturday with a draw against Tiverton but Dorset club Weymouth are a much tougher prospect and will go second if they win

Bostik League South Central
Hayes & Yeading United v South Park @745pm - the hosts strengthened their hold on top spot by thrashing Chalfont St Peter 4-0 on Saturday. They are now seven points clear with two games in hand and are still the highest scoring team in the country by some distance with 80 goals from just 20 league games.You have to fear for South Park who are in the bottom three

Combined Counties League Premier Division
CB Hounslow United v Chertsey Town @745pm - Dave Anderson's Curfews have been top all season but they're having trouble shaking off Sutton Common Rovers who have doggedly stuck with them. However, Chertsey do have two games in hand so could pull clear - this is the first

Spartan South Midlands League Division 1
Harefield United v Hillingdon Borough @745pm - although way down in the 10th tier, this should be one of the best games of the night as these two very local rivals meet for what is also a top-six clash. Harefield won again on Saturday to maintain their 15-point lead at the top

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Wednesday 23 January

Bostik League North Division
Grays Athletic v Aveley @745pm - over in Essex there's a groundshare derby to be enjoyed where Aveley (whose ground it is) will look to win a game in hand and jump to second. Grays are back in ninth and are by no means out of play-off contention themselves

A bit further afield

Premier League International Cup
Tottenham Hotspur v Athletic Bilbao @7pm - Spurs' U23 side have the chance to top their group with a win over Spanish opposition. This match is being played at Stevenage's ground and adult tickets are £5

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Thursday 24 January

Carabao Cup Semi-Final Second Leg

Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur @745pm - the Blues suffered a disappointing defeat at Arsenal in their big derby match on Saturday which left them 13 points behind leaders Liverpool. If they hadn't already ruled out winning the title, they certainly should now. This means it's now all about the cups for Chelsea and they could still win a glorious treble of them and could book their first final of the season here. They're 1-0 down from the first leg which is by no means insurmountable but Spurs are a great side and will be looking for their fourth consecutive win over the Stamford Bridge club

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Friday 25 January

FA Cup Fourth Round
Arsenal v Manchester United @755pm - with the Carabao Cup action having barely finished, the next round of the FA Cup gets underway with arguably the tie of the round brought forward to Friday night for TV coverage. Historically these are the two most successful clubs in the competition with 25 titles between them. This season they're locked in a battle for fourth place, something that looked unlikely until the appointment of interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last month. Since then, the Norwegian has presided over seven straight wins which makes him the manager to have got off to the most successful start in United's history

A bit further afield
It's highly unlikely you'll be able to get a ticket for the match above so if you're really keen to see a game, your next best options lie a bit beyond the M25 in Essex where Brentwood Town host Maldon & Tiptree in a Bostik League game and Woodford Town take on Sporting Bengal United in the Essex Senior League

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Saturday 26 January

FA Cup Fourth Round
Millwall v Everton @530pm - all our local Premier League sides have either been drawn away or have been knocked out already. This means the highest-ranked team playing at home on Saturday are the Lions who've landed an attractive tie against the Toffees which will be shown live on BBC One. Neil Harris's side have been in good form of late and backed by a partisan crowd should fancy their chances against Everton. Once members and season-ticket holders have had their chance to buy, any remaining tickets will go on general sale on Tuesday 22 January If you do go to this, local non-league club Fisher have moved their game to 2pm so you can easily watch two matches that afternoon.
AFC Wimbledon v West Ham United @745pm - the day's events will be brought to a close at Kingsmeadow where League One strugglers Wimbledon face a tough derby match against the Hammers. Although bottom of the third tier, West Ham will be foolish to write off or underestimate the Dons who have a proud record in this competition. Aside from winning it in 1988, they have also had some other big ties against the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham in recent years. Given how tiny their ground is (less than 5,000), tickets will be like gold dust

A bit further afield
If you can't get a ticket for either of the above but still want to see an FA Cup tie then head south to Sussex where tickets are on general sale for Brighton & Hove Albion against West Bromwich Albion at 3pm. Adult entry is £15 if bought in advance or £20 on the day if any are left

National League
Leyton Orient v Maidstone United @3pm - the biggest crowd of the day anywhere in non-league could come at Brisbane Road where the league leaders will hope to get back to winning ways against the relegation threatened Stones. Despite their struggles, Kent club Maidstone are one of the best supported sides at this level and should bring a sizeable following for what is also an important game for them. The O's are still top despite winning only one of their last five games but the sides below are queuing up to unseat them
Sutton United v Ebbsfleet United @3pm - there's also an intriguing looking game at Gander Green Lane where two relatively local sides (given this is a national division) are currently battling for the last play-off spot

National League South
Dulwich Hamlet v Chelmsford City @3pm - in terms of attendance and atmosphere this match should be the biggest on offer in the sixth tier. Since returning to Champion Hill on Boxing Day, Dulwich have drawn close to capacity crowds of around 3,000 for each of the three games they've played there. However, their performances have been disappointing and they're now winless in five league games. This has left them five points above the relegation zone and in desperate need of a win. Chelmsford were among the title contenders last season and are firmly in contention for at least a play-off spot again so it's going to be tough

Bostik League Premier Division
Corinthian Casuals v Bognor Regis Town @3pm - again if it's atmosphere and experience that you're after then a trip to Tolworth to watch CCs is probably the order of the day in the seventh tier. After some near misses, Casuals finally got promoted last season and they're more than holding their own at the higher level. They're also building a growing following with crowds up almost 40% so far this year. Incredibly popular with fans in Brazil because of their historical links to Sao Paulo giants Corinthians, I know at least one TLFG reader from those shores who will be paying them a visit for this one. For reference, Bognor are pushing hard for a play-off spot after being relegated from the National League South so should start as favourites

Bostik League North Division
Aveley v Bowers & Pitsea @3pm - depending on midweek results, this could well be a top-two clash and a local Essex derby making it the standout game in the eighth tier

Essex Senior League
Walthamstow v Redbridge @3pm - it's been really hard to pick out a fixture to recommend in the ninth tier this week as they're all much of a muchness. I've gone for this one as Walthamstow are currently leading the charge by London clubs in this league. Currently sixth, they could climb into contention if they win their games in hand

Thurlow Nunn League Division 1 South
Hashtag United v White Ensign @3pm - the hosts are still top of the division but their visitors on Saturday are just two points behind with a game in hand so this is a huge match for both

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Sunday 27 January

FA Cup Fourth Round
Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur @4pm - there are two good ties in London on Sunday with both selected for live TV coverage. The first is this London derby. Palace were unlucky to lose to league leaders Liverpool at Anfield in a seven-goal thriller on Saturday and will be well up for this one against Spurs. The north London club are the joint third most successful club in the history of the competition but haven't won it since 1991. The Eagles have never won the cup but made it to the final in 2016, narrowly losing to Manchester United
Chelsea v Sheffield Wednesday @6pm - strangely and unpopularly scheduled for an early evening kick-off, the Blues should make progress into the last 16 after coming up against a Championship team for the second round running. At the time of writing, tickets are on general sale for £30

A bit further afield
One of the most eye-catching fixtures of the week is the Premier League International Cup match between the U23 sides of Bayern Munich and Benfica. The match is being played at Aldershot Town, kicks off at 1pm and adult tickets are only £3. Given the early start and the ground's close proximity to the station*, this match can easily be combined with the late match at Stamford Bridge (*even though there is some rail engineering work, the journey to West Brompton via Clapham Junction should still take less than 90 minutes by bus and train)

FA Women's Super League
Chelsea v Birmingham City @2pm - if you don't fancy a trip out to Hampshire you could instead do a Chelsea double and watch the women's team ahead of the men's. Sadly they don't both play at Stamford Bridge and you'll have to head out to Norbiton to watch them at the ground they share with AFC Wimbledon. At the time of writing, this is an important match which sees third play fourth


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

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

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

Sunday 13 January 2019

TLFG: 14-20 January 2019

Greetings one and all and welcome to the latest TLFG.

I've had a week off work this week and managed to get out and visit what was a new ground for me.

Imber Court, the home of Metropolitan Police FC, is a place I'd last been to way back in the '80s for a police family's wedding.

The whole site plays host to a range of sports and social facilities with the football stadium at its centre.

It's actually a little tricky to find the turnstile, especially after dark, but I stumbled across it in the end.

Much has been written about The Met in recent years in part because of a couple of good FA Cup runs. Probably the most notable thing about the current side is that it doesn't feature any serving officers and is just another seventh-tier side of semi-pros.

Harrow Borough (red) push for an equaliser at Imber Court
The other thing is that because they represent the police and have no police officers in the team, they have very few supporters so their crowds are among the lowest at the level.

On Tuesday I watched them take on my beloved Harrow Borough in the Southern League.

With the sides producing a seven-goal thriller just three days before, a lot was expected of this match which had been re-arranged from earlier in the season.

Sadly it wasn't to be as the hosts managed to grind out a 1-0 win with a goal midway through the second half.

The best thing for me was getting to meet up with some of the Harrow faithful who actually seemed to outnumber the home fans for a change.

I had planned to watch their next match at Beaconsfield Town too but it didn't come to pass and thankfully so as Harrow lost 4-1.

I feel I've rushed the writing of this blog a bit this week because I'm pretty tired - this is because I ended up joining my first London Tube Run on Sunday morning and running all the way from Turnpike Lane to Turnham Green along the Piccadilly Line which is a distance of around 22.5km.

Sunday's London Tube Run heads towards the Emirates Stadium
I haven't gone anywhere near this far for years so it was a very pleasant surprise that I could manage it. The pace is slow and breaks are taken but it's mainly about getting out there and socialising. We also got to do a full circuit of Arsenal's Emirates Stadium (so there is a football point to this story!). If you're into running, think about giving one of their events a go.

Finally, thanks to Scott T from Surrey who donated to TLFG's coffee drinking fund this week. I really appreciate it and thanks again to all those who have contributed in the past.

As always, have a great week and enjoy your football watching.


THE WEEK AHEAD
The highlights of the next few days include action in the Premier League, EFL and most of our local non-league competitions. There are also some eye-catching U23 matches and FA Youth Cup games.

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

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (orange pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.
Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

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

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



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



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

Monday 14 January

Premier League 2
Arsenal v Manchester City @7pm - the first XIs of these two clubs are among the best sides in the country but at U23 level they're not quite so impressive. City are down in seventh whilst the Gunners are even further back and are seven without a win - it's still the best on offer on Monday

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Tuesday 15 January

Kent Senior Cup Quarter-Final
Bromley v Charlton Athletic U23 @745pm - the pick of Tuesday night's action comes in the various local county cup competitions. The Ravens of the fifth tier National League host an Addicks development side at Hayes Lane

London Senior Cup Quarter-Final
Wingate & Finchley v Brentford B @745pm - after seeing off Wealdstone in the Middlesex Senior Cup last week, the Bees' development side look to make progress in the London Cup too with a tricky but very winnable tie at Summers Lane

Middlesex Senior Cup Quarter-Final
Barnet v Hampton & Richmond Borough @745pm - after seeing off Dorchester Town in the FA Trophy on Saturday, the Bees welcome Hampton & Richmond to The Hive. The visitors brought their poor run of form to an end with a win over Dulwich on Saturday. How strong either side put out for this one is hard to predict but I wouldn't expect the hosts to go that big on it

Combined Counties League Challenge Cup
Chertsey Town v Abbey Rangers @745pm - these two near neighbours are doing well in the league and are both still in the FA Vase and now they get the chance to play each other in this competition

A bit further afield

FA Cup Third Round Replay
Luton Town v Sheffield Wednesday @745pm - a visit to Kenilworth Road is often high on the list of groundhoppers who contact this blog. It's old, ramshackle, pretty unique and has one entrance in the middle of a row of terraced houses. It's located a short distance north of London and there appear to be plenty of tickets still available

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Wednesday 16 January

Spartan South Midlands League Division 1
Park View v Harefield United @745pm - Harefield appear to be cantering towards the title after Saturday's win at Winslow United put them 12 points clear at the top. Park View are new to this level and are more than holding their own but the Hare should have too much for them

A bit further afield

FA Cup Third Round Replay
Southampton v Derby County @745pm - after fighting out a 2-2 draw at Pride Park last weekend, Frank Lampard takes his Rams side to the Premier League Saints to try and pull off a cupset. Tickets for this televised game are only £12. If you're interested in going by train, it's only a 75-minute journey from Waterloo. There are also plenty of trains heading back to London after the game which you should be able to catch even if it goes to penalties

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Thursday 17 January

FA Youth Cup Fourth Round

Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur @7pm - the match of the night takes place at Boreham Wood where the U18 sides of these two north London rivals go head-to-head. Sadly because of the high profile nature of the game and security surrounding it, even at this level, tickets are only on sale to members
Watford v Southampton @7pm - they'll be no such problem getting entry to the other game of the night at Wingate & Finchley's ground where the visitors should start as favourites
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Friday 18 January

Premier League Cup
Fulham v Birmingham City @3pm - we're still at the group stage of this U23 competition. A win will put the Cottagers on the verge of qualification for the next round. Tickets for games at Motspur Park are usually £3 but the club haven't published the details yet

FA Youth Cup Fourth Round
Crystal Palace v Bolton Wanderers @7pm - if you go to the match above, you can easily combine it with this U18 game later in the day at Selhurst Park

A bit further afield

Championship
Norwich City v Birmingham City @745pm - the Canaries are pushing hard for automatic promotion and have topped the division at various points this season whilst the Blues have a play-off spot very much in their sights. At two hours, the journey to Norwich is a bit further than I would normally recommend but with the stadium located a short walk from the station it is really easy to get to. Unlike Southampton above, there is only one train back to London after the game at 10pm so don't hang around too long after the final whistle

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Saturday 19 January

Premier League
Watford v Burnley @3pm - the Hornets climbed into the top seven with a win at Palace on Saturday. The Clarets moved clear of the bottom three with a priceless win over fellow strugglers Fulham but they'll do well to win here
Arsenal v Chelsea @530pm - arguably the match of the week takes place at The Emirates on Saturday teatime where the Blues will look to cement their hold on fourth place and keep Arsenal out of the Champions League places

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Preston North End @3pm - Steve McClaren's side are now three without a win and down in 11th but are still only four points off a play-off place. PNE are in poor form and should be beaten

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Barnsley @3pm - with the Dons rooted to the bottom and five points adrift of safety, things are looking pretty grim for the south London club. This match against the Tykes will be tough as they're in great form and pushing for automatic promotion
Charlton Athletic v Accrington Stanley @3pm - the Addicks are just above Barnsley in the table and will expect and need to win this match against midtable Accrington

National League South
Welling United v Eastbourne Borough @3pm - the Wings have lost their way of late but could force their way back into the top four if they win and results go their way

Bostik League Premier Division
Haringey Borough v Margate @3pm - the hosts' lengthy unbeaten run came to an end on Saturday with a shock defeat at relegation threatened Harlow, despite this they stayed eight points clear at the top and will look to extend their lead with a win here

Bostik League South Central
Hayes & Yeading United v Chalfont St Peter @3pm - the hosts kept up their superb run of form with a win at Tooting & Mitcham on Saturday. Not only are they top of the league but with 76 goals from 19 games they're the highest scorers in the country!

Bostik League South East
Cray Wanderers v VCD Athletic @3pm - Cray are another local side in exceptional form with only one league defeat all season. They'll look to move 13 points clear with a victory in this south-east London derby

Kent Senior Trophy Quarter-Final
Fisher v Beckenham Town @3pm - two of the SCEFL's top three meet in the latest round of this county cup. The title race is tight with only one point between the top three so this competition might be seen as a distraction

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Hadley v London Colney @3pm - Hadley moved to the top of the league with a solid 3-0 win over Harpenden on Saturday. London Colney won the title a couple of years ago but are a shadow of that side and will probably come unstuck here

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Sunday 20 January

Premier League
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur @4pm - now five points adrift of safety, things are getting pretty serious for the Cottagers. Their chances of winning against Spurs in this derby are slim but you never know...

London Senior Trophy Quarter-Final
Erith & Belvedere v Phoenix Sports Reserves @3pm - if you're not on Fulham's ticketing database then you'll struggle to get a ticket for the above so if you're really in need of a football fix then this is your alternative


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

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

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

Monday 7 January 2019

TLFG: 7-13 January 2019

Greetings one and all - Happy New Year and Happy Christmas to any Orthodox Christian readers who might be seeing this today (7 January).

I hope you all had a great festive period and were able to gorge on football just as much as food and drink.

Some of our local clubs had a great time of it, others not so much.

In the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur had the best time of it with their results meaning they are London's top ranked club. They also thrashed League Two Tranmere 7-0 on Friday to make it into the next round of the FA Cup. At the bottom it's still looking pretty grim for Fulham. Although they drew with Wolves and beat Huddersfield they've since lost to Arsenal and were then humiliated at Craven Cottage by League Two Oldham in one of the shocks of the FA Cup Third Round weekend.

In the Championship, QPR and Brentford both enjoyed an unbeaten festive period but it was lowly Millwall who stole the show by winning all four of their matches to move well clear of the relegation zone and join their divisional rivals in the hat for the fourth round of the cup too.

Charlton Athletic had a less impressive couple of weeks but managed to keep pace with the big clubs and remain in the top four. At the other end AFC Wimbledon are still rooted to the bottom but results are improving and they're still in the FA Cup too.

Leyton Orient are still top of the National League despite suffering a pretty ropey festive period. With only four points from four games, including a derby defeat at Dagenham & Redbridge and a convincing loss at home to title rivals Salford City, the east Londoners remain in pole position.

Hendon clear their lines during their derby defeat to Harrow on Boxing Day

It was great to see the return of Dulwich Hamlet to Champion Hill where sell out crowds of on or around 3,000 have packed out the ground for the three home matches since Boxing Day - a sensational amount of people for a sixth-tier club.

It was also pleasing to see the three local clubs left in the FA Vase all make it through to the last 16 on Saturday. In a cup often dominated by clubs from the north-east, the level of competition could go up considerably in the next round as the draw stops being regionalised. To find out who Abbey Rangers, Chertsey Town and Cray Valley PM get in the next round, check out the draw later today (Monday).

My festive period has been one of the best its been in a while.

Not only are the two clubs I follow doing well but I got to watch three of their games - I also took my five-year-old daughter to all three and she seemed to enjoy herself.

First up I went to the Boxing Day derby between Harrow Borough and Hendon. Usually these tend to be nailbiting thrillers or humiliating defeats but on this occasion it was, relatively speaking, a bit of a stroll with a relatively straightforward 3-1 win chalked up and a place in the top four achieved.

We then went back three days later to watch a far more open game against Kings Langley which Harrow found themselves 4-1 down in at half-time. However, they fought back strongly to 4-3 with 25 minutes to go and could and should have grabbed at least a point but it was a cracking game nonetheless.

Since last Saturday, Harrow have won two more games 5-1 away at Staines Town and 4-3 at home to Metropolitan Police to stay in fourth and become the side whose games have produced more goals than any other club in at least the top seven tiers anywhere in the country. With 106 goals in 23 league games that's an average of 4.6 per match so you know where to go for entertainment!

My third and final game of the festive season saw me make the short trip to Loftus Road to watch QPR for what I'm ashamed to say was the first time this season.

Leeds United were the visitors for an FA Cup tie and with tickets reduced to £15 I took the opportunity to take my daughter to her first QPR match.

With both teams resting a number of players, a really open and in my opinion entertaining match ensued.

Luke Freeman sees his late free-kick hit the woodwork as QPR beat Leeds in the FA Cup

The play shifted from end to end with both keepers kept in regular action and despite having more possession, Leeds were outshot by the R's and ultimately lost 2-1.

Rangers have one of if not the worst Third Round record of any club in the country so my daughter got to witness a bit of history - it's the first time we've won an FA Cup tie without needing a replay since 1997!

I've now got a week off so will be looking forward to taking in Harrow Borough's next game at Met Police on Tuesday night and possibly their trip to Beaconsfield Town on Saturday too but we'll see what happens.

Finally, thanks again to all those who have donated to TLFG's coffee drinking fund over the last few months. I really appreciate it and could well be dipping in tomorrow given it's approaching 2am again as I write this.

As always, have a great week and enjoy your football watching.


THE WEEK AHEAD
The highlights of the next few days include action in the Premier League, EFL and most of our local non-league competitions. There are also some eye-catching U23 matches and FA Trophy games.

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

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (orange pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.
Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

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

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



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



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

Monday 7 January

Premier League 2
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool @7pm - the biggest game of the day actually takes place outside London at Stevenage's ground where the U23 sides of two of the biggest clubs in the land do battle. Tickets are £5 for adults and can be bought in advance

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Tuesday 8 January

Carabao Cup Semi-Final First Leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea @8pm - with nine wins between them, two of the most successful clubs in this competition face each other for a place in next month's final at Wembley. Sadly, this match is being played at the national stadium too so the 'big final' experience is somewhat cheapened again. Both sides made smooth progress in the FA Cup over the weekend and arrive in pretty similar form so it should be close. If you are on Tottenham's database, then you can buy one of the few remaining tickets

National League
Bromley v Wrexham @745pm - if you can't make it to that then your next best option is this fifth-tier match where one of last season's FA Trophy finalists play host to one of the NL title contenders

Middlesex Senior Cup Quarter-Final
Wealdstone v Brentford B @745pm - I've regularly said how much I've wanted to see London's pro clubs enter development sides in the local county cups (as they used to do in the past) and it's been very gratifying to see Brentford join the small list of teams that have. After beating Combined Counties League side CB Hounslow United in the last round, they now travel to Grosvenor Vale for what should be a somewhat tougher test against the sixth-tier Stones

Evo-Stik League Premier Division South
Metropolitan Police v Harrow Borough @745pm - two of the division's top five meet for the second time in three days thanks to the postponement of this match earlier in the season. On Saturday the sides produced a seven-goal thriller which Harrow edged 4-3. Borough matches have now produced more goals than that of any other club in the top seven tiers so far this season - a whopping 106 which is an average of 4.6 goals per game. To their credit, the Met have also been incredibly impressive this season. Only three points behind Harrow with games in hand and having enjoyed a run to the First Round of the FA Cup where they ran giantkillers Newport County pretty close, it's been a good few months at Imber Court. Despite all this success both sides struggle to draw crowds so get yourself down to Thames Ditton on Tuesday for what will hopefully be another cracker - I fully intend to be there

Bostik League South Central
Chipstead v Hayes & Yeading United @745pm - when it comes to high scoring teams, west London seems to be the place to be as Harrow's near neighbours H&YU are leading the way when it comes to goals scored. With 71 goals from just 17 games, no-one in the top eight tiers is even close with the seemingly free-scoring Manchester City only managing 56 from their 21 league games this season. Midtable Chipstead come into this on the back of a 3-0 loss to Hayes's title rivals Bracknell and it doesn't look like getting any easier here

Thurlow Nunn League Division 1 South
Hashtag United v Wormley Rovers @745pm - Coles Park seems to be a charmed place this season with both its clubs currently topping their respective divisions. While Haringey Borough continue to impress at the top of the Bostik League, three divisions below it is Hashtag who are taking the plaudits. The side set up by YouTuber Spencer Owen are only in their first season as a competitive non-league club but they're two points clear, getting fine crowds for the tenth tier and should win this one too

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Wednesday 9 January

Checkatrade Trophy Third Round
Chelsea U21 v Peterborough United @7pm - formerly a competition reserved for League One and League Two clubs, development sides from some of the country's bigger teams now enter too. This has got many people's backs up and support for it has waned. This season's competition is now down to its last 16 clubs with Chelsea one of only three development sides left in. League One play-off contenders Peterborough might have higher priorities than this match right now so might not bring a hugely strong team but what do I know? Whatever the case, this match represents a great chance to see a match at Stamford Bridge for only £5

FA Continental Tyres Cup
This women's competition is still in its group stage at the moment. There are two games in London on Wednesday night featuring four of the top five clubs in the country with current Super League leaders Arsenal hosting fourth-placed Birmingham City at Boreham Wood and last season's double winners Chelsea taking on Reading at AFC Wimbledon - both games kick-off at 730pm

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Friday 11 January

Professional Development League

Watford v Colchester United @3pm - end your week/start your weekend with a trip to Summers Lane where the Hornets take on the U's at Wingate & Finchley's ground

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Saturday 12 January

Premier League
West Ham United v Arsenal @1230pm - the day's top-flight action gets underway at lunchtime with this intriguing derby at the London Stadium. On paper the Gunners should win but I always think West Ham have a chance and will rattle the north London outfit. I don't know why I think this as their recent record against Arsenal is dismal with only one win from their last 23 meetings in all competitions. A lot will depend on how 'up for it' West Ham striker Marko Arnautovic is and whether he's fit - on his day he can be an incredible threat to any defence
Crystal Palace v Watford @3pm - next up we have another derby but this time way down in SE25. Both sides saw off lower league opposition in the FA Cup over the weekend and return to the bread and butter of league football here. Palace have only lost one of their last five, a run which includes that spectacular away win at Manchester City, to move six points clear of the relegation zone. Watford are on a similar run of form and have been better overall this season so should start as marginal favourites
Chelsea v Newcastle United @530pm - the day is brought to a close with this teatime game at Stamford Bridge where former Blues boss Rafael Benitez pays a visit with his Magpies team. Although fighting to avoid the drop, they have one of the best away records of any side in the bottom half with only three defeats from 10 games this season. Chelsea have at times struggled to break teams down (they are the lowest scorers in the top six) so this could be a bit of a grind


Championship
Brentford v Stoke City @3pm - following the departure of manager Dean Smith to Aston Villa, the Bees' fortunes declined rapidly but it seems new boss Thomas Frank is gradually shoring things up and they are now unbeaten in five. The Potters ended their 10-year-stay in the Premier League in May and seem to be struggling to adapt to life back in the second tier. Four games without a win, including a draw at Shrewsbury in the FA Cup has put manager Gary Rowett under some pressure so to say they need a win would be an understatement
Millwall v Blackburn Rovers @530pm - the Lions were struggling going into Christmas but have had the festive period of dreams with four wins out of four in the league and cup. As a result they are now six points clear of the relegation zone and in the hat for the Fourth Round of the FA Cup - good times! Rovers are in midtable and showing signs of emerging from a recent bad run with a win over West Brom and a draw at Newcastle in the cup

FA Trophy Second Round
This competition for clubs in the fifth to eighth tiers with its final at Wembley in May is down to its last 32. There are two ties in London on Saturday with National League Barnet entertaining Dorchester Town from two levels below them and Bostik League Carshalton Athletic are also at home to Salisbury. The winners of each tie will get to bank a cheque for £7,000.

National League South
Dartford v St Albans City @3pm - unbeaten in five, City have surged up the table in recent weeks and sit just one point and one place outside the play-off zone. Their latest win took them above the Darts who have fallen out of the top seven after winning only two of their last five
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Dulwich Hamlet @3pm - these two TLFG sides both made it to play-off finals last season so are used to winning. This season has been a bit of a shock to the system with Hampton unable to recapture their form under new boss Gary McCann and the Hamlet finding the step up to this level something of a challenge. Both are keeping their heads above water and should avoid the drop but with only one win between them in their last five games, they're not out of the woods yet

Evo-Stik League Premier Division South
Metropoliatan Police v Hendon @3pm - if it goes really well for the Met against Harrow on Tuesday, they could come into this game as the top London club in this league. Hendon were right up there among the title contenders earlier in the season but they've lost their way of late and are now down in tenth and will struggle to make the play-offs if they don't start putting some wins together soon

Bostik League South Central
Tooting & Mitcham United v Hayes & Yeading United @3pm - I've said all I need to say about H&YU above so you'll know by now that the Terrors have a tough afternoon coming up. However, Tooting aren't doing too badly themselves at the moment with a five-game unbeaten run lifting them into the top seven. Although firmly in contention for a play-off spot, they would appear to be still some way off the levels achieved by their west London opponents and could see that run end here

Combined Counties League Premier Division
Hanworth Villa v Chertsey Town @3pm - the visitors continue to be the team to watch at this level. With only one league defeat they currently top the division and only saw Sutton Common draw level with them on Saturday because they were busy making it through to the last 16 of the FA Vase. Hanworth are having a disappointing season and should be beaten here

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Hadley v Harpenden Town @3pm - another team to keep your eye on in the ninth tier are Hadley who could go top of the SSML if they see off struggling Harpenden

Southern Counties East League Division 1
Welling Town v Stansfeld @3pm - the Boots are new to this level but have pretty much led from the off. With only three defeats this season they are currently seven points clear. The visitors are having a reasonable season down in seventh but pretty much represent the best of the rest such is the buffer between them and the top clubs

Thurlow Nunn League Division 1 South
Hashtag United v Frenford @3pm - in a very similar match to the one above, first plays seventh. Unlike midweek, Hashtag's opponents are from the London area so there should be a bigger crowd

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Sunday 13 January

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United @430pm - the biggest match of the week is saved until last when two Titans of the top flight go head-to-head at Wembley in a game that could be pivotal to both their seasons. With their eyes still just about on the title, Spurs really must win this or they could end the weekend nine points off the pace. For United, back in sixth, their hopes of a top-four finish could effectively be ended with a loss too. If you are on Tottenham's database then you'll be able to get a ticket for this pretty easily as they're opening up the whole stadium and there appear to be plenty left

Premier League 2
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur @12pm - if you're going to the game above then you could easily combine it with this U23 game earlier in the day. It's being played at Dagenham & Redbridge which is a bit of a schlep from Wembley but you'll still have more than enough time to make it between the two

FA Women's Super League
Arsenal v Chelsea @1230pm - if you can't be bothered going all the way over to Dagenham then this blockbuster women's game at Boreham Wood is much closer to Wembley and again you'll have ample time to get between the two. This match should be more than worth watching on its own and should provide a great introduction to women's football if you never been to a game before


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