Sunday, 29 January 2012

TLFG: 30 January - 5 February 2012

It's not often that I get to watch two matches in the same day, especially ones featuring my two favourite clubs.

First and foremost I'm a QPR fan, as regular readers will know, but I also have an interest in non-league side Harrow Borough whose ground I grew up close to and I still try and watch them a few times a season when I can.

Saturday saw QPR paired with arch rivals Chelsea in the FA Cup and on police advice the game kicked off at noon. The build-up to this game had been even more hyped than normal thanks to the 'race incident' involving  Blues captian John Terry and QPR defender Anton Ferdinand. Nothing has been proven at the time of writing but fans of both sides had clearly made up their minds who to believe long before this match took place - someone even saw fit to send a 'malicious communication' to Ferdinand on the eve of the match to ratchet up tensions even more.

A strong police presence deters troublemakers at Loftus Road
With the Shepherd's Bush club urging fans of both sides to arrive early to get through a load of extra security checks, I left 45 minutes before kick-off to get into a ground less than 10 minutes walk from my flat. I was half expecting near apocalyptic scenes in the area (as happened last time Millwall came to town) but found things to be very calm with a large police presence probably playing a part in this. Twitter had been alive with reports of airport-style security but I found no evidence of this and only had to undergo a pat down before getting in - maybe it was different for away fans.

Once the game got under way, the atmosphere was as you would expect for a local derby but it wasn't particularly poisonous and things passed off fairly smoothly as far as I know. Chelsea were worthy of their 1-0 win, it was just a shame that such a dubious penalty settled it.

With game one in the bag, I got on the Central Line out to the western suburb of Northolt and made my way to Earlsmead the home of Ryman League side Harrow Borough. The visitors were Wingate & Finchley, supported by a number of my fellow Non-League Day organisers, and they'd already opened a 2-0 lead by the time I'd got there. The hosts improved after the break, pulled one back but then had a man sent off and conceded a third in injury time to lose 3-1.

Wingate & Finchley (yellow) on the attack at Harrow
If you're interested in coming to watch a match in London and want any help or advice then don't hesitate to get in touch via the comments section below, Facebook, Twitter or email. If you want to do it your own way, here's what tickets are currently on general sale for some of the biggest games that are coming up in the capital:

29 February - Netherlands 8pm, Wembley, international friendly

Nothing currently available

25 February - Bolton Wanderers 3pm, Premier League

1 February - West Bromwich Albion 8pm, Premier League
11 February - Stoke City 3pm, Premier League

4 February - Wolverhampton Wanderers 3pm, Premier League
25 February - Fulham 3pm, Premier League

17 March - Stoke City 3pm, Premier League (on sale 2 February)

Next up are this week's match maps:

MIDWEEK MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Friday fixtures



WEEKEND MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures


Please let me know if there are any errors or omissions and always make sure you check with a club on the day whether a match is still taking place.

Subject to the result of Hampton & Richmond's FA Trophy replay on Tuesday, there are 75 matches taking place in the London area this week. With games every day except Thursday, there are excellent groundhopping opportunities to be had.

TLFG TOP 10

This game between two of the biggest clubs in the country doesn't really need any introduction and should be a corker. In recent years this would often end up being a Premier League title deciding match but this year that doesn't seem to be the case. The visitors are still very much in the hunt in second but the Blues are 13 points off the pace in fourth. With Champions League football a necessity for a club like Chelsea, they'll still need to win to keep the chasing pack at bay. 

If you can't get a ticket for the match above, you might like to try this game a short journey away at Loftus Road the day before. These clubs lie just two points apart at the wrong end of the table, making this a 'six-pointer'. Rangers come into this match in marginally better form having won two of their last four in all competitions whilst Wolves haven't won in 10 attempts since beating Sunderland at the start of December. However, they have recorded a number of draws against some good sides during that sequence meaning this should be close.

The rivalry between these two is among the bitterest in the country and always requires a large police operation. The last time they met at Upton Park in August 2009 the trouble before, during and after the game made the national news. The atmosphere is likely to be intense again with both sides needing the points to boost their campaigns at either end of the Championship table. If you haven't got a ticket purchasing history with the Hammers then you won't officially be able to get one for this. If you really want to see the Lions in action this week then you're probably better off going to their other far less fractious derby match against Watford on Tuesday.

If you fancy something a little less highly charged you could do worse than head to Wheatsheaf Park on Saturday. Like the game above, both these sides have plenty play for sitting as they do towards either end of the Blue Square Bet South table. On paper the Wings should win this but Staines have pulled off shock victories at high-flying Woking and Chelmsford City in recent weeks so may well fancy their chances of causing another upset here.

This FA Trophy tie has been postponed on two previous occasions and is the only second round tie yet to be completed. As mentioned in previous weeks, Hampton are open to a cup upset here having had a poor season so far in the Blue Square Bet South. The visitors, who play a level below in the Ryman League, finally saw their lengthy unbeaten run ended by Essex rivals and title chasing AFC Hornchurch on Saturday but only by a goal to nil. If Hampton win they'll be away to Northwich Victoria in the next round on Saturday but if they lose then they'll get back to league duty at home to Dover Athletic.

Another Ryman League side hoping to pull off an upset in the FA Trophy are Wealdstone who travel to Princes Park for this third round tie. Like East Thurrock they have also just surrendered a lengthy unbeaten run but will still feel confident having beaten Blue Square Bet Premier side Barrow in the last round. However, the Darts are in good form themselves having won their last six games leaving them firmly in contention for promotion from the Blue Square Bet South. A TLFG team hasn't made the final since 2000 when Kingstonian beat Kettering Town - could this be the year?

As regular readers know, if there's some Friday football going on then I like to promote it. This week we have some Ryman League Premier Division action at the splendidly named Imperial Fields. The Terrors have been very inconsistent recently and currently find themselves in the bottom four. The visitors meanwhile have confounded many with the good season they've had so far and if they win their games in hand will move back into the play-off places. I spent Non-League Day here and was thoroughly impressed by the facilities which must be among the best of any club at this level. It's also easy to get to being just a short walk from Mitcham tram stop. Tooting also offer discounted admission of £5 to season-ticket holders of any club other than themselves or their opponent, armed forces personnel and the unemployed.

With their grounds a little over 1.5 miles apart this is known by locals as the A3 derby. This match has been postponed at least twice over the last few weeks so it will be even more eagerly anticipated by those involved. If you can't afford or don't want to go and watch nearby Fulham on Wednesday night then this Combined Counties League Premier Division fixture could be for you.

Another game to be previously postponed is this Combined Counties League Cup match. It pits Egham Town, one of the Premier Division's better clubs, against Division One leaders Guernsey. The Channel Islands club are in the first season of their existence and have caught the eye with many fine performances. They currently sit seven points clear at the top of the table, scoring goals at a whopping average of four a game in the process. The Sarnies on the other hand have won five of their last six league games so should provide a good barometer of how well the Green Lions should do if they go up.

Last up this week we have a match in the Kent Invicta League. The hosts are currently fifth and will hope to climb the table with a win over the league leaders on their visit to south east London. Bly, not to be confused with Blue Square Bet North side Blyth Spartans, are one point ahead of TLFG side Bridon Ropes at the top of the table and come into this match on the back of a 0-0 draw against fourth placed Phoenix Sports. The hosts, however, got hammered 5-1 by Woodstock Park on Saturday and lost their previous meeting with Bly too. It looks like an away win but you never know.

If you think any other games are worth a special mention or your club are offering a ticket deal or promotion, post the details in the comments section below. 

Posted by James Doe at 18:36 10 comments

Sunday, 22 January 2012

TLFG: 23-29 January 2012

As this is a blog about London football in general I'm always conscious about talking too much about my personal favourites QPR but I'm afraid they're going to feature prominently again this time after making a lot more headlines.

The first week of the Mark Hughes era saw the former Chelsea player have to preside over three matches in just six days - a hectic start by anyone's standards. It began with a 1-0 loss at Newcastle, improved with a 1-0 win over MK Dons in the FA Cup and culminated in a crucial 3-1 triumph over fellow strugglers Wigan. The latter being achieved despite a very public attack being launched by captain Joey Barton against ex-boss Neil Warnock on Twitter in the run-up to the game.

The Yorkshireman was dismissed two weeks ago and is still held in very high esteem by Rangers fans so this was ill advised to say the least. As a fan, knowing how to react was quite tricky. The natural instinct was to want to defend Warnock and chastise Barton. However, Warnock has gone and Barton is still with us and can help us win games - booing him against Wigan would be very counter productive. Maybe Barton calculated this was the case and saw his chance to let rip. As it turned out there was hardly a murmur from the Rs supporters. His performance was reasonable but after one stray pass a friend of mine commented - 'If Barton passed footballs as well as he passed comment he'd be a fantastic player' which summed this up nicely I thought.

Wigan prepare to defend a corner prior to going 1-0 down at QPR
I went to both the MK Dons and Wigan matches this week but where did you end up? Let me know in the comments section below or on our Facebook page or via Twitter. Also if you've taken some photos at a match, feel free to share them on our Flickr page or via one of the social media channels above so TLFG can help promote them. Chris Hayes took some great pictures at the Wealdstone v Cray Wanderers match in the Ryman League so take a look. I'm also keen to promote other related blogs so if, for example, you've written about a visit to a match in the London area let me know so I can retweet it.

TLFG is getting an increasing amount of interest from readers based overseas so here's the latest news about tickets that are on general sale for some of the biggest matches coming up in the capital.

29 February - Netherlands 8pm, Wembley, international friendly

29 January - Aston Villa 4pm, FA Cup

Nothing currently available

1 February - West Bromwich Albion 8pm, Premier League
11 February - Stoke City 3pm, Premier League
3 March - Wolverhampton Wanderers 3pm, Premier League

4 February - Wolverhampton Wanderers 3pm, Premier League

Nothing currently available

Back to this week now and here are TLFG's latest match maps for your perusal:

MIDWEEK MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Friday fixtures


WEEKEND MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures

Please let me know if there are any errors or omissions and always make sure you check with a club on the day whether a match is still taking place.

For the third week in a row there are 67 matches taking place over the next seven days in the London area. There are a lot of decent ones to choose from so whittling it down to 10 has been quite challenging. If you think I've missed one that should be mentioned or have a special event or offer at your club, post the details in the comments section below.

TLFG TOP 10

By scraping past MK Dons in Tuesday night's replay, QPR have managed to set up an FA Cup fourth round tie against their bitter west London rivals Chelsea. This match is usually highly charged but will be even more so this time following the racism allegations surrounding Blues captain John Terry after the two clubs met in the Premier League in October. A large security operation is expected to make sure things don't get out of hand. On paper Chelsea should win fairly comfortably but we thought that last time and QPR won 1-0. The early kick-off in this game should also enable those attending to do a 'double' and see another game at a local club later in the afternoon (e.g. Hendon play Hastings United at Wembley FC at 3pm and offer half-price admission of £5 to all Premier League and Football League season-ticket holders).

Thierry Henry scored that memorable comeback goal against Leeds in the last round and the Gunners will hope for more success in this FA Cup tie. They shouldn't have it all their own way here though as Villa have one of the best records of any away team at the Emirates having lost only once in five visits. On current form and league position you would expect Arsenal to progress but Villa won at Wolves on Saturday and will come into this with renewed confidence. Unusually for Arsenal home games, tickets for this are on general sale at the time of writing so act quickly if you want to get one.

The FA Cup draw has thrown up another attractive derby at Vicarage Road on Friday night. All the form points to an away win - the Hornets are at the wrong end of the Championship having lost three of their last four, while Spurs are in with a shout of winning the Premier League. Add to this the fact that the hosts haven't beaten the club from N17 since a League Cup match in 1994 (they lost the tie on aggregate though) and the omens don't look good. However, this is what the FA Cup is all about and it's made for the TV cameras that will be showing it live on ESPN. 

This time last week the Lions were licking their wounds after being thrashed 6-0 at home by Birmingham City but they've responded superbly since then beating Dagenham & Redbridge 5-0 in the FA Cup and taking all three points from Oakwell after winning 3-1 at Barnsley - Darius Henderson scoring a hat-trick in both games and they'll need to be at their best if they're to win this FA Cup tie. The Saints have topped the Championship for months and will return there on Monday night if they beat Leicester. The Bermondsey club's record against the Hampshire outfit is also poor having gone almost 35 years since last beating them at home. Ticket prices for this have been reduced across the board with adults paying £18.

Perhaps not the most attractive match-up of the week and the Dons also seem to recognise this, cutting the ticket price for standing to just £10 for this League Two game (if bought in advance) and that's really the main reason I've gone for it. Neither side are setting the division on fire but I think this deal offers good value and I want you to know about it. I visited Kingsmeadow a couple of weeks ago to watch their tenants Kingstonian and it is one of my favourite smaller London grounds. Check this out if you're in town on Tuesday night and fancy taking in a game.

This FA Trophy tie should all be done and dusted by now but the pitch was deemed unplayable last week so it was moved to Tuesday. As mentioned last time, this match could see an upset with Blue Square Bet South side Hampton having had a poor season thus far and their latest defeat on Saturday against Dartford won't help with their confidence. The Rocks, from a level below, come in to this game on the back of a 12-game unbeaten run so will hope to take advantage and earn a place in the last 16.

At the eastern edge of TLFG's catchment area you'll find these two Blue Square Bet South clubs on either side of the Thames but quickly linked by the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge and a couple of road tunnels. This is, therefore, very much a derby. The last meeting back in October saw the Darts win 3-0 which was unsurprising given the current gulf in ability between the two - Dartford have won their last four to lie fourth in the table while the visitors haven't won in 10 and prop up the division. Princes Park is also one of the finest grounds in non-league football giving you another reason to choose this game on Saturday.

Not a million miles from Dartford, the Wings take on the Clarets in another big game in the Blue Square Bet South. With Woking seemingly running away with the title, it's up to the others to scrap for the four play-off places and these two currently sit second and third (that could change in midweek). There's only two points between them and their form over the last five games is pretty similar, although Chelmsford did surprisingly lose 1-0 at home to struggling Staines on Saturday. Too tight to call.

I gave the Greens a plug earlier and I believe they deserve another one for their derby match against the Stones in the Ryman League Premier Division. Hendon came flying out the blocks at the start of the season and topped the league in August. Things haven't gone quite so well for them since then but they are still firmly in the hunt for a play-off place. Wealdstone didn't start so smoothly but are making up for lost time and have gone 14 games without defeat in all competitions including their fine win over Barrow, two levels above them, in the FA Trophy last week. This should be quite a lively affair and don't forget if you're a season-ticket holder at a Premier League or Football League team you'll get in for just £5.

If a trip to Vale Farm isn't for you, maybe you could be tempted this Combined Counties League Cup tie at the Runnymede Stadium. This is a particularly intriguing encounter as it pits Division One leaders Guernsey against the Sarnies who are one of the better teams in the division above. The Green Lions are in only their first season of existence but are playing good football and are scoring, on average, over four goals a game. They are also well supported and many feel they could sweep through the divisions and be in the Blue Square Bet South (four divisions above) in no time. Egham provide an example of the opposition they'll face next season so it will be interesting to see how they fare.

If you're coming to London or have any questions about watching football here please don't hesitate to get in touch. TLFG can be contacted via the comments section below, Facebook, Twitter or by email.


Posted by James Doe at 13:03 3 comments

Sunday, 15 January 2012

TLFG: 16-22 January 2012

Minutes after publishing last week's blog, news came through that QPR had dispensed with the services of manager Neil Warnock.

I was disappointed for the Yorkshireman who did great things for the club during his 22-month reign but didn't find myself outraged by the decision. The last couple of months have been poor with silly points being dropped in numerous fixtures and a negative formation seemingly being employed regardless of the opposition or the venue.

I'm also quite positive about the appointment of Mark Hughes who has a solid record with clubs of a similar stature and should keep QPR up, especially with the funds supposedly available.

The new man agreed his deal while I was in the box office buying tickets for Tuesday's FA Cup replay against MK Dons so I hung around to see him make a swift exit, surrounded by news crews and photographers.

Sky Sports News reporter Gary Cotterill lets the world know of Mark Hughes' appointment by QPR
This week my choice of live football was decided by a visit to relatives 40-odd miles north of London, with Saturday afternoon being spent at Newport Pagnell Town. The Swans completed a comfortable 3-0 victory over Irchester United in the United Counties League. It proved to be a good warm-up for the hosts who welcome Northern League Ashington to Willen Road next weekend in the FA Vase, a match billed as 'the biggest in the club's history' in the programme. So if you're in the Milton Keynes area on 21 January, I thoroughly recommend you go.

Oh yes, before I forget, I also went to watch QPR in the FA Youth Cup on Thursday night at Loftus Road. I'd never been to a game in this competition but the club had pushed it quite hard and for £5 and five loyalty points (a point more than watching the first team at Aston Villa in a forthcoming midweek game) tempted me along. A healthy crowd of well over a thousand, including Hughes, saw the Rs youngsters pull off a shock 1-0 win over Everton. I hadn't realised how significant this was until I got home and read that the Toffees where effectively the best Academy side in the country, so hats off to them. There's more FA Youth Cup action in the capital this week but more on that later.

So which games have you been to this week? Share your stories in the comments section below or on our Facebook page. Also feel free to add your photos to our Flickr group.

Ticket news now - along with information about what's on general sale at Premier League clubs, I've also included details about England's friendly against the Netherlands at the end of February.

29 February - Netherlands 8pm, Wembley, international friendly

Nothing currently available 

Nothing currently available

1 February - West Bromwich Albion 8pm, Premier League
11 February - Stoke City 3pm, Premier League

17 January - MK Dons 8pm, FA Cup
21 January - Wigan Athletic 3pm, Premier League
4 February - Wolverhampton Wanderers 3pm, Premier League

31 January - Wigan Athletic 745pm, Premier League
11 February - Newcastle United 530pm, Premier League

For those of you already in town and looking for a game in the next few days, here are this week's match maps:

MIDWEEK MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures

WEEKEND MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures

Please let me know if there are any errors or omissions so I can correct them as soon as possible and, as always, make sure you check with the club on the day whether a match is still taking place.

There are 67 matches taking place throughout the London area over the next seven days. Here are a few which I think could be worth your while:

TLFG TOP 10

One of the biggest matches on the Premier League calendar takes place on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium. Although the Gunners aren't quite the force they once were, they're still up there and could potentially move back into the top four if they win this (subject to their result at Swansea). However, their record against United in recent years has been poor. They spectacularly lost 8-2 at Old Trafford back in August and have only won two of their last 10 meetings in all competitions. It's by no means a lost cause for Arsene Wenger though with somewhat of an injury crisis blighting his opponents but I'm sure he'll be quite satisfied with a point.

After scraping a 1-1 draw at stadiummk, QPR bring the League One side back to Loftus Road for this FA Cup replay. This match is notable for being new manager Mark Hughes' first home game in charge. He will be tasked with breaking the club's FA Cup hoodoo which has seen them go a staggering 11 years without a win in the competition - the last one came in a third round replay against Luton Town in 2001. The Buckinghamshire side will be no pushovers and will come into the game well rested after having their match at Carlisle postponed. Rangers meanwhile, who play at Newcastle today, will only have one day to prepare. Great cupset potential.

The Daggers did well to hold Championship Millwall to a draw in the original game but slumped back to losing ways this weekend against fellow League Two strugglers Hereford. They will still fancy their chances though having seen the Lions get demolished 6-0 by Birmingham City at The Den leaving them to teeter just above the relegation zone. The poor form of both sides could see this FA Cup tie go either way.

Two clubs with great histories have been under performing in recent years and find themselves desperate for points at opposite ends of the Championship. The Hammers have been among the frontrunners all season and after a recent wobble seem to be getting back on track, having won their last two league games. Two-time European champions Forest on the other hand are really struggling, having won only one of their last 10 to sit in the bottom three. This could end up being a nervy encounter but the hosts should prevail.

The match of the weekend in League One takes place at The Valley where the top two go head-to-head. Both dropped out of the Premier League together at the end of the 2006/07 season and have been struggling to recover ever since. It looks like this could be the year that the fortunes of both start to turn around. The two sides come into this on the back of fine wins at Sheffield Wednesday and Bury respectively. Although the Addicks are top and beat the Blades earlier in the season, the visitors are on a sensational run that has seen them win 11 of their last 12 games in all competitions so this should be a cracker.

Having held the Imps to a fine 0-0 draw at Sincil Bank, the Robins get another chance to beat the Blue Square Bet Premier side in this FA Trophy replay on Tuesday. Ryman League Premier Division side Carshalton have had an unspectacular season so far and are on a run that has seen them go seven games without a win. Lincoln are hardly setting the world on fire either but the gulf of two divisions should on paper see them go through. Nothing can be taken for granted though as Wealdstone demonstrated by disposing of Barrow in a similar tie on Saturday.

If you're looking for FA Trophy action but Carshalton's not ideal for you, try spending the evening at the Beveree where an upset could be in the offing. Hampton have had a poor season but have managed to pull themselves out of the Blue Square Bet South bottom three. Having beaten higher ranked local rivals Hayes & Yeading in the last round, they only managed to draw with Ryman League East Thurrock on Saturday. Form would suggest that the Essex club could well go one better here having won nine of their last 11 matches.

The Motormen grabbed the headlines earlier this season by making it to the second round of the FA Cup. Their league form in the Ryman League Division One North has been far less impressive though but they have pulled off fine wins over promotion chasing Needham Market and Grays Athletic in their last two games. Local rivals Ilford are on a dreadful run but they'll hope to do better in this derby.

Last up this week I recommend you take in this battle of two of the best teams in the Combined Counties League. The hosts have had a fine season and were in a position to have gone top if they'd won their games in hand. Sadly they've lost three matches in the last month which has seen them fall back to fifth, some 18 points off the pace. The Stags, however, are on a formidable run that has seen them remain unbeaten in the league since October and have climbed to second. To top it all, they've scored 10 or more goals in a game on two occasions - not bad for a club who were formed in the summer.

As previously mentioned, there's another FA Youth Cup match this week with Charlton Athletic playing Leicester City at Welling United's ground on Wednesday.

If you're coming to London or have any questions about watching football here, please get in touch through either the comments section below, our Facebook page, Twitter or email.
Posted by James Doe at 12:37 3 comments

Sunday, 8 January 2012

TLFG: 9-15 January 2012

Welcome back to TLFG, hope you had a great festive period and good New Year. Hundreds of games have taken place since I last wrote and I want to hear where you ended up.

Personally I very rarely get to see any festive football as I spend most of the time on the road visiting relatives in remote areas where there either aren't any local clubs, the grounds are too hard to get too (I don't drive) or the winter weather usually snuffs out any hope of live action.

My football diet has largely consisted of watching QPR's steady slide down the Premier League table having attended the losses to Sunderland and Norwich City - the less said the better!

Yesterday I resumed my non-league duties with a trip to Kingsmeadow to watch Kingstonian host Harrow Borough in the Ryman League. As a youth this used to be one of the highlights of my season as my cousin lived in Kingston and nominally supported the Ks (something I made more of than he did - I don't think he could've cared less). However well Harrow played, they always lost so it was with this record in mind that I headed back down Jack Goodchild Way for the first time in around 20 years (a very unsettling thought).

I remember visiting this ground in the season it opened (1989/90) when it was probably one of the finest non-league stadiums in the country. It has been noticeably upgraded since then but that's not surprising given that it now also plays host to and is actually owned by League Two side AFC Wimbledon.

Harrow Borough (blue) defend a corner against Kingstonian
The Ks started the game brightly and I feared for Harrow who came into the game on the back of a pretty poor run. They survived though and did enough throughout to deserve a draw. Sadly for them, former Peterborough defender Gary MacDonald fired home during an injury time goalmouth scramble to steal all three points for the Surrey side as my losing hoodoo at the ground continued.

So what matches did you take in? Please post your stories either in the comments section below or on the TLFG Facebook page. Also, feel free to add your photos to our Flickr group.

I'd like at this point to also welcome and thank those of you who have recently come to this blog and joined TLFG on Facebook and Twitter. The feedback I've received has been really helpful and pleasing and I'm glad that my output is being of use to someone.

If you're planning a trip to London and want to see some Premier League football, here's a guide to what's currently on general sale at the capital's top clubs.

Nothing currently available

Nothing currently available

1 February - West Bromwich Albion 8pm, Premier League
11 February - Stoke City 3pm, Premier League

17 January - MK Dons 8pm, FA Cup (all adult tickets £15)
21 January - Wigan Athletic 3pm, Premier League
4 February - Wolverhampton Wanderers 3pm, Premier League

31 January - Wigan Athletic 745pm, Premier League
11 February - Newcastle United 530pm, Premier League

If you're already in town or want to watch something in the coming week here are the match maps:

MIDWEEK MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures


WEEKEND MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures



As always please let me know if any of the details change, are incorrect or I've completely missed a match off. Also, particularly if you're going to a non-league fixture, make sure you check with the club on the day that a match is still taking place as changes can occur at quite short notice.

Over the next seven days you have 67 matches to choose from. Here are the pick of the ones that stand out for me:


TLFG TOP 10


ARSENAL v LEEDS UNITED (Monday 9 January, 745pm)
How time flies. It seems no time since this fixture was a regular occurrence but the last time these two met in a league match was nearly eight years ago. In the FA Cup it's a different story with the clubs playing each other at the same stage last season, with the Gunners coming out on top but only after a replay. Form and status would suggest that the hosts should go through again with the Championship side having won only one of their last six. Normally you would expect Arsene Wenger to give a youngster or two a run out but even this seems an unlikely glimmer of hope for the Whites as Arsenal badly need to win this trophy.

Harry Redknapp's side played five times since I last wrote three weeks ago, winning three and drawing two. They now find themselves third in the Premier League and if they win this game in hand they will draw level with second placed Manchester United. The Toffees appeared to labour past non-league Tamworth in the cup on Saturday but they got the job done. Spurs should win this but I don't expect the margin to be huge.

At first glance this would appear to be a run-of-the-mill Championship match but it is in fact the first leg of a Carling Cup semi-final. Both sides warmed up for this game by bowing out of the FA Cup at the first attempt on Saturday, perhaps showing where their priorities lie. Over the two legs you would expect the Welsh side to progress given their current league standing (third in the Championship) and the fact they have recent experience of getting to Wembley (2008 FA Cup final). They are, however, renowned in recent seasons for choking at the crucial moment something that Palace might be able to exploit. There are a few tickets left if you want to go.

I've listed this match for people who like to enjoy watching two teams scrap for every point they can get. Both these teams lie just above the relegation zone in League Two. A month ago things were looking pretty grim for the Daggers having lost nine league games in a row but they've started to turn things around and are starting to move in the right direction. Saturday's draw against Championship side Millwall in the FA Cup will also have boosted their confidence. The Bulls won the reciprocal fixture earlier in the season 1-0 so expect another close one here.

The FA Trophy returns this weekend with the competition now down to its last 32 teams. Both teams play at Level 6 of the national game in the Blue Square Bet South and North respectively. On paper you would expect the hosts to win having lost only once since the end of October. The Pilgrims have only won one of their last five but shouldn't be discounted having seen off the in-form Hyde in the last round. 

Ryman League Premier Division side Wealdstone will start this FA Trophy match as underdogs when they face Blue Square Bet Premier outfit Barrow. The gulf of two divisions shouldn't overawe the Stones though who are playing really well at the moment. A look at their results will show you they've gone 11 games without defeat and have put four and five goals past local rivals Harrow Borough and Wingate & Finchley respectively in recent weeks. The visitors will also have to contend with a round trip of well over 400 miles which the hosts will also hope to take advantage of.

These two towns to the east of London, technically they're in Essex, lie around five miles apart. This Ryman League Division One North match is therefore very much a derby. Although Romford are currently without a ground of their own and share with Aveley somewhat further away, this shouldn't diminish the importance of the match for the two sets of supporters. The Foxes are having a bit of a shocker this season and are currently bottom having not won a match in any competition since the 12 October. The visitors also won the previous meeting at Mill Road back in September by 2-0 so they should start as favourites.

This must be one of the stand out games anywhere at Level 8 around the country this week as the top two in the Ryman League Division One South meet at Champion Hill. The hosts start in second just two points behind their Sussex opponents so will go top if they win, they also have a game in hand. Bognor were winning games for fun throughout November and December but have failed to win their last two suggesting they could be there for the taking.

Having met twice in a matter of days in the league and FA Vase a little over a month ago, the two go head-to-head again in the Mile End Stadium derby. For those that don't know, these two East End clubs share the same ground and both have roots in the local Bengali community (although the sides sport players from all backgrounds). Bethnal Green are 2-0 up in meetings between the sides this season and will hope to complete the hat-trick. The last league meeting drew a very healthy crowd by Essex Senior League standards so get yourself along to this one if you're in the area.

Another big game in Level 9 takes place at the Erith Stadium where second play third in the Kent League. Most of the talk in this division has been about the mighty Herne Bay who are 12 points clear at the top and still unbeaten. However, these two have been doing rather nicely too, particularly TLFG side Erith who have games in hand on all their closest rivals. Despite their success, the Dockers are one of the most poorly attended sides in the league so show them your support and give them a cheer if you get the chance.


If you've already had a good look at the match maps you may have noticed that I've also included the FA Youth Cup matches at QPR and West Ham this week. Although obviously not first team games, they give you the chance to visit two of London's better grounds and get in for a fraction of the normal price. You might even see a decent match in the process.

So that's it. Enjoy your football this week and remember if you have any comments or questions about TLFG or watching football in London please don't hesitate to get in touch through either the comments section below, Facebook, Twitter or email.

Posted by James Doe at 17:16 1 comments

Sunday, 18 December 2011

TLFG: 19 December 2011 - 8 January 2012

Welcome to this first ever Christmas and New Year TLFG special. After deliberating over which fixtures to put in I decided to go the whole hog and give you all the info you need for the next three weeks.

The period in question includes a jam-packed programme of over 180 games including heavyweight Premier League contests, the FA Cup third round and more local derbies than you can shake a stick at.

I've created four match maps to make it easier for you to find a fixture but more on that later.

My football travels this week took me back to London's East End to watch London APSA play landlords Clapton in the Essex Senior League.

The fantastically named Old Spotted Dog Ground, home to Clapton since 1888, has definitely seen better days but embodies what non-league football is all about and all groundhoppers must visit it if they haven't done so already. 

APSA, formed in 1993, are one of the youngest senior clubs in London while the Tons are one of the oldest having started out in 1878. Both, however, are very evenly matched and have spent the season towards the wrong end of the table.

London APSA (blue) take on Clapton at the Old Spotted Dog
Although this was a derby, the attendance wasn't great and was never going to be given that West Ham were playing Barnsley a mile away and were charging only £15 to get in.

The match was full of endeavour but the heavy pitch meant any chance of good football was almost impossible. It looked destined to be a 0-0 draw until a the Tons took an 84th-minute lead after APSA's keeper could only parry a low shot back into the danger area. Somehow the 'hosts' managed to conjure up an equaliser soon after before both sides went close to winning it in injury time. A 1-1 draw was definitely fair.

If you've got some free time over the next few weeks, there are ample opportunities to see a game at the 'Dog' so get yourself down there.

As always please share you stories and experiences of football in London either in the comments section below or on our Facebook page. Also, feel free to add your photos to our Flickr group.

Before I get on to the match maps, here's a run down of what tickets are on general sale at London's Premier League clubs:

26 December - Wolverhampton Wanderers 3pm, Premier League

31 December - Aston Villa 3pm, Premier League
8 January - Portsmouth 3pm, FA Cup (on sale 19 Dec)
14 January - Sunderland 3pm, Premier League (on sale 19 Dec)

21 January - Newcastle United 3pm, Premier League
1 February - West Bromwich Albion 8pm, Premier League (on sale 20 Dec)
11 February - Stoke City 3pm, Premier League (on sale 20 Dec)

21 December - Sunderland 8pm, Premier League
2 January - Norwich City 3pm, Premier League

7 January - Cheltenham Town 3pm, FA Cup (on sale 20 Dec)
31 January - Wigan Athletic 745pm, Premier League

Other tickets will go on sale before I next write so check the clubs' websites for more information to make sure you don't miss out.

Here are the match maps for the next three weeks:

PRE-CHRISTMAS MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures


FESTIVE MAP
Yellow pin - Monday (Boxing Day) fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Friday fixtures


NEW YEAR MAP
Blue pin - Saturday (New Year's Eve) fixtures
Red pin - Sunday (New Year's Day) fixtures
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures


WEEKEND MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures


This would normally be the point where I would lead into my recommendations for the week ahead but given almost every game is notable for being either a derby or a cracking cup tie then I'm not even going to try. I'll leave it up to you to search through the maps to pick the best ones that are most convenient for you. Please also make sure you check with clubs that fixtures are going ahead - apart from the weather, several teams also stand to be affected if Croydon Athletic do sadly fold.

Although I won't be blogging for a while, I will still try and keep the Twitter account up to date and will answer emails when I can.

So that's it from me for 2011, have a great festive one and hope to have you all on board when I get TLFG back up and running in the New Year.
Posted by James Doe at 19:20 11 comments

Sunday, 11 December 2011

TLFG: 12-18 December 2011

I only managed to get to one game this week - the local derby between North Greenford United and Harrow Borough in the Middlesex Senior Cup on Tuesday night.

Despite being brought up in this part of London, I'd never been to Berkeley Fields prior to this season but this was my second visit of the current campaign. After a desperate dash from Greenford station I made it just in time for kick-off (some of you may wonder why - the things I do for you dear readers).

I'm actually quite a fan of North Greenford's ground - it's small but very tidy and well kept. I would show you photos but my night time photography skills are pretty poor. I did try the video function on my camera for the first time but caught no action of significant value.

The game itself was settled by a brilliant individual goal by debutant James Awofisan 20 minutes from time as the hosts caused an upset by beating their higher ranked opponents 1-0. Harrow only had themselves to blame for some wasteful for finishing and could and probably should have been 3-0 up before conceding. A trip to Wingate & Finchley lies in wait for the victors in the next round.

The story of my night didn't end there though. On my way back to the station I found a nice camera lying on the pavement so if you lost yours somewhere in Greenford on Tuesday night, it can now been claimed from Acton police station where I handed it in (the local one was closed).

Did you go to any games this week? Let us know in the comments space below or on the TLFG Facebook page.

Next up I'll give you a run down of what tickets are currently on general sale at London's Premier League clubs (click on the team name to go through to their ticket page):

26 December - Wolverhampton Wanderers 3pm, Premier League 

26 December - Fulham 1pm, Premier League
31 December - Aston Villa 3pm, Premier League

14 December - Odense BK 805pm, Europa League
17 December - Bolton Wanderers 3pm, Premier League
21 January - Newcastle United 3pm, Premier League

21 December - Sunderland 8pm, Premier League
2 January - Norwich City 3pm, Premier League

3 January - West Bromwich Albion 745pm, Premier League

All the above information is correct at the time of writing but be quick to act especially if you want Arsenal tickets - theirs rarely go on general release. The week ahead is slightly busier than the last with 75 fixtures taking place. Several clubs are offering significantly discounted tickets to get people in before Christmas (details of which you will find below).

Here are this week's match maps:

MIDWEEK MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Friday fixtures


WEEKEND MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures


With so many games to choose from, here are a few which I think deserve an extra mention:

TLFG TOP 10

I don't need to do too much to sell this one as two of the biggest clubs in the country go head-to-head in Monday night's televised Premier League game. The Blues are 10 points behind current leaders City so will have to go all out to win if they want to keep their faint hopes of title glory alive. Given the visitors exited the Champions League in midweek, I was under the impression they'd hit a bit of a rocky patch but they've won their last three (against Bayern Munich, Norwich and Arsenal) and have scored nine in the process. It could be another tough night for Andre Villas-Boas.

West London is the place to be this week if you want to watch the Premier League's top two. QPR have a pretty poor record against United (most teams do) having beaten them only six times in 47 attempts. However, it's nearly 16 years since this fixture last took place and the Rs fans will be well up for trying to create the kind of atmosphere which clearly unsettled Chelsea and made Manchester City look human earlier in the season. It's also only a couple of weeks until QPR celebrate the 20th anniversary of their famous 4-1 win over United at Old Trafford which was screened live as this one will be. Almost certainly an away win but you never know...

The first of this week's ticket special offers is available for this Championship fixture. The Hammers are currently second but have lost two in a row going into this one. Recognising that people have to make budgetary considerations at this time of year and that the Tykes aren't the most mouthwatering opponents to watch on a chilly December afternoon, they've decided to lop well over 50% off the price of tickets meaning you can get into this one for just £15 (£5 for under-16s). The club have designated this match as a 'Christmas Cracker' and I tend to agree.

Special offer number two is available at Underhill on Friday night where you can enjoy some League Two action for only £10 (£5 concessions). The Bees haven't won a league game since their last Friday evening performance so will hope the day is auspicious. The Robins are currently third in the table and will provide formidable opposition having won their last five in all competitions. Notably, however, their last defeat came at home to Barnet in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy so there's hope for the north Londoners.

Not satisfied with only two special deals, a third is being offered by the Darts for this massive Blue Square Bet South game. If you're a season-ticket holder at any Premier League or Football League club you can get in to this huge fixture between third and first on Tuesday night for £1, yes just a quid! If you've not been before, Dartford's Princes Park ground is one of the best in non-league football with some fine modern facilities. If you're on that side of London, I thoroughly recommend you go along.

This local Essex derby ensures the Urchins make the TLFG Top 10 for the second week running. Having held higher division Farnborough to a 0-0 draw in the FA Trophy on Saturday, they'll fancy their chances of taking three points from this. The Millers made the Ryman League Premier Division play-offs the season before last but have returned to the pack of teams which struggle since then. A win for the hosts could see them go top.

Most recent chat about football in this part of north London has been dominated by Enfield Town who recently opened a new ground and are having a great run in the Ryman League. Elsewhere though, the Es have been making fine progress in the Essex Senior League and currently top it having won 12 of their 16 games. The visitors on Saturday aren't doing too badly either and lie four points behind in fourth. The sides last met on the opening day of the season and fought out a 0-0 draw so this is likely to be close again.

Elsewhere in the Essex Senior League we have an East End derby where groundsharers London APSA and Clapton meet. The Tons actually own the ground but are the 'visitors' on this occasion. Both teams find themselves towards the wrong end of the division so there's plenty to play for. The Old Spotted Dog ground is one that all groundhoppers have to visit as there a few like it anywhere else. Within walking distance of Forest Gate station this is your chance to watch one of the newest clubs (1993) in London play one of the oldest (1878).

This Saturday affords London football watchers the chance to take another look at the seemingly invincible Kent League leaders Herne Bay. In recent weeks they've beaten TLFG sides Fisher and Hanworth Villa and they come into this as one of the only teams in the country with an unbeaten league record. It doesn't really look that good for Holmesdale then. The one glimmer of hope is The Bay's loss to Sevenoaks in the Kent Senior Trophy on Saturday but it's a pretty weak one.

Last up this week I've gone for this Combined Counties League Division One game as it's a derby. Roughly speaking these clubs lie at either end of Heathrow airport's runway. Both also find themselves having to share grounds as neither have one of their own. The Blues currently reside at Bedfont Town which is a short stroll from Hatton Cross station so I recommend this if you rely on public transport to get to games. As for who will win, the table suggests the fourth-placed visitors who have won five of their last six. 

Aside from the comments section and Facebook page, you can also contact TLFG through Twitter and email so please do if you have any questions or comments.
Posted by James Doe at 17:10 2 comments

Sunday, 4 December 2011

TLFG: 5-11 December 2011

After last week's football famine, this week I enjoyed a veritbale feast. It began on Tuesday with my third trip of the season to Summers Lane to watch Wingate & Finchley in London Senior Cup action against League Two AFC Wimbledon, the highest ranked team in this season's competition.

The visitors won a tight game 2-1 after extra time but the match was probably more memorable for three 'Fs' - foxes running amok in the penalty area during the second half, floodlight failure during extra time which threatened the tie and freezing conditions which exacerbated the impact the previous 'F'. The match finished shortly before 1030pm with several Wingate fans willing their side not to equalise to avoid an evening lengthening penalty shoot-out!

AFC Wimbledon and Wingate & Finchley prepare for extra time 
The following night was spent in London's East End, in Mile End to be precise. It was here that Bethnal Green United and Sporting Bengal United, co-tenants of the Mile End Stadium, went head-to-head in the Essex Senior League. Sporting Bengal had spent previous seasons in the Kent League but had opted to transfer this season, setting up this mouthwatering derby in the process.

A crowd of 154, five times the normal average, watched another close contest which was only settled by an 88th-minute winner for the 'hosts'. It was tough on Bengal who had played most of the second half with 10 men and had more than held their own.

I had intended to take in a third game on Saturday but my hopes of getting to Loftus Road for QPR v West Brom were dashed when a family member, who shall remain nameless, locked themselves out on the other side of London and I had to let them in. My ticket did not go to waste though, with the young Syrian lad who runs my father-in-law's kebab shop (King Solomans on Uxbridge Road in Shepherd's Bush) going instead.

That's enough about me. Here's the latest ticket guide for what's on general sale at London's Premier League clubs:

ARSENAL
Nothing available

31 December - Aston Villa 3pm, Premier League (on sale 5 Dec)

14 December - Odense BK 805pm, Europa League 
17 December - Bolton Wanderers 3pm, Premier League
21 January - Newcastle United 3pm, Premier League (on sale 8 Dec)

21 December - Sunderland 8pm, Premier League

3 January - West Bromwich Albion 745pm, Premier League
14 January - Wolverhampton Wanderers 3pm, Premier League


As last week, please post below if I've got anything wrong or anything changes. Over the next seven days there's a relative scarcity of fixtures (just 69) with many of our local teams once again taking part in cup competitions.

Here are this week's match maps:

MIDWEEK MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures


WEEKEND MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures


As always here's a few games which I think could be worth your time:

TLFG TOP 10

By the time the Blues get to their last Champions League group game they've usually sewn up qualification quite comfortably but that's not the case on this occasion. Having only won two of their five matches so far, a defeat here will see the Spanish side go through at their expense along with Bayer Leverkusen. Officially this has sold out but if you can get a ticket through an exchange service this could well be worth going to.

The Cottagers haven't really got going so far this season and are without a win in four matches. The Reds by contrast are on a fine run and have gone 11 games without defeat and could go fifth in the Premier League if they win this. Fulham's recent draw at Arsenal, however, should give them confidence of holding their own. According to the club's website, tickets for this match are still available to season-ticket holders and members so join up or make friends with one ASAP if you want to go along.

This is one of those matches that makes you take an intake of breath when you see it's coming up. I'm loathed to negatively single out teams for their supporters but the reputation of both sets here often precedes them. With both teams scrapping for points at either end of the Championship, the atmosphere and commitment is likely to be good. Get yourself down to The Den if you want to see an alternative 'big game'.

A quick look at the League Two table makes this fixture look quite unremarkable but these two sides both have notable histories and are playing each other for the first time ever. Having both formed out of clubs who had relocated or gone bust, they both climbed through various leagues at opposite ends of the country to gain Football League status once again. Stanley are relatively well established at this level, while their hosts are here for the first time. If you like your football history and enjoy a sense of occasion outside the top flight, then this is definitely for you.

Having come unstuck against League One MK Dons in the FA Cup on Saturday, the Bees welcome the other Bees for a Johnstone's Paint Trophy southern area semi-final match on Tuesday. For those who don't know this is a London derby with north hosting west. Brentford made last season's final and are doing well again in League One. They did, however, suffer an embarrassing home defeat to non league Wrexham in the FA Cup. Both clubs can use this fixture as a chance to immediately bounce back from their weekend disappointments. Also of note - admission to large areas of the ground has been reduced to £10 for this match giving even more reason to consider this one.
This weekend sees the staging of the first round proper of the FA Trophy and there are a handful of decent ties taking place in the London area, the first being this one. The hosts sit slap bang in the middle of the Blue Square Bet South while The U's are among the frontrunners in the division above and are therefore one of the best teams left in the competition. On police advice this match kicks off at 1pm so if you've got plans later in the afternoon this could be one for you.

Lying towards the eastern end of the District Line, the Urchins are one of the teams on the fringe of our catchment area but they've been anything but a fringe side this season. They've been in the top three of the Ryman League for most of the current campaign and demolished local rivals Thurrock, from the division above, in the last round. Only three points above the relegation zone in the Blue Square Bet South at the time of writing, they'll also view Farnborough as being there for the taking.

(Saturday 10 December, 3pm)
Two of west London's highest ranked non-league teams have been drawn to play in this FA Trophy tie. Over the years both clubs have made their way up from the Ryman League to become members of the Conference. The visitors, despite their relatively small size, have competed in the Blue Square Bet Premier since 2009/10 having beaten Hampton in the play-offs the season before. While never having reached similar heights, the hosts will be buoyed by their win over Hayes in Saturday's Middlesex Senior Cup tie and will wish to get one over their opponents once again in this bigger game. 

These two clubs play either side of the M25 to the west of London, meaning only the hosts ever regularly appear in TLFG, and as a result this can probably be classed as a derby. Both sides also play in the Blue Square Bet South and are only four points apart towards the wrong end of the table. When the teams met earlier in the season, they shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw. Expect this FA Trophy tie to be a close one.

The FA Trophy draw has handed us another derby with this match at Grosvenor Vale. The Stones are having an unexceptional season in the Ryman League Premier Division but are doing well in this competition having seen off Tooting & Mitcham, Margate and Banbury United in previous rounds. Uxbridge play one level below in the Evostik League Southern Division One Central but have only lost once since September and beat Blue Square Bet North side Histon to set up this match. Wealdstone usually get a good crowd so this could be a lively affair.


Aside from the TLFG Top 10 I couldn't let this League One game go without a mention. The Bees are trying to get 10,000 people to attend this match and have slashed prices to try and achieve it. Adults can stand for just £5 while all seats are only £10. Kids can stand or sit for £1. 

As always make sure you check the match maps to see what else is on as there could be a decent game on much closer to you.

Please share your stories and photos of football in London either in the comments section below or on our Facebook page. You can also contact TLFG through Twitter or by email if you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London.
Posted by James Doe at 19:10 101 comments
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