Greetings one and all and welcome to this week's TLFG.
I've been really busy this weekend with family and football stuff so it's just maps at this stage and some previews for the beginning of the week - I will add more later.
I had a fun start to my Monday, travelling up to Kings Cross to be interviewed about changing English football culture for a film being made by a student at Central St Martins art college.
It's quite a building with lots of very cool people hanging around and doing very creative things - it was an honour to be there.
Next up on Tuesday, we have a Non-League Day (NLD) planning meeting with the Premier League - this tends to shape a large part of where the event heads and usually goes a long way to deciding where the PL trophy ends up on NLD itself.
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| Millwall will hope to get back into the top six this week |
I start some time off on Sunday so will hopefully head down to Champion Hill for the women's game between Dulwich Hamlet and Actonians. However, the weather is looking pretty iffy over the next few days and the pitch might not hold up - let's see.
Over the last few days, I also began planning a Bundesliga break in mid-January. I have an English friend in Dusseldorf who's offered to host me and an opportunity has finally come up. The game we look most likely to attend is a bit random and nowhere near where he lives but the adventure should be fun!
THE WEEK AHEAD
The Champions League tops the bill this week with two blockbuster fixtures between some of the cream of Europe's super clubs. There is a good selection of Premier League games and several EFL ones too.
It's a fairly standard week in non-league with the National League, Isthmian League, Southern League and all those in tiers nine and ten in action.
In the women's game, it's an international break and a big crowd is expected at Wembley where European champions England take on Asian champions China in a hotly anticipated fixture.
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 and development matches. 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 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 24 November
Premier League Cup
Brentford v Exeter City @7pm - the only fixture of the night is this U21 match at Wheatsheaf Park in Staines. We're coming up to the halfway point in the group stage and it's the Grecians who are top of Group E coming into this. The Bees lost the reverse fixture in Devon so they'll have to up their game here. Tickets
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Tuesday 25 November
UEFA Champions League
Chelsea v Barcelona @8pm - in years gone by, this would've been a potential semi-final or final line-up but maybe not this year. After four games of the league phase, neither side is in the top eight after a mixed bag of results. These sides first played in the 1960s and the head-to-head record between them since has been very close. It's been nearly eight years since they met in a Champions League game and on that occasion Barca won comfortably. Both sides are second in their respective leagues but the Blues are in marginally better form - a draw looks to be the most likely outcome. Tickets have sold out but hospitality is available from £745
Championship
Watford v Preston North End @745pm - the Hornets' 3-2 win at Derby on Saturday saw them climb to 11th to put themselves just two points adrift of the play-off places. PNE suffered defeat in their big derby with Blackburn and missed the chance to go third in the process. The Lancashire club do quite well on their trips to Hertfordshire and have only lost one of their last five at Vicarage Road. Tickets
Professional Development League
Charlton Athletic v Cardiff City @1pm - we've got a lunchtime game in this U21 competition so it's possible to see two games on Tuesday. Being played at Dartford's Princes Park, the Addicks could go third with a win. Tickets are £5 on the gate
Premier League Cup
Leyton Orient v Coventry City @7pm - the O's welcome their U21 counterparts from the Midlands for what could be a crucial game for the visitors. The Sky Blues have yet to win and are bottom of the group. They have two matches this week and if they lose them both, then they'll be left on the verge of going out. Tickets are £5 on arrival
National League Cup
There are three games in this competition tonight. To re-cap, this sees fifth-tier clubs play U21 sides from Premier League and Championship clubs. The matches are not proving popular with supporters despite tickets being cheaper and kick-offs a bit earlier. Boreham Wood host Leicester City, Sutton United take on Southampton, and Wealdstone face West Bromwich Albion. All matches start a 7pm and you can pay on arrival
National League South
Dagenham & Redbridge v Chesham United @745pm - there are three games in this division on Tuesday but I've gone for this as the Daggers appear to be turning things around. After suffering relegation last season, the east London club are playing at the lowest level they've been at for 25 years. The opening months of this season were poor, even with former England striker Andy Carroll in their ranks, and they looked like contenders for the drop again. Thankfully their form has improved and they're now unbeaten in five and in midtable. Chesham joined this division last season and are more than holding their own despite being one of the smaller clubs. Tickets
Southern League Premier South
Hanwell Town v Hungerford Town @745pm - neither of these sides are pulling up any trees in the seventh tier this season, but if you want to see another former Premier League striker in action at close quarters then Hungerford have recently signed former QPR and Southampton star Charlie Austin. He's now onto his third club in this division after playing for AFC Totton last year and Basingstoke Town at the start of this season. He also comes from Hungerford and played for them very early in his career before breaking into the pro ranks. Tickets
Update - Match off
Isthmian League South Central
Hayes & Yeading United v Leatherhead @745pm - the hosts lost their place in the top five on Saturday with a 3-0 loss at Hartley Wintney. Still sixth, they welcome the current leaders on Tuesday. The Tanners are unbeaten in 15 games in all competitions and but still only have a two-point lead at the top so could do with a win to increase their advantage. Tickets are £12 on the gate
CCL Premier North
Edgware & Kingsbury v Ardley United @745pm - in the ninth tier, another one of our local sides also welcomes a leading club. Sadly for E&K, they're winless and bottom of the division so a very tough night looks to be in store as they face a side who top of the league table and form table too. Tickets are £8 on the gate
CCL Division 1
Brook House v Colliers Wood United @745pm - the hosts are one of three TLFG clubs in the top five in this tenth-tier division. Currently fourth, they have games in hand on the leading three and will move up to third with victory here. CWU are in midtable but have their eyes on a place in the top eight. Tickets are £7 on the gate
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Wednesday 26 November
UEFA Champions League
Arsenal v Bayern Munich @8pm - for me, this is the match of the week. Taking place at the Emirates, this game sees the leaders in England host the top club in Germany. For good measure, they're also the top two in the Champions League coming into this round of games. The last time these sides met was in the quarter-finals of this competition two years ago and it was the Bavarians who won 3-2 on aggregate. Since they first met in the 2000-01 season, Bayern have dominated the head-to-head. In fact, whenever they've met in the knockout rounds, Arsenal have always lost. Will this be the year they get a rare positive result? Tickets are only available to members but hospitality is available from £995
UEFA Youth League
Arsenal v Bayern Munich @1pm - earlier in the day, the clubs' U19 sides meet at Boreham Wood's ground. Unlike the senior teams, both sets of youngsters have made a stinking start to their campaigns in this competition. Arsenal have lost all four games whilst Bayern have managed only one win and are both in the elimination group as it stands. Unlike Chelsea, who play Barcelona behind closed doors on Tuesday, this game is open to the public and I'm pretty sure it's free entry too. Be prepared to pay a few quid just in case but it shouldn't be more than a fiver
Championship
Millwall v Sheffield Wednesday @745pm - the Lions are on a four-game winless run but are still sitting just outside the play-off places. If they had won all four of those matches then they'd be joint top. With one win all season, the Owls are bottom and provide Alex Neil's side with the perfect opportunity to get back to winning ways. Tickets
Premier League International Cup
Crystal Palace v Nordsjaelland @7pm - you can really fill your boots when it comes to European youth football on Wednesday. With the Arsenal game under your belt, you can have a bit of food and then head south to Sutton where the Eagles' youngsters face Danish opposition in this U21 competition. Palace won this cup in 2024 but began this year's campaign with a disappointing loss to Valencia before bouncing back with a 3-1 win over Juventus. Tickets
London Senior Trophy Second Round
Clapton CFC v Sporting Hackney @745pm - my non-league pick of the night is this match at the Old Spotted Dog, which is London's oldest stadium. The areas of Clapton and Hackney are right next to each other so geographically this should be a big derby. However, clubs bearing the Clapton name have been at the OSD in Forest Gate, about 3.5 miles south-east, since 1888. CCFC play two divisions above the visitors so should start as strong favourites. Admission is £5 on the gate
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Thursday 27 November
Southern Counties Competition
Middlesex v Army @730pm - this four-team round robin women's tournament continues this week. Featuring players primarily from the likes of Actonians, Brentford, London Bees and QPR, Middlesex won their opening game against Kent 11-0. Since then, Essex have beaten Kent and the Army so if Middlesex win here, then it will be all set up for a title showdown in January. This is being played at Rectory Park in Northolt and it's free to get in
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Friday 28 November
Premier League Cup
QPR v Stockport County @7pm - the R's youngsters won this U21 competition last season and continue the defence of their title at Hanwell Town's ground on Friday. Top of Group F after three games, it's looking good for the west Londoners. They played Stockport at Edgeley Park in their opening game back in September and won 3-1 so they should be confident of another positive outcome here. Admission is usually £5 on the gate
CCL Premier North
Hilltop v Virginia Water @745pm - if results go their way earlier in the week, the hosts could come into this game as a high as second in this ninth-tier division. Although they've played more games than anyone else in the leading group, it's fair to say Hilltop have made a promising start. With their roots in London's Somali community, the north London club should strongly fancy their chances of a win here as the visitors are in the bottom two. Tickets should be no more than £10
ECL Division 1 South
Cannons Wood v Newbury Forest @745pm - sadly for the Cannons, their season has been one of struggle. With only four wins from 19 games, they're in the relegation zone. Not so Newbury Forest, who were handed a reprieve from relegation last season and now find themselves top of this tenth-tier division. Averaging almost three goals a game, they've been entertaining to watch but still can't shake off Essex club Hutton who are three points behind with a game in hand. This is being played at Aveley's ground and admission is £7
More previews for the 29-30 November to follow
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!
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