Monday 29 August 2022

TLFG: 30 August - 4 September 2022

Welcome one and all to this week's TLFG.

How was your week? How many games did you cram in? 

I think that between Friday and Monday it was possible to see as many as eight!

Personally I didn't see anything following my trip to Actonians last Sunday as I've been working most of the time and training for a couple of half marathons I've got coming up next month.

On the subject of running, TLFG reader Liam B from Putney travelled to South Africa and successfully completed the Comrades Marathon on Sunday.

If you've never heard of it, it's actually two-and-a-bit marathons, which sees you have to run approximately 90km in 12 hours or less.

If you take any longer than that then you get disqualified - I'm pleased to say Liam finished the course with 15 minutes to spare!

Having seen both his parents treated at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, which specialises in cancer treatment, he decided to raise some money for it so if you have any spare cash sloshing about then he'd love to have it - he's currently less than £50 away from £1,000 which would be a great amount to hit - donate here.

Tickets for Crystal Palace v Brentford are on sale to non-members

Back to football now and the week ahead again looks exciting with lots of great games to choose from.

For the first time in ages, tickets to watch a Premier League game at Crystal Palace have gone on sale to non-members.

The derby on Tuesday against Brentford should be decent, so take your chance while you can.

I'm all set to watch QPR U21s play their counterparts from Sheffield United on Tuesday lunchtime and hopefully I'll see something on Saturday too - if nothing else, I'll get to see my daughter's first match since June in the morning.

Lastly this week, many thanks to Mark H from Tennessee, USA who donated to TLFG's coffee drinking fund - much appreciated.


THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include games in the Premier League, EFL, FA Cup, FA Women's National League and many other games in our local non-league and women's competitions.

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
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.


Tuesday 30 August

Premier League
Crystal Palace v Brentford @730pm - after all the fun of the Bank Holiday weekend, the action doesn't let up with this decent looking derby taking place at Selhurst Park. Both sides are sitting snugly in midtable after reasonable starts to their campaigns and it should be a pretty close-run thing. Last season, both games between them ended 0-0 and it could well happen again. Usually tickets for Palace's Premier League games are restricted to members but this game has gone on general sale
Fulham v Brighton & Hove Albion @730pm - the last two games between these sides also ended in 0-0 draws but I think that's unlikely this time. Although the Cottagers have started way better than many thought they would, Brighton have been even more of a surprise with 10 points from their first four games. When I looked, a small amount of tickets still seemed to be available

Championship
QPR v Hull City @745pm - after a couple of underwhelming performances, the R's dug deep on Saturday to win 3-2 at previously unbeaten local rivals Watford. The result lifted them to eighth. Next up are Hull, another former Premier League side, who have begun very well indeed and sit just one point behind leaders Reading. The hosts have only lost one of their last five against the Tigers but it won't be easy for them here. Tickets
Watford v Middlesbrough @8pm - on paper, many would've expected this to be a match between two title contenders. It's early days of course but, with one win in six, Boro have been disappointing. That first win came on Saturday when they beat Swansea 2-1. Games between these two are normally tight with the last five games only generating six goals. The Hornets will also be celebrating 100 years at Vicarage Road on Tuesday and have all kinds of events planned - there are a few tickets left so don't miss out

EFL Trophy
AFC Wimbledon v Aston Villa U21 @7pm - the much maligned EFL Trophy or Papa John's Trophy as the sponsors would like it to be known returns this week. This competition used to be the preserve of League One and League Two clubs but in 2016 it was announced that 16 U21 sides from Premier League and Championship clubs would also take part. This annoyed many of the usual participants, not least the Dons who barely advertised such fixtures and encouraged their supporters to stay away. They're still far from enamored by it and tickets are available for £12

Professional Development League
QPR v Sheffield United @1pm - if you'd like to see two games on Tuesday then the R's U21 side have made it possible. Being played at Hanwell Town's ground, just off the A40 and a short walk from Perivale Tube station, this is hopefully where I'll be if I get out of work on time. I'm not sure if there'll be a charge but it won't be more than £5
Charlton Athltic v Coventry City @2pm - if you're located on the other side of town, then this match at Dartford's ground might be more to your liking. As with all U21 games, check all the details before you travel as they are susceptible to change at quite short notice

CCL Division 1
British Airways v Bedfont @745pm - there's a groundshare derby right next to Heathrow. It's more important than normal as The Orchard was badly damaged by fire a few weeks ago but the repairs have been swift and they're both back in action

FA Women's National League Division 1 SE
Actonians v QPR @745pm - if I wasn't working early on Wednesday morning, I'd be at Rectory Park. This West London derby has become quite a thing over the last few years with a decent rivalry developing between these neighbouring clubs. The hosts are a dedicated women's and girls' club run by volunteers with players who pay their own subs to take part, whilst QPR are linked to the men's club and have a much bigger support base to draw from. Despite this, the margins are fine with only a point separating them as they both finished in the top five last season. Annoyingly, it's often scheduled against a QPR men's game so the league need to sort that out next year. Tickets are £5 in advance or on the gate

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Wednesday 31 August

Premier League
Arsenal v Aston Villa @730pm - the Gunners maintained their 100% record with a win over Fulham on Saturday to keep themselves two points clear at the top. On Wednesday they welcome a Villa side who are struggling. With one win in four, fans are starting to grumble about Steven Gerrard and his team. Tickets are only available to members
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur @745pm - over in Stratford, the London Stadium should be pretty much full for this big derby. There's little love lost between these two old rivals, with the clubs even fighting for the rights to take over this ground after the 2012 Olympics. With three wins and a draw from their seven visits to play the Hammers here, Spurs have a good record. Tickets are sold out but some might appear on the club's ticket exchange

EFL Trophy
Charlton Athletic v Gillingham @7pm - with only one defeat from six and a place in the Third Round of the EFL Cup secured, the Addicks have made a good start to their campaign. The same can't be said of the Gills who suffered relegation to League Two last season and have only managed one win at the lower level so far. Tickets are £15
Sutton United v Chelsea U21 @745pm - one team who do take this competition seriously are Sutton who were just seconds away from winning it last season before a very late goal saved Rotherham and saw them win it in extra-time. They start this year against the Blues' youngsters - a match which could draw quite a big crowd as many Chelsea fans live in the area. Tickets are available 

CCL Premier Division South
Colliers Wood United v Cobham @730pm - if you fancy a non-league game instead, pop down to Wibbandune and check out CWU. The hosts have begun the season well and are currently joint top with local rivals Raynes Park Vale and also Badshot Lea. Cobham have only managed one win so far, so another three points would appear to be there for the taking

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Thursday 1 September

FA Women's National League Division 1 SE
Ashford Town (Middlesex) v AFC Wimbledon @745pm - the home team won promotion to the fourth tier last season after really impressing in the London & South East Regional League. They played their first game of this campaign on Sunday and were denied by a late equaliser as they drew 3-3 with Cambridge United. The Dons somewhat surprisingly lost 1-0 at home to a QPR side who'd looked very out of sorts in their 4-2 defeat to Cambridge City last weekend. It will be very interesting to see which way this goes
London Seaward v Hashtag United @745pm - the hosts, who play in Walthamstow, are one of only two clubs with a 100% record at this stage. Hashtag finished as runners-up last season and sit just behind Seaward after thrashing newly promoted Wymondham 10-0 on Sunday. I'm not sure if tickets are available in advance but £5 is the going rate at this level

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Friday 2 September

Essex Senior League
Woodford Town v Takeley @745pm - the Woods can often be relied on to provide some Friday night football and this week they've delivered again. With four points from three games, they've made a steady start. The same can't be said of the visitors who often find themselves among the title contenders but have lost all three
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Saturday 3 September

Premier League
Brentford v Leeds United @3pm - the Whites secured their place in the top flight with a nervy last-day win at Brentford in May. With only one defeat from four, including a fine 3-0 win over Chelsea, the Yorkshire club are looking far more impressive as they've moved into the top five. Leeds appear to be a bit of bogey club for Thomas Frank who has managed only one win from the five played against them since he took over in 2018. Tickets are only available to members
Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham @3pm - having played Liverpool, Arsenal and a big local derby against Brentford in their first four games, the Cottagers' tough start to the season continues with this very challenging visit to the THS. With only one win in 11 against the club from N17, Fulham will do well to get anything out of this one. Tickets are only available to members

Championship
Millwall v Cardiff City @3pm - after a promising start to the season, the Lions are now three without a win and down to 16th. It's a similar story for Cardiff too, who aren't pulling up any trees either. Apart from anything else, the atmosphere generated by two of the division's more 'boisterous' sets of supporters should be interesting to experience. Police had to intervene when things kicked off in the Millwall end at the reverse fixture a year ago. Tickets are available

League Two
Leyton Orient v Tranmere Rovers @3pm - the undefeated O's have made a dream start to the season and top the division after six games. Putting three past Colchester last weekend and scoring another four against Hartlepool on Saturday, they're doing things in some style too. Midtable Tranmere have taken seven points from their last three visits to Brisbane Road so there's no room for complacency. Tickets are available
Sutton United v Harrogate Town @3pm - according to my sources, the U's have only played their Yorkshire opponents seven times and have lost only one of them. In fact, Sutton have won the last four and although only a point currently separates them, I'm going for another home win here. Tickets are available

Premier League 2
This season, there has been a notable new trend to schedule more U21 games on Saturday afternoons rather than in their more normal midweek slots. Last weekend West Ham put a game on at 12pm which allowed fans the opportunity to see two games in an afternoon. However, the majority of clubs are playing their matches later in the afternoon which, to me, impinges a bit on local non-league clubs which is disappointing. This Saturday's offerings see Arsenal play Blackburn Rovers at Boreham Wood at 1pm (entry is usually free) and Crystal Palace host Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park at 2pm - tickets are usually £5 but I haven't seen any details yet

National League
Bromley v Eastleigh @3pm - both sides endured a disappointing Bank Holiday with defeats at Dagenham & Redbridge and Barnet respectively, missing their chance to move into the top three. The Ravens have won their last three against the Hampshire club, conceding only one in the process
Dagenham & Redbridge v Notts County @3pm - the Daggers' win against Bromley moved them into the top half but staying there will be tough as the visitors are one of only two unbeaten teams after six games

National League South
Welling United v Oxford City @3pm - the Wings bounced back superbly from their loss to Chelmsford by beating fellow south Londoners Dulwich Hamlet on Monday. The win sees them eighth after six games. The Hoops have made a fine start and come into this in fifth after having played only five games

FA Cup First Qualifying Round
With the preliminary rounds out of the way, the qualifying rounds now begin - effectively this is the third round of this season's competition. At this point, all the clubs in the seventh tier join the draw alongside the winners from the previous two rounds. The winners of each tie receive £2,250 and the losers £750. Here are a few ties that I like the look of:

Aveley v Potters Bar Town @3pm - currently joint leaders of the Isthmian League after winning four of their first five games, it will be interesting to see how this pans out. The match is being played at Parkside which is one of the finest stadiums in the country at this level
Cray Valley PM v Hastings United @3pm - two years ago, CVPM made it all the way to the First Round, beating National League side Maidenhead United in the process. Currently eighth in the Isthmian League South East, they're up against the side who won the division last season but have struggled since going up - there is some cupset potential here
Walton & Hersham v Beaconsfield Town @3pm - the Swans are a club on the up after enjoying back-to-back promotions which have lifted them to the eighth tier. Now back in the Isthmian League, they've started well again and should be able to give Beaconsfield, from the level above, a tough afternoon
Edgware & Kingsbury v Grays Athletic @3pm - as a ninth-tier club, E&K are one of the lowest ranked teams left in the competition. They beat AFC Dunstable in the last round, who play at the same level as Grays, so they've got every chance of causing a further cupset here
Fisher v Spelthorne Sports @3pm - the Fish have made a terrible start in the league and have yet to win a game but in the FA Cup it's a different story as they've beaten not one but two Isthmian League clubs to get to this stage, something they've only done once before. Fellow ninth-tier club Spelthorne have never got beyond this round either so there's lots at stake
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Sunday 4 September

Premier League
Chelsea v West Ham United @2pm - the week comes to an end with another derby at Stamford Bridge. Compared to a lot of teams, the Hammers have a reasonable record here, often drawing and picking up the odd win in recent years. However, their form has been disappointing in the opening weeks of the season and they'll do well to get anything from this one. Tickets are only available to members

National League
Wealdstone v Woking @12pm - there's a very rare bit of Sunday football at Grosvenor Vale in Ruislip where the Stones have been selected for live TV coverage by BT Sport. After a pre-season which saw many gloomy predictions from fans on social media, Stuart Maynard's side have taken many by surprise and find themselves in third after six games with a win at Oldham Athletic the highlight. The Cards haven't begun quite so well but are doing okay and did the double over them last season. Given Woking's location just outside the M25 in Surrey, this is pretty much a derby too

FA Women's National League Division 1 SE
AFC Wimbledon v Hounslow @2pm - with the visitors apparently struggling to register players, it remains to be seen if this match goes ahead. We're two weeks into the season and the west London club have yet to play a game as their troubled existence continues. If it does take place, it will be played at Carshalton Athletic UPDATE - MATCH OFF
Hashtag United v Actonians @3pm - if it doesn't go ahead, this is without doubt, the highest quality women's option this weekend. Hashtag, who are now groundsharing at Aveley's impressive ground, could well be top by the time this kicks off. The visitors will definitely start as underdogs but managed to inflict one of only two defeats the Essex club suffered in the league last season

London & South East Women's Regional League
Dartford v Fulham @2pm - as the only team in the division to be associated with a Premier League club, the Cottagers are one of the sides to watch in this year. I've noticed a significant increase in focus by the club's media team and they're taking a more prominent role in the club's overall output. The history of the club is a bit convoluted with dissolutions, re-formations and new names but it's fair to say that they were one of the biggest women's clubs in the land with league titles and FA Cup wins at the start of this century when they were fully professional. Having won their opening two games this season, they're off to a good start


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 21 August 2022

TLFG: 22-29 August 2022

Welcome one and all to TLFG's August Bank Holiday Special which runs through to next Monday so you can plan for a full weekend of football watching.

It's worth noting some unusually early and late kick-off times which allow you to see multiple games on Saturday and Monday but more on that in the 'Daily Digest' below.

There are also a raft of FA Youth Cup games provisionally scheduled for next Monday evening but I would've thought most of those will be re-arranged and spread over the week so I haven't listed any of them yet. 

So what have you been up to this week?

Today, I made it out to my first match of the new campaign when I took my eldest daughter to watch Actonians take on Chesham United in their FA WNL season opener.

She also had the pleasure of being a mascot again - which without all the previous Covid protocols was much more of a fun experience.

I even got to do a bit of flag waving myself as part of a guard of honour welcoming both sides onto the pitch.

With a number of impressive new signings on show, the hosts took control and opened up a 2-0 half-time lead courtesy of Samaira Khan and Imogen Sinclair - her first ever goal for the club.

Actonians hosted Chesham United in their first match of the season

Chesham reduced the arrears before Sinclair scored again to make it 3-1.

With her face on the programme cover, it really looked set to be the defender's day.

But then misfortune struck when substitute Molly O'Reilly fell and damaged her neck.

Taking no chances, the referee called for an ambulance but with current waiting times so long, the match was abandoned with about 20 minutes still to play.

According the ref, with over 60 minutes played, it's now up to the league to decide whether the result stands so we'll have to wait and see.

It was a very disappointing end to proceedings but thankfully the player in question made it to hospital okay and didn't suffer any broken bones.

Overall though, another very positive experience at a women's football match and I can't wait for the next one.

Lastly this week, many thanks William B from Maryland, USA who donated to TLFG's coffee drinking fund - much appreciated.


THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include games in the Premier League, EFL, FA Cup, FA Vase, FA Women's Championship and many other games in our local non-league and women's competitions.

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 22 August

Isthmian Youth League
The week gets off to a quiet start with a small selection of U18 games at Bedfont Sports, Carshalton Athletic, Chipstead and Walton & Hersham. Make sure you check all the details with the clubs before you travel, especially the venue

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Tuesday 23 August

EFL Cup Second Round
Watford v MK Dons @745pm - located just over 30 miles apart along the M1 motorway, this can probably be classed as a derby. However, according to my records, the sides have never played each other in any competition. If this was an FA Cup tie, then I'd expect there to be quite a bit of interest in this but it's not and consequently tickets are on general sale for £12

FA Cup Preliminary Round Replays
Northwood v Ashford Town (Middlesex) @745pm - there'll be no lack of seriousness at nearby Chestnut Avenue where two Isthmian League clubs will fight it out for a place in the First Qualifying Round after producing a 2-2 draw on Saturday
Buckhurst Hill v Stansted @745pm - the hosts are playing in the FA Cup for the first time and picked up the notable scalp of Southern League club Walthamstow in the last round. Stansted play in the Essex Senior League like themselves so there's no reason why they can't win again
Edgware & Kingsbury v AFC Dunstable @745pm - after grabbing a very late equaliser for a 2-2 draw at Creasey Park, E&K get another chance to make progress as AFC Dunstable head to north-west London

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Wednesday 24 August

FA Cup Preliminary Round Replay
Grays Athletic v Stotfold @745pm - the Blues thought they'd won it when Sam Bantick put them ahead in the last minute of Saturday's original tie but they conceded an even later goal and had to settle for a 2-2 draw. Playing a level above their opponents, who hail from Bedfordshire, Grays should start as favourites

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Thursday 25 August

Essex Alliance League Senior Division
Frenford Development v Chadwell Heath Spartans @745pm - from time to time I like to throw in the odd 11th tier match, especially if it's quiet, and this match not far from Gants Hill Tube station should keep you entertained on Thursday
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Friday 26 August

Premier League 2
There are a couple of decent U21 games on Friday with Chelsea entertaining Manchester City at Kingsmeadow and Tottenham Hotspur playing Liverpool a little to the north of London at Stevenage's ground. Tickets for both are £5 and I would recommend buying in advance - the latter are available from Stevenage's website

FA Vase First Qualifying Round
The FA Vase is a national knockout competition primarily for clubs in the ninth and 10th tiers with its final at Wembley towards the end of the season. Newport Pagnell Town are the reigning champions
West Essex v Harwich & Parkeston @745pm - the home team, who play in Walthamstow, are relatively new to senior football and this is only the seventh season that they've played in the Vase. Their record is far from illustrious and they've never been beyond the next round. However, H&P play a level below them so they should start as favourites
Woodford Town v Haverhill Borough @745pm - elsewhere, in north-east London, the re-formed Woodford Town will try and recapture the form they showed in going all the way to the Fourth Round in 1987. On that occasion they went out to Haverhill Rovers so they'll be hoping the other club from that town won't also be their undoing
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Saturday 27 August

Premier League
Brentford v Everton @3pm - after the high of thrashing Manchester United 4-0 last weekend, the Bees were brought back down to Earth when Aleksandar Mitrovic scored a last-minute goal to give Fulham a 3-2 win over them in a thrilling derby. On Saturday they return home for what would appear to be a winnable game against an Everton side who continue to struggle after successfully avoiding relegation last season. The Merseyside club lost home and away to Brentford last season and look likely to come unstuck here too. Tickets are only available to members
Chelsea v Leicester City @3pm - the Blues suffered a surprising 3-0 loss at Leeds on Sunday to slip into the bottom half of the table. Despite this, they should still be confident of picking up the points here as the Foxes are yet to win and in the bottom three. Tickets are not available
Arsenal v Fulham @530pm - the day finishes with an intriguing derby with two sides who have started the season better than many would've predicted. The Gunners are light years better than they were this time last year, with their comfortable 3-0 win at AFC Bournemouth making them the only side with maximum points after three games. The Cottagers have dropped some points but have yet to lose and must be chuffed with their current position of seventh. However, the omens don't look great as the West London club's record against Arsenal is poor with one win from their last 15 attempts and only eight in their entire history. Tickets are not available to non-members

Championship
Millwall v Reading @3pm - the Lions lost 2-0 at Norwich on Friday night to get their weekend off to a bad start but overall they'll probably be pretty satisfied with seven points from their opening five games - a record that sees them tied with four other teams just outside the play-off places. The Royals have made an even brighter start with their win over Middlesbrough lifting them to third. Millwall are unbeaten in five against the Berkshire club. Tickets
Watford v QPR @3pm - it's derby day at Vicarage Road where these old rivals meet once again. It's fair to say that both clubs have more bitter rivals but at only around 15 miles apart, this has a bit of spice to it. Unbeaten so far this season and having just come down from the Premier League, the Hornets should start as strong favourites against an R's side who haven't quite got going yet. The away end has already sold out and home areas are also close to capacity so you could well struggle to get a ticket

League Two
AFC Wimbledon v Barrow @3pm - the Dons enjoyed a morale-boosting 2-0 win at Crawley Town on Saturday to move into the top 10 but they face a much tougher challenge this weekend. Barrow have won four of their opening five games and are third - a vast improvement from the club who finished just above the relegation zone last season. Tickets
Leyton Orient v Hartlepool United @3pm - the O's have made an even better start than Barrow, with four wins and a draw to top the division. It is early days and we saw the east London club start well last year before a poor three months between December and February killed off any promotion ambitions. The visitors have yet to win and look to be there for the taking. Tickets
Sutton United v Mansfield Town @3pm - the hosts have yet to recapture the form that saw them among the frontrunners for most of last season but they are the only side to have beaten the decent Barrow team mentioned above. Mansfield are just outside the play-off places but arrive in the knowledge that the U's managed to do the double over them last season. Tickets

Premier League 2
West Ham United v Everton @12pm - if you fancy seeing a couple of games on Saturday afternoon then this U21 match at the Hammers' Rush Green training facility gives you the perfect opportunity. Entry for games here is usually £5 on the gate and you'll be in easy reach of the FA Vase matches at Frenford, Ilford and Redbridge which take place at 3pm

National League
Bromley v Scunthorpe United @3pm - the Iron dropped out of the EFL last season and are finding the readjustment to life in non-league tough. With one win from their opening four games, they're in the relegation zone already. With back-to-back wins over Torquay and Aldershot, Bromly have made a more positive start and are in the top eight

National League South
Welling United v Chelmsford City @3pm - on the current standings, the game of the day in the sixth tier sees two of the top seven meet at Park View Road. The Wings have struggled recently so it's good to see them make a positive start

Southern League Premier Division South
Hanwell Town v Tiverton Town @3pm - the Geordies are new to this level but have made an impressive start. Aside from losing to current leaders Truro City, they've won their other three games to move up to fourth. The visitors, making a long journey up from Devon, have only lost once so might be tough to beat. Prior to the game, there will be a charity match between Hanwell fans and their counterparts from Newcastle United who are based in London, as the clubs continue to celebrate their historical links

Isthmian League North
New Salamis v Bury Town @3pm - the hosts are another side to be playing at a higher level for the first time this season. Groundsharing at Haringey Borough, the club with its roots in the Cypriot community, have made huge strides up the pyramid in recent years. They've started this campaign by winning their opening two and it will be interesting to see how they fare against a decent Bury side who used to be a force in the Premier Division

FA Vase First Qualifying Round
Edgware & Kingsbury v Leverstock Green @3pm - it's quite hard to recommend games at this stage of the season as teams are still settling down so I'm only going to highlight this one which looks pretty decent. The recently renamed E&K have made a promising start and are in the top six in the CCL Premier North whilst the visitors are joint top in the SSML Premier

CCL Premier North
London Lions v Wembley @3pm - this ninth-tier match between two north London clubs should be worth a watch. The hosts enjoyed promotion from the CCL Division 1 last season and have won their three opening games to top the CCL Premier North. Matching them with three wins are Wembley who sit just behind them on goal difference

FA Women's Championship
Crystal Palace v Coventry United @7pm - being played at Bromley's ground in the evening, it's very possible to see three games on Saturday. The Eagles began the season with a valuable 1-0 away win at last season's runners-up London City Lionesses so should go into this match with some confidence. The visitors avoided relegation on the final day, at Watford's expense, and began this season with a 1-0 loss at home to Bristol City

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Sunday 28 August

FA Vase First Qualifying Round
May & Baker v Stotfold @3pm - SSML Premier side Stotfold make their second journey of the week to Parkside as they take on an impressive May & Baker side who are currently top of the ECL Division 1 South - this tie has real cupset potential

Women's friendly
Chelsea v Tottenham Hotpsur @2pm - the Blues won the WSL and Women's FA Cup last season and complete the preparations for the new season with this friendly against fellow top-flight club Spurs at Kingsmeadow. With the sides not due to meet in the league for another three months, this seems to make sense. Tickets are available online 

FA Women's Championship
Charlton Athletic v London City Lionesses @430pm - in the second tier there's a south-east London to enjoy. The Addicks started their campaign with a very tidy 2-0 win at Southampton while LCL lost to Crystal Palace. Another win here for Charlton should mark them out as strong contenders

FA WNL Southern Premier
London Bees v Crawley Wasps @2pm - having won 2-1 at newly promoted Billericay on the opening day, the Bees welcome Sussex club Crawley to The Hive following a 6-1 drubbing by MK Dons

FA WNL Division 1 South East
AFC Wimbledon v QPR @2pm - after holding last season's runners-up Hashtag United to a 0-0 draw on the opening day, the Dons take on the R's at Carshalton Athletic's ground. QPR lost 4-2 at Cambridge City on Sunday and could really struggle against a Wimbledon side who are fancied to do well

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Monday 29 August

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Bromley @3pm - the August Bank Holiday is all about non-league football and there's a derby to look forward to at the Chigwell Construction Stadium. There are another round of games before this so a lot could change but they're 14th and eighth at the time of writing
Wealdstone v Yeovil Town @3pm - with three wins from four, the Stones have definitely been one of the surprise packages so far. Up to second, just behind local rivals Barnet, their match against former Championship side Yeovil should be well worth a watch. For a big match like this, I would definitely urge you to buy tickets in advance if you want to go
Barnet v Eastleigh @515pm - to complete the action in the fifth tier, there's also a televised game to take you into the evening. At the time of writing, the Bees are a point clear at the top while Eastleigh are among the play-off chasing pack, just three points behind

National League South
Dulwich Hamlet v Welling United @3pm - there's also a derby at Champion Hill that should be worth a couple of hours of your time. Over 2,000 crammed into the ground to watch the Hamlet play Slough on Saturday so I'd strongly recommend you to buy tickets in advance if this appeals

Isthmian League Premier Division
Kingstonian v Carshalton Athletic @3pm - this match always had a whiff of a derby about it but it most definitely does now that the K's have moved to a new groundshare with Tooting & Mitcham United
Haringey Borough v Wingate & Finchley @3pm - effectively located either side of the hill on which the iconic Alexandra Palace dominates the skyline, these two clubs meet for an alternative North London Derby at Coles Park. Neither have started particularly well so this is also an early season six-pointer

Southern League Premier Division South
Harrow Borough v Hayes & Yeading United @3pm - there's also a derby in West London too where these old local rivals meet once again. H&YU narrowly missed out on the title last season and will start as favourites here

Isthmian League South Central
Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Bedfont Sports @3pm - there's also a very local derby near Heathrow where two clubs who reside along the airport's southern perimeter go in search of some crucial points

CCL Premier North
London Lions v Edgware & Kingsbury @1130am - regular readers will know that one of the highlights of most Bank Holidays is the Combined Counties League scheduling most of their fixtures for 1130am meaning you can usually catch at least two games in a day. There are also lots of derbies in the ninth and 10th tiers, including this one which is between two of the clubs in the top six at the time of writing

SCEFL Premier
Glebe v Stansfeld @3pm - there's a groundshare derby in Chislehurst where tenants Stansfeld, who won promotion last season, look to get the better of their landlords

CCL Division 1
London Samurai Rovers v CB Hounslow United @1130am - if you fancy a 10th-tier game, LSR have made a good start to the campaign and they should feel confident of another win against the visitors who've lost every match


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 14 August 2022

TLFG: 15-21 August 2022

It's another short one from me this week I'm afraid.

If you read last week's piece, you'll know I was in Turkey and my eldest daughter had picked up a nasty bug.

She recovered, we came home on Thursday and the youngest one came down with the same affliction so I've been rather sidelined by that.

As a result, it's just match maps again this time and there's absolutely loads on in the men's and women's game so there's no excuse not to see something.

Resale tickets for West Ham v Brighton are now available

I'm actually at work now and my break is about to end so I gotta dash!

UPDATE (16/08/22) - I've managed to find a bit of spare time and have now produced a 'Daily Digest' which you can find towards the foot of the page.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include a few games in the Premier League and EFL, the next round of the FA Cup, lots of other non-league matches and the opening weekend of the FA Women's National League. There are also some good U21 games and FA Youth Cup ties.

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.


Tuesday 16 August

Championship
QPR v Blackpool @745pm - the R's created one of the stories of the weekend when they came from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw at Sunderland courtesy of goalkeeper Seny Dieng's injury-time header. The club from W12 have made a reasonable start under new boss Mick Beale and will hope to pick up three points here against a side who haven't won at Loftus Road since 1972. Tickets

League One
Charlton Athletic v Plymouth Argyle @745pm - after the joy of beating QPR on penalties in the EFL Cup, the Addicks came back down to earth with a defeat at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. With four points from their opening three games, they're sat snugly in midtable. Plymouth have made a better start and should provide a stern test. Tickets

National League
Boreham Wood v Aldershot Town @745pm - the hosts are one of the smallest clubs in this division but have a habit of doing rather well. Last year they were challenging for the title but fell away after a superb FA Cup run which culminated in a Fifth Round trip to Goodison Park to play Everton. This season they've made a solid start and are one of nine teams to be sharing top spot after two games. A win here against early strugglers Aldershot could see them take the lead outright

National League South
Dartford v Havant & Waterlooville @745pm - the Darts also looked like title contenders for much of last season but eventually bowed out in the play-offs. They've got off to a good start again with two wins and face another one of the division's strongest sides on Tuesday

Southern League Premier Division South
Hayes & Yeading United v Hendon @745pm - if I was heading out to a non-league game tonight, this would be my personal pick. In a division with clubs stretched between West London and Cornwall, this is definitely a derby. H&YU were another side to see a strong title bid fall away at the last and will hope to go one better this time. The Greens have made a disappointing start, losing their first two and could be in for another tough evening here

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Wednesday 17 August

Premier League Cup
Arsenal v Swansea City @7pm - the Gunners play their first group game in this U21 competition which they have yet to win. This is taking place at Boreham Wood

Isthmian League Premier Division
Kingstonian v Wingate & Finchley @745pm - the K's nomadic existence begins a new chapter on Wednesday as they play the first competitive game at their new home at Imperial Fields which they will be sharing with Tooting & Mitcham United 

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Thursday 18 August

UEFA Europa Conference League
West Ham United v Viborg @745pm - after making it to the semi-finals of the Europa League last season, the Hammers have made it into Europe again although in the slightly lesser Conference League. On Thursday they welcome Danish club Viborg for the first leg of this second qualifying round tie. The visitors only finished seventh in their domestic league last season and had to go into a 'relegation round' in order to stay up. In other words, they start as significant underdogs here. Tickets

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Friday 19 August

FA Cup Preliminary Round
Southall v Peacehaven & Telscombe @745pm - the next round of the FA Cup gets underway on Friday night at Ashford Town's ground near Heathrow. The 'All won promotion from the Combined Counties League last season and therefore play a level above their opponents who hail from the Sussex coast

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Saturday 20 August

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Wolverhampton Wanderers @1230pm - the top-flight action gets underway at lunchtime with this match at the THS. Spurs grabbed a dramatic injury-time equaliser to draw 2-2 with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday in what was a highly entertaining game. With only one point from two games, Wolves have yet to get going but they have a good record here - winning on two of their three visits. Tickets are only available to members 
Crystal Palace v Aston Villa @3pm - the Eagles picked up their first point of the season at Anfield on Monday night after recording a tidy 1-1 draw with Liverpool. Next up they face a Villa side managed by Reds legend Steven Gerrard. The sides are part of that midtable pack that will have aspirations of breaking into the top 10 this season. Tickets are not available to non-members
Fulham v Brentford @3pm - if I could choose a Premier League match to be at on Saturday, then it would be this derby at Craven Cottage. Old rivals from the lower leagues, there will be members of the fanbase at both clubs who will be pinching themselves that this is taking place in the top division. Aside from the play-off final at Wembley in 2020, the Bees have dominated this fixture in recent years and have lost only one of their last 10 league games against Fulham. Tickets are only available to those with membership or a previous booking history

Championship
QPR v Rotherham United @3pm - for most casual fans or neutrals, the highest level match you can watch on Saturday will be this one at Loftus Road. As a QPR fan, your instinctive reaction would be to predict a home win as the Millers are one of the smallest clubs in the division. However, they finished as runners-up in League One last season and won the EFL Trophy so come into this campaign on a high. With four points from two games, they can't be underestimated. Tickets

League One
Charlton Athletic v Cambridge United @3pm - following their promotion from League Two, the U's finished just a point behind the Addicks in 14th last season. With two wins from their first three games, they've begun well but they've only won twice at Charlton with the last time coming way back in 1991. Tickets

Premier League 2
Arsenal v Chelsea @2pm - there's a rather random but high quality U21 game sandwiched into Saturday's schedule, but at a time where you can't really get to go to anything else afterwards. The match is at Boreham Wood's ground where it's often free to get in but check with Arsenal nearer the time for the latest information

National League
Barnet v Woking @3pm - at the time of writing, the Bees have made the best start of any London club in the National League. Although it's still very early days, they're third. Woking haven't started quite so brightly but hailing from Surrey, they should bring a decent travelling support for this one

National League South
Dulwich Hamlet v Slough Town @3pm - at one point last season, it looked like the Hamlet would grab a place in the top seven but their form left them at the wrong moment and they finished 10th. Slough had a mediocre season and have yet to win so far in this campaign. With a crowd of 1,808 for their last home game against Braintree, Dulwich often draw the highest crowds in the division so, unusually for this level, you're always advised to buy in advance and turn up at least half an hour before to claim a spot with a decent view. Tickets

Southern League Premier Division South
Harrow Borough v Hanwell Town @3pm - it's derby day at the Rogers Family Stadium where these two near neighbours meet in a league match for the first time in ages, possibly ever. The Geordies are a club on the up after winning promotion from the Isthmian League South Central via the play-offs. Shunted across into the Southern League by the bigwigs at the FA, they will be looking to embarrass the Boro on their own pitch and they could well do it

FA Cup Preliminary Round
Everyone's favourite cup competition continues on Saturday with clubs from the eighth tier and below looking to break into the Qualifying Rounds where the higher ranked non-league teams begin to enter. The winners of each tie get £1,444 and the losers £481

Colliers Wood United v Chatham Town @3pm - Combined Counties League club Colliers Wood face a tough afternoon against Kent club Chatham who finished runners-up in the SCEFL last season to claim promotion to the Isthmian League. However, the south London club saw off Faversham Town in the last round, who play at a similar level to Chatham, so shouldn't be overawed
Erith Town v Bedfont Sports @3pm - the Dockers also welcome eighth-tier opposition. Bedfont made it to the Isthmian League South Central play-offs last season and all the way to the Fourth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup 
Fisher v Sittingbourne @3pm - the Fish have a habit of causing the odd cupset, beating Tooting & Mitcham a couple of years ago and knocking out Sutton Common Rovers in the opening round this season. The visitors on Saturday come from the eighth tier too and will have to avoid complacency at all costs
Glebe v Cray Valley PM @3pm - after beating Holmesdale in a derby in the last round, Glebe have drawn another local club at home in this round too. CVPM play a level above them and made it to the FA Vase final in 2019 so should provide a significantly tougher test
Raynes Park Vale v Hythe Town @3pm - after getting the better of Erith & Belvedere in the last round, RPV have been rewarded with another home tie. Hythe play in the Isthmian League so should represent a step up in class. I've got a feeling the hosts will give it a good go though
Sutton Athletic v Ashford United @3pm - the home team won promotion from the SCEFL Division 1 last season and with it, a place in the FA Cup. Kent club Ashford finished as runners-up in the Isthmian League South East before losing in the play-offs. If Sutton do win, it will equal their best ever run in the competition

MCFL Premier Division
Clapton CFC v Shepherd's Bush @3pm - nothing really takes my fancy in the 10th tier but as a little added bonus, I'm going to throw in this 11th-tier game which is being played on the 3G pitch at Wadham Lodge. Going back to the early days of football in the capital, Clapton and Shepherd's Bush were two of the city's main amateur teams. The Tons' history has been a bit complicated since then, whilst Shepherd's Bush, who used to play at Loftus Road, simply ceased to be in 1915. Fast forward over 100 years and clubs representing both these areas are back and about to play for the first time. As someone who always had a dream of seeing the Bushmen relaunch, I'm chuffed to see that it's happened. The only slight downside is that it's not being played at The Old Spotted Dog, the hosts' historic old ground, but it's still not quite ready 

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Sunday 21 August

Premier League
West Ham United v Brighton & Hove Albion @2pm - after hopefully avoiding an upset in the Viborg game, the Hammers welcome a very tricky Brighton side to the London Stadium. The Seagulls have taken four points from their opening games against Manchester United and Newcastle and should fancy themselves to get at least a draw here. Tickets are available via the club's ticket exchange

Isthmian League Premier Division
Kingstonian v Enfield Town @3pm - the K's welcome a tough Towners side to Imperial Fields. The north London club made it to the play-offs last season

FA Cup Preliminary Round
Romford v Takeley @3pm - as a result of their groundshare with Barking, Romford have to play a lot of their cup ties on Sundays. In this one, they face fellow Essex Senior League side Takeley who have lost both of their league games so far this season

FA Women's Championship
London City Lionesses v Crystal Palace @1230pm - after England's success in the Euros, this season is set to be a hugely important one for women's football in this country. With the Super League campaign still a few weeks away from kick-off, the second to the sixth tiers begin on Sunday. This big derby in London is the pick of the action in the second tier. LCL finished as runners-up to Liverpool last season but with only one team going up, have to spend another year at this level. Palace had a good year too and finished fourth so it will be really interesting to see who comes out on top in this game at Dartford's ground. Adult tickets are £8 and can be bought in advance or on the gate

FA Women's National League Southern Premier
Watford v Gillingham @2pm - the Hornets suffered relegation to the third tier with virtually the last kick of the season in a thrilling game against Coventry United. They'll be looking for a positive start to life at their new home at Wealdstone's ground but Gillingham are a canny side who they can't take lightly. The visitors used to be associated with the men's team of the same name but split and became an independent entity in 2020. Adult tickets are £5 and can be bought online or on the gate

FA Women's National League Division 1 South East
AFC Wimbledon v Hashtag United @2pm - the biggest game of the day in the fourth tier takes place at Carshalton Athletic's ground in south London. Finishing third and second respectively last season, this should provide us with an early look at who could challenge for the title this time round. Adult tickets are £5 on the gate
Actonians v Chesham United @2pm - personally, I'm aiming to be at the Middlesex FA's HQ at Rectory Park in Northolt for this one. As regular readers know, my eldest daughter plays junior football for Actonians and has been a mascot for them in the past. The West London club finished fifth last season, just a point behind local rivals QPR who they will hope to pip this year. Chesham are new to this division after being moved over from the parallel Division 1 South West in which they also finished fifth. Adult tickets are £5 and can be bought online in advance or on the gate
Hounslow v Ashford Town (Middlesex) @2pm - elsewhere in West London, there's a derby between a club who have just been relegated and one which has just come up. Hounslow, who play at Hanworth Villa, have struggled for several years and only seasons curtailed by Covid saw them stay in the third tier for so long. Last season, they lost all 26 league games and could well find it tough against Ashford who beat a number of higher ranked sides in cup games. I couldn't find any ticketing details but it can't be more than a fiver to get in

London & South East Women's Regional League Premier Division
Sutton United v Fulham @2pm - the U's won the Division 1 North title last season to move up to the fifth tier. The Cottagers came third in the Premier Division and should be regarded as one of the favourites going into this derby at Gander Green Lane. To top it all, it's free entry

London & South East Women's Regional League Division 1 North
Brentford v Clapton CFC @3pm - in the sixth tier, the Bees welcome the well-supported Tons' women's team to Bedfont Sports' ground near Heathrow for this season opener


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.

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

Sunday 7 August 2022

TLFG: 8-14 August 2022

Greetings one and all and welcome to this week's TLFG.

As I mentioned in the last edition, I'm currently 4,000km away in the Turkish city of Gaziantep, not far from the Syrian border.

It's been 40C most days and doing any daytime sightseeing has been tough, which is a shame as it's absolutely stacked with interesting things to see.

As one of the oldest cities in the world, it is definitely worth a visit if you're into history and archaeology.

Welcome to Gaziantep!

Gaziantep is also the culinary heart of Turkey or Türkiye as the government now prefers it to be called.

With a wife whose family hails from the Arab world, I thought I'd tried the best baklava many times over but the stuff they make here is like nothing I've ever tasted.

The meat and chicken is also the softest I've ever had too - it just melts in your mouth!

I would love to say I'd sampled one of the local football teams too but alas no.

Gaziantep FK played their first game of the season on Saturday but they were away to Sivasspor, around 400km north.

It ended 1-1 with former Premier League player Max Gradel scoring for their opponents.

The local women's team ALG recently became national champions but they flew off the other day to prepare for their Champions League match against Brann in Norway.

As a result, the most I have to look forward to is a visit to Gaziantep's official club shop in a local shopping mall - the stadium itself is modern and looks impressive but is a long way out of town in one of the northern suburbs, pretty much surrounded by desert.

Whether it was the heat, the water or something else - my eldest daughter has been pretty ill today so this week's blog won't have a 'Daily Digest', just match maps.

I'm set to fly back on Thursday so hope to catch a game at the weekend.

Have a great week.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include a few games in the Premier League and EFL, the opening round of the EFL Cup, some FA Cup replays and lots of other non-league and women's games 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
Friday fixtures - black pin



WEEKEND 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.

Monday 1 August 2022

TLFG: 1-7 August 2022

Well, well, well.

After my piece last week about now much preferring the match day experience at women's games, I went with my daughter and several friends to Wembley for the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 final between England and Germany.

What a day it was and in stark contrast to the men's final their last year.

The journey to the ground was smooth - although the train from Baker Street was busy, it was calm and populated by people full of hope and expectation rather than drink, drugs and bitter rivalry.

I knew things were going to be different when I approached BOXPARK and it was joyously pumping out S Club 7 tunes while fans whooped and cheered inside.

England fans celebrate success at Wembley

Getting there early, we breezed through the turnstiles and were greeted by rows of friendly servers at the kiosks selling food and drink.

Unsegregated fans from all over Europe were proudly sporting their colours and smiling at each other on the concourse as kick-off approached.

Seeing my daughter without face paint, another gave her theirs - much to her delight.

Once in our seats, the atmosphere just grew and grew. With Status Quo blasting on the sound system, it was the biggest party atmosphere I'd ever experienced at football and the match hadn't even started.

The game ebbed and flowed and there was some real tension but the celebrations at full time after the 2-1 win were next level.

With most Women's Super League clubs playing their matches at the men's stadiums throughout September - I heartily encourage you to get involved.

I'm off to Turkey in a couple of days so I will try and get a piece out while I'm there but it could be delayed or pretty minimal.

Have a great week and enjoy your football - it's come home afterall!

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include the first round of games in the Premier League and National League and the opening round of the FA Cup. There are also several EFL games and lots of non-league and women's games 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
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 August

Championship
Watford v Sheffield United @8pm - the week gets underway with a pretty big game in the second tier where two recent members of the Premier League play their opening match. The Hornets, like Fulham and Norwich, have become a yo-yo club and are fancied to once again be among the frontrunners. The Blades made the play-offs last season but fell short in their efforts to make an instant return to the top flight. In the head-to-head, Watford are unbeaten in five against the Yorkshire club. Tickets
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Tuesday 2 August

SSML Premier Division
Cockfosters v London Colney @745pm - unusually, the SSML season kicks-off on a Tuesday night. After a lot of restructuring over the summer, the hosts are now the only club within the M25 who are playing in it. As a result, this match against London Colney is about as close as they'll get to a derby in a league game this season. The visitors should've been relegated last season but got a reprieve

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Wednesday 3 August

CCL Premier South
Colliers Wood United v Balham @730pm - there's a staggered start in the CCL with a handful of teams beginning their campaign in midweek. Over at Wibbandune there's a match between CWU and their former tenants Balham. Last season it was the visitors who had the better campaign, so it will be interesting to see if they can repeat that

Women's friendly
Hashtag United v West Ham United @745pm - after playing at Canvey Island's ground for a couple of years, Hashtag Women will be spending this season at Aveley's ground. Last season they finished runners-up to Billericay Town in the women's fourth tier and will start as one of the favourites this time. On Wednesday they face the huge challenge of playing WSL side West Ham who thrashed Billericay 5-1 last weekend and Enfield Town 11-2 on Wednesday

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Friday 5 August

Premier League
Crystal Palace v Arsenal @8pm - the new Premier League season gets underway with this opener at Selhurst Park. With two defeats from their nine pre-season games, the Eagles come into this match in pretty good shape. The Gunners ended last season just behind arch-rivals Spurs, to miss out on a Champions League place. Over the summer they've made a number of decent signings and won all five of their friendlies, most recently crushing Sevilla and Chelsea 6-0 and 4-0 respectively. In 2021/22, Palace took four points off Arsenal and beat them 3-0 when they last played in April. Tickets are only available to members

Premier League 2
Fulham v West Ham United @3pm - earlier in the day there's an U21 game at the Cottagers' training ground in Motspur Park. Check with the club on the day for all the final details and whether or not the public will be admitted. UPDATE - admission is going to be very strictly limited to season-ticket holders who pre-register with the club in advance

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Saturday 6 August

Premier League
Fulham v Liverpool @1230pm - after winning the Championship, the Cottagers make their return to the Premier League with one of the toughest fixtures they could've got. However, the last time they were in the top division in 2020/21, Fulham won at Anfield and drew with the Reds at home. Several pundits have expressed a feeling that Liverpool will struggle to replicate their high standards of recent years so maybe this is a good time to get them. Tickets are only available to members
Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton @3pm - after a fine season under Antonio Conte, Spurs are fancied to do well with a number of bookies offering odds of 12-1 on them winning the title. A number of high-profile signings has boosted confidence in the north-London club but they must avoid complacency here as the Saints were a bit of a bogey team for them last year. Tickets are only available to members.  

Championship
QPR v Middlesbrough @3pm - after losing their opening game at Blackburn on Saturday, the best thing for R's supporters this weekend was seeing QPR fan and former player Chloe Kelly score the winning goal for England in the Euro final against Germany. Hopefully, she'll be the guest of honour at this game and give them some inspiration against Boro who are among the favourites for promotion. Tickets

League One
Charlton Athletic v Derby County @3pm - the Addicks started with a 2-2 draw at Accrington where youngster Miles Leaburn scored a late goal. The son of Carl Leaburn, I saw him play against QPR in an U23 game back in the spring and thought he looked decent so keep an eye on him as the season progresses. Derby began life in the third tier with a satisfactory 1-0 win over Oxford and should start as favourites here. Tickets

Premier League 2
Arsenal v Manchester United @1pm - there's a rather random but high quality U21 game sandwiched into Saturday's schedule, but at a time where you can't really get to go to anything else afterwards. The match is at Boreham Wood's ground where it's often free to get in but check with Arsenal nearer the time for the latest information

National League
Barnet v FC Halifax Town @3pm - the Bees get their season underway with a tough game against a side who made last season's play-offs. Dean Brennan's side comfortably avoided relegation last season but were much closer to the bottom three than top so he'll want to see some significant improvement this year
Dagenham & Redbridge v Gateshead @3pm - after drawing 1-1 with West Ham's U23 team on Saturday, the Daggers welcome the newly promoted Heed to Victoria Road. After a strong finish, the hosts missed a play-off place by one point last season and will hope for a top-seven finish this time
Wealdstone v Bromley @3pm - with one of the smallest budgets in the division, it's going to be all about survival for the Stones this season. After suffering some disappointing defeats in pre-season, most fans are realistic about this being a tough campaign. However, they survived very comfortably last time out so why not this time too? Bromley saw their play-off challenge dip in the closing weeks of the season as their focus seemed to shift to the FA Trophy which they ultimately won at Wembley

National League South
Dulwich Hamlet v Braintree Town @3pm - at one point it looked like the Hamlet would grab a place in the top seven but their form left them at the wrong moment and they finished 10th. With huge crowds of 2,000-3,000 attending their home games, expectation levels are often high. Braintree struggled a lot last season but pulled clear of the danger zone at the right time

Southern League Premier Division South
Hanwell Town v Truro City @3pm - the Geordies won a dramatic play-off final in the Isthmian League South Central to move up to the seventh tier for the first time in years, possibly ever. The powers that be decided to move them across to the Southern League where the travel distances are significant - exemplified by this fixture featuring a Cornish side. Often one of the strongest teams in this league, Truro should present a tough introduction to life at this level
Metropolitan Police v Hayes & Yeading United @3pm - possibly the game of the day at this level sees two of last season's top four meet at Imber Court. H&YU were top for a large part of 2021/22 but slipped away to finish second before losing an acrimonious play-off final to Farnborough. They've made some good summer signings and are expected to do well again

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Everyone's favourite cup competition gets underway on Saturday with clubs from the eighth tier and below looking to begin an historic and potentially lucrative run. The winners of each tie get £1,125 and the losers £375

Abbey Rangers v Hanworth Villa @3pm - the visitors romped to the CCL North title last season to move up to the Isthmian League. Abbey Rangers also had a decent season, finishing fourth. They'll no doubt be looking to get one over the league champions when they welcome them to Addlestone Moor
Buckhurst Hill v Walthamstow @3pm - the hosts began life in the Essex Senior League with a disappointing 2-1 defeat at home to Romford. In this eye-catching tie, they welcome last season's ESL winners to Roding Lane 
Cobham v Tooting & Mitcham United @3pm - the Hammers had an unremarkable campaign in the CCL South last year but so did the Terrors in the division above. On paper, the south London club should win but they've lost to ninth-tier opposition for the last two years so are definitely vulnerable
Fisher v Sutton Common Rovers @3pm - one of the sides who beat Tooting were the Fish of the SCEFL Premier. On Saturday they welcome another Isthmian League club who also struggled last season, so there's some decent cupset potential here too
Glebe v Holmesdale @3pm - there's a decent looking south-east London derby to look forward to in Chislehurst where two SCEFL teams do battle. Glebe managed a top-three finish last season so should be expected to win here
Raynes Park Vale v Erith & Belvedere @3pm - this all-ninth tier clash stands out for me too. RPV did well in the friendly against QPR U23 I attended a few weeks ago and they are a club who are looking to make progress this season. The Deres are usually there or thereabouts in the SCEFL and should give them a good game

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Sunday 7 August

Premier League
West Ham United v Manchester City @430pm - the football week ends with a visit from the league champions to east London. The Hammers drew this fixture 2-2 towards the end of last season and also knocked them out of the EFL Cup so this isn't the happiest ground for Pep Guardiola's side. Tickets have sold out but you might be able to get some on resale

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Edgware & Kingsbury v Hoddesdon Town @3pm - if you didn't know, Edgware Town became Edgware & Kingsbury over the summer - in recognition of the fact that the club plays a lot closer to Kingsbury than Edgware and they use the now defunct Kingsbury Town's old ground. Since reforming in 2016, they've only made it beyond this round twice. Hoddesdon, from the SSML Premier, are of a very similar standard so it should be close
Stansfeld v Wembley @3pm - I say it every year so I'll say it again, if you want to follow a 'Road to Wembley' in the FA Cup then why not start it with the club of the same name? They face a tricky trip to Chislehurst to play Stansfeld who won the SCEFL Division 1 title last season 

Women's friendlies
Dulwich Hamlet v Oxford City @2pm - like the men's team, the Hamlet's women get crowds way bigger than the level they play at. Given what happened at Wembley on Sunday, I'd hope to see a bumper crowd at Champion Hill for this one
Fulham v London City Lionesses @230pm - after beating local rivals QPR last weekend, the Cottagers welcome a side from Championship club LCL for what should be a far tougher fixture
Clapton CFC v AFC Wimbledon @2pm - not been to visit the oldest ground in London yet? Then get yourself along to the Old Spotted Dog as the Tons welcome some fourth-tier opposition


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