TLFG: 1-7 November 2021

I can hardly believe it but another month has rolled by and we're into November.

The clocks have changed and it's now dark before full-time in 3pm kick-offs.

I'm going to keep my own stuff brief this week as we're lucky enough to have received a ground review from one of our American readers who's currently resident in London but more of that below.

My own personal football highlights this week were the Women's Euro 2022 draw which determined that the group game tickets I randomly bought for a game at Brentford will see Germany play Denmark - a derby between the most successful country in the competition and one fielding arguably the world's best player in Pernille Harder. 

I also have tickets for the final at Wembley which should be a great occasion.

If you haven't already got tickets for next summer's tournament, the ballot is now open.

The other high point for me was going to watch Harrow Borough in FA Trophy action at South Park who play in Reigate.

They won 1-0 to bag some more prize money and make it 15 wins from 17 games ahead of their huge FA Cup match at Fratton Park against Portsmouth on Saturday.

I managed to get some tickets - our initial allocation of 400 looks like selling out so it should hopefully be a memorable day whatever happens.

So now for that ground review, provided for us by Marc Derks who paid a visit to Craven Cottage.

He also gives us a bit about his own background which is very interesting.

Here's what he had to say:

Fulham 1:2 Reading, 18 September, 2021

I had never seen anything like it.  I was 10 years old and standing on the goal line wondering why the opposing goalkeeper had gloves on, while one of the attackers lined up to take a corner kick.  My youth “select” team, among the first of its kind in my small hometown in Virginia, was already down several goals, so I was nervous as he backed up a few steps. He struck it perfectly and it flew into the area, high and beautiful, and settled in the back of the goal.

I was stunned.  Can he do that?  HOW can he do that?  It was 1974 and this Yank had never seen anyone “bend it like Beckham.”  It wasn’t clear at all to me that physics would even allow for such a thing.  The touring U-11s from Chelsea (at least they were from Chelsea in the mists of my memory) went on to score 10 unanswered before half-time, when we divided up and scrimmaged for the rest of the game.

Notwithstanding this drubbing at an early age, I developed a love for the beautiful game in the wilds of America --150 miles removed from the nearest professional team, the Washington Diplomats-- that would last the rest of my life.  Fate, luck, and a unique career have finally, almost fifty years removed from that transcendent Olympico, brought me to London, the beating heart of professional football.

Even before arriving at Heathrow, I knew I would set out to become a groundhopper.  As a Manchester United supporter (a story perhaps for another time), I was also in search of a London club to support.  The search, perhaps not surprisingly, did not last long.

The hey-day of Fulhamerica has perhaps passed, gone are the days of Clint Dempsey, Brian McBride, Carlos Bocanegra, Kasey Keller, and Eddie Johnson all suiting up at Craven Cottage at the same time.  Even so, Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson both feature for the US Men’s National Team.  I was looking forward to seeing them as I made my way across Putney Bridge and through Fulham Palace grounds on my first Saturday in London to watch the Cottagers take on ex-burb London team Reading.

While Craven Cottage isn’t necessarily easy to reach by public transport, it is nonetheless a great journey.  Most routing will drop you off somewhere near Putney Bridge, and that will leave you a pleasant stroll along the Thames through Fulham Palace Gardens as you head west toward the ground. It can be a bit confusing as you get close and the construction of the new Riverside Stand interrupts your stroll. Follow the crowds back to the street though and you will soon be alongside the iconic Cottage from which the ground derives its name.

Depending on the game, you can get tickets from the website as they release to the general public as the fixture date draws near.  You must create an account, but that seems very typical of most League sides.  I’ve purchased a £65 membership having adopted Fulham as my London club and it allows me to purchase multiple tickets.

The atmosphere outside the stadium is festive, as there is often a brass band providing their take on today’s hits (I can’t fully explain it, but it is worth seeing) and Billy the Badger is frequently bouncing about available for pictures.  Get there early for a pint and a pie, as the food is good and affordable but the service is spotty when they get crowded.  

Often the latest available tickets are in the Hammersmith End.  This makes sense as the sun sets over the stand on the other side, the Putney End, and will be in your eyes for most of an afternoon fixture.  

Away fans are on the Putney End in sections P6 and P7 and the most vocal home supporters are in the upper rows of the center of the Hammersmith End H4 and H5.  Sight lines are good from just about anywhere and the stands sit virtually on the touchlines.  Neither seemed too intimidating, but you will be standing a great deal more if you end up in either place.

The Johnny Haynes Stand (aka Stevenage Road Stand) is a Grade II listed historical building and is what you might call to mind when thinking of a turn of the century football ground.  There are some seats behind supports, but it's a remarkable example of football history.  Many families end up sitting here.  It also houses the fan shop, which is only accessible from the outside. The famous cottage sits in the corner between the Haynes Stand and the Putney End.

The Riverside Stand, whose opening is now delayed to the beginning of next season, will be a great addition to the ground without affecting the other stands.  The 8700 additional seats will bring the capacity to near 30K, in line with the club’s ambition to make the “bounce” back to the Premiership.  They are well positioned to do that, sitting second (as of this writing) in the tight Championship table.

While the game wasn’t necessarily secondary to ticking a bucket list ground off my roster, it was great to hear the Londoners’ support for Tim Ream as they shout “Reeeeeam” anytime the captain is on the ball.  He is much maligned by USMNT supporters, so it’s good that he gets love in West London.  

Reading handed Fulham their first loss of the season, but I was hooked.  I’ll be back over and over and hope to make my Boxing Day plans at Craven Cottage.

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If you'd like to write something similar about one of your visits to a club within the M25 then please get in touch - I'm sure we'd all love to read 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, 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.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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 1 November

Youth & Development matches

Most Mondays provide a selection of U23 and other youth games and this week is no different. Crystal Palace opened their new £20m academy last week and they're at home to Blackburn Rovers at 1pm but whether they'll let the public in, remains to be seen. Fulham also have a game against Middlesbrough at their training ground - again I'm not sure about admission but it's often fine to go along. Charlton Athletic are playing Bristol City at Dartford's ground and is probably the one most likely to let you in. However, as always, check all the details on the day as they can change significantly

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Tuesday 2 November

Championship

Millwall v Reading @745pm - the match of the night is this second tier sort of derby at The Den. The Lions have been doing well of late and could've moved into the top six if they'd beaten Huddersfield on Saturday, but it was not to be. The Royals are only a couple of points behind but with four defeats from six, they appear to be going in the opposite direction. Tickets

League One

Charlton Athletic v Rotherham United @745pm - after their fantastic win at Sunderland last week, the Addicks won their crucial relegation six-pointer against Doncaster 4-0 to move out of the bottom four. Next up they face another Yorkshire club but one at the other end of the table and in much better form. Tickets

Isthmian Premier

Wingate & Finchley v Worthing @745pm - the hosts grabbed a few headlines by beating reigning champions Hornchurch in the FA Trophy on Saturday. The small north London club have made a promising start under new boss and former player Marc Weatherstone and are sitting pretty comfortably in midtable. On Tuesday we'll get to see just how good they are as they welcome the current league leaders

Isthmian South Central

Chipstead v Chertsey Town @745pm - unbeaten in the league and with a great FA Cup run behind them, Chertsey looked well set to challenge for promotion. That was until Tuesday night when their big match with Bracknell Town ended in a mass brawl and led to the resignation of manager Kevin McClaren. How his departure affects the side remains to be seen but the first game without him ended in a 2-0 loss to Worthing in the FA Trophy. Chipstead have had a quieter start to the campaign and sit a point behind the Curfews in the table

Essex Senior League

Walthamstow v Takeley @745pm - a 2-1 win over Athletic Newham on Saturday extended the Stow's unbeaten run in the league to seven games and put them top of the table in the process. One point clear and with games in hand on all of their challengers, things are looking pretty rosy for the club from E17 right now. Takeley are pottering along in midtable and should be beaten 

FA Youth Cup First Round

There are a couple of ties in this most prestigious of U18 competitions on Tuesday. A load of EFL sides enter the draw at this stage and AFC Wimbledon and Sutton United both have home games which should be worth a watch, especially if you want to make your first visit to either the new Plough Lane or Gander Green Lane

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Wednesday 3 November

FA Youth Cup First Round

There are a couple of senior county cup matches on Wednesday but if given the choice, I'd rather see one of the ties in this competition. Erith Town are one of the smallest clubs to have made it to this point so for them to now be hosting Portsmouth is quite a big deal. The Dockers' youngsters beat Boreham Wood, a side who invest a lot in their academy, in the last round so will fancy their chances of another cupset. Elsewhere in south-east London, Cray Valley PM welcome Aldershot Town

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Thursday 4 November

Europa Conference League

Tottenham Hotspur v Vitesse Arnhem @8pm - Spurs are a club in crisis at the moment with their latest insipid display against a dysfunctional Manchester United side leading the fans to call for the heads of the chairman and manager. Hopefully the Conference League will come as a bit of light relief and should present a very realistic chance of silverware. However, given the club were only 90 minutes away from winning the Champions League in 2019, it's a reminder of how far they've fallen. Dutch club Vitesse moved up to fifth in their league after a 2-1 win at Heerenveen on Saturday. Tickets are on general sale at reduced prices

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Friday 5 November

Essex Senior League

Woodford Town v Little Oakley @745pm - the hosts have been drawing crowds in large numbers since returning to the town and their new stadium a few weeks ago. With an average attendance of 431, they are now the best-supported side in the league. Results are improving too, with their 3-1 win at FC Clacton on Saturday moving them up to ninth. The visitors are new to this level and are holding their own in midtable

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Saturday 6 November

Premier League

Brentford v Norwich City @3pm - pundits were purring about the Bees after thrilling performances against Arsenal, Liverpool and West Ham but three defeats on the bounce must have changed a few people's views. Losing 3-1 at previously winless Burnley on Saturday with probably their worst performance must worry fans. Thankfully they've got the chance to bounce back straightaway against the weakest team in the league. However, they've only managed two wins from their last 10 matches against the Canaries and if they lose again, the season could take on a very different complexion. Tickets are sold out

Chelsea v Burnley @3pm - the Blues enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 win at Newcastle on Saturday to move three points clear at the top. Despite this early-season success, they seem to be getting a bit overlooked with their big rivals' slip-ups and struggles creating more headlines. I guess that's probably to their benefit as they're left to go about their business. Although Chelsea have dominated matches between the two in recent years, the Clarets did manage a 3-2 win at Stamford Bridge in 2017 so they'll need to channel the spirit of that performance to get anything here. Tickets have sold out

Crystal Palace v Wolverhampton Wanderers @3pm - the Eagles caused the upset of the weekend by winning 2-0 at Manchester City on Saturday. Although with now only one defeat from their last four visits to the Etihad, was it really that much of a surprise? Patrick Vieira's men are becoming pretty tough to beat and are the divsion's draw specialists, which is why they're only 13th at the time of writing. In my head, I'd picked up a vibe of Wolves struggling this year but that's not the case as four wins from nine has left them on the verge of breaking into the top half. It's hard to see past another draw. Tickets are only available to members

Premier League 2

Chelsea v Crystal Palace @1130am - if you want to see a couple of games on Saturday then you can start early at Kingsmeadow with this U23 match. Adult tickets are £5 and can be bought in advance or on the day

Championship

Millwall v Derby County @3pm - Premier League matches are increasingly becoming the preserve of season-ticket holders, members and those who can afford hospitality packages. This means the Championship is becoming the best option for many casual fans and visitors to London. Once again, Millwall provide the highest level of football open to such a person on Saturday and they could well be pushing for a play-off spot by the time kick-off comes round. Derby are currently bottom after being docked 12 points for going into administration. Despite this, manager Wayne Rooney has stuck doggedly to the task of keeping them up and they could move to within a point of safety if they have a really good week. Tickets

FA Cup First Round

With the qualifying rounds now complete, the surviving non-league teams are joined in the draw by all the clubs from League One and League Two. The winners of each tie receive £22,629 - a considerable sum for the smaller clubs

AFC Wimbledon v Guiseley @3pm - the original Wimbledon famously won the FA Cup in 1988 but since re-forming in 2002, the Dons' best is the Fifth Round - still quite an achievement for a League One club. On Saturday it will be their opponents who will arrive as underdogs. The sixth-tier club from Yorkshire have made it to the Second Round twice in recent seasons but they're struggling in the league at the moment and lost 5-1 at Darlington on Saturday. Tickets 

Charlton Athletic v Havant & Waterlooville @3pm - when sixth-tier club Havant drew Charlton, they would've probably fancied their chances but the League One side's form has improved significantly over the last couple of weeks making the task a little more daunting. The Hawks famously made the Fourth Round and briefly led Liverpool at Anfield before ultimately losing 5-2 in an entertaining game back in 2008. In Paul Doswell they now also have the manager who took non-league Sutton United all the way to a Fifth Round tie against Arsenal in 2017, beating AFC Wimbledon and Leeds United to get there. In essence this is a huge banana skin for the Addicks, complacency must be avoided at all costs. Tickets

Leyton Orient v Ebbsfleet United @3pm - although quite a few miles apart on either side of the Thames, the journey between these clubs is made a lot easier by the high-speed Javelin train network with Stratford International only a one stop, 12-minute journey from Ebbsfleet. The National League South side are currently among the frontrunners and could've gone second on Saturday but had their game postponed because of Covid in their opponent's camp. The O's roared back into League Two's top six on Saturday, thrashing Hartlepool 5-0 as they extended their unbeaten run. The east London club should win but will be mindful of the fact they lost at home to Maldon & Tiptree this time two years ago. Tickets

Boreham Wood v Eastleigh @3pm - the Wood beat Southend 1-0 on Saturday to go top of the National League, moving ahead of Grimsby who suffered their second defeat of the week. As a result, they should start as firm favourites against fellow fifth-tier club Eastleigh who are currently down in midtable. Tickets

Hayes & Yeading United v Sutton United @3pm - Paul Hughes' side are unbeaten in all 18 of their league and cup games so far this season. They've also won two penalty shoot-outs including one against Dorking Wanderers which saw them make the FA Cup First Round for the third season running. Although Sutton are now a League Two side, these two are old non-league rivals so for many this won't have quite the glamour and excitement that drawing a fourth-tier side usually would. Nonetheless, it is an all-London game and could provide a really entertaining match. Tickets 

National League South

Dartford v Chippenham Town @3pm - away from the excitement of the FA Cup, there are plenty of other non-league games going on. The Darts have made the early running in the NLS but with only two wins from five, their lead is down to just one point. The visitors are down in 12th and seven games without a win so should be beaten

Isthmian Premier

Corinthian Casuals v Enfield Town @3pm - I'd say the game of the day in the seventh tier will be this one in Tolworth. The Towners are second at the time of writing and seem to have established themselves as one of this season's title contenders.On Saturday they got a good win over Met Police, one of the best sides in the Southern League, to make progress in the FA Trophy so they should be confident of getting something from this one. Casuals are in lower midtable but they have games in hand after a good FA Cup run but will need to be at their best to prevail here

Isthmian South Central

Uxbridge v Chipstead @3pm - there are no real standout games in the eighth tier but I'm pleased to say Uxbridge are still leading the way in this division. They also made progress in the FA Trophy on Saturday, beating Essex club Basildon United. They've only lost once in the league this season but that was to co-leaders Bracknell so they badly need three points here. The Chips could be in the top eight by the weekend

CCL Premier North

St Panteleimon v Hanworth Villa @3pm - the game of the day in the ninth tier takes place up in Enfield at the QEII Stadium. It should be a cracker as the teams in third and first lock horns. Hanworth are already five points clear at the top but Saints have a game in hand so a win for them will make things very interesting indeed

SCEFL Division 1

Sutton Athletic v Stansfeld @3pm - the visitors lost their top-of-the-table clash with Tooting Bec on Saturday but remain in front thanks to their superior goal difference. In Sutton they face another top-six club who have the games in hand to go top themselves so it's another huge match at this level

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Sunday 7 November

Premier League

Arsenal v Watford @2pm - after the panic of early season, Mikel Arteta seems to have steadied the ship. Saturday's 2-0 win at Leicester means the Gunners are now unbeaten in nine games, up to sixth in the league and through to the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup. After their fantastic win at Everton, the Hornets blew all that good work by losing 1-0 at home Southampton on Saturday and now find themselves within another defeat of falling into the relegation zone. Tickets are only available to members

West Ham United v Liverpool @430pm - the match of the week looks like being one to savour. After beating holders Manchester City in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, the Hammers must now fancy themselves for a piece of silverware. At the time of writing, they're about to play Aston Villa but win, lose or draw they'll still be fourth coming into this. Liverpool also made the EFL Cup quarter-finals with a routine win at Preston but then saw Brighton come from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at Anfield in one of the surprise results of the weekend. Amazingly, this match went on sale to non-members and I know some of you managed to get some. All the original allocation have now gone but there are numerous single tickets available for re-sale through the club

FA Women's Super League

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United @1215pm - there's a glorious pair of games in north London which are staggered to allow easy transfer between the two for neutrals and groundhoppers. The first takes place at The Hive where a hugely improved Spurs side return from the international break looking to put the pressure back on the top two. With United two points and a place below them, this has the potential to be quite a match. Tickets are only £6.50 if bought in advance

Arsenal v West Ham United @645pm - presumably scheduled to avoid clashing with the mens' games, this derby should be a fine way to end the week. Like Spurs, the Hammers have improved considerably over the summer but are still some way short of the level Arsenal can produce and will start very much as the underdogs. Tickets

FA Women's Championship

Crystal Palace v Durham @2pm - the Eagles welcome the current leaders for what should be a tough afternoon at Hayes Lane.With only one league defeat this season, the visitors will start as strong favourites against a Palace side lacking form. Tickets

FA Women's National League Plate First Round

AFC Wimbledon v Chesham United @2pm - for the second game running, the Dons will be playing at Plough Lane. They attracted around 1,500 spectators for their Women's FA Cup game last week and will hopefully pack a few more in here. Tickets are free but you must register in advance 

London & South East Women's Regional League

Dulwich Hamlet v Fulham @2pm - although both are well behind leaders Ashford Town (Middlesex), the biggest crowd of the day in the fifth tier will almost certainly be found at Champion Hill. Both sides are in midtable but have the games in hand to break into the top four. Tickets

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 Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here 

TLFG: 25-31 October 2021

After the thrills of last Sunday's FA Cup draw which paired Harrow Borough with Portsmouth, this week has been fun but a little more sedate.

It took several days for the powers that be to announce that the match would kick off at 3pm on Saturday 6 November - a great relief as I'm on holiday up until the 6th so playing it on the Sunday or Monday would've been very irritating and require more annual leave to be used up.

The good news for overseas readers is that the game has been selected for international broadcast so you can watch the mighty Boro live on their big day as I'm sure you'll have nothing better to do.

My live football watching was conducted at Wembley on Saturday evening as England Women comfortably saw off Northern Ireland 4-0 in a World Cup qualifier.

Tickets are now on sale to non-members - be quick!

It was goalless at half-time despite the Lionesses having 80% of the possession.

A couple of subs early in the second half drastically changed things as Beth Mead with a hat-trick and Beth England with a tap-in scored all four between them.

Qualification for the 2023 event in Australia and New Zealand would seem to be a formality having begun the group stage with three wins and 22 goals with none conceded.

Austria are the main threat and they travel to the Stadium of Light next month for what could be an interesting game.

The more I go to women's football, the more I appreciate it - especially having two young daughters of my own.

It's way more inclusive and accessible than men's football and the tickets are amazingly great value.

I guess I've got to that age where I don't need or want to pay £30+ to be entertained while a mild threat of violence hangs in the air the whole time, including the journey there and back.

Although a good few years ago, my wife got physically assaulted by a fellow QPR fan on her first visit to Loftus Road meaning I'm always on edge whenever I take her, something which is sadly incredibly rare.

She stayed at home when I picked up an award on the pitch with my eldest daughter a couple of years ago - a really proud but tainted moment.

This season I keep hearing or reading about fans, of my own club and others, hurling abuse at disabled supporters which is utterly shameful.

Tickets are now available to see the European champions at the Emirates

A child at QPR's game at Peterborough got hit by a half-full bottle of booze during some goal celebrations on Saturday. I believe another one of our supporters also injured an elderly woman at Fulham last week in another similar act of indiscriminate and mindless, drink-fuelled disorder.

There wasn't even a hint of that among the 23,000 crowd at Wembley yesterday and there was barely a swear word uttered, something that's commonplace in family stands at men's games all over the country. 

Don't get me wrong, there were times when I loved all of the edginess but I'm just not at that stage in my life anymore.

On completely unrelated matters, the clocks change this weekend so the sun will be setting not long after 430pm on Sunday.

It got me thinking that with energy prices so high, should clubs at non-league level be allowed greater leeway to bring their weekend matches forward an hour or two to minimise floodlight use?

Costs are tough enough for clubs to meet after Covid, without floodlights burning an even bigger hole in the budget. 

Just a thought.

From Friday I've got nine days off so I hope to see a game or two during that time.

This week I'm eyeing South Park v Harrow Borough in the FA Trophy on Saturday, which would be a new ground for me, and hopefully Actonians v Kent Football United in the Women's National League on Sunday but that's all subject to being granted permission by her indoors.

Lastly from me, many thanks this week to Marshall D and Kevin O for donating to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund. I 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, most of our local non-league competitions and a Women's FA Cup semi-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.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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

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 25 October

ECL Division 1 South

Barkingside v Buckhurst Hill @745pm - the week begins with a Central Line derby in east London. This 10th-tier game is full of promise as both sides have games in hand that could lift them into lofty positions if won. The 'Side could push for a place in the top five, whilst the visitors are leaders in waiting. Buckhurst Hill crushed Great Yarmouth Town 5-1 in the FA Vase on Saturday so should start as favourites

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Tuesday 26 October

EFL Cup Fourth Round

Arsenal v Leeds United @745pm - we're down to the last 16 in this competition which is now one of the only realistic sources of silverware for each of these clubs. The Gunners are definitely favourites for this one but neither have a great recent record in the EFL Cup and it's hard to know what quality of side either will field. Tickets are available to those with a previous booking history

Chelsea v Southampton @745pm - the Blues have won this cup five times and come into this match as Premier League leaders after demolishing Norwich 7-0. They also beat the Saints 3-1 at the beginning of October so another home win looks inevitable unless Thomas Tuchel rests a load of players. Only very expensive hospitality packages are available at this stage

QPR v Sunderland @745pm - in the other tie of the night, two EFL teams will do battle for a place in the quarter-finals. The R's are very inconsistent at the moment but play some attractive attacking football and saw off Everton in the last round. The Black Cats were top of League One but two defeats in five, including a shock reverse to Charlton on Saturday, have seen them slip to fourth. Adult tickets are available for £25 

EFL Trophy

AFC Wimbledon v Crystal Palace U21 @745pm - the Dons have been one of the biggest critics of this competition which has seen Premier League academy sides parachuted into it in recent years. They have barely acknowledged matches' existence in the past and made it, on occasion, quite difficult to buy tickets so don't expect a great match experience if you do go. Tickets are £10

National League

Wealdstone v Grimsby Town @745pm - if you drop a couple of levels, you'll almost certainly find a bigger crowd and better game at Grosvenor Vale where the Stones welcome league leaders Grimsby for a huge game. The hosts are struggling for wins and sitting three points above the relegation zone but roared on by some passionate home fans, they should give it a good go. Tickets are £15 

National League South

Dulwich Hamlet v Maidstone United @745pm - there should also be a decent turnout at this clash of two of the biggest clubs in the sixth tier. Dulwich got a record crowd of nearly 3,500 for their last home game and Maidstone regularly get attendances of 2,000+. Both are currently in the top six but Maidstone have started to lose form and could be vulnerable to another defeat. Tickets are £12 and you're advised to buy in advance and get there early as the view isn't great for latecomers

Southern League Premier Division South

Harrow Borough v Gosport Borough @745pm - after being paired with Portsmouth in last weekend's FA Cup draw, Steve Baker's Harrow side have gone from strength to strength, enjoying back-to-back 2-0 wins over Kings Langley and Wimborne Town to climb to eighth in the league. Gosport, Pompey's neighbouring club, were top earlier in the season and are still third but have lost two of their last three. Tickets are £12 and available on the gate

Isthmian League South Central

Chertsey Town v Bracknell Town @745pm - the Curfews' fine FA Cup run came to an end at Southend United in the last round and now they have a number of games in hand. One of them is against co-leaders Bracknell who need to be beaten if Chertsey are to be seriously considered for promotion. Tickets are £9

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Wednesday 27 October

EFL Cup Fourth Round

West Ham United v Manchester City @745pm - the Hammers welcome league champions City to the London Stadium as the Mancunian club go in pursuit of their sixth EFL Cup win in seven years. If Pep Guardiola's side go on to win it again this season, they will become the most successful club in the competition's history win nine wins. West Ham have made it to the final twice but never won. You get the feeling that with the side they currently have, if they win this, they could go on to win the whole thing. Tickets appear to be on sale to non-members

Isthmian League Premier Division

Kingstonian v Horsham @745pm - the K's were top but a tough October has seen them slip to third. These poor league results were preceded by an FA Cup exit to Horsham who have gone on to make the First Round and now face a long trip to Carlisle United. The Sussex club have been pretty poor in the league but have games in hand which makes their position look a little misleading. Tickets are £10

Isthmian League South Central

Bedfont Sports v Thatcham Town @745pm - the hosts are another side to have enjoyed a fine FA Cup run resulting in several games in hand. If they win them, they should be right up there along with the leaders. Thatcham are currently pottering along in midtable but are most famous for winning the FA Vase in 2018. Tickets are £8

Middlesex Senior Cup First Round

St Panteleimon v Brentford B @745pm - after drawing a sizeable crowd to their London Senior Cup tie at Fisher last week, the Bees will hope to pull in the punters again as they travel to one of the top sides in the Combined Counties League. Tickets to watch the Saints at Enfield Town's ground are usually £5

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Thursday 28 October

FA Youth Cup First Round

Hayes & Yeading United v Corinthian Casuals @745pm - a welcome late addition to this week's schedule, this tie in the most prestigious of U18 competitions should keep you well entertained on Thursday

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Friday 29 October

Championship

QPR v Nottingham Forest @745pm - a good cup run and the demands of Sky TV are contributing to a really hectic schedule for Rangers at the moment. It's actually something that QPR's fans are getting understandably quite vexed about, with them not now having a Saturday 3pm kick-off until 18 December - in nine games time! Forest were in total disarray at the start of the season but new boss Steve Cooper has done a great job and they're climbing the league rapidly. However, they got stuffed at home by Fulham this weekend and this might take a bit of wind out of their sails. Overall, though, they've got a really good record against the R's and could well win again. Tickets are on sale to non-members

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Saturday 30 October

Premier League

Watford v Southampton @3pm - the Hornets caused one of the upsets of the season so far by coming from behind to beat Everton 5-2 at Goodison Park on Saturday. It lifted them to 14th, some six points clear of the relegation zone. If they're to stay up, Southampton are the kind of side they really need to be beating at Vicarage Road but the omens aren't great. I was staggered to find that Watford have only chalked up one win from their last 14 games against the Saints so it could take quite an effort to beat them. Tickets are available to non-members but they've almost sold out so be quick

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United @530pm - the day's top-flight action concludes with this blockbuster fixture between two of the country's biggest clubs. At the time of writing, they're neck-and-neck in the table and not in the top four. In other words they're pretty evenly matched. There have been some absolute classics between these two but historically it's United who've dominated and they're unbeaten in three in N17. Tickets are not available to non-members

Premier League 2

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United @12pm - the two clubs' U23 sides are also playing earlier in the afternoon just to the north of London at Stevenage's ground. If you're a hardcore fan, someone who can't get a ticket for the later match or a groundhopper looking to do a 'double' then this could be for you. Tickets are £5 and are available through Stevenage's website

Chelsea v Everton @1pm - elsewhere there is also a decent looking U23 game at Kingsmeadow. Tickets are £5 and can be bought online in advance or at the ground on the day 

Championship

Fulham v West Bromwich Albion @1230pm - the Premier League doesn't have a monopoly on big games on Saturday as this hugely important match between the teams in second and third takes place at Craven Cottage. Fulham climbed back into second after thrashing the in-form Nottingham Forest 4-0 at the City Ground on Sunday. The Baggies cruised to a 3-0 win over Bristol City on Saturday ahead of this one. If my research is correct, this part of SW6 is not a happy hunting ground for the club from the West Midlands - their last league win here was in 1967! Tickets are available to non-members but only those with a previous booking history

League One

Charlton Athletic v Doncaster Rovers @3pm - such is the calibre of matches in London on Saturday that the casual fan probably won't be able to get a ticket for anything higher than the third tier. However, don't let that put you off as there are some good options, not least this relegation 'six-pointer' between two of the clubs in the bottom four. The Addicks suffered the heartbreak of missing the play-offs on goal difference last season so for them to be scrapping to stay in the division has come as a bit of a surprise. Doncaster's slide has also come as a bit of a shock as they too were doing well but like Charlton, they saw their manager headhunted by a bigger club towards the end of last season. One major positive for the hosts was their stunning away win at title-chasing Sunderland on Saturday so maybe they've turned a corner. Tickets are available to non-members

League Two

Leyton Orient v Hartlepool United @3pm - the news from our local clubs in the fourth tier has been generally more positive with the O's up in the play-off places until recently. For some reason the wins have dried up and now four successive draws have seen them drop to ninth. This, in turn, has allowed newly promoted Hartlepool to leapfrog them into the top seven after winning three of their last four. This match is the best value option of the day as all tickets are being sold for £5 but there aren't many left so act fast if you want to go

Sutton United v Walsall @3pm - a week ago things were looking pretty great for EFL new boys Sutton who had climbed to fifth after winning at Crawley. Seven days and two defeats later and they're back down to 10th. The week ahead sees them travel to struggling Colchester on Tuesday before the midtable Saddlers visit on Saturday. Although only 14th, the visitors are on a decent unbeaten run thanks to a number of draws so should be no pushovers. Tickets are available to non-members

National League

Dagenham & Redbridge v Chesterfield @3pm - only eight points separate the clubs in the top eight and with a full programme of games in midweek, it's hard to decide what Saturday's featured fifth-tier game should be. I've chosen this match between two former EFL clubs as they're currently fifth and second respectively. By the weekend, they could be level on points. The Daggers were part of our featured National League match last week too and lived up to their billing as they beat Southend 3-0 in front of a big crowd of 3,673 spectators. They should find the Spireites a far tougher proposition, a side they haven't beaten in eight attempts. Tickets

National League South

Dulwich Hamlet v Hampton & Richmond Borough @3pm - it's a big week for the Hamlet as they host two potential promotion rivals. Once again, without knowing how the midweek games pan out, it's hard to write a totally meaningful preview for this. Nonetheless, if everything goes according to plan and they win their games on Tuesday, then my sums suggest a best-case scenario of second versus fourth which should be well worth a couple of hours of anyone's Saturday afternoon. Tickets

FA Trophy Third Round Qualifying

With the FA Cup and FA Vase both well underway, it's the turn of the FA Trophy to really get going as the teams in the seventh tier enter the draw. If you don't know, this is a national knockout competition for sides in the fifth to eighth tiers with its final at Wembley. There are numerous ties across London this weekend, here are my picks: 

Enfield Town v Metropolitan Police @3pm - there's a bit of inter-league action at Donkey Lane where the Isthmian League leaders entertain one of the Southern League's top sides. Despite their relative prowess in the league and other competitions, both sides usually struggle to get beyond the qualifying rounds so it should be tight

Wingate & Finchley v Hornchurch @3pm - the Urchins were at the centre of one of the biggest stories of last season as they won the FA Trophy. The seventh-tier side came in at this stage and had to win nine ties to claim the silverware. Seven of the teams they beat were from higher divisions and included the likes of Darlington, Notts County and Hereford. The defence of their title begins at Wingate who they also beat 4-1 in the early stages of their glorious run. As for this season, the sides are 14th and 15th in the Isthmian Premier so it should be a bit closer this time

Chertsey Town v Worthing @3pm - the Curfews are currently looking to break into the play-off places in the eighth tier and have developed a reputation for being a good cup side having won the FA Vase in 2019 and making it to the Fourth Round Qualifying of the FA Cup this season. They'll need to be at their best for the visit of Worthing who are one of the title favourites in the division above them

Bedfont Sports v Harlow Town @3pm - after their thrilling run in the FA Cup came to an end at the hands of Kidderminster Harriers, Bedfont will hope to keep another cup run going here. A midweek win could lift them into the top six in the Isthmian South Central, a very similar standing to that enjoyed by Harlow in the parallel Southern League Division 1 Central. It should be too close to call but I have a feeling the hosts will have enough

Cray Valley PM v Ashford United @3pm - currently second and third in the Isthmian South East, this should again provide a very close encounter. After playing in the lower tiers for most of their existence, CVPM stepped up to this level in 2019 after winning promotion and finishing as runners-up in the FA Vase to Chertsey. Getting to the Third Round Qualifying is actually the furthest they've ever gone and they did it by winning at AFC Sudbury on penalties - no mean feat considering how well the Suffolk side have done in this season's FA Cup. This is also a club record performance in the competition for the visitors too

SCEFL Premier Division

Erith Town v Sheppey United @3pm - the match of the day in the ninth tier would appear to be this game at Erith Leisure Centre in south-east London where the Dockers will look to hold on to top spot. It would seem like a tough ask in the medium to long term as Glebe and Sheppey who sit just below them, have the games in hand to go top

SCEFL Division 1

Stansfeld v Tooting Bec @3pm - there's absolutely no doubting the MOTD in the 10th tier where the top two in this division go head-to-head. At the moment the sides are level on points but Stansfeld have a game on Tuesday that will move them three points clear if they win. Whatever happens in that game, the visitors will want to take home at least a point to keep their own title ambitions on track as Stansfeld will still have a game in hand

MCFL Premier Division

Kensington Dragons v Clapton CFC @230pm - the Linford Christie Stadium, next to Wormwood Scrubs, has been in the football news this week as QPR's efforts to build their new ground there seem to have hit the buffers. At the moment it plays host to Kensington Dragons who will be welcoming the Tons for what is their 50th competitive game. Entry is free and there is a covered stand so you should be safe from the rain

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Sunday 31 October

Women's FA Cup Semi-Final

Arsenal v Brighton & Hove Albion @445pm - the Gunners return from the international break with this big game against Hope Powell's Seagulls side. What you might be unaware of is that this is the semi-final of last season's Women's FA Cup which got held up by Covid. It's kind of strange because the current Arsenal and Brighton sides are arguably quite a bit better than last season and perhaps wouldn't have made it this far if matches had been played at the correct time but them's the breaks. The match is being played at Boreham Wood's ground and the winners will face Chelsea or Manchester City in the final at Wembley on 5 December. Adult tickets for this semi-final are £8

FA Women's Championship

Watford v Crystal Palace @2pm - in the women's second tier, the Hornets are playing this derby against the Eagles at Vicarage Road. The hosts are having a terrible season and have lost every game to sit bottom. Palace have won two, drawn two and lost two and sit snugly in midtable. Tickets are £12

FA Women's National League Southern Premier Division

London Bees v Portsmouth @2pm - the hosts are the best club in the third tier from the London area but given they're ninth out of 14, that's not saying much. Pompey climbed back up to fourth after a slightly disappointing 3-0 home win over bottom club Hounslow - a side they recently beat 11-0 away from home

FA Women's National League Division 1 South East

QPR v Hashtag United @2pm - get yourself to Hanwell Town's ground on Sunday if you want to assess the merits of current fourth-tier leaders Hashtag. The Essex club, currently playing their games on Canvey Island, are just ahead of county rivals Billericay Town on goal difference. The R's are down in eighth but have three games in hand on most of those above them and made smooth progress in this season's Women's FA Cup on Sunday

London & South East Women's Regional League

New London Lionesses v Dulwich Hamlet @2pm - in terms of attendance, Dulwich are probably the biggest club in this division with 200+ crowds commonplace at Champion Hill. Despite this, they're struggling a bit for form and are down in seventh although they do have a couple of games in hand. The hosts, who play at Northwood, lost their big FA Cup clash against Ashford Town on Sunday and are second in the league. Regardless of all this, the most interesting thing about this match is the rift between the sides which opened up on Twitter at the start of the season when NLL postponed their opening fixture against Dulwich and then went on the hunt for a friendly. As I mentioned last week, TLFG got unwittingly embroiled and blocked as did many others. It's a real shame this happened at they're clearly a good side but trying to promote them has become far more difficult than it needed to be

FA Trophy Third Round Qualifying

Cray Wanderers v Kings Langley @3pm - if women's football isn't for you then you have the option of heading down to Bromley to watch London's oldest men's club in FA Trophy action. It's not a particularly mouthwatering tie as Cray are in the lower reaches of the Isthmian Premier and Kings Langley are second-bottom of the parallel Southern Premier South

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 Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Has this blog been helpful? Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here 

TLFG: 18-24 October 2021

Wow, wow, wow!

What a 24 hours it's been. 

Saturday was about three games of football for me.

It began out at the Middlesex FA HQ in Northolt with my daughter's latest match for Actonians U9s.

After the joy of their first-ever win two weeks ago, normal service resumed with another huge 13-4 thrashing at the hands of one of Ruislip Rangers' many squads.

Weirdly it was 3-3 at half-time with our star player, who trains with Chelsea during the week rather than us, scoring her third hat-trick in two games.

Tickets for Leyton Orient v Hartlepool on 30 October are only £5

Squad rotation, the opposition figuring out how to nullify our main player, a lack of experience and heads dropping in the cold and wet, all contributed to the capitulation.

Thankfully it was all smiles at the end and we look forward to Wealdstone in two weeks time but it looks like being another tough one.

Game two was QPR's big derby match against Fulham at Craven Cottage. 

I didn't go and couldn't watch it and thankfully so as it sounded as if we barely got into the game.

Aside from Lyndon Dykes' equaliser, we were pretty poor throughout and deservedly lost 4-1.

Lastly was the hugely important game for my other favourite side Harrow Borough who had made it to the Fourth Round Qualifying of the FA Cup.

They'd drawn Chelmsford City from the level above but had them at home, so a win seemed achievable.

It seems quite a few of you made it down to Earlsmead for what turned out to be a highly entertaining tie, unlike me who was stuck at work.

The Boro took the lead but conceded two quick goals to be 2-1 down at the break.

Amazingly, Steve Baker's side got really stuck in after the interval with James Ewington completing his hat-trick (13 goals already this season) and Imran Uche making sure of progress with a fourth in the closing stages.

So all eyes turned to Sunday's First Round draw, conducted by Kelly Smith and Wes Morgan at Wembley.

It was the former Leicester captain who drew out ball 70, handing Harrow a dream trip to Fratton Park to play former Premier League club and two-time FA Cup winners Portsmouth!

Although they've previously made the Second Round, it's probably the biggest match in Boro's 88-year history given the size and illustrious history of the opponent.

I can't see getting a ticket will be too much of a problem, so if you're around on the weekend of 6/7 November, you're very welcome to join us all for a jolly down to the Hampshire coast.

My football week will see me attend my first women's match of the season as England play Northern Ireland in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley.

Lastly from me, many thanks this week to Craig H, Ben K and Markus U for donating to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund. I 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 Vase, most of our local non-league competitions and the Women's FA Cup 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.

Donate to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund here

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 18 October

Premier League

Arsenal v Crystal Palace @8pm - the week begins with a London derby between sides just a place apart in lower midtable. It also marks the return of Gunners legend Patrick Vieira who brings his new side to the Emirates for the first time. Despite their uninspiring start to the season, Arsenal will still start as favourites especially when you consider the Eagles have only won three of their last 10 meetings against the north London club. You'll need to be a member to buy a ticket

Development matches

Earlier in the day, there are a few U23 games. Tottenham Hotspur play host to West Ham United in the match of the day but it's being played just to the north of London at Stevenage's ground at 7pm

Essex Senior Cup Preliminary Round

Barkingside v Holland @745pm - the only non-league match of the night takes place in Seven Kings where two ECL sides go for glory at Cricklefields

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Tuesday 19 October

Championship

QPR v Blackburn Rovers @745pm - after suffering the humiliation of a 4-1 defeat at local rivals Fulham on Saturday, the R's will be looking to bounceback straight away with this game against the club just below them in the table. Over the course of history, Rovers are well in front in the head-to-head with 25 wins to QPR's 16. Last season this game ended 1-0 to QPR - I get the feeling there could be a few more goals this time. Tickets

League One

Charlton Athletic v Accrington Stanley @745pm - after getting a desperately needed win at Fleetwood Town, the Addicks returned to losing ways against Lincoln on Saturday to stay in the bottom three. Accrington, a club punching well above their weight, are up in 11th but in very unpredictable form. The Lancashire club picked up their first-ever win at The Valley last season and could well take three points here too. Tickets

League Two

Leyton Orient v Forest Green Rovers @745pm - on the face of it, Tuesday's programme in the fourth tier contains some of the matches of the week. Having lost only two of their 12 league games, the O's are ticking over nicely in seventh although probably drawing more than they'd like. FGR arrive as leaders and are now four points clear after Saturday's win at Scunthorpe. The sides have only ever played three league games against each other and FGR have won all of them. Tickets

Sutton United v Swindon Town @745pm - after a difficult start to life in League Two, following their promotion from the National League, the U's have hit form and climbed the table rapidly. Saturday's win at Crawley was their fourth in a row and lifted them to fifth. On Tuesday, Swindon pay a visit to Gander Green Lane and it could be a cracker. The former Premier League club are just below them in the table with only goals scored keeping them below their hosts. Tickets

FA Cup Fourth Round Qualifying Replay

Hayes & Yeading United v Dorking Wanderers @745pm - Paul Hughes' side found themselves 2-1 up with 16 minutes to go and looked set to cause an upset against National League South opposition but it was not to be and it finished 2-2. However, H&YU have been fantastic in the league this season and should more than fancy their chances back on home turf. Their recent FA Cup record is excellent, making the First Round in each of the last two seasons. If they do win, they will host Sutton United next. Admission is a very reasonable £10, payable on the gate

London Senior Cup First Round

Fisher v Brentford B @745pm - there's a lot of county cup football around the London area on Tuesday with this LSC tie just about topping the bill. I've said many times on TLFG that I'd love to see all our local pro clubs enter reserve/development sides into the county cups, as they always used to do, so I really applaud the Bees for continuing to do so. The west London club have made it to two of the last three finals, so should be among the contenders again

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Wednesday 20 October

Uefa Champions League

Chelsea v Malmo @8pm - Saturday's win in the derby at Brentford kept the Blues top of the Premier League so they should expect to triumph fairly comfortably again against the weakest side in Group H. Swedish club Malmo are currently bottom after losing their first two games and they've still yet to score. Tickets are now only available in the hospitality areas

Uefa Youth League

Chelsea v Malmo @12pm - if you're around all day, you could see the clubs' U19 sides do battle at Kingsmeadow as well. Tickets are only £5 must be bought by 4pm on Tuesday - none will be available on the day

Championship

Fulham v Cardiff City @745pm - if you can't get in at Stamford Bridge, then take a short stroll along Fulham Road to Craven Cottage where you shouldn't struggle to find a ticket. Having emphatically beaten local rivals QPR 4-1 on Saturday, the hosts climbed back to third and should be full of confidence ahead of this match against the team with the worst form in the division. Tickets

Isthmian South Central

Bedfont Sports v Sutton Common Rovers @745pm - the hosts gave a great account of themselves against Kidderminster in the FA Cup on Saturday but came up just short, losing 1-0. Their impressive cup run means they've got four games in hand on current leaders Uxbridge, which if won would put them joint top. SCR have found things tough going as a result of playing seven of their eight league games away from home but they've still managed to accrue seven points

Surrey Senior Cup Preliminary Round

Colliers Wood United v Balham @730pm - a number of you have been in touch to make sure I don't miss this south-west London derby. Geographically Colliers Wood and Balham lie either side of Tooting on the Northern Line but sadly neither club play in their home areas which makes growing a fanbase a little more challenging. Nevertheless, I'm sure they'll put on a decent spectacle for your entertainment

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Thursday 21 October

Uefa Europa League

West Ham United v Genk @8pm - the Hammers enjoyed a 1-0 win at Everton on Sunday to move back into the top seven. On Thursday they'll look to extend their 100% record in Group H against Belgian side Genk. Sixth in their own league, they disappointingly lost 2-0 at Charleroi on Sunday and really should be beaten again here. Tickets 

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Friday 22 October

Premier League

Arsenal v Aston Villa @8pm - the Gunners face their second night match of the week as Villa pay a visit. Like the Palace game, this should be competitive as the sides are right next to each other in the table at the time of writing. Dean Smith's side did the double over Arsenal last season, the first time the Birmingham club had achieved that since the opening season of the Premier League in 1992/93. Tickets are only on sale to members

Development matches

There are three U23 matches over the course of the day with the curiously scheduled match between Arsenal and Everton at Meadow Park topping the bill at 7pm. At 2pm there's a tasty derby at The Valley where Charlton take on local rivals Millwall and Fulham host Nottingham Forest at their training ground in the evening

FA Vase First Round

Southall v Erith & Belvedere @745pm - the next round of the Vase gets underway on Friday night with this tasty-looking encounter. If you don't know, this is a prestigious national knockout competition for sides in the ninth and 10th tiers with its final at Wembley. The 'All have a proud Vase history, famously finishing as runners-up in 1986. In 2017 they made the quarter-finals and have made the Third Round a couple of times since then. The Deres also made it to the last eight in 2015, I went, but are probably most famous for getting to two FA Amateur Cup Finals back in the 1930s. As for today, both sides are in great league form with Southall top of the CCL Premier North and E&B sixth in the parallel SCEFL Premier, although they have the games in hand to go top. This is one of the ties of the round

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Saturday 23 October

Fifa Women's World Cup qualifier

England v Northern Ireland @515pm - the Lionesses return to Wembley for their first match at the national stadium in nearly two years - the last one being the friendly against Germany played in front of almost 80,000 spectators. Although this is a competitive fixture against a local rival, I doubt we'll see that many here as there's a big gulf in class between the two sides - the last match between them in February ended in a 6-0 win for England. However, Northern Ireland have won both of their opening group games and can't be totally discounted. Having said that, the hosts have looked imperious under new Dutch boss Sarina Wiegman, scoring 18 goals in just two games. If you've never been to a women's game, I heartily recommend you give this a try, especially if you've got kids. Tickets are ridiculously cheap for a match at Wembley (£20 for adults, £2.50 kids) and the atmosphere will be a lot more relaxed due to the almost total lack of alcohol consumption by those in attendance. You might think that sounds like the most boring football match you've ever been to but if not, I might see you there 

Premier League

Chelsea v Norwich City @1230pm - the late kick-off at Wembley means you could very easily do a 'double' with this, with easy train connections from West Brompton to Wembley Central. Whatever your plans, it's a case of top versus bottom at Stamford Bridge and we could see a pretty similar game to the one at the national stadium. With the Canaries yet to win a game, you really fear for them. Once again, only hospitality packages are available at this stage

Crystal Palace v Newcastle United @3pm - with several Premier League games picked off by TV companies over the course of a weekend, the ones left at 3pm on a Saturday might as well have 'Rubbish' next to them in brackets on the fixture list. Normally, this one would appear to be pretty unappealing to neutrals but the recent Saudi investment into Newcastle has added a new dimension to this one. Having lost to Spurs in their first game under new owners, boss Steve Bruce is under immense pressure and another defeat here could well be the end for him. Palace, on the other hand, look relatively comfortable at the moment and should be able to exploit any lack of morale in their opponents. Tickets are only available to members

Championship

Millwall v Stoke City @3pm - for the second Saturday running, your best chance of getting a ticket for a high-level men's match will be at The Den. The Lions remained in midtable after losing 2-0 to Luton but things are incredibly tight with only six points separating sixth from 16th. The Potters also lost to drop to fifth but still remain a tough prospect. Tickets

League One

AFC Wimbledon v Wigan Athletic @3pm - the Dons' winless run continued on Saturday but they avoided defeat, getting a very decent point against Sheffield Wednesday. The big matches are coming thick and fast at the moment, with former Premier League club Wigan next to visit. The Latics are third at the time of writing but could be top by the time this happens if midweek results go their way. Tickets 

National League

Barnet v Wrexham @3pm - after enjoying an improvement in form recently, the Bees bowed out of the FA Cup at the first attempt after a narrow loss to local rivals Boreham Wood. On Saturday they welcome the biggest club in the league, in terms of attendance, for another important game. Although the Welsh club are averaging crowds of nearly 8,000, they're not doing anything particularly special on the pitch with only three wins from nine. In fact, Barnet will go level on points with them if they win. Tickets

Dagenham & Redbridge v Southend United @3pm - there should also be a bumper crowd at Victoria Road for this huge Essex derby. How this wasn't selected as the day's TV game I'm not quite sure. The Daggers scored two late goals to knock Wealdstone out of the FA Cup on Saturday and arrest their worrying run of defeats. The Shrimpers have found life in non-league really hard to adjust to following relegation from League Two and recently sacked manager Phil Brown. Things improved a bit with a comfortable FA Cup win over Chertsey but this should be a much tougher game. Tickets

National League South

Hampton & Richmond Borough v Chippenham Town @3pm - there's only one match in the sixth tier on Saturday and it will see the Beavers try to extend their unbeaten run whilst cracking into the play-off places. The visitors are level on points with the hosts so Gary McCann's side shouldn't have it all their own way. Tickets at this level and below are always available on the gate

Southern League Premier South

Harrow Borough v Wimborne Town @3pm - there aren't any really outstanding matches in the seventh tier this week so I'm going to use my editorial privilege to recommend a trip to the Rogers Family Stadium to watch potential FA Cup giant-killers Harrow in action. Steve Baker's side claimed their second National League South scalp of the campaign by beating Chelmsford 4-2 on Saturday and will now travel to Portsmouth in the next round. Aside from the cup run, they've started to do pretty well in the league and will be in and around the play-off places if they win their games in hand. Wimborne have made a poor start so the Reds should start as firm favourites. If for nothing else, you should make a trip here to try the legendary bread pudding

Isthmian South Central

Uxbridge v Tooting & Mitcham United @3pm - the Reds are celebrating their 150th anniversary this season and could mark it with promotion. Currently top with only one league defeat, they've started impressively. Tooting are down in a slightly disappointing 12th but with a couple of games in hand, they could well be back among the play-off contenders soon 

FA Vase First Round

Abbey Rangers v Horley Town @3pm - the hosts are only in their 11th season but still managed a run to the fifth round in 2019 when near neighbours Chertsey Town eventually won the competition. Horley made it to the fourth round the year before so both clubs have some fond Vase memories. Both sides are currently among the frontrunners in the parallel Premier North and South divisions of the CCL so should put on a good show

Egham Town v Colliers Wood United @3pm - there's a similar scenario on TLFG's far western boundary where the Sarnies re-opened their main stand on Saturday after seeing it burned down by teenage vandals earlier this year. I make them marginal favourites to prevail here

Fisher v Badshot Lea @3pm - it's a week of big cup matches for the Fish with Brentford B on Tuesday and CCL Premier South leaders Badshot in the Vase on Saturday. This hasn't been a happy competition for the hosts who've only made it past this point once

Holmesdale v Athletic Newham @3pm - there's another bit of interesting inter-league action near Bromley where two sides from the top eight of the Essex Senior and SCEFL do battle

Hilltop v Tunbridge Wells @3pm - promoted from the MCFL and new to this level, Hilltop continue to impress near the top of the CCL Division 1 and have landed a great draw against 2013 finalists Tunbridge Wells. The Kent club play a level above them but are in midtable and could be vulnerable to a cupset

London Lions v Thetford Town @3pm - Hilltop would be top of their division if it wasn't for London Lions who are just keeping their noses in front in the race for the title. In a very similar tie to the one above, Thetford are a midtable side from the level above and should provide an interesting test

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Sunday 24 October

Premier League

Brentford v Leicester City @2pm - with the Foxes playing in the Europa League, this match has been moved to Sunday. By all accounts, the Bees were very unlucky to lose to Chelsea on Saturday and they'll want to avoid losing a second consecutive match for the first time this season if they possibly can. Leicester recorded a fine 4-2 win over Manchester United but head to west London on the back of a midweek trip to Moscow to play Spartak. Will the travelling make a difference? Tickets are only available to members

West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur @2pm - at the same time on the other side of London, two more sides with midweek European commitments meet at the London Stadium. Sadly for Spurs, they are the ones with a Thursday night trip but it's only to the Netherlands so it shouldn't be too arduous. A lot seems to have been said about how great West Ham are and how poor Tottenham seem to be but both won on Sunday and it's Spurs who are higher up the table. This derby is usually pretty lively on and off the pitch and let's not forget that it was these two clubs who fought very publicly for use of this stadium after the Olympics. On reflection, I think Spurs fans will be the happier. Surprisingly, tickets are on sale to non-members

Women's FA Cup Third Round Qualifying

AFC Wimbledon v Walton Casuals @3pm - all the clubs from the fourth tier of the women's pyramid enter the draw at this stage, meaning quite a few of our local clubs are now involved. The Dons have been doing well in recent weeks and should have too much for the visitors who play several levels below them. This is being played at Plough Lane - tickets are free but you must register in advance

QPR v Caversham United @2pm - one of Wimbledon's recent victims, the R's could do with a win after a run of poor results. Like the match above, Caversham should be seen off with relative ease. This match will take place at Hanwell Town

Fulham v Dartford @2pm - both are currently in the top four in the fifth tier LSE Women's Regional League so it should be pretty close. I would have the Darts as marginal favourites in this game at the Cottagers' training ground in Motspur Park

New London Lionesses v Ashford Town (Middlesex) @2pm - you might not have heard of either of these teams but they're the current top two in the LSE Women's Regional League. It's being played at Northwood's ground but I can't tell you much more because the hosts inexplicably blocked TLFG's account on Twitter ahead of the new season when we questioned why they'd postponed their first match against Dulwich and then gone looking for a friendly. There were several other casualties in the great blocking scandal of 2021 so it seems they're better at football than PR

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