TLFG: 25 December 2023 - 7 January 2024

Greetings one and all and welcome to the festive edition of TLFG.

As has become the routine in recent weeks, it contains all the match maps for the period but only previews for the first few days - I will add more as the week progresses.

So how has your Christmas been so far?

I spent the last few days at my Dad's in Devon where I also caught up with my brother.

We came back on Christmas Eve as I have to work on the 27th and there are very few national rail trains on Boxing Day, which is something you should consider when travelling to games on that date.

TLFG's Christmas and New Year Special is here

Christmas isn't a big thing in our household so we haven't done a huge amount other than go to the launderette as our washing machine is on the blink - I know, rock 'n roll stuff!

My incredibly annoying cough is probably into its fourth week now and it's in a new phase where the phlegm has dried up and my throat is getting quite sore but you don't need to know any more than that.

In fact, it might well stop me going to a game on Boxing Day as I don't know if standing on a damp terrace for a couple of hours is a great remedy.

If I do go, it will be the north-west London derby between Harrow Borough and Hendon but that's looking really doubtful at the moment.

With the year coming to an end, I guess it's right to consider what some of the highlights have been.

For me, the two amazing trips to Bilbao to work with the good people at Athletic Club stand out a mile.

Getting them to support Non-League Day was a huge moment for me and this year's event went well again with some great coverage and bumper crowds around the country.

A hugely important thing for me was getting seriously involved in women's football and bringing my first full season of watching Actonians at all levels to an end.

I was spoiled by what I experienced with the first team finishing third in their division of the fourth tier - their best ever performance.

The reserves won a league and cup double for the second season running and the Thirds more than held their own in the eighth tier.

This year also saw me visit QPR's new training ground and make my return to watching the first team after nearly two years of self-imposed exile.

So those are my best bits, what are yours?

Christmas also seems to be a good time to briefly review how some of our local teams have fared so far this season.

Starting in the Premier League, Arsenal look like being the capital's top club again. Although far from fallible, they're top and looking capable of going one better than last season with Manchester City faltering. They're also going well in the Champions League, winning their group and face a winnable tie against Porto in the next round.

The consensus appears to be that Tottenham Hotspur, currently fourth, are far more entertaining under new boss Ange Postecoglu and the departure of Harry Kane doesn't seem to have had too much of an impact.

After winning the Europa Conference League last season, West Ham United seem to have pushed on. Up to sixth in the Premier League, at the time of writing, they also won their group in the Europa League.

Brentford, Crystal Palace and Fulham are all bumping along in midtable and could do with a few more wins to allay any fears of getting drawn into a relegation battle.

The biggest underachievers in the division, certainly from a London perspective if not a national one, are Chelsea who have spent hundreds of millions of pounds but are 10th and in really underwhelming form. How they change things up is hard to know but boss Mauricio Pochettino is finding things a bit of a struggle at the moment.

In the Championship, none of our local sides made a great start to the campaign but in recent weeks it's Watford who have started to get a bit of form going and they're closing in on the play-off places.

Millwall and QPR are in a relegation battle with both replacing their managers already. The match between the two on Boxing Day at The Den is going to be some occasion.

Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient are our two representatives in the third tier but neither look likely to do anything significant, although survival and consolidation at this level following their promotion should be enough to keep O's fans happy. 

It's a different story in League Two where AFC Wimbledon would appear to have a team good enough to get a play-off spot whilst Sutton United are going to have to do something pretty astounding to avoid relegation back to the National League as they're bottom and nine points adrift of safety.

In the National League, the main challengers in the London area are Bromley and Barnet who are second and third respectively. Whether either of them can realistically challenge for the title looks unlikely as top club Chesterfield are already 10 points clear.

Last season Aveley won promotion to the National League South and impressed many for the first few months of this season, getting themselves into promotion contention but that form has worryingly fallen away in the last few weeks and they've plummeted to eighth.

As they've dropped points, they've been overtaken by a Hampton & Richmond Borough side who've gone unbeaten in 13 and surged up to second.

A change of ownership had seen a lot of upheaval behind the scenes and discontent among some of the fans but the results have been superb over the last two or three months and the south-west London club are flying.

In the seventh tier, three of the top four in the Isthmian League are London clubs.

Hornchurch lost in the play-offs last season and lead Chatham Town by eight points at Christmas which seems pretty commanding.

Enfield Town are often there or thereabouts and they're third but the surprise package are Wingate & Finchley who are fourth and having the season of their lives.

Averaging crowds of just 168, they are the smallest club in the division by some distance.

In the parallel Southern League Premier South, our local clubs are having a mixed season.

Walton & Hersham started very strongly after their promotion but have lost a bit of momentum. Nevertheless, they're still seventh and only a point shy of the play-off places.

Elsewhere, Hendon are also in with a shout of a top-five finish being only four points adrift at the time of writing.

Hanwell Town, Harrow Borough and Hayes & Yeading United are all trying to avoid the drop.

Moving into the eighth tier and back into the Isthmian League, the South Central division is currently seeing a scrap between Chertsey Town and Raynes Park Vale for top spot with only goal difference separating them at the moment.

In the North Division, the main challenge is coming from Walthamstow following their move across from the Southern League. Currently eighth, they're only two points behind Basildon United in fifth.

After fantastic runs in the FA Cup and FA Trophy, Cray Valley PM seem to be the London club most likely to challenge for the title in the South East Division. Currently fourth with games in hand on all around them, they're in a very strong position to challenge.

Another club to experience significant upheaval over the summer were Rayners Lane. From the outside, it looked like they were in disarray with the club forgetting to enter the FA Cup and FA Vase.

However, they've rebuilt their promotion winning squad and pushed on again to top the ninth tier CCL Premier North.

In the Essex Senior League, the huge success story so far have been Sporting Bengal United who went top in December following their promotion.

The Mile End based club slipped backed to second just before Christmas but with Woodford Town, they're well placed for a play-off push.

I would normally also give Romford a mention at this point but in mid-November they moved to Rookery Hill following the demise of East Thurrock United so no longer play within TLFG's catchment area - suffice to say, they're in the top four too.

Faversham Town are two points clear at the top of the SCEFL Premier but have both Glebe and Erith Town hot on their heels in second and third.

In the 10th tier, Amersham Town have a whopping 16-point lead at the top and appear to have the CCL Division 1 title wrapped up already. The main contenders from the London area at this stage are Molesey who are fourth and 20 points behind.

We do have a leader, at least for now, in the ECL Division 1 South where Clapton CFC currently top the tree.

I say for now as they've played five games more than their nearest challengers Benfleet and more games than anyone else in the whole division. Cannons Wood, who play at Aveley, are also very much in the mix for at least a play-off place.

What's less in doubt is the lead held by AFC Whyteleafe at the top of the SCEFL Division 1. Although second placed Lewisham Borough have games in hand, they'll still be a point behind if they win them.

In the women's game, reigning champions Chelsea have a three point lead at the top of the Super League despite being thrashed 4-1 by arch-rivals Arsenal two weeks ago.

The Gunners moved level with their old foes by winning that game but followed it up with their first ever North London Derby defeat to Tottenham Hotspur which very few people saw coming.

Spurs are having possibly their best season ever and can count themselves firmly among the contenders to finish fourth.

West Ham United, on the other hand, have been seriously disappointing and are only being kept off the bottom by goal difference. 

In the second tier, we have a thrilling title race on our hands with only two points separating the top five teams. Charlton Athletic and Crystal Palace are both in that leading group battling for the solitary promotion place.

Hashtag United won their fourth-tier division last season and are top of the FAWNL Southern Premier as their great performances have continued. However, main rivals Portsmouth are only three points behind with two games in hand.

In the division that Hashtag won last season, we have a thrilling duel between AFC Wimbledon and Norwich City to savour.

Level on points at the halfway stage, only one of them can get promoted and with relatively large sums being spent by both, there's a lot at stake.

In the fifth tier, it's been all about Dartford so far but with only a one-point lead, Fulham and Dulwich Hamlet are ready to pounce if an opportunity comes their way. 

Ok, I think that'll do for a half-term report - I hope you found it informative.

Lastly this week I'd like to thank Gordon N from Quebec, Canada for donating to TLFG's coffee-drinking fund - many thanks. 

 THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next two weeks include games in the Premier League, EFL, FA Cup and loads of other matches 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.

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.

MATCH MAP 25-29 DECEMBER
Boxing Day fixtures - green pin

Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin

Thursday fixtures - purple pin
Friday fixtures - black pin

MATCH MAP 30-31 DECEMBER
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin

MATCH MAP 1-5 JANUARY
New Year's Day fixtures - yellow pin

Tuesday fixtures - green pin

Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin

Thursday fixtures - purple pin
Friday fixtures - black pin

MATCH MAP 6-7 JANUARY

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 26 December

Championship
Millwall v QPR @1pm - unusually for Boxing Day, there are no Premier League games in London. However, don't despair as we have this very spicy derby to entertain you instead. Games between these two are always lively but with both fighting relegation, there's even more riding on it than normal. Despite the highly intimidating conditions for away teams, the R's have only lost one of their last five at The Den. There are only a few tickets left so don't delay buying one if you do want to go

Watford v Bristol City @3pm - if you fancy something a little less intense then head north-west to Vicarage Road. The Hornets have improved their form significantly in recent weeks and could move into the play-off places with a win here. The Robins are only two points behind but haven't won here since 2011 when goals from Nicky Maynard, Marvin Elliott and Brett Pitman saw them win 3-1. Tickets

League One
Leyton Orient v Charlton Athletic @1pm - there's another fine looking derby in the third tier where teams from east and south-east London do battle. The O's won promotion from League Two last season and began life back at this level with a 1-0 loss to the Addicks at The Valley. Coming into this match, they're only four points behind Charlton so it should be close. As I mentioned last week, Michael Appleton's side don't lose much but they draw too often and they were held again by Burton on Saturday which left them in 11th, 11 points adrift of the play-off places. Tickets

League Two
AFC Wimbledon v Sutton United @3pm - the so-called Thameslink derby completes the EFL offering in the capital on Boxing Day. With only one defeat from their last seven league games, the Dons are in the play-off places but the competition is fierce and anything less than a win here will probably see them slip down. They should win here as Sutton are bottom and nine points adrift of safety. Sadly for neutrals this has sold out

National League
Boreham Wood v Kidderminster Harriers @3pm - Boxing Day is usually all about big derbies in the fifth tier but for some reason, in London, it's not this year. The Wood's biggest derby against Barnet actually got played on Saturday and they'll want to forget it quickly as they lost 6-0. Although five places above the relegation zone, the lower reaches of the table are really tight with only six points between 16th and 22nd. Therefore it is pretty much essential that they beat bottom club Kidderminster. Tickets

Dagenham & Redbridge v Eastleigh @3pm - with one win from five, the Daggers are also in the group of strugglers who are just about keeping their heads above water. Hampshire club Eastleigh are being kept out of the play-off places by goal difference so it looks like being a tough afternoon for the east London club. Tickets

National League South
Welling United v Dartford @1pm - in the sixth tier we do have a big local derby. With Ebbsfleet United no longer in the division, this is as big as it gets for these two. Located about five miles apart, more or less on the same road, there have been some big games between these two in recent years. Last year the Darts finished as runners-up in this division but that form has not returned for this campaign and they're in the bottom seven. With Welling in the relegation zone, this has the feel of a six-pointer to it. Tickets

Isthmian League Premier Division
Dulwich Hamlet v Carshalton Athletic @3pm - with average crowds of 2,314, the biggest attendance of the day in the seventh tier will almost certainly be found at Champion Hill. Although not the biggest rivals, they're both from south London and are only one place apart in the push for a play-off place. If you want to go, you are advised to buy tickets in advance and arrive about half-an-hour early to secure a spot with a decent view

Haringey Borough v Hashtag United @1pm - with the hosts fighting to get out of the relegation zone and the Tags trying to get into the play-off places, there's plenty to play for here. The visitors' fanbase has primarily been built online so they're not really associated with a specific geographical location. However, when they started their progression up the leagues, they did groundshare with Haringey so there's a connection. Tickets will be available on the gate

Southern League Premier Division South
Harrow Borough v Hendon @3pm - my personal choice for Boxing Day, if I'm well enough, will be this derby between two old rivals. Until recently, games on 26 December in this fixture produced loads of goals, 28 from the last five, but this will be the first meeting between them on this day since 2019. On current form, Hendon should win as the Boro are battling relegation. Tickets are cheaper if bought online in advance

Hayes & Yeading United v Hanwell Town @3pm - there's another derby a little to south of Earlsmead. Aside from Hendon, all the clubs from this part of London in the Southern Premier South are struggling. Harrow are in the relegation zone, so are Hanwell and H&YU are two points above the drop zone so there's quite a bit riding on this. Tickets are available on the gate

Isthmian League South Central
Chertsey Town v Thatcham Town @3pm - top of the division and with average crowds of over 500, the Curfews are definitely the side to be watching in the eighth tier at the moment. Like Chertsey, Thatcham have also won the FA Vase in recent years but haven't carried that form into league football at this higher level. In no danger of relegation, the Berkshire club are more than holding their own but a home win looks the most likely outcome here

Raynes Park Vale v Sutton Common Rovers @1pm - pushing Chertsey hard are newly promoted RPV who are being kept off top spot by goal difference alone. With fifth-placed Marlow having a couple of games in hand, the title race in this division is looking very exciting indeed. SCR's main priority would seem to be making certain they avoid relegation 

Isthmian League South East

Cray Valley PM v Phoenix Sports @1pm - after their fantastic runs in the FA Cup and FA Trophy, CVPM now need to refocus on the league where they have a chance of doing great things this season. Currently fourth and with games in hand on all those above them, they're very much in the title race. Fellow south-east Londoners Phoenix Sports are in the lower reaches of the table but will hope to throw a spanner in the works
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Wednesday 27 December

Premier League
Brentford v Wolverhampton Wanderers @730pm - despite giving Aston Villa a good game at the GTech in their last outing, the Bees lost 2-1 to make it just one win from six. Still seven points above the relegation zone, the west London club need to start winning. Wolves enjoyed a 2-1 Christmas Eve victory over Chelsea to move level on points with the Blues in 11th. This is the type of game Brentford need to be getting something out of but they've only beaten the Midlands club once in their last eight matches. Tickets are only available to members

Chelsea v Crystal Palace @730pm - with two wins from their last six Premier League games, the hosts are 10th. After losing to Wolves on Sunday, the grumblings of discontent grew louder with fans' ire starting to be directed towards boss Mauricio Pochettino in a way I haven't heard so far this season. Although far closer to the bottom than the top, Palace are one of those sides who can get a result against almost anyone as their fine draw at Manchester City last week showed. However, with 12 defeats in a row, Chelsea appear to be a real bogey team for them. Tickets are only available to members. Hospitality packages are available from £400

Isthmian League South Central

Metropolitan Police v Westfield @745pm - the highest level non-league game of the day takes place at Imber Court where the Met are fighting to avoid another relegation after voluntarily taking one last season. Westfield, who hail from Woking, are six points short of the play-offs so will be targeting a win here

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Thursday 28 December

Premier League
Arsenal v West Ham United @815pm - to my knowledge, all we have on Thursday is this big derby at the Emirates. Although winning only one of their last three, the Gunners are still top as others have dropped points too. At the time of writing, only four points separate the top four and if Manchester City win their game in hand, it will get even tighter. After a great win over his former club Manchester United, David Moyes' side are now in the top six and doing really well. Sadly, their recent away form has been more than a bit suspect with them conceding five on their visits to Fulham and Liverpool. Although the Hammers haven't managed a league win over the Gunners for a while, they did knock them out of the EFL Cup when they last played in November. Tickets are only available to members and all hospitality packages have sold out

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Friday 29 December

Championship

Millwall v Norwich City @745pm - after their hugely important derby win over QPR on Boxing Day, the Lions are at home again on Friday. This time it's the midtable Canaries' turn to visit The Den. Although down in 12th, that part of the table is incredibly congested with only three points separating the sides in sixth and 14th, so a win here could put them right in the mix. Norwich appear to be a bit of bogey team for Millwall as they're unbeaten in eight against the Bermondsey club. Tickets

Watford v Stoke City @745pm - the Hornets would've moved into the top six if they'd beaten Bristol City at Vicarage Road on Tuesday but it all went wrong and they lost 4-1. With only one win in five, Stoke are towards the wrong end of the table and should offer Watford a good chance to bounce back. Tickets

League One

Leyton Orient v Wycombe Wanderers @745pm - like Millwall, the O's enjoyed a Boxing Day derby win too. Their 1-0 win over Charlton saw them move up to 13th but with the play-off spots still 15 points away, it looks like a midtable finish is likely to be as good as it gets. Wycombe used to really punch above their weight when Gareth Ainsworth was in charge but since his ill-fated departure for QPR, they've struggled. Winless in 11 league games, they're down to 17th and appear to be in some trouble. Tickets

League Two

AFC Wimbledon v Colchester United @745pm - on Boxing Day the Dons welcomed local rivals Sutton to Plough Lane for a sold out derby. The U's had won only three games all season and were stuck at the bottom but somehow they won 1-0 and moved up to 23rd. Wimbledon blew a place in the top six in the process. Colchester sit just above Sutton in the table so this should be viewed as a great opportunity to recover but it could turn out to be another banana skin. Apparently it's approaching another sell out, so make sure you buy your tickets in advance if you want to go 

Isthmian League Premier

Cray Wanderers v Enfield Town @745pm - there are also some decent non-league options on Friday as well. London's oldest club entertain the Towners at Bromley's ground in a match which is of great importance at either end of the table. Cray sit one place above the relegation zone thanks to their marginally better goal difference so need every point they can get. Enfield, on the other hand, are third and eight points behind leaders Hornchurch. With only one side going up automatically, they won't want to give up on their title ambitions just yet. Tickets

Hornchurch v Lewes @745pm - the Urchins have only suffered one league defeat but it was a significant one, losing 2-0 to second placed Chatham shortly before Christmas. If they had won, they'd be 11 points clear with three games in hand. As it stands, that lead is only five points but they do still have the three extra games. Although still in a very healthy position, it boosted the hopes of the chasing pack and they should feel a need to up their game again. Sussex club Lewes are down in midtable but they shouldn't be underestimated as they drew 2-2 in the reverse fixture back in August, making them one of only four teams to get something out of a game with Hornchurch in the league this season. Tickets

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Saturday 30 December

Premier League

Crystal Palace v Brentford @3pm - with most of the sides below them picking up points in recent weeks, pressure is starting to build at both of these clubs who are really struggling to win. Lose here and it's possible that Palace could end the day in the bottom three if results elsewhere go against them. Strangely, since the Bees' arrival in the Premier League, all five games between the two have ended in a draw and it looks highly likely that it could end the same way here. Tickets are only available to members

National League

Barnet v Southend United @3pm - back-to-back wins over Boreham Wood and Southend seem to have brought the Bees' worrying slump to an end. Having only beaten the Shrimpers three days ago, the north London club should have a pretty good idea of how to do it again. If they do, they could go second. Tickets

Bromley v Ebbsfleet United @3pm - in order for Barnet to go second, current incumbents Bromley will need to slip up here. Ebbsfleet won the NLS title by some margin last season but sadly they're stuck in the relegation zone alongside Oxford City who they came up with. In the reverse fixture on Boxing Day, it was the Ravens who won 3-2. Tickets

National League South

Dartford v Welling United @3pm - with Aveley having well and truly lost their mojo, this is most definitely the match of the day in the sixth tier. As mentioned above, these two are big local rivals and both were looking for points to fight off relegation going into Boxing Day's game. On that occasion, the Darts edged to a 1-0 win and put themselves right up into midtable in the process. The Wings are now eight points adrift of safety and badly need a victory here. Tickets

Isthmian League Premier

Dulwich Hamlet v Horsham @3pm - my pick in the seventh tier is this battle of two of the biggest clubs in the Isthmian League. As we know only too well, the Hamlet draw crowds of 2,000-3,000 for most of their games these days, whilst Horsham are pushing an average attendance of 900. Both sides sit ready to pounce just outside the play-off places but the Hornets have played fewer games than most of those around them because of their fantastic FA Cup run. You are strongly advised to buy tickets in advance if you want to go

Isthmian League South East

Cray Valley PM v Sittingbourne @3pm - talking of great FA Cup runs, CVPM had one too which means they're third in their eighth-tier division and have games in hand on all of those around them. Here they take on the side who are one place and one point below them. Tickets are available on the gate

SCEFL Premier

Stansfeld v Glebe @3pm - in the ninth tier, why not pop down to Chislehurst for this groundshare derby at Foxbury Avenue? This time it's tenants versus landlords. As it stands, Glebe are second and fighting for the title alongside five other teams whilst Stansfeld are only a point off the bottom. Tickets will be available on the gate

ECL Division 1 South

Enfield Borough v Clapton CFC @3pm - for a match in the 10th tier, there should be a reasonable atmosphere as CCFC's fans tend to travel in reasonable numbers and make a good amount of noise. It's also a game of major significance at either end of the table with Enfield battling the drop and CCFC currently top. This match is being played at Wingate & Finchley and tickets will be available on the gate 

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Sunday 31 December

Premier League

Fulham v Arsenal @2pm - the footballing year comes to an end in London with a double helping of top-flight games. At Craven Cottage, Fulham will be keen to end a three game losing run with a huge derby win over the title-chasing Gunners. It must be agonising being an Arsenal fan right now as every time a chance opens up to pull clear at the top, they blow it. Having seen off a tricky Brighton side and got a decent draw at Liverpool just before Christmas, they then lost at home to West Ham on Thursday. They really should beat the Cottagers but if they don't, they could end the day in fourth. Tickets and hospitality have sold out

Tottenham Hotspur v AFC Bournemouth @2pm - it's a not too dissimilar story at Spurs. Just when they threaten to get going, the wheels come off. After three consecutive wins, they lost 4-2 at Brighton as Thursday night became a miserable one for North London's two giants. Normally you'd expect a match against the Cherries to be highly winnable but not anymore. After a poor start, they're now unbeaten in seven and top of the Premier League form table. That run included wins over Newcastle United and Manchester United and a draw against Aston Villa so Tottenham better watch out! Tickets are only available to members and hospitality packages have sold out too

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Monday 1 January

Championship

QPR v Cardiff City @3pm - the R's responded well to their poor performance at Millwall on Boxing Day by drawing 0-0 at second placed Ipswich on Friday. Next up they play the Bluebirds who are one of the only sides they've actually managed to beat this season. Cardiff were poor in those early weeks of the season and they have improved significantly. However, with only one win in five they are beatable. Tickets

League One

Charlton Athletic v Oxford United @3pm  - after drawing too many games to make decent progress up the table, the Addicks are now starting to lose. Back-to-back defeats to Leyton Orient and Bristol Rovers means they're now closer to the relegation zone than the play-off places. Although they lost their big game to Derby on Friday, Oxford are still in the top six and should be confident of getting something here. Tickets

League Two

Sutton United v Newport County @3pm - sadly for the U's, they couldn't follow up their derby win over Wimbledon with another three points at Gillingham as they lost 1-0 in Kent. Still six points adrift of safety, they need to keep picking up points wherever they can. Welsh club Newport are in the bottom seven so Sutton should feel they have a chance. Tickets

National League

Wealdstone v Maidenhead United @3pm - with the Stones based in Ruislip and Maidenhead a little to the west of London on the Elizabeth Line, this is pretty much a derby given this is a national division. The clubs are also close in the table with Wealdstone 12th just a place and two points above the visitors. The hosts won the reverse fixture 2-0 on Boxing Day and are unbeaten in five against the Magpies. Tickets

National League South

Hampton & Richmond Borough v Slough Town @1pm - these two fought out a thrilling 3-3 draw at Arbour Park on Boxing Day. The result extended H&RB's lengthy unbeaten run and kept them in second but it also continued Slough's great run too. Despite being down in 17th, the Rebels are second in the NLS form table so this will hopefully give us another cracker. Tickets

Isthmian League Premier

Carshalton Athletic v Kingstonian @3pm - there are a number of derbies in the seventh tier with this one representing the south side of town. The K's geographical home of Kingston isn't a million miles from Colston Avenue but now they're groundsharing at Tooting & Mitcham United, this is a much more local affair. The Robins are pushing for a play-off place and demolished Haringey Borough 6-0 at Coles Park on Saturday. The visitors are third from bottom and the only side in the division without an away win. Tickets

Enfield Town v Haringey Borough @3pm - on the north side, the Towners will be looking to recover from their surprise loss to struggling Cray Wanderers on Friday. With top club Hornchurch also dropping points against Lewes and Chatham not playing since Boxing Day, they're still third. As hinted at above, Haringey are in trouble near the bottom. After a great win against Billericay Town shortly before Christmas, they've shipped 10 goals in the two 'festive' games they've played since and will do well to get anything at Donkey Lane. Tickets

Southern League Premier South

Hendon v Hayes & Yeading United @3pm - the Greens will be looking to follow up their derby win over Harrow Borough by seeing off another local team. The Boxing Day victory took Hendon up to ninth, only four points adrift of the play-off places. Sadly the same can't be said of the visitors who lost their big derby against strugglers Hanwell Town, meaning only goal difference is now keeping them out of the relegation zone. Tickets will be available on the gate

Isthmian League North

Walthamstow v Basildon United @3pm - there are a few games in the eighth tier too and if I were to go to a game, it would be this one. The Stow are chasing a place in the top five whilst the visitors are currently up there. If they beat them, it makes them pretty strong contenders in my book. Also, with average crowds of 320, there's usually a decent atmosphere at their games too. Tickets will be available on the gate

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Tuesday 2 January

Premier League

West Ham United v Brighton & Hove Albion @730pm - with back-to-back wins over Manchester United and Arsenal, 2023 came to a pretty great end for the Hammers. Up to sixth in the Premier League, doing nicely in the Europa League and with an FA Cup Third Round tie to come, 2024 holds a lot of promise for David Moyes' side. Brighton are eighth and having a pretty similar season although their form is a little more patchy at the moment. Interestingly, since joining the top flight in 2017, the Seagulls have built up a great record against West Ham losing only once in 13 matches. Tickets

SCEFL Premier

Erith Town v Fisher @745pm - the one non-league option of the night is an all south-east London affair at Bayliss Avenue in Thamesmead. The Dockers are currently fifth but only four points behind leaders Faversham, with a game in hand in what is an incredibly tight title race. The Fish are coasting along in 10th and need to start winning if they want to make the play-offs. Tickets will be available on the gate

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Wednesday 3 January

Isthmian League South Central

Sutton Common Rovers v Marlow @745pm - during December, SCR managed to draw 0-0 at top clubs Chertsey Town and Raynes Park Vale whilst losing to other lesser teams. Overall, they failed to win any of the six games they played during the month and are down in 14th as a result. On Wednesday they face Marlow who are sixth. The Buckinghamshire club were looking like genuine contenders when they thrashed Binfield 8-1 at the start of December but they haven't won since and are now 14 points behind the leaders. Even if they win their three games in hand, they'll still be off the pace. This match is being played at AFC Whyteleafe

Essex Senior League

Buckhurst Hill v Romford @745pm - although down in the bottom four, the hosts will probably have enough to stay up. Only the bottom two go down and they're seven points clear of them. Romford, on the other hand, are third and well in the hunt for the title. At the time of writing, only five points separate the top four but leaders Tilbury have games in hand on all those below them. Tickets will be available on the gate

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Thursday 4 January

FA Cup Third Round

Crystal Palace v Everton @8pm - I could be wrong but I can't remember an FA Cup Third Round getting underway on a Thursday before but that's what's happening here with the game being broadcast live on ITV4. Presumably selected because it features two Premier League sides, I'm not sure what kind of spectacle we'll be treated to. With both teams trying to make sure they stay up, the cup might not be their biggest priority and there could be a few reserves and youngsters on show. That's reflected by the fact that tickets are on sale to non-members, something which rarely happens for first-team games at Selhurst Park

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Friday 5 January

FA Cup Third Round

Brentford v Wolverhampton Wanderers @715pm - there are three more ties on Friday night and they're all in London. With slightly staggered kick-offs, the first one is another all-Premier League game at the GTech. The Bees are on a terrible run and bottom of the PL form table so it will be interesting to see what Thomas Frank does here. Will he play a strong side to try and win and build morale and momentum or give other players a chance because the cup doesn't matter? Wolves are enjoying a bit of a purple patch under boss Gary O'Neil. Highly unlikely to be relegated, the Midlands club are exactly the sort of team that should be thinking of giving the FA Cup a really good go. Again, it's highly unusual to be able to get tickets for games at this venue but they are available to non-members for this one

Fulham v Rotherham United @730pm - although some of these FA Cup ties might not be the most sexy on paper, they do represent a great opportunity to get yourself on a Premier League club's ticketing database which can be really useful when buying tickets for bigger games. This match between the Cottagers and Championship strugglers Rotherham is one such match. Complacency should be Fulham's greatest threat here. Dispel any thought of that and they should get through. Tickets

Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley @8pm - the last tie of the night is at the THS where Spurs welcome a side who've won only 3 of their 20 Premier League games this season. Again, it's really hard to know what kind of game we'll get here. Tottenham's main priority will probably be a top-four league finish but winning the FA Cup would be huge for a club who haven't won anything for a while. The Clarets are all about staying up so a long run in the FA Cup is probably not in Vincent Kompany's plans. Surprisingly, this has still to go on sale to non-members but that could change in the next day or two so check the club's website for the latest

Essex Senior League

Ilford v Hullbridge Sports @745pm - the best non-league alternative of the night is to be found at Mayesbrook Park. The Foxes are in the bottom two and desperate for points whilst Hullbridge still have hopes of making the play-offs

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Saturday 6 January

FA Cup Third Round

AFC Wimbledon v Ipswich Town @1230pm - having seen off Cheltenham Town and Ramsgate in the previous two rounds and scoring 10 goals in the process, the Dons are the kind of opponent that Championship high-flyers Ipswich would probably have wanted to avoid travelling too. Although the Suffolk club are second in the second tier, their form has faltered of late and they're winless in five. There's definitely some cupset potential here. There aren't many tickets left so buy ASAP if you want to go

Millwall v Leicester City @1230pm - the Lions have had a superb festive period, winning all three of their league games as they've moved well away from the Championship relegation zone. Now unbeaten in five, the last team they lost to were runaway leaders Leicester but it was close with the Foxes edging to a 3-2 win in the Midlands. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Millwall's appearance in the FA Cup Final which they lost 3-0 to Manchester United. What a great time to have another good run in the competition. Tickets

QPR v AFC Bournemouth @3pm - when I initially saw this draw I was pretty underwhelmed. The Cherries weren't doing particularly well in the Premier League at the time and I just saw this as a battle of two strugglers in front of sparsely populated stands whose minds would be on other things. Since then, the R's have continued to struggle but Bournemouth have become one of the most in-form teams in the top division. QPR made the final in 1982 whilst the visitors never have - could this be their year? Tickets

Watford v Chesterfield @3pm - the Hornets have landed a home tie against one of the last remaining non-league sides in the competition. Not just any old non-league team though but the ones who are currently top of the National League. Fully professional, this isn't a team of part-timers. They also famously made the FA Cup semi-finals in 1997 but they were a league side back then. Like Millwall, Watford have a big anniversary this year too - it's 40 years since they played Everton in the final of 1984. Worryingly, I remember it very well! I don't know if it's a glitch or if it has sold out but I couldn't find any way of buying tickets for this match on Watford's website, with no men's games available at all. I would therefore suggest calling the club for the latest

Chelsea v Preston North End @530pm - in the final tie of the day, two clubs with 10 FA Cup wins between them do battle at Stamford Bridge. With eight titles, the Blues are joint third in the overall rankings for the competition alongside Liverpool and Tottenham. Although PNE's last win was way back in 1938, their's is an illustrious history with seven appearances in the final in total. Midtable in their respective divisions, neither are having a particularly great season but you'd expect the hosts to prevail. The last time PNE played here was in another FA Cup tie in 2002 and they lost 3-1 - it could be a similar story here. Tickets have sold out but hospitality packages are available from £300

Premier League Cup

Tottenham Hotspur v Bristol City @1pm - since originally publishing this guide nearly two weeks ago, this U21 game has been added too. Most of Spurs' U21 games are played at Stevenage's ground outside London but this is being played at Enfield Town. Tottenham are currently top of the Premier League 2 and have won all their group games so far in this competition, consequently they will start as strong favourites. Tickets are £5

National League South

Welling United v Aveley @3pm - with their winless run getting longer, the Millers finally got a victory on Saturday. The win over Dover Athletic means they stay in eighth, two points adrift of the play-offs so promotion is still on the cards but they need to start building another good run. Welling present a good opportunity for some more points as they're down in the relegation zone and really struggling for form. Tickets

Isthmian League Premier

Hornchurch v Horsham @3pm - six points clear with two games in hand, it's looking pretty good for the Urchins who are top of the Isthmian League. A solid 3-0 win at Hashtag United on New Year's Day showed what they're capable of. As mentioned above, Horsham are still in with a shot at the play-offs as they have some games in hand after their FA Cup run. However, with only one point from their three festive games, they're starting to lose ground. Tickets

Southern League Premier South

Harrow Borough v Hanwell Town @3pm - elsewhere in the seventh tier, there's a derby at Earlsmead. Harrow are only playing at this level after accepting a reprieve from relegation last season. It came at such a time that the club were all set up for eighth-tier football so this campaign was always going to be a struggle. Although second from bottom, they've often been undone by late goals and red cards as they've fought hard against much better resourced clubs. Still only four points adrift of safety, the season isn't over. Local rivals Hanwell were in the relegation zone too going into Christmas but a good festive period has seen them pull clear so it is doable. Tickets are cheaper if bought online in advance

Isthmian League South Central

Hanworth Villa v Binfield @3pm - there aren't any standout games in the eighth tier so I've decided to put Hanworth in the spotlight. Last season, they finished the season incredibly strongly and made it to the play-offs almost out of nowhere. This season started slowly again but the momentum is building and they're now four points outside the top five. On Saturday they play bottom club Binfield who've shipped 77 goals in 19 games so there's virtually no chance of this ending goalless. Tickets will be available on the gate

CCL Premier South

Abbey Rangers v Balham @3pm - two of the top six in this division meet at Addlestone Moor on Saturday. This season the top team gets automatically promoted and the next four play-off for one more promotion place. The hosts are fourth whilst Balham sit just outside the leading group but have games in hand on the two teams immediately above them

CCL Division 1

FC Deportivo Galicia v Langley @3pm - in the 10th tier, TLFG reader Steve Hall is starting an epic virtual trek around the football clubs of England on his digital tuk tuk from this game. He's raising funds for Prostate Cancer UK and FC Deportivo Galicia. As for the match, both sides are in midtable 

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Sunday 7 January

FA Cup Third Round

West Ham United v Bristol City @2pm - the weekend concludes with two more FA Cup ties. The Hammers are enjoying a decent run at the moment. Their 0-0 draw with Brighton on Tuesday kept them sixth in the Premier League. In other words, they should start as strong favourites against a midtable Championship team. West Ham have won the cup three times but haven't been to the final since 2006 when they lost an absolute classic to Liverpool. City made the final once but it was way back in 1909 and they lost 1-0 to Manchester United. Tickets

Arsenal v Liverpool @430pm - the tie of the round takes place at the Emirates later in the day. Despite not having won the cup since 2020, the Gunners are the record holders for most titles with 14 wins - two ahead of Manchester United. Liverpool are joint third on the list with eight wins. Back to the present day, Arsenal are fourth in the Premier League after a bit of a wobble which has seen them concede top spot to the Reds. It doesn't get much bigger than this. Tickets are only available to members and hospitality has sold out

National League

Boreham Wood v York City @2pm - there's a random bit of fifth-tier action at Meadow Park if the games above are no good for you. Both clubs are in lower midtable and could be even lower if Saturday's results go against them. Since these clubs first met in 2016, all five games between them have ended in a draw and it looks like being a very likely outcome again here. To make this match even more interesting, adult tickets are only £10 which is half the normal charge but they must be bought in advance to get this price

Isthmian League North

New Salamis v Bury Town @3pm - there's also an odd bit of eighth-tier football too. The hosts play their games at Haringey Borough so if you're in north London and you've been to Boreham Wood before, then this could be for you. Bury Town are chasing a play-off place and should start as marginal favourites. Tickets will be available on the gate

FAWNL Division 1 South East

QPR v AFC Wimbledon @2pm - the biggest match of the day in the women's game is this London derby between the fourth-placed R's and leaders Wimbledon. I don't think it's unfair to say QPR have overachieved so far this season so it's credit to all involved that they've done so well. The Dons are in a fight to the death with Norwich City for the title. With only one team getting promoted, they're level on points with the East Anglian club and can't afford any slip ups. The reverse fixture produced an entertaining 5-3 wins for the Dons back in September. This match is being played at Hanwell Town and tickets will be available on the gate

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 December 2023

Greetings one and all and welcome to the penultimate post of 2023.

This week's guide goes up to Christmas Eve although there are no games in London on the 24th - you'll have to head to the Midlands for Wolves v Chelsea if you really want to get your football fix that day.

How has your week of football watching been?

Mine was busier than I expected.

After nearly two years away, I made my long awaited return to Loftus Road for a QPR first-team game.

I was undecided in the run up to the night and had pretty much resolved not to go when my friend Dave came through with a free ticket so off I went.

After 21 months, it was great to be back at Loftus Road

For those of you who don't know, my last match was against Peterborough in March 2022 and it was a pretty awful afternoon.

It wasn't supposed to be that way as I went on the pitch before the game to collect the Supporter of the Year award.

That went smoothly enough but it all went downhill when I returned to that stands and found that I was surrounded by racists who totally ruined everything.

It was particularly bad as I had my nine-year-old daughter with me and she simply told me she didn't want to come back when what was also a dreadful game came to an end.

After nearly 40 years following the club, I was left feeling totally disillusioned and took a lengthy sabbatical.

On Wednesday that ended with a match against Plymouth Argyle.

After three straight wins, confidence was high against side who hadn't won away all season.

Such confidence seemed to be misplaced as the Devon club tore Rangers apart numerous times in the opening quarter of the game but just couldn't score.

Then everything changed when a hefty challenge from the aptly named Dan Scarr on Ilias Chair saw him sent off - something which seemed to surprise most people in the ground.

QPR spent the last 70+ minutes, including injury time, camped in and around Plymouth's area but they just couldn't break through as Argyle gave a defensive masterclass.

With the final whistle approaching I almost didn't want them to concede as their efforts to keep the R's out were so valiant.

It finished 0-0 and although that was disappointing, it didn't really matter as I'd enjoyed my return to HQ.

The racists in the 'posh' seats of South Africa Road from the previous time were nowhere to be found in the Upper Loft and I left with a smile on my face.

When I'll next return I'm not sure - with most tickets still costing in excess of £30, it might take another freebie to tempt me.

One other thing to note about the evening was the large amount of German fans in attendance, most of whom were over with Freiburg to watch their Europa League tie the following day at West Ham.

What was the centre circle at the Boleyn Ground in Upton Park

As a result, there were numerous announcements in German to cater to them - some of them might even have taken part in the half-time game for fans on the pitch but I'd need to confirm that.

Among them was my friend and TLFG reader Christoph B and it was he and many others who I met at Canning Town on Thursday morning to go on a West Ham United walking tour.

After leaving Canning Town, we also went to West Ham itself, Upton Park and finished up in Stratford visiting a number of the most historic sights in the Hammers' history.

With a fine local guide called Rob leading things, we learned all about Thames Ironworks and how they developed into the club we know today.

My 'favourite' bit was visiting the site of the Boleyn Ground in Upton Park which was demolished in 2016 and turned into an estate of smart new flats but a small patch of grass where the centre circle used to be has been preserved and you can stand on it.

On our way back up Green Street, we bizarrely spotted a fox on the roof of one of the terraced houses and with that being the emblem of the Bundesliga side, this was seen as some kind of omen.

Sadly it turned out to be a bad one as their side lost 2-0 but they're still in with a chance of progressing via the play-off round.

THE WEEK AHEAD

This week we've got matches in the Premier League, EFL, National League, FA Trophy and FA Youth Cup as well as all the other non-league and women's competitions which our local clubs compete in.

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 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 December

Development Matches

There are a couple of U21 matches topping the bill on Monday with Charlton Athletic getting things underway at 1pm when they play AFC Bournemouth in the Professional Development League at Dartford. Then at 7pm, Crystal Palace welcome West Ham United to Sutton United for a Premier League 2 fixture. Neither game should cost more than £5

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Tuesday 19 December

EFL Cup Quarter-Final

Chelsea v Newcastle United @8pm - Stamford Bridge plays host to what is probably the tie of the round. With the Blues well out of the running for the league and not in Europe, this competition probably represents their best chance of success this season. They've made two of the last five finals but haven't won it since 2015 when they beat Tottenham 2-0. Newcastle have more to play for at this point in the season but they haven't won anything for decades and any pot will do. They made the final last season and could well go one better if they get through this. Tickets have sold out but hospitality packages are available from £300

FA Youth Cup Third Round

Watford v Manchester City @7pm - there's also a tie in the country's most prestigious U18 competition too. Taking place at Vicarage Road, the Hornets welcome their counterparts from the mighty City who will start as strong favourites. Tickets

FA Trophy Third Round

Wealdstone v Billericay Town @745pm  - after seeing the original tie postponed twice, the Stones will try again against opposition from two levels below them. Wealdstone famously won the Trophy back in 1985, beating Boston United 2-1 in the final. Essex club Billericay have only ever made it to the quarter-finals. On that occasion in 2018, it was the Stones who knocked them out. In theory, the same thing should happen again here. Tickets

Essex Senior Cup Fourth Round

Walthamstow v Colchester United @745pm - after beating Billericay on penalties in the last round, the 'Stow next face a side from League Two club Colchester. How strong a side the fourth-tier club send out remains to be seen but they comprehensively beat Heybridge Swifts, who sit just above Walthamstow in the league, in the last round. Tickets are £10 on the gate

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Wednesday 20 December

Premier League International Cup

There's a mouthwatering night of European U21 action to look forward to on Wednesday with Chelsea entertaining Celtic at Kingsmeadow and Fulham hosting Athletic Bilbao at Motspur Park. Both matches start at 7pm. Given how popular Celtic games can be, I advise buying tickets in advance. The other game should have tickets available on the gate

Isthmian League South East

Erith & Belvedere v Littlehampton Town @745pm - after getting stuffed 5-0 by Ramsgate on Sunday, the Deres stay stuck in the bottom two. With the visitors just two places and three points above them, this is a highly important relegation six-pointer. Tickets are £10 on the gate

Essex Senior League

Woodford Town v Halstead Town @745pm - only managing a 0-0 draw at Hullbridge Sports on Friday, Woodford missed the chance to close in on the top two who also drew this weekend in their respective games. If they win this, they'll close the gap on top club Sporting Bengal United to one point. However, Halstead are a top-six side themselves so will be no pushovers

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Thursday 21 December

Premier League

Crystal Palace v Brighton & Hove Albion @8pm - with Christmas closing in we have this random bit of top-flight action between two fierce rivals. Both sides took on one of the big clubs this weekend - the Eagles came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Manchester City at the Etihad whilst the Seagulls lost at Arsenal. The Sussex club are on a five game unbeaten run at Selhurst Park and the table would suggest they'll make that six games. Tickets are not available to non-members

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Friday 22 December

Essex Senior League

Ilford v FC Clacton @745pm - second from bottom with only three wins and now playing away from their Cricklefields home, things are looking pretty dire for the Foxes. Eight points adrift of local rivals Frenford who sit just above them, they've got a lot of ground to make up. On Friday they take on a midtable Clacton side who really must be beaten. This is being played at Barking

ECL Division 1 South

May & Baker v Harlow Town @745pm - the hosts are coasting along nicely enough in midtable but they could face a tough evening here as Harlow are among the title contenders. This is being played at Aveley

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Saturday 23 December

Premier League

West Ham United v Manchester United @1230pm - over the last couple of weeks, the Hammers' results have fluctuated wildly. Comfortable home wins over Freiburg and Wolverhampton Wanderers have been sandwiched between thrashings at Fulham and Liverpool. After disappointing results against Bournemouth and Bayern Munich, United picked up a decent point against arch-rivals Liverpool on Sunday. Given these recent results, it's a pretty hard one to call. Tickets

Fulham v Burnley @3pm - probably the most notable thing about this fixture is that it will see Rebecca Welch become the first woman to referee a Premier League game. On current form, the Cottagers should beat relegation threatened Burnley but the Clarets are unbeaten in four against the London club so who knows? Tickets

Tottenham Hotspur v Everton @3pm - although down in 16th, the Toffees are in great form and are only near the relegation zone because of a points deduction. Spurs' form is far more variable and this could be a really entertaining game. The north London club are unbeaten in five against the Goodison Park club. Tickets are only available to members

Championship

QPR v Southampton @3pm - after three wins in a row, optimism was starting to grow at Loftus Road. However, after only drawing with the 10 men of Plymouth and losing to relegation rivals Sheffield Wednesday, the uncertainty has returned. Next up, the high-flying Saints pay a visit. Up in fourth, they should provide a very stern test for Marti Cifuentes' side. Tickets

League One

Charlton Athletic v Burton Albion @3pm - unbeaten in five league games, the Addicks are still 11 points adrift of the play-offs as they are drawing too many games. Burton have the worst form in the division and are sliding towards the relegation zone. Tickets

League Two

Sutton United v Mansfield Town @3pm - the U's took the tough decision to part company with boss Matt Gray who guided them into the EFL and took them to the EFL Trophy Final. With only three wins from 21 games, this season has been a disaster and they're seven points adrift of safety at the bottom. Gray's assistant Jason Goodliffe will take charge of this match but with the Stags in fourth, it looks like being another tough afternoon. Tickets

National League

Barnet v Boreham Wood @3pm - going on the basis of their last five games, the Bees are bottom of the National League form table and pretty much out of the title race which is being dominated by Chesterfield. Still third, promotion is a very realistic prospect via the play-offs but they need to keep hold of that top-seven place. On Saturday they play local rivals Boreham Wood in this derby. The Wood made the play-offs last season but are well of the pace this time round and are still in the battle to avoid relegation. Tickets

Bromley v Altrincham @530pm - while Barnet have been dropping points, the Ravens have taken full advantage and are now second. On Saturday they welcome fourth placed Alty for arguably the biggest game of the day in the fifth tier. Tickets

National League South

Hampton & Richmond Borough v Weston-super-Mare @3pm - two of the division's form teams meet for what could be a cracking game. The Beavers have shot up to third in recent weeks after going 12 games unbeaten. During that run they've beaten second placed Torquay and drew 0-0 at top club Yeovil in their last match. Although down in midtable, WSM have won four of their last five so could be tricky opponents. Tickets 

Southern League Premier South

Walton & Hersham v Gosport Borough @3pm - two of the top six in this division should provide you with the game of the day in the seventh tier. The Swans looked like title contenders in the early stages but after 19 games, they're now 11 points behind top club Salisbury. Still very much in the hunt for the play-offs, a win here will strengthen their case. Tickets

Isthmian League South Central

Corinthian Casuals v Ashford Town (Middlesex) @3pm - for some reason there are very few games on in the eighth tier. I've gone for this as it features two sides who are battling the drop. Neither are in the bottom two at the moment but CCs are only two points clear and Ashford are in the bottom five too. Tickets

CCL Premier South

Tooting & Mitcham United v Colliers Wood United @3pm - there aren't any table-topping clashes in the ninth tier so why not check out this south London derby at Imperial Fields. TMU were relegated to this level at the end of last season and they've taken time to adjust. Currently midtable they're doing much better than CWU who are bottom after winning only one of their 20 games

CCL Division 1

Langley v Amersham Town @3pm - groundsharing at Uxbridge, the Merry Makers are now on TLFG's patch. Sixth and well placed for a play-off push, they welcome leaders Amersham to Honeycroft on Saturday. A whopping 16 points clear at the top, the Buckinghamshire side look like champions already

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, via X/Twitter or even by good old email.

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

TLFG: 11-17 December 2023

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

How have you been? Getting firmly into the Christmas spirit or is too early for you?

Personally I don't partake of the festivities any more but I don't begrudge anyone who does.

It also makes me invaluable around the time of the Christmas work do when I'm more than happy to cover for anyone who wants to go out for a big drink up.

There's a big night of European action in London on Thursday - tickets

I do, however, love the feast of football that is the Christmas/New Year period and our annual two week special will be going into production soon.

The past week for me has been spent enjoying the continued improvement of QPR under Marti Cifuentes with a third consecutive win leaving them within touching distance of 21st place and safety.

It's got to the point where I'm seriously considering going back to watch them after the best part of two years away.

The Plymouth match on Wednesday could see me make my return.

This is largely because my friend and TLFG reader Christoph is bringing a group from Germany to Loftus Road as part of a football tour of London built around watching their beloved Freiburg at West Ham. 

Whatever happens, I'll be going on a football related walking tour with him on Thursday before that big European game.

A lot of this depends on whether I can shake off my winter cough which I now seem to get every year and which seems to last about six weeks - it's really annoying!

Anyway, I hope you're in better health and have a great week.

THE WEEK AHEAD

This week we've got matches in the Europa League, Premier League, EFL, National League, Women's Champions League, Women's Super League, Women's League Cup and FA Youth Cup as well as all the other non-league and women's competitions which our local clubs compete in.

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 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 11 December

Premier League Cup

Crystal Palace v Middlesbrough @7pm - the week begins with this U21 match at Sutton United's ground. We're still at the group stage of the competition at the moment and the Eagles will go top of their group if they beat bottom club Boro. Tickets

Surrey Senior Cup Second Round

Carshalton Athletic v Tooting & Mitcham United @745pm - just to the east of Gander Green Lane we've got a local derby in this county cup. The Robins now play two levels above the Terrors so they should, in theory, start as favourites but it will largely depend on how strong a squad they field

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Tuesday 12 December

Championship

Watford v Ipswich Town @745pm - the Hornets grabbed an injury-time equaliser in their big match with Southampton on Saturday as they drew 1-1. The result leaves them two points adrift of the play-off places in what is a very congested table. Ipswich are new to this division after promotion from League One and look all set to go straight through to the Premier League. Their 2-0 win at Middlesbrough means they're second, seven points clear of third placed Leeds. These sides haven't played each other since 2015 and that season the Tractor Boys won both games. Tickets

FA Cup Second Round Replay

Barnet v Newport County @745pm - the Bees have faltered badly in the league in recent weeks but cup competitions have given them more joy. Drawing 1-1 in Wales against League Two opposition last week was a fine achievement and then on Saturday they thrashed Maidstone United 4-0 in the FA Trophy. Back on home turf, could Barnet pull off an upset? They'll play non-league Eastleigh at home in the next round if they do. Tickets

FA Trophy Third Round

Wealdstone v Billericay Town @745pm - after seeing the original tie postponed on Saturday because of a waterlogged pitch, the Stones will try again against opposition from two levels below them. Wealdstone famously won the Trophy back in 1985, beating Boston United 2-1 in the final. Essex club Billericay have only ever made it to the quarter-finals. On that occasion in 2018, it was the Stones who knocked them out. In theory, the same thing should happen again here. Tickets

London Senior Cup First Round

Corinthian Casuals v QPR U21 @745pm - after seeing this match postponed last month, the R's will send their youngsters to Tolworth as they enter this competition for the first time. Casuals are having a season to forget and could well suffer a second consecutive relegation. They'll be hoping this match against QPR's development side will offer their senior players a chance for a morale-boosting win. Whether they get it is another matter as Rangers are in fine form in the Professional Development League

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Wednesday 13 December

Championship

QPR v Plymouth Argyle @745pm - the R's continued their revival under new boss Marti Cifuentes with a hard fought 2-0 win over high flying Hull City on Saturday. That makes it three wins in a row and only one defeat in six for the Catalan manager. After being marooned in the relegation zone some distance from safety, a win against Plymouth could take them out of the bottom three and move them level with Argyle who have also struggled this season. Tickets

Women's League Cup

Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur @7pm - after thrashing Chelsea 4-1 in their top-of-the-table clash at the Emirates on Sunday, the Gunners have to play north London rivals Spurs twice in three days this week. First up is this game in the League Cup at Boreham Wood's ground. The clubs are level on points at the top of Group D after two games so whoever wins here will take an outright lead. Given the small capacity, tickets have almost sold out so you'll have to act quickly to get one

Essex Senior League

Sporting Bengal United v Great Wakering Rovers @745pm - SBU came up from the 10th tier at the start of the season and have surged up the table in recent weeks, putting themselves top. Only one point clear of Tilbury, who have a game in hand, they've got little room for error if they want to stay there. GWR are down in ninth but have games in hand which if won could put them in the play-off places

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Thursday 14 December

UEFA Europa League

West Ham United v SC Freiburg @8pm - the Hammers' fine six game unbeaten run came to a crashing end with a 5-0 drubbing by Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday. They'll need to do a lot better than that if they're to win this Group A decider at London Stadium. Freiburg are having a very similar season to West Ham - top eight in the Bundesliga and joint top of this group with David Moyes' side. The reverse fixture saw West Ham win 2-1 in Germany so they should start as marginal favourites here. Tickets

UEFA Women's Champions League

Chelsea v Hacken @8pm - after suffering that humbling defeat at Arsenal on Sunday, the Blues are another side who badly need to raise their levels going into a big European game. Their Swedish opponents travel to Stamford Bridge as group leaders having beaten Real Madrid and Paris FC in their first two games. Emma Hayes' side only managed a draw when they travelled to the Spanish capital so they're second. Tickets

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Friday 15 December

FA Youth Cup Third Round

AFC Wimbledon v Blackburn Rovers @6pm - the pick of Friday night's action takes place at Plough Lane where the Dons' youngsters welcome opposition from Lancashire. Rovers play in the U18 Premier League so will start as favourites. The winners will travel to Cheltenham Town or Sheffield United in the next round. Tickets

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Saturday 16 December

Premier League

Chelsea v Sheffield United @3pm - the only top-flight game in London on Saturday is to be found at Stamford Bridge. With only one win in five, the Blues are 12th and closer to the relegation zone than the Champions League places - an almost unthinkable scenario when you consider they won Europe's top club competition in 2021. The Blades are bottom but with Chris Wilder back in charge, they won their last match against Brentford to give themselves some hope. This is the weakest Chelsea side there's been for some years but surely they won't lose this one too will they??? Tickets are only available to members but hospitality packages are available from £480

Women's Super League

Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal @12pm - the next biggest footballing event of the day is likely to be the North London Derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Arguably the capital's best ground, this women's game gives you a superb chance to visit without membership and at a very affordable price (£15). The two played in the cup in midweek, with the Gunners winning on penalties after a 3-3 draw. The visitors will probably field a slightly stronger team for this league game and will start as favourites. Tickets

Championship

Millwall v Huddersfield Town @3pm - the Lions must be rueing the departure of manager Gary Rowett as they've only won one of the six games since Joe Edwards took over. Now just a point above the relegation zone, they face this six-pointer against a side who have the same points as them. Anything less than a win could see them end the day in the bottom three. Tickets

National League

Dagenham & Redbridge v Wealdstone @3pm - there are a couple of games in the fifth tier on the Saturday and I'd have to make this one in east London my pick as it's a crosstown derby. Only a point apart in midtable, it should produce a decent contest. Tickets

National League South

Welling United v Eastbourne Borough @3pm - there's another big relegation six-pointer in the sixth tier too where two of the bottom four meet at Park View Road. Either could move out of the drop zone with a win. Tickets

Isthmian League Premier Division

Enfield Town v Dulwich Hamlet @3pm - if you're looking for a seventh-tier option, I'd advise you to head north where two of the division's best supported teams will do battle at Donkey Lane. The Towners are currently third and looking good for a play-off place. Dulwich came down from the NLS last season and after a rocky start, have begun to find some form. Now six points shy of the top five, the play-off positions are starting to come back into view. Tickets

Southern League Division 1 Central

Hadley v Barton Rovers @3pm - this week seems to see most of the action happening at the wrong end of the table with another big relegation scrap to be found in the far north of London not too far to the west of Enfield. The hosts are in the bottom two but only a point behind the visitors who hail from the Luton area. Tickets are £10 on the gate

SCEFL Premier Division

Glebe v Faversham Town @3pm - one of the games of the day at any level sees the top two in this ninth-tier division duel for supremacy. Glebe are currently second but only a point behind Faversham so it couldn't be much tighter. Tickets will be available on the gate and should be in the £7-10 range

SCEFL Challenge Cup

AFC Whyteleafe v Lewisham Borough @3pm - in the same league's cup competition, the top two in the First Division meet at Church Road for what should be a keenly contested game. The Leafe are currently seven points clear at the top and recently beat their title rivals 2-1. However, Lewisham have two games in hand so their bid for top spot is far from over. A win for the visitors could give them a huge psychological boost. Tickets will probably be in the £5-8 range

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Sunday 17 December

Premier League

Arsenal v Brighton & Hove Albion @2pm - with Manchester City playing Crystal Palace on Saturday, there's a good chance the Gunners could be down to third by the time this kicks off. However, a win here will put them top at least temporarily as Liverpool play later in the day. Beating the Seagulls won't be easy though. A top eight club, they beat Marseille on Thursday to win their group in the Europa League. The Emirates is also a happy hunting ground for the Sussex club. Since joining the Premier League in 2017, they've won four, drawn one and only lost twice. Tickets are only available to members and hospitality has sold out

Brentford v Aston Villa @2pm - with only three points from their last five games, the Bees are suffering a bit of a slump in form. Last time out they lost to bottom club Sheffield United. On Sunday they welcome a side who are in the best shape they've been in for some years. Now firmly among the frontrunners in the league and doing well in Europe, Unai Emery's side will start as firm favourites. Tickets are not available to non-members

West Ham United v Wolverhampton Wanderers @2pm - after being demolished 5-0 by Fulham last weekend, the Hammers responded with a solid 2-0 win over Freiburg on Thursday which saw them book a place in the knockout stages of the Europa League. Wolves, on the other hand, picked up a point in a slightly underwhelming 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest in their last match. Having won their last three against the Midlands club at London Stadium, you'd think David Moyes' side will probably have the edge here. Tickets

Isthmian League South East

Erith & Belvedere v Ramsgate @3pm - if you're struggling to get into one of the games above, you have one non-league option. Taking place at Park View Road in Welling, the Deres welcome a side who hit the headlines recently with their televised FA Cup game against AFC Wimbledon at Plough Lane. Given they did so well in that competition, it should come as no surprise that the Kent side are top of this eighth-tier division and should win against a side who are languishing near the bottom. Tickets are £10 on the gate

Women's Championship

Watford v London City Lionesses @2pm - with no Super League action scheduled in the capital, the top women's game is this second-tier fixture at Wealdstone's ground. The Hornets won promotion to this level last season but have really struggled and are bottom as we approach Christmas. LCL were title contenders in 2022/23 but they've also had a rocky campaign and are in the bottom four too. If Watford are to stay up, they have to win matches like this. Tickets

FAWNL Southern Premier

Hashtag United v Rugby Borough @3pm - the Tags are new to this level following promotion but unlike Watford, stormed to the top beating all comers in the opening months of the season. Since then, they've lost a couple and are now second to Portsmouth on goal difference. Rugby Borough, formerly Coventry United, are third and will move into contention if they win here. In the reverse fixture back in September, Hashtag won 3-1. As a side note, defender Sophie Baigent who starred for Actonians last season, has recently signed for the Tags so it will be interesting to see how she fares. Being played at Aveley, tickets will be available on the gate for £5

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.

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