Sunday 19 December 2021

TLFG: 20 December 2021 - 2 January 2022

Season's greetings one and all and welcome to the Christmas and New Year edition of The London Football Guide.

As usual, this piece covers the next two weeks and is jam-packed with game info.

However, with Covid causing numerous postponements this week and no doubt leading to many more between now and the end of the year, I've taken the decision not to invest hours of my time doing a 'TLFG Daily Digest' as much of it could go by the wayside.

If it doesn't, all you really need to know is that there's lots of great games to choose from - at non-league level, many games are local derbies.

Traditionally, Boxing Day has been the big day for festive football and there are some pretty big games but this year a large chunk of the action has been carried over to Monday 27 December as it's been made a bank holiday.

Games in the ECL Division 1 South and Combined Counties League start as early as 11am and 1130am respectively, there are 3pm matches in most other leagues and then QPR finish everything off with their 530pm kick-off against AFC Bournemouth - so you can easily see two or possibly even three matches at a push.

The only plan I have is to be at the derby between Harrow Borough and Hendon on the 27th but it could fall through so who knows where I'll end up.

Earlier this week I got a call from BBC journalist Helen Price who was researching a piece on the effect of Covid on non-league clubs.

She put together the following short feature for BBC London which included a very positive visit to Walthamstow.

As it's the end of the year, I'll leave you with my three personal highlights of 2021.

They are:

1) Being crowned QPR Supporter of the Year - something I could only possibly have achieved during a pandemic shutdown of football!

2) Seeing my daughter take up football, win her first match and score her first goal

3) Going to Fratton Park to watch Harrow Borough take on and only narrowly lose 1-0 to Portsmouth in the FA Cup 

I'd be interested to hear what yours are.

Lastly, thanks as always to you all dear readers for sticking with me - your kind words, contributions and donations keep me going. 

It's also been great to meet an increasing number of you at games.

Anyway, have a great couple of weeks and see you all in 2022.


THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next couple of weeks include games in the Premier League, EFL, National League, most of our local non-league competitions too. 

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

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

20-25 DECEMBER MATCH MAP
Monday fixtures - yellow pin
Tuesday fixtures - green pin
Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin
Thursday fixtures - purple pin




BOXING DAY MATCH MAP
Sunday fixtures - orange pin




27-31 DECEMBER MATCH MAP
Monday fixtures - yellow pin
Tuesday fixtures - green pin
Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin



1-2 JANUARY MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin



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

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

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

Sunday 12 December 2021

TLFG: 13-19 December 2021

Wow it's Sunday again and another week has raced by and in just over two weeks another year will have gone by too.

The last few days have been all about youth football for me.

On Wednesday I went to Loftus Road to watch QPR U18s enjoy a 2-1 win over Oldham Athletic in the Third Round of the FA Youth Cup.

The game was close, the goals of a very high standard and the young crowd lively - all for the princely sum of £3 which you really can't complain about.

They now travel to AFC Bournemouth in the next round.

On Saturday morning my daughter returned to action with Actonians U9s and scored only the second goal of her fledgling career during a 6-0 derby win over Acton & Ealing Whistlers in the Capital Girls League.

My eldest daughter celebrates after netting her second of the season

I managed to capture the moment of celebration in a photo which was a great bonus.

After her final training session of the year on Monday, she's booked in for a futsal taster session on Tuesday so we'll see whether she likes it and whether it's something else that might be worth pursuing.

Her coach at Actonians hails from Italy, is a big fan of that form of the game and recommended that she give it a go to improve her technique so we'll see.

Next up we're lucky to have another piece from American groundhopper Marc Derks who gave us his thoughts on Craven Cottage a few weeks ago.

This week he's done a composite piece reflecting on his visits to the Emirates Stadium, London Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Wembley:

Even casual followers of football in the US are aware of the backlash here in London to the age of the mega-ground, or the NFL-style football stadium.  Having grown up around mega-stadiums in the US–ten are larger than Wembley and a whopping 70 are larger than Tottenham Hotspur–the controversy was a bit confusing.  What was the big deal?  Actual fans and closer observers worried about the loss of history, of tradition, and of atmosphere that simply oozes from the old grounds around London, including those being abandoned in Wembley, White Hart Lane, and Upton Park.  Would the new grounds provide the proper home for a great football experience?

Not surprisingly, of the ten largest stadiums in the UK, four are in London.  Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, England and the FA’s Wembley, West Ham’s London Stadium, and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium all fit comfortably in the mega-ground category with capacities north of 60,000.  Elsewhere in the UK, Old Trafford and Celtic Park are among the largest predominantly football stadiums and three rugby union stadiums barge into the top ten in attendance.  

With my Thursday night trip to the Emirates, the current fourth largest in England and largest in London when it opened with a capacity of 60,260, I’ve managed to visit all of the stadiums that exactly no one else calls “London’s Big Four.”  The mega-stadium movement in London almost didn’t start, as Emirates was nearly a victim of the global financial crisis.  Arsenal began their ill-timed relocation in 2002. With some timely intervention by Emirates Airlines, the entire stadium project was completed in 2006 at a cost of £390 million.  

My impression of the Emirates is that it does little to assuage the fears of those longing for a traditional experience.  The stadium is cut off from the surrounding neighborhood by a surrounding fence and isolated by railroad tracks.  The concourse seems to be a cross between the worst of both worlds, combining the low ceilings and fluorescent lights of an old soccer ground and the unremarkable (if not downright bad) food and indifferent branding of an NFL stadium. While the curves of the stands are architecturally beautiful, the distance between the pitch and the low rise of the seats in the lower bowl make for some challenging sight lines.  It probably didn’t help my impression that Tobin Heath didn’t make the 18 and that Barcelona ran rampant over the Arsenal Women.  At least they had Camden Brewery on tap and there were plenty of restrooms.

A couple months back, my first visit to a mega-stadium in London was a literal bucket list stop.  Opened in 2007 on the site of the original Wembley Stadium, new Wembley’s 90,000 capacity stands quickly surpassed the Emirates as not only the largest in London, but the largest stadium in the UK and the second-largest stadium in Europe. From central London, Wembley is kind of a haul to get to, requiring a regional train ride, but the walk from the train station up to the stadium makes the trip worthwhile.  As you exit the train station, you are greeted with the view of a wide boulevard, closed off to traffic, with thousands of England supporters making their way to cheer on the Three Lions.  It is an epic sight in the truest sense of the word.  

Wembley provides great sight lines notwithstanding its size and the England supporters make for a good atmosphere for a national team game.  It did not escape me that the crowd continued to make noise (inexplicably singing “My Country ‘Tis of Thee”?!?) in a 4-0 rout of mostly hapless Andorra.  The decor is minimal and the feeling of the interior is pretty industrial.  There’s not much attention to the rich history of the FA or reference to Old Wembley, which is a missed opportunity.  And sadly, the food and beer choices were disappointing especially given the size of the crowd and the stadium.  

European nights are a UK phenomenon unequalled in the US.  And especially for teams in the Europa Cup vice the full Champions League, they can be a good opportunity to snag a seat at a normally sold-out stadium.  That’s how I first got to visit West Ham’s London Stadium as the Hammers took on a team from Belgium in the Europa League group stage.  The stadium began life as Olympic Stadium with construction officially starting in 2008. Holding 80,000 for the Olympics and the Paralympics, it re-opened in July 2016 with 66,000 seats, but with capacity for football limited to 60,000 (soon to be 62,500).

Having followed the weird dance with the UK Olympic Committee, Tottenham Hotspur, and Leyton Orient, West Ham’s move to London Stadium was met with some criticism from hardcore fans and casual observers for leaving Upton Park and its neighborhood location and history.  Like Wembley, London Stadium is unusual for a soccer stadium (but unremarkable for an American) in that it is set well away from any residential development sitting as it does in the former Olympic Park.  Approaching at night, it is an impressive sight, but reminds one of a US-style American football stadium much more than a typical English ground.  It’s not close to much of anything and like Wembley, a regional train is the best option from central London.

Inside, however, West Ham has done with London Stadium what the FA has failed to do with Wembley.  Sensitive to the criticism, the club has packed the stadium with images, pictures, and slogans from the Hammers’ 125-year history.  Needless to say, the tiny bubbles made the move to the new home as well, greeting the team and each goal as the crowd serenades with the traditional tune. There’s a strong variety of food and drink well placed around the concourse and the goal line seating has been moved and pushed up against the pitch with no sign of the Olympic track that once ringed the field.  There is a significant distance between the supporters and the touch line, but the steep rake of the stands helps a great deal.  The supporters have done their part in response and the crowd is lively and vocal.

It may be, though, that the newest one has done it the best.  Taking the best lessons of West Ham’s work one step further, Tottenham Hotspur‎ built its shiny new 2016 home on the residential site of White Hart Lane.  Consequently, the 61,104 seater rises up suddenly from the area’s high street and is flanked by residences all around.  It’s a pleasant walk from the Tube or you can switch to a regional train for a one-stop ride and a much shorter walk.  Remnants of the White Hart Lane ground provide a link to the past, with some gates preserved outside the stadium and an entire building of offices from the original carefully built around inside.  Tottenham imagery is everywhere and while I couldn’t find Clint Dempsey, I did glimpse a picture of a young man who would go on to manage the US Men’s National Team, Juergen Klinsmann.

Tottenham sought to make the stadium a destination as well, with Europe’s longest bar, the Touch Line, at one end of the concourse with interesting food choices all around.  Thoughtfully, the pristine grass pitch can be rolled away to reveal astroturf underneath, meaning that American football games won’t do American football damage to the carefully maintained Premier League grass.  Moreover, the stadium stays open after the matches and friends can gather to share a pint and a pie and discuss the game.  I did just that after an entertaining win over Vitesse in Antonio Conte’s first game at the helm of Spurs.

Having been to both Allianz Arena in Munich and Old Trafford in Manchester, I had observed first hand the “corporate fan experience” that is dominant in global clubs.  The supporter experience suffers with fewer attendees who know the songs and the history of the rivalries and clubs.  This worry undoubtedly added to the typical Londoner’s skepticism for these huge stadiums.  The newer mega-stadiums in London have done an admirable job of avoiding that, with great success at West Ham and Tottenham linking the clubs and the grounds to the past and providing an old-style atmosphere in a new-style stadium.

Thanks a lot to Marc for making the effort to write up and share his thoughts.

Of the four, do you have a favourite?

I have been to events at all of them but have only seen athletics at London Stadium and it's hard to disagree with most of what Marc says.

The THS is an impressive sight

The THS is the newest and most impressive in my opinion and I haven't yet met anyone who disagrees - its big let down is its location, in terms of proximity to public transport.

Yes, there are Overground stations nearby but the service is infrequent and the queues can be long.

The Tube from Seven Sisters is much more efficient but is a long walk, especially when compared to other London grounds like Arsenal or Chelsea which pretty much have their own Tube stops.

I also quite like Wembley but food and drink prices are bad and the service slow vis-a-vis Tottenham which wins hands down on that count.

I guess I'd have the Emirates and London Stadium somewhere in between.

Lastly from me, many thanks this week to regular reader William B from London for donating to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund. I really really appreciate it.

Have a great week everyone.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include games in the Premier League, EFL, FA Trophy, National League, most of our local non-league competitions and the Women's Super League 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 - turquoise pin
Thursday fixtures - purple pin
Friday fixtures - black pin



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





TLFG DAILY DIGEST
In the following section, I list, 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 13 December

Essex Senior Cup Third Round
Aveley v Barking @745pm - the week's action begins at Parkside where we're down to the last 32 in this county cup. Both sides play in the eighth tier Isthmian North but with the hosts fourth from top and the visitors fourth from bottom, the smart money would appear to be on the Millers

Development and Youth matches
After receiving quite a bit of interest in recent weeks, I've had the time to hunt around and find a load of fixtures at this level for the whole week. However, it's been hard to verify all the details so double-check absolutely everything before you travel

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Tuesday 14 December

Premier League
Brentford v Manchester United @730pm - games like this are what being in the Premier League is all about and they don't come around too often for Bees fans - the last time they hosted the Red Devils at Griffin Park was in 1947 and it ended in a goalless draw. Their win over Watford on Friday lifted them back into the top half and will give them renewed confidence of getting something from this one. Tickets are not available to non-members MATCH OFF

Southern League Premier South
Hayes & Yeading United v Truro City @745pm - after a blistering start, H&YU made it look like the title was theirs to lose. However, recent defeats against Kings Langley, Metropolitan Police and Walton Casuals have reduced them to being simply strong contenders. They still have games in hand, like this one, which if won would put them top but that now looks like more of a challenge than it did a few weeks ago. Cornish side Truro have a ridiculously long journey to undertake for a Tuesday and aren't the side they were a couple of years ago. It should be a home win, but I'm not quite so sure any more

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Wednesday 15 December

Premier League
Arsenal v West Ham United @8pm - the Gunners enjoyed a solid 3-0 win over Southampton on Saturday to move back into the top six. Next up they face what should hopefully be a very entertaining derby against the Hammers who sit just above them in fourth. Arsenal are unbeaten in four against West Ham and haven't lost to them at home since 2015.  Tickets are not available to non-members
Crystal Palace v Southampton @730pm - there's an important game at Selhurst Park featuring teams towards the other end of the table. The sides have managed only two wins between them over the course of their last five games so three points here would be big for either of them. The Saints have won on three of their last four visits so it's a happy hunting ground for them. Tickets are not available to non-members

Premier League Cup
QPR v Middlesbrough @1pm - if you're at a loose end on Wednesday lunchtime, then get yourself over to Wealdstone's ground in Ruislip for this U23 match. We're still at the group stage of this competition with these sides the top two in Group B. Tickets are usually £5 on the gate. MATCH OFF

Isthmian League Premier
Kingstonian v East Thurrock United @745pm - the K's were top of the league a couple of months ago but have lost their way a bit since then. Worthing are now clear in first but things are tight among the chasing pack. The south-west London club have games in hand on all of those above them which if won would put them back in second. ETU are struggling this season so you'd expect the points to stay in Tolworth

FA Women's League Cup
West Ham United v Brighton & Hove Albion @730pm - Hope Powell's Seagulls team, alongside Spurs, have been one of the Super League's breakthrough sides so far this season, as the injury-ravaged Manchester City have struggled. A much-improved Hammers side are seventh so this could be a good one. They're also the top two in Group E and should view themselves as potential winners of this competition. Hopefully they'll field strong sides for a match which will be played at Dagenham & Redbridge

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Thursday 16 December

Premier League
Chelsea v Everton @745pm - after leading the Premier League for a good chunk of the season, the Blues are having their 'wobble', only winning three of their last five. Their 3-2 win over Leeds on Saturday was, by all accounts, unconvincing. Much has been made of Everton's poor recent form but beating Arsenal last week must have been a great boost for them. However, Stamford Bridge is not a lucky ground for them - their last win was in 1994, 32 games ago. Only hospitality packages are available

FA Youth Cup Third Round
Tottenham Hotspur v Ipswich Town @7pm - the final Third Round tie of the country's top U18 cup competition takes place a little to the north of London at Stevenage's ground. The winners will host West Brom or Rotherham in the next round
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Friday 17 December

Premier League 2
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur @7pm - begin your weekend with a North London Derby at Boreham Wood's ground. Currently third and second in the PL2 table, this U23 fixture looks pretty mouthwatering. To top it all, admission to U23 games at Meadow Park is usually free but check all the details in advance just in case anything special is in place for a match like this MATCH OFF

Essex Senior League
Woodford Town v Enfield @745pm - your non-league option of the night takes place on the north-eastern side of town. Both sides are bobbing around in midtable but when it comes to average attendance, they're both in the title race. With average crowds of 431 and 261 respectively, you should be able to expect a sizeable crowd for this ninth-tier match
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Saturday 18 December

Premier League
Watford v Crystal Palace @3pm - it's a big week for both of these clubs as they play sides in the lower reaches of the table. If they both win in midweek and one of them wins here, things will look a lot rosier. The last-minute defeat to Brentford on Friday was a big blow to the Hornets and by the end of this weekend, they were left teetering just above the bottom three. One of the best things about Watford being in the Premier League is that non-members can usually get tickets MATCH OFF
West Ham United v Norwich City @3pm - if the Hammers beat Arsenal on Wednesday then the odds on them finishing in the top four will surely shorten that little bit more. David Moyes has done a fantastic job since returning to the club and in their kind of form, a home win against struggling Norwich should be almost certain. However, the Canaries have improved markedly under new boss Dean Smith and were unlucky to lose to Manchester United on Saturday. If they beat his old club Villa on Tuesday, then they could move out of the bottom three with a point here - something that seemed unthinkable a few weeks ago. Tickets are available MATCH OFF

Championship
Millwall v Preston North End @3pm - with only one win from five games, the Lions have lost ground in the race for the play-offs and are now five points behind sixth-placed Stoke. PNE are a couple of points further back and coasting in midtable. With seven points from their last five, the Lancashire club are in better form and will be keen to avoid a fifth consecutive defeat against the London club. Tickets are available MATCH OFF
QPR v Swansea City @3pm - having seen their televised match at Sheffield United postponed because of a Covid outbreak, the R's will still come into this as a top-six club. Despite having a highly-rated young manager in Russell Martin, Swansea are down in 16th after losing heavily at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday. With the club offering a 'Kids for a Quid' promotion and a festive family fun zone on South Africa Road near the stadium, this could be a good option if you've got children in tow. Tickets are available MATCH OFF

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Portsmouth @3pm - two former FA Cup winners clash at Plough Lane in this enticing third-tier fixture. The Dons are unbeaten in four and could do with a win to increase the gap between themselves and the relegation zone which is currently a reasonable six points. Pompey have improved a lot in recent weeks, since beating Harrow Borough, and are now only a point off the play-off places. Tickets are scarce but check with the club for the latest availability MATCH OFF

League Two
Sutton United v Harrogate Town @3pm - the U's disappointingly drew 2-2 at Bradford on Saturday after conceding a late equaliser against a side who had played most of the match with 10 men. The result means they're still in the top six, a position I'm sure most fans would've snapped your hand off for ahead of the season's start. Former non-league opponents Harrogate are the next to visit Gander Green Lane and, although 10th, could break into the play-off places with a win such is the tightness of the table. Tickets are available

FA Trophy Third Round
The knockout competition for clubs in the fifth to eighth tiers, with its final at Wembley, is down to 64 clubs. At this stage, all the biggest clubs from the National League enter the draw. There are only two ties in London but they look good
 
Barnet v Boreham Wood @3pm - these two local rivals from north London are going to be pretty sick of seeing each other soon. They recently played each other in the FA Cup, they have this game and then play home and away league fixtures against each other over the festive period. That most recent meeting in the FA Cup ended in a 1-0 win for The Wood at The Hive and given their current form, they should be favourites to take the honours again
Cray Wanderers v Dartford @3pm - seventh tier Cray, London's oldest club, are having an underwhelming campaign in the Isthmian League but pulled off a big shock in the last round by beating Dartford's National League South title rivals Ebbsfleet on penalties. The Darts finally slipped off their perch at the top of the NLS after being hammered 4-0 by county rivals Maidstone on Saturday. It would be another big shock if Wanderers do win but they're clearly quite capable

Southern League Premier South
Hayes & Yeading United v Harrow Borough @3pm - the game of the day in the seventh tier is this local derby on the west side of town. Both sides have a hit a bit of an unpredictable patch so this could go either way. The clubs didn't get a chance to play last season because of Covid but the previous year, Harrow won both games 3-2 so hopefully we'll get a few more goals here MATCH OFF

Isthmian League South East
Cray Valley PM v Lancing @3pm - there aren't any obvious humdingers in the eighth tier so go and give CVPM your support if you're in south-east London. There aren't too many clubs from the capital in this division but they're top and need a win to keep the likes of Ashford United, Ramsgate and Hastings United from catching them. Lancing are in the bottom three and should be beaten

CCL Premier South
Beckenham Town v Badshot Lea @3pm - the visitors took part in our featured ninth-tier game last week as they travelled to leaders Walton & Hersham and fought out a thrilling 3-3 draw. It saw them end the weekend in third just a point and place ahead of the Becks. Badshot have another game before this which if won would put them up to second in the table MATCH OFF

SCEFL Division 1
Bridon Ropes v Sutton Athletic @3pm - two of the top four lock horns for what should be an exciting clash at Meridian Sports & Social Club in Charlton. Both sides had disappointing weekends with Bridon Ropes surprisingly losing 3-2 to Westside whilst Sutton came unstuck at promotion rivals Tooting Bec. Only two points separate the top four so a win for either could see them go top

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Sunday 19 December

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool @430pm - Spurs have seen their last two matches postponed because of a Covid outbreak among their squad. Hopefully it will clear up in time for this one. Two of the biggest clubs in England, matches between them are usually a great occasion. Saying that, Liverpool have totally dominated over the years. The Reds have won seven in a row against Tottenham and have lost only one of the last 19. Although new boss Antonio Conte has made them much tougher to beat, Spurs will do well to get much more than a point. Tickets are not available to non-members

FA Women's Super League
Arsenal v Brighton & Hove Albion @645pm - the match of the weekend sees first play fourth in a televised game at Boreham Wood's ground. The Gunners took a significant four-point lead at the top after seeing challengers Chelsea surprisingly lose 1-0 at Reading on Saturday before beating Leicester 4-0 themselves. Brighton suffered a disappointing 2-0 loss at home to Manchester United on Sunday to slip to fourth but should pose Arsenal a tougher challenge than the Foxes. Tickets are available
Chelsea v West Ham United @1215pm - earlier in the day, the Blues have this derby at Kingsmeadow. After their dominant FA Cup Final performance against Arsenal last weekend, few would have predicted them losing at Reading who were ninth coming into the game. In such a tight title race, every point counts so this was a real blow to Emma Hayes's side. The Hammers drew at Everton to end the weekend in seventh. Normally I would confidently predict a home win but that Reading match has given me doubts. Tickets are available MATCH OFF
Tottenham Hotspur v Everton @2pm - Spurs brought their winless run to an end with a very useful 2-1 victory at Aston Villa on Sunday evening. The result sees them climb above Brighton back into third which, realistically, is probably as high as they will go. The rest of the season will probably be spent battling the Seagulls, Manchester United and a resurgent Manchester City in trying to keep third spot, in a mini-league of their own. The Toffees are unbeaten in three but still look unlikely to make much of an impression on the top half by the end of the season. Tickets are available


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 6 December 2021

TLFG: 6-12 December 2021

Greetings one and all.

I'm going to keep this brief as I've had a long weekend and have gone over time writing this week's piece.

My football week was all about going to Wembley for the Covid-delayed 2020-21 Women's FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Chelsea.

Currently first and second and seemingly way better than everyone else in the Super League, a great contest looked to be on the cards.

Sadly that never really materialised as Fran Kirby's early goal set the tone for a comprehensive 3-0 win for the Blues which rarely looked in doubt.

Hampton & Richmond Borough are offering FREE ENTRY on Tuesday 
if you register in advance

A record attendance in the competition's 50th year also looked likely but fell about 5,000 short as the rumoured 48,000 ticket sales only translated into an eventual crowd of 40,942 as people fell by the wayside for various reasons. I had a few in my group who contracted Covid or had very unfortunately suffered bereavements at short notice.

Nonetheless, it was a fun afternoon as always and tickets are already on sale for this season's final on 15 May - I fully intend to go back for more.

Lastly from me, many thanks this week to regular reader Kelvin W from London for donating to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund. I really really appreciate it.

Have a great week everyone.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include games in the Europa League, Europa Conference League, Premier League, EFL, FA Cup, National League, most of our local non-league competitions and the Women's Champions League 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 - turquoise pin
Thursday fixtures - purple pin
Friday fixtures - black pin



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





TLFG DAILY DIGEST
In the following section, I list, 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 6 December

FA Cup Second Round
Boreham Wood v St Albans City @745pm - the Second Round concludes with this big Hertfordshire derby. Sadly for neutrals, it's already sold out but it is being shown live on ITV4. The Wood are currently second in the National League, a level above St Albans so they will start as favourites. The hosts made it to the Third Round for the first time last season where they lost to Millwall but it would be new territory for the visitors who have fallen at this stage several times in the past

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Tuesday 7 December

Professional Development League
QPR v Swansea City @130pm - the day's action begins at the R's training ground in Harlington. These two are currently battling to avoid the wooden spoon in the southern half of this U23 league. Entry to matches at this venue are usually free but check on the day to be sure

League One
Charlton Athletic v Ipswich Town @7pm - two former top-flight teams meet at The Valley for what is now a midtable third-tier game. The fact that Ipswich aren't challenging for the title saw manager Paul Cook sacked on Saturday evening after a disappointing draw with Barrow in the FA Cup. The Addicks have improved greatly under Johnnie Jackson and made smooth progress in the cup on Friday at Gateshead. On current form, you'd have to fancy the hosts. Tickets are available

League Two
Leyton Orient v Swindon Town @745pm - the O's demolished Tranmere 4-0 in the FA Cup on Saturday whilst Swindon won 2-1 at Walsall. The two are both in the top eight in the league and looking to push on - the visitors could go second with a win. The Wiltshire club are unbeaten in three against Orient with bookies offering 5/2 on an away win. Tickets are available

National League South
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Braintree Town @745pm - the deal of the week is to be found at the Cleo Saul Beveree where the hosts are generously offering FREE ENTRY to all as long as you register in advance. If Hampton win this rearranged match against one of the division's strugglers, they will move into the play-off places

Isthmian League Premier
Haringey Borough v Worthing @745pm - there are several good games in the seventh tier on Tuesday but none that really stand out. I've gone for this because it features one of the league leaders at this level - Worthing. The Sussex club are currently five points clear at the top and will hope to see that extended to eight at Coles Park

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Wednesday 8 December

Uefa Women's Champions League
Chelsea v Juventus @8pm - the highlight of the night is this women's match at Kingsmeadow. Fresh from their comprehensive FA Cup Final win over Arsenal on Sunday, the Blues need to refocus almost immediately for this eye-catching European game. Currently top of Group A and unbeaten after four matches, Chelsea will win the group if they defeat their Italian opponents. Tickets are available from £9

FA Youth Cup Third Round
QPR v Oldham Athletic @7pm - the country's most prestigious U18 competition has reached the Third Round where all the Premier League and Championship sides' academy teams join the draw. The R's have been handed a home tie against the Latics which will be played at Loftus Road. Tickets are £3 on the gate
Sutton United v Preston North End @7pm - having seen off Gillingham and Stevenage, the U's next welcome Lancashire club PNE to Gander Green Lane. Tickets are £5 on the gate

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Thursday 9 December

Uefa Europa League
West Ham United v Dinamo Zagreb @8pm - after the high of beating Chelsea to keep their place in the Premier League's top four, the Hammers must now get themselves up for this final group match against Croatian outfit Dinamo, knowing that they've already secured top spot. Expect quite a bit of squad rotation. Tickets are available

Uefa Europa Conference League
Tottenham Hotspur v Stade Rennais @8pm - despite being one of the biggest sides in the competition, Spurs go into this final group game needing a win by a healthy margin to make absolutely certain of finishing second. Their French opponents have already won the group so they might make a few changes and give Tottenham a chance. Tickets are available 

Uefa Women's Champions League
Arsenal v Barcelona @7pm - our trio of top European matches is completed by this fixture at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners were poor against Chelsea in the women's cup final on Sunday and got thrashed 4-1 by the Catalan giants in the reverse fixture two months ago so it looks like being a tough evening. A draw against the reigning European champions will be enough for Arsenal to make sure of a second-place finish. Tickets are available 

FA Youth Cup Third Round
Bromley v Reading @745pm - the Ravens are one of only two non-league clubs to make it to this point in the competition - with only 64 teams remaining in total, that's quite an achievement. They made it to this round last season too but lost to Swindon. A win against the Royals would be their best ever performance. Tickets are £3 and can be bought in advance

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Friday 10 December

Premier League
Brentford v Watford @8pm - the Bees have had a mixed week which has seen them win, lose and draw. Four points from three Premier League games isn't a bad return for a newly promoted club but they'll be very disappointed to have conceded late on at Leeds on Sunday to drop two points. Despite that, they're sitting nicely enough in 12th which I'm sure their fans are pretty happy with. After their headline-grabbing win against Manchester United a couple of weeks ago, things have gone downhill for the Hornets with three defeats on the trot. I mentioned last week how they've been on a very tough run of fixtures so this is their chance to have a crack at one of the division's less stellar sides. Brentford's record against Watford is pretty terrible with last season's victory being their first since 1977. Tickets are not available

Essex Senior League
West Essex v Clapton @745pm - your non-league option of the night takes place on the north-eastern side of town at Wadham Lodge. With both sides in the bottom half, it's not a hugely notable fixture but it should be competitive. Please note - Clapton are not the same club as Clapton CFC who also play their home games at this ground
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Saturday 11 December

Premier League
Arsenal v Southampton @3pm - there are three Premier League games in the capital this weekend and none of them are big box office material. The Gunners have a match on Monday against a hapless Everton side which they should win to go back up to fifth, just a point adrift of the Champions League places. The Saints are winless in four and down in 15th and don't look like get anything here. Arsenal are unbeaten in 26 games at home league games against them. Tickets are only available to members
Chelsea v Leeds United @3pm - given the Blues are third and Leeds 14th, you'd have to say this looks like a pretty certain home win and the bookies agree with odds of 1/3. Despite this, the atmosphere generated by two of the "liveliest" sets of fans in the top tier should make things a bit more interesting. Games between the two in recent years have been few and far between but it's the London club who've dominated since Leeds' last win in 2002. Tickets are not available

League One
Charlton Athletic v Cambridge United @3pm - neck-and-neck on level points in midtable, these two couldn't be much closer. Cambridge enjoyed promotion last season but with one win from their last five league games, they're on a bit of a slide. The Addicks are moving in the other direction and I feel that that momentum will carry them through. Tickets are available

League Two
Leyton Orient v Crawley Town @3pm - the O's could be back in the play-off places by the time this comes round and feeling confident of another three points. Crawley are a little too close to the bottom clubs for their liking so really need to pick up something here. Tickets are available

National League
Wealdstone v FC Halifax Town @3pm - the Stones' loss at title-chasing Bromley on Saturday left them seven points clear of the relegation zone. However, with clubs below them having games in hand, that cushion might be a little misleading and some more points soon would be very handy. In Halifax, they face another one of the division's top five so it could be a challenging afternoon. Tickets are available

Southern League Premier South
Harrow Borough v Chesham United @3pm - no real standout games in the seventh tier this week but by Saturday this could be a battle of two sides in the top six. For that to happen, Harrow would have to at least win the reverse fixture at Amy Lane when the sides also play on Tuesday night in a rearranged game from earlier in the season

Isthmian League South Central
Hanwell Town v Basingstoke Town @3pm - the Geordies welcome former National League South club Basingstoke to the Powerday Stadium for what should be a well contested and well-attended game. Hanwell are seventh but have two games in hand on second-placed Basingstoke which if won would put them ahead of them on goal difference - therefore this is potentially a clash of two of the top three

FA Vase Third Round
This national knockout competition primarily for clubs in the ninth and 10th tiers with its final at Wembley is down to its last 64 clubs. The draw is still regionalised at this stage with five ties taking place in London over the weekend

Abbey Rangers v Athletic Newham @3pm - both sides are in similar positions in the parallel Combined Counties and Essex Senior Leagues in that they have games in hand which could put them second if won. Both sides are also pretty new to senior football with this being the hosts' seventh season in the competition and only Newham's second. Rangers notably made it to the Fifth Round in 2019 before losing to the eventual runners-up Cray Valley PM - I think they'll just about have enough to win
Glebe v Beckenham Town @3pm - after squeaking past CCL leaders Hanworth Villa in the last round, the hosts should fancy their chances against another one of the top CCL clubs. Both currently third in their respective leagues and playing not too far apart in south-east London, this tie has a lot going for it
Buckhurst Hill v Wroxham @3pm - tenth tier Buckhurst Hill are making their debut in the Vase this season and are doing incredibly well. Currently top of the ECL Division 1 South, the Essex club should be able to give Wroxham, from the division above, a really tough afternoon and a cupset is a real possibility
London Lions v New Salamis @3pm - there's a similar scenario at Rowley Lane where the CCL Division 1 leaders host one of the top clubs from the level above. It's also a north London derby so it has a lot of potential too

CCL Premier South
Walton & Hersham v Badshot Lea @3pm - if for some reason the thrills and spills of the FA Vase aren't for you, then head south-west for the match of the week in the ninth tier where the top two meet for what should be a cracker

SCEFL Division 1
Tooting Bec v Sutton Athletic @3pm - two of the top four lock horns for what should be an exciting clash at Imperial Fields. With leaders Stansfeld in Vase action, a win could put Sutton Athletic top

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Sunday 12 December

Premier League
Crystal Palace v Everton @430pm - after impressing for most of the season, the Eagles have suddenly hit a bad patch with Sunday's narrow defeat against Manchester United becoming their third loss in a row. They're still six points clear of the relegation zone and will view anything less than a victory against a struggling Everton side as a failure. Tickets are only available to members

FA Vase Third Round
Stansfeld v Frimley Green @3pm - as a result of their groundshare with Glebe, Stansfeld have to wait until Sunday to play their very winnable tie against Frimley. The Surrey side play a level above the hosts but aren't doing too well and look vulnerable 

FA Youth Cup Third Round
Chelsea v Leyton Orient @12pm - the Blues have dominated this competition in recent years, winning it seven times since 2010. However, three years have now gone by without them winning it as Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa have taken the title instead. This year's campaign starts against the O's at Kingsmeadow where tickets are a very reasonable £5

FA Women's Super League
Arsenal v Leicester City @645pm - the Gunners' busy week comes to an end with its easiest fixture. Currently bottom after losing all their games, newly promoted Leicester are unlikely to threaten too much in this evening kick-off at Meadow Park

Women's FA Cup Third Round
AFC Wimbledon v Ipswich Town @1pm - with last season's delayed competition finally completed at Wembley on Sunday, we can focus once again on this season's action which is running to schedule for now. The Dons currently play in the fourth tier of the women's pyramid so the visit of third-tier leaders Ipswich to Plough Lane looks a challenging one. No ticket details have yet been released
Ashford Town (Middlesex) v London City Lionesses @1pm - the Tangerines have smashed all expectations by making it this far. Top of the fifth tier, they caused a stir by beating third tier Oxford United in the last round and now face the highest-ranked team in the southern half of the draw. Second in the Championship, LCL will start as overwhelming favourites but this is the FA Cup and anything can happen

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 28 November 2021

TLFG: 29 November - 5 December 2021

Unbelievably we're almost into December - it seems like yesterday that I was getting scorched on a terrace watching an FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round tie in August.

With snow already falling around the country and causing postponements, winter is defintely here.

I certainly felt its effects on Saturday as I began the day watching Actonians U9s suffer a 6-1 defeat to the mighty Ruislip Rangers at a wind-blasted Rectory Park. 

Although the scoreline was convincing, it was a little flattering with most of the damage done in the second quarter (matches are played in four 10-minute segments) after some squad rotation left them a little vulnerable. 

Despite this setback, the players are developing well and there seems to be a clear starting five which would beat or challenge most sides they play. 

A derby with free entry - what a bargain!

The main success for my daughter on Saturday was her playing the whole match, something I don't think any of her team mates have previously achieved given the squad rotation in place.

Whether this was intentional or an oversight is unknown but it can only have been a good thing in the chilly conditions.

The afternoon was spent at the Powerday Stadium, not far from Rectory Park, watching Hanwell Town take on Enfield Town in the FA Trophy.

Conditions again proved to be tough, with some sleet starting to fall in the second half.

The Geordies play a level below Enfield but more than held their own against one of the Isthmian League's title challengers.

A goal late in each half proved to be enough for the visitors as they delighted their sizeable travelling contingent of fans with a 2-0 win which puts them in the Third Round for the first time since their formation in 2001.

My highlight of the coming week will be leading a group of 32 fans of all ages to Wembley on Sunday to watch the Covid-19 delayed 2020-21 Women's FA Cup Final between Arsenal and Chelsea.

Ticket sales passed 40,000 on Friday meaning we're on course for a record attendance but it could be close so if you're around, come and join me in trying to become a record-breaker!

Before I finish, a very special mention must be made about Clapton CFC who created a huge shock in the Second Round of this season's Women's FA Cup on Sunday.

Playing away to third-tier club Hounslow, four levels above them, they drew 0-0 before winning on penalties in front of several hundred travelling supporters.

Not only that but they've become the first ever seventh-tier club to make it to the Third Round - many congratulations to all involved.

Lastly from me, many thanks this week to regular reader Kevin O for donating to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund. I really really appreciate it.

Have a great week everyone.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include games in the Premier League, EFL, FA Cup, National League, most of our local non-league competitions and the Women's FA Cup Final 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 - turquoise pin
Thursday fixtures - purple pin
Friday fixtures - black pin



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





TLFG DAILY DIGEST
In the following section, I list, 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 29 November

Surrey Senior Cup First Round
Walton & Hersham v Leatherhead @745pm - the week gets underway with some county cup action at the Elmbridge Xcel Sports Hub. The hosts play two levels below the Tanners but are currently top of the CCL Premier South with only one league defeat this season. It's a totally different story for Leatherhead who are bottom of the Isthmian Premier and there for the taking
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Tuesday 30 November

EFL Trophy Second Round
Leyton Orient v MK Dons @7pm - with the group stage completed, this competition is now into its knockout phase. The group winners were put in one pot and the runners-up another one before the draw. The O's finished ahead of Charlton, Southampton U21s and Crawley to top their group and set up this clash with MK Dons from the division above. Adult tickets are a very reasonable £5
Sutton United v Stevenage @745pm - having been recently promoted from the National League, this is the U's first time in the competition but they've made a perfect start, winning all group games against Portsmouth, AFC Wimbledon and Crystal Palace U21s. If they continue in that vein, they should also dispatch League Two strugglers Stevenage. Tickets start at £12, perhaps reflecting how seriously they're taking this

London Senior Cup First Round
Haringey Borough v AFC Wimbledon @745pm - at TLFG we applaud all pro clubs who enter sides in county cup competitions and the Dons have been at the forefront of those that have in recent years. This tie instantly brings back memories of the FA Cup First Round tie between the two which was televised live on a Friday night back in 2018. It was a close-run thing which the south London club eventually won 1-0. Haringey aren't quite as good as they were then and have had a slightly disappointing season thus far but a lot will depend on the quality of the side that the Dons decide to field

Southern League Premier South
Hendon v Metropolitan Police @745pm - elsewhere in north London, the Greens welcome a high-flying Met Police squad who will go top if they win this. Hendon could do with the points to move them firmly away from the bottom six but they'll do well to get anything against the most miserly defence in the division. This league is a bit of a strange one - the vast majority of its clubs are in the West Country and other rural counties away from the capital. After an FA restructure a few years ago, five clubs within the M25 got sucked into this league and suddenly found themselves having to travel to places like Cornwall, Devon and Wales rather than Essex, Kent and Sussex. Despite this obvious disadvantage, three of the current top six are from London. However, they're all really struggling to get fans through the gate with not a single one managing to average a crowd of 250 - in part due to the large distances away fans have to travel. This blog is primarily about showcasing what's out there and driving up attendances so give your local Southern League clubs a bit of love if you can - their travel expenses are way more than they really should be for clubs at this level

SSML Premier
Oxhey Jets v New Salamis @730pm - north London club New Salamis are another one of our local sides with title ambitions. Currently third but with five games in hand on leaders Leighton Town, this trip to lower midtable Oxhey should give them a decent opportunity to close the gap to four points

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Wednesday 1 December

Premier League
Watford v Chelsea @730pm - we have a round of Wednesday/Thursday top-flight games to look forward to as a result of Amazon landing some TV rights. Regular Premier League watchers know full well that the Hornets are more than capable of an upset on their day as their 4-1 win over Manchester United showed. However, the table-topping Blues are a significantly different prospect and a draw will be a great result for the hosts. Tickets are sold out
West Ham United v Brighton & Hove Albion @730pm - the Seagulls drew with Leeds on Saturday, a result which sees them end the weekend in ninth. The Hammers made the daunting trip to Manchester City on Sunday and fought hard amid the snow before succumbing to a 2-1 defeat to stay fourth. The table would suggest a win in this one for West Ham but Brighton are one of the division's draw specialists and will be tough to beat. Tickets are on sale to non-members 

Southern League Premier South
Harrow Borough v Farnborough @745pm - after suffering a dip in form after their big FA Cup tie at Portsmouth, the Boro have managed back-to-back away league wins over Merthyr Town and Swindon Supermarine to move back into the top six. At the time of writing, Farnborough are top but have a couple of sides breathing down their necks so a win is needed by both sides as they look to further their promotion ambitions. Harrow won the reverse fixture 3-1 back in September so they know what it takes to beat them

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Thursday 2 December

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Brentford @730pm - the Amazon action continues with a London derby. This match is only the Bees' fourth game against Spurs in the 21st century and they haven't scored in the previous three. Matches between these two have been few and far between over the course of history and Tottenham have won the vast majority of them. Brentford's last win over the club from N17 came way back in 1948 in what was a second-tier match. On current form, it's hard to see past a home win but the west London club did get their first win for a while on Sunday by beating a beleagured Everton side 1-0. Tickets are only available to members

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Friday 3 December

Championship
Fulham v AFC Bournemouth @745pm - one of the matches of the week takes place at Craven Cottage where the division's top two do battle for supremacy. As is always the case in the Championship, even the most dominant teams hit a wobbly patch but unusually it's happened to both of the top sides at the same time. The Cherries have now won only one of their last five to surrender their lead, whilst the Cottagers have now drawn two in a row. Having had a quick look at the records, this part of SW6 is a very happy hunting ground for the Dorset club - they haven't lost a game here since 1992 and have won the last two, scoring eight in the process. Tickets are available to non-members but only a few were left when I last looked so don't delay

ECL Division 1 South
May & Baker v Wivenhoe Town @745pm - your non-league option of the night takes place on the far eastern side of town at Aveley's fine Parkside ground. It's sixth against fifth as they both try to catch the top four who are on the verge of leaving them behind

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Saturday 4 December

Premier League
West Ham United v Chelsea @1230pm - the weekend's action begins with this early kick-off at the London Stadium. With a load of midweek matches being played before this, it's hard to craft a proper preview. Whatever happens, at the time of writing, these sides are London's top two clubs and since moving to Stratford, West Ham have only lost two of their six games against Chelsea. We should get a match to savour. Tickets are on sale to non-members
Watford v Manchester City @530pm - the Hornets are on a horrific run of games at the moment, playing Arsenal, Manchester United, Leicester City, Chelsea and now City. Watford's record in all competitions against the reigning league champions is equally horrific. Since 2013, it reads P13 L13 F6 A49 - the last three games have been particularly bad with none scored and 18 conceded. Claudio Ranieri will have to work some serious magic to get anything out of this one. Watford's website says tickets are available but I couldn't find any

Championship
Millwall v Birmingham City @3pm - a point apart in midtable, these two have had some close-fought battles on and off the pitch over the years. Birmingham's last-minute play-off win over the Lions in 2002 was followed by a riot which injured 47 police officers and more recently, there were similar scenes near London Bridge ahead of a game in 2017. Tickets are readily available but perhaps bear this in mind if you decide to go

FA Cup Second Round
The 40 remaining League One, League Two and non-league clubs face each other for 20 places in the legendary Third Round where they could be paired with one of the biggest clubs in the country and make a potentially transformative sum of money - the stakes are huge, particularly for the smallest clubs. There are only two ties in London over the weekend

AFC Wimbledon v Cheltenham Town @3pm - the original Wimbledon football club famously beat Liverpool to win the FA Cup in 1988, causing one of the greatest upsets in the competition's history. The new club, formed in 2002 after the creation of MK Dons, made it as far as the Fifth Round in 2019. Fellow League One club Cheltenham have also made it to the Fifth Round, although 20 years have gone by since they achieved that. They did, however, make it to the Fourth Round last season where they gallantly lost 3-1 to Manchester City. The clubs haven't met since 2015, but Wimbledon are unbeaten in three against the Robins. Tickets are available
Leyton Orient v Tranmere Rovers @3pm - the O's made it to the semi-finals back in 1978 but that's as good as it's ever got. The last two years have seen First Round exits, including an embarrassing loss at home to non-league Maldon & Tiptree. Perched just outside the play-off places in League Two, this season has been a positive one so they'll hope to get the win they need to make the Third Round for the first time since 2014. Tranmere are just below them in the table and won at Brisbane Road in the league last season so it could well go the distance. Tickets are available

National League
Bromley v Wealdstone @3pm - it's hard to pick a standout match in the fifth tier on Saturday so I've plumped for this crosstown derby as it's likely to produce the biggest crowd and most atmosphere. It's also of some importance at either end of the table with the Ravens up in sixth, needing to keep their play-off hopes on course, and the Stones down in 16th and looking to make certain of their place in the division next season. The hosts haven't lost a league game to Wealdstone for several years so a home win looks most likely. Tickets are available

National League South
Dulwich Hamlet v Ebbsfleet United @3pm - there are four games in the sixth tier but this clash of two of the top five would appear to be the best on offer. Both are in decent form but experienced contrasting fortunes in the FA Trophy on Saturday with Dulwich winning at Brentwood and Ebssfleet surprisingly losing to Cray Wanderers on penalties - a result I did not see coming. Both clubs have another game in midweek which means this could be third versus first by the time kick-off comes around. Access to 99% of non-league games isn't normally a problem with cash taken on the gate but matches at the Hamlet are regularly approaching capacity (c.3,500) if not completely selling out - you are therefore very strongly advised to buy tickets in advance and turn up early as the sightlines are not great for latecomers

Southern League Premier South
Hayes & Yeading United v Metropolitan Police @3pm - the big game in the seventh tier sees two of the top three meet at the SkyEx Community Stadium. As mentioned above, if midweek results go their way, Met Police could be top by the time they arrive for this. In that scenario, H&YU would be five points behind them but with three games in hand - it's a big one!

Isthmian League North
Grays Athletic v Tilbury @3pm - there are several matches between promotion contenders in the eighth tier but I personally prefer the look of this derby between clubs from neighbouring Essex towns by the Thames. The hosts, who play at Aveley's ground, are very much among the play-off pack whereas Tilbury are down in 12th. Hopefully the fight for local bragging rights should produce an entertaining spectacle

Essex Senior League
Walthamstow v Woodford Town @3pm - there's so much to like about this fixture - it's a north-east London derby, the Stow are top of the league and both sides have growing and lively fansbases. However, perhaps the best thing of all is that it's free entry if you make a donation to the local foodbank. It looks like being a cracking afternoon 

SCEFL Division 1
Stansfeld v Croydon @3pm - the hosts are having a season to remember. Currently one point clear at the top with a game in hand and also through to the Third Round of the FA Vase, things are looking really good for the south-east London club. The Trams started their season strongly too and led until a wobbly spell saw them drop down. Now fifth and with improving results, this could be well worth 90 minutes of your time

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Sunday 5 December

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City @2pm - it's hard to produce a preview when there is a round of midweek games to be played before this but at the time of writing, Spurs have just seen their match at Burnley snowed off which meant they missed their chance to move back into the top six under new boss Antonio Conte. The Canaries are unbeaten in three and right back in the fight to avoid the drop with new manager Dean Smith now at the helm. Tickets are only on sale to members

Championship
QPR v Stoke City @230pm - the R's long run of televised games continues with this Sunday afternoon kick-off. There have been many complaints from season-ticket holders that Sky's scheduling has made things really difficult and with several matches on Mondays, Fridays and Sundays over a two-month period, you can see why. It's also understandable why the broadcaster is picking them - up in the top six, playing a great brand of football, capable of big wins or defeats and scoring in every game (30 in a row now), it all makes for some good telly. At the time of writing, the Potters are just a point and a place behind QPR so it should be entertaining. Tickets are available

Women's FA Cup Final
Arsenal v Chelsea @2pm - about four miles north of Loftus Road, Wembley hosts the Covid-19 delayed 2020-21 Women's FA Cup Final. The line-up is as good as it gets with the current two best teams in the country looking to claim this big bit of silverware. As with the men's competition, Arsenal are the most successful team in the history of the Women's FA Cup with 14 wins since it launched in 1970. A little surprisingly, Chelsea have only won it twice most recently in 2018 when they beat the Gunners 3-1. On current form, this one really is too close to call. Tickets sales have shot up of late with the FA announcing the 40,000 barrier was passed on Friday. The record crowd of 45,423 was achieved in the aforementioned final between the two in 2018 so it could well be beaten. Adult tickets are £20 and kids £2.50 - come along and maybe you'll become a record-breaker

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