Sunday, 11 July 2021

TLFG: 12-18 July 2021

Well that's that - after three hours, us England fans taste bitter defeat on penalties yet again.

It was so close but looking at the tournament overall, Italy did just deserve to win it - they beat Belgium and Spain as well as Turkey, Switzerland, Wales and Austria. 

Our main hurdle were a far from brilliant Germany side - everyone else was fairly average.

It was my eight-year-old daughter's first real experience of tournament football and despite mucking about and fighting with her younger sister for most of it, she's only just stopped sobbing nearly half an hour after the final whistle - maybe I should set up a fundraising page and cash in!

To put it in context and to be positive, this is the best England performance most fans of the Three Lions have ever seen and very few thought we would get anywhere near this far.

But to be one penalty away from glory is pretty tough take.

Anyway, it's late, I'm tired and I have a challenging week ahead - two of my in-laws have come down with Covid in the last few days to name just one problem.

Here's your guide to this week's action - there's lots going on.

PS - tickets for the Women's Euro 2022, which is being hosted by England next summer, go on sale in a couple of days so you can put yourself through it all over again.

 

                                                              THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include numerous friendlies which feature a handful of Premier League and EFL teams and lots of non-league ones too.

As always, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or the venue or kick-off time has changed - this is highly possible for some of the lower non-league clubs. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (orange pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.
Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top.

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Monday fixtures - yellow pin
Tuesday fixtures - green pin
Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin
Thursday fixtures - purple pin
Friday fixtures - black pin



WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin





TLFG DAILY DIGEST
In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 12 July

Friendly
Carshalton Athletic v VCD Athletic @745pm - the Robins registered a decent 1-0 win over National League South (NLS) side Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday. VCD play a level below their hosts so could find it tough going. Update - MATCH OFF 

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Tuesday 13 July

Friendlies
Leyton Orient v West Ham United @7pm - the match of the night sees these two east London neighbours go head-to-head at Brisbane Road. Tickets for this highly anticipated match were allocated via a ballot 
Dartford v Gillingham @745pm - a crowd of over 1,600 were at Princes Park to see the Darts narrowly lose 1-0 to Ipswich Town on Saturday. On Tuesday they face further League One opposition in the form of the Gills. Tickets are £10 and can be bought online
Welling United v Charlton Athletic @730pm - there's another derby to enjoy in south-east London were the Addicks pay a visit to Park View Road and NLS outfit Welling. Tickets are £15 and available online
Edgware Town v Hendon @730pm - there's a grounshare derby at Silver Jubilee Park where the sides will contest the Jeffrey Over Memorial Cup to celebrate the contribution of the former committee member who died during the pandemic

A bit further afield
Hitchin Town v Watford U23 @745pm - to the north of London, the ever popular Top Field sees Hitchin welcome a squad from Premier League Watford. Tickets are £8
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Wednesday 14 July

Friendly
Grays Athletic v Phoenix Sports @745pm - the pick of the day's action takes place at Parkside which Grays share with Aveley on the far east side of town. The clubs both play in the eighth tier so it should be close

A bit further afield
Slough Town v Fulham U23 @745pm - the Rebels make TLFG again. Of the out of London teams, their Arbour Park home is very easy to get to by car or public transport. Tickets are a bargain at £6

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Thursday 15 July

Friendly
Dulwich Hamlet v Millwall U23 @745pm - the Hamlet have managed to land a friendly against fellow south-east Londoners Millwall. The Championship side will be sending a young squad to Champion Hill ahead of a season where they will hope to push for a play-off spot. No ticket details are currently available
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Friday 16 July

Friendly
Barking v Fisher @745pm - the pick of the action in London on Friday is to be found at Mayesbrook Park where the Isthmian League Blues welcome the Fish who play a level below them

A bit further afield
Gillingham v QPR @7pm - the best action on Friday is to be found just beyond London's borders with this match between two EFL sides topping the bill. Ticketing arrangements are a bit complicated as the Gills have already announced that away fans will not be allowed and that's about all we know. Check their website for the latest UPDATE - MATCH OFF
Woking v West Bromwich Albion @745pm - the Cards have landed a prestigious friendly against the Baggies as they commemorate the 30th anniversary of beating them in the FA Cup. Tickets are £12 and must be bought in advance
Oxford City v Oxford United @7pm - there's more good news at the Velocity Stadium where the Oxford derby is also on general sale, tickets for this are £14

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Saturday 17 July

Friendlies
AFC Wimbledon v Brentford @3pm - pre-season goes up another notch on Saturday as more Premier League sides begin to send teams into action. Arguably the hottest ticket of the afternoon will be for this match at the Dons' new Plough Lane ground. Top-flight new boys Brentford are the visitors for what should be a decent derby match. Unsurprisingly, tickets are not on general sale
Leyton Orient v Tottenham Hotspur @3pm - the O's follow up their game against West Ham with another high profile derby against Spurs. Once again, tickets were available by a ballot which has now closed. The West Ham ballot re-opened to non-members at the end of last week so maybe the same will happen for this match in the next couple of days - keep an eye on the website 
Boreham Wood v Luton Town @3pm - the Championship Hatters head to Meadow Park to kick-off another strong programme of pre-season games for the Wood. With the clubs on the same train line about 20 miles apart, this is a derby of sorts and tickets are available for £12
Bromley v Fulham U23 @3pm - the Ravens made it to the National League play-offs last season and will hope for more of the same this time round. Like Boreham Wood, they've also lined up some eye-catching pre-season opposition. Although Fulham are only sending an U23 squad, tickets are still £15
Dartford v Charlton Athletic @3pm - after games against Ipswich and Gillingham, the Darts take on their third League One opponent in a week. After a quick visit to Dartford's ticketing site, it looks like this one has sold out as I couldn't get any

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Sunday 18 July

Friendlies
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Carshalton Athletic @1pm - the Beavers were supposed to host  a Brentford XI on Sunday but Covid has hit the visitors and Isthmian League Carshalton have stepped in. Capacity is limited so you're advised to buy tickets in advance 
Cray Wanderers v AFC Wimbledon XI @3pm - thankfully there is an alternative which hasn't sold out yet. Cray are the oldest club in London and they'll be taking on a Dons' side at Bromley's ground. Tickets are £10 


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.

Sunday, 4 July 2021

TLFG: 5-11 July 2021

This time next week, English football fans could be experiencing unrivaled levels of sporting ecstasy if their side can win two games between now and then.

How many of you thought England would get this far, relatively easily and without conceding a goal???

I certainly didn't.

At no point in this tournament have I felt particularly over-excited, nervous, anxious or any of the other feelings I usually experience during these big tournaments.

I don't know whether that's because I'm a jaded middle-aged man, quietly confident or simply realise there's more to life? Maybe it's a combination of all three.

Denmark on Wednesday looks supremely winnable but those are the sort of games we've been really vulnerable to losing in the past but I don't feel it at the moment.

Italy are the only remaining team who I think could give us any real problems and also the fact the match is being broadcast by ITV!

I saw a shocking stat detailing just how likely a bad result is when the commercial broadcaster covers England's games rather than the BBC so here's hoping that curse doesn't continue.

This week's blog has been a struggle to produce as my eldest destroyed my faithful laptop of many years by exploding a supposedly unpopable homemade water-filled fidget toy all over it.

Luckily my wife rustled up another old one from a cupboard to save me the hefty expense of a brand new one.

Also, my two-year-old was sent home from nursery with Covid-like symptoms on Wednesday - she tested negative but still has an unpleasant virus which has made her irritable to say the least.

Anyway, I made it and I've produced something which I hope is of use.

 THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include games in Euro 2020 and a number of friendlies which feature a handful of EFL teams and lots of non-league ones.

As always, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or the venue or kick-off time has changed - this is highly possible for some of the lower non-league clubs. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (orange pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.
Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top.

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Monday fixtures - yellow pin
Tuesday fixtures - green pin
Wednesday fixtures - turquoise pin
Thursday fixtures - purple pin



WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin





TLFG DAILY DIGEST
In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 5 July

Friendly
Grays Athletic v Cray Valley PM @745pm - the week gets underway with this decent looking friendly between two Isthmian League clubs. The visitors had a great run in the FA Cup last season which they will hope to use as a springboard for a good campaign

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Tuesday 6 July

Euro 2020 Semi-Final
Italy v Spain @8pm - there are three huge games at Wembley this week and the first is between two previous winners. It seems almost unthinkable the mighty Azzurri have only won this competition once, way back in 1968 when they beat Yugoslavia 2-0 in Rome. Spain have won three times in 1964, 2008 and 2012. Since records began in 1934, the head-to-head between these sides is exactly equal but in recent years, the Iberian side have dominated with Italy only winning two of the last 10 meetings. Despite this, Roberto Mancini's side have looked far more impressive in this tournament and will start as favourites. At the time of writing, tickets are still available from Uefa's website but the cheapest ones were 345 euros!

Friendlies
Walton Casuals v Crawley Town @745pm - if you don't have that kind of loose change burning a hole in your pocket then you could head down to Surrey instead where we're set to get our first glimpse of an EFL squad getting put through its paces as League Two Crawley pay a visit. Tickets are only available on the turnstile
Haringey Borough v Royston Town @745pm - two seventh-tier teams do battle at Coles Park in what should hopefully be a well contested fixture
Barking v Cheshunt @745pm @745pm - the Blues host higher level opposition as they get to show of their still relatively new 4G pitch at Mayesbrook Park
Fisher v Bermondsey Town @745pm - over in Rotherhithe, the Fish were supposed to play Lewes but Covid saw the Sussex club pull out and local club Bermondsey fill in
Welling Town v Herne Bay @745pm - way back in pre-pandemic times, the Boots' last full season saw them win the SCEFL Division 1 title at the first time of asking. With the two seasons since then both curtailed, the Thamesmead-based outfit will hope to recover some of that form this year. Herne Bay play a level above them so should provide a stern test
England Fans v Denmark Fans @8pm - after beating their counterparts from Scotland and Germany, the England supporters' side have arranged another short-notice game against Denmark. It's being played at Bedfont Sports near Heathrow and entry is free
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Wednesday 7 July

Euro 2020 Semi-Final
England v Denmark @8pm - after crushing Ukraine 4-0 on Saturday, the Three Lions find themselves just 90 minutes away from their first major final since 1966. At first glance you might think that they'll never get a better chance but I was quite surprised to find the Danes are ranked 10th in the world which is higher than the likes of both Germany and The Netherlands who we would all probably have wanted to avoid at this stage. Historically, England have a very strong record against their Scandinavian opponents but recent encounters haven't gone well with the two games against them in last autumn's Nations League seeing Denmark win 1-0 at Wembley after a 0-0 draw on their own soil. The bookies have Gareth Southgate's side as favourites to win the tournament - it would be gutting if they choke now. Tickets weren't available when I last looked and will cost hundreds if any do come up

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Thursday 8 July

Friendly
Spelthorne Sports v Lyne @745pm - with the match at Virginia Water getting cancelled, I thought Thursday was going to be quiet but The Spelly have confirmed this fixture instead

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Friday 9 July

A bit further afield
Chesham United v Wycombe Wanderers @730pm - with little else on in the London area, why not head just outside it to the Buckinghamshire town of Chesham? It's still on the Tube network and the ground is walkable from the station - you'll also get to see another EFL club in action. Tickets are £10 and available online
Slough Town v Binfield @745pm - a train journey of just over 20 minutes from Paddington will find you a short walk from Arbour Park where the Rebels take on recent FA Vase finalists Binfield

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Saturday 10 July

Friendlies
Dartford v Ipswich Town @1pm - pre-season goes up another notch on Saturday as former Premier League side Ipswich enter the fray with a trip to Kent. The visit to Princes Park is listed as a full first-team fixture on the Suffolk club's website so it should be worth a watch. Tickets are £10 and I'd advise you to buy online in advance
Welling United v Gillingham @1pm - a short journey west will take you to Park View Road which will also be welcoming League One opposition in the form of Steve Evans' Gills. Having finished 10th last season, the Kent club will be hoping for a play-off push this year. Tickets are £11 and are also available online
Hampton & Richmond Borough v QPR XI @3pm - over on the west side of town, Gary McCann has managed to get a Championship club to send a squad of players to the Beveree. It won't be a full first-team game for the Rs but their website suggests some of their starters could be on show. Tickets for this are only £7 and are on sale online now UPDATE - SOLD OUT
Carshalton Athletic v Dulwich Hamlet @3pm - the Robins enjoyed a solid 3-1 win over Walton Casuals on Saturday and next face fellow south Londoners Dulwich who play in the division above them. Tickets are £8 and are available online
Haringey Borough v Chelmsford City @3pm - there's also some National League South talent on show in the form of Essex club Chelmsford. Prior to the pandemic, the Clarets had a terrible habit of blowing almost unassailable leads in the race for promotion so they'll be desperate for more consistency in 2021/22. Tickets are available in advance as are Haringey's free season tickets
AFC Croydon Athletic v Croydon @2pm - if you're in south London and aren't heading to Carshalton then El Croydico must surely be worth considering! UPDATE - MATCH OFF

Aside from all of the above, there's a veritable feast of football taking place at Brunel University's sports facilities where I've counted at least five friendlies taking place between some of our local clubs. The first match kicks off at 1130am and there are others at various intervals through until 3pm. Hanwell Town, Harefield United and the newly formed Shepherds Bush are among the sides in action.

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Sunday 11 July

European Championship Final
England v Italy @8pm - quite simply the biggest match in England's football history for 55 years so there's no pressure on Gareth Southgate's men! Since winning the World Cup in 1966 things haven't gone that well with opponents Italy making it to four World Cup finals (winning two) and four European finals (winning one) in the same period. As for form coming into this game, it's a little surprising that it's the Three Lions who have the better defensive record but in Belgium and Spain, the Azzurri have faced higher quality opposition on the way to the final. Currently in fourth, the Fifa rankings also have England as the higher-ranked side but most fans would probably concede that Italy have been the most impressive side throughout the tournament. Matches between the two are usually tight, often ending in draws and it's very rare to see a side score more than two goals. Sadly for England, they have faced Italy four times in tournaments and lost on each occasion most recently 2-1 during the 2014 World Cup group stage and then a penalty defeat in Euro 2012 quarter-finals. Most pundits I've heard have gone with 2-1 to England and I'll be more than happy with that. Tickets are long gone!!! 

A bit further afield
England Fans v Italy Fans @1015am - to get you in the mood for the main course later in the day, fans of both sides will be meeting in a friendly at Chesham United where it's free to get in


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.

Sunday, 27 June 2021

TLFG: 28 June - 4 July 2021

Greetings one and all and welcome to the first full TLFG of pre-season.

After a quietish few weeks, the action starts to properly get going over the next few days.

Aside from the huge Euro 2020 game at Wembley on Tuesday, its mainly friendlies between some of our smaller local clubs that take centre stage.

As I highlight below, it's really important that you confirm all the details before you set off as venues can often change at short notice or fixtures fall through completely.

It's also quite possible that new fixtures could come up at short notice - let me know if you hear of anything.

THE WEEK AHEAD
The highlights of the next few days include games in Euro 2020 and a number of non-league friendlies.

As always, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or the venue or kick-off time has changed - this is highly possible for some of the lower non-league clubs. Also, please let me know if anything is wrong or missing.

Details on all of this week's games can be found on the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the drop down menu at the top of the map page to make sure you get all the information. Games are listed from top to bottom in date order so Monday's games (yellow pin) will appear first and Sunday's (orange pin) last. Games are also ranked in terms of status so the higher the division, the higher up the list they will appear on each day.
Also if you're unfamiliar with the English league structure I indicate the level at which an individual league sits in the national 'pyramid' with the Premier League at the top (Level 1) and various minor leagues at the bottom (Level 10). Typically a top level game will see crowds of anywhere between 20,000-60,000. These figures will gradually decline as you go down the leagues until you get to Levels 8-10 where attendances of 150 or less are most common.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top.

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Monday fixtures - yellow pin
Tuesday fixtures - green pin
Thursday fixtures - purple pin
Friday fixtures - black pin



WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin





TLFG DAILY DIGEST
In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 28 June

Friendlies
England Fans v Germany Fans @8pm - the week's action begins in Northolt where rival supporters meet for this friendly ahead of the huge Euro 2020 clash at Wembley the following day. After thrashing their Scottish counterparts 10 days ago, England will probably fancy their chances at Rectory Park where admission is free
Spelthorne Sports v Farnborough @745pm - if you'd rather see a game between two non-league sides, head to Sunbury where Combined Counties League club Spelthorne welcome Farnborough from two levels above

-------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday 29 June

Euro 2020 Second Round
England v Germany @5pm - the biggest match of the week takes place at the national stadium on Tuesday where two of international football's biggest rivals meet once again. I say rivals - it's a pretty one way thing by all accounts with Germany having far more history with sides like France, Italy and The Netherlands but it's still a pretty big deal. In my perception, Germany/West Germany have dominated but the head-to-head doesn't prove this - in fact my research shows it's actually even with 13 wins and three draws apiece since 1930. However, since 1990 it has been a bit more one-sided and crucially England have only beaten them twice in competitive matches -  a 1-0 win at Euro 2000 and the famous 5-1 World Cup qualifier in Munich a year later. Given Gareth Southgate's cagey approach to games, it's likely to be close again. Tickets are like gold dust and will be very expensive 

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Thursday 1 July

Friendly
Bedfont Sports v Spelthorne Sports @745pm - the Spelly make the short journey to Bedfont for their second game of the week. The hosts were due to play on Tuesday but called it off so as not to clash with the England game. If you're new to groundhopping in London, this ground is most notable for being about 400m from the runway at Heathrow so it's ideal for plane spotting too

A bit further afield
Just beyond the M25 we have a couple of friendlies featuring TLFG clubs that might appeal. Harrow Borough begin their pre-season campaign with a trip to Virginia Water whilst Fisher head north to Cheshunt

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Friday 2 July

Friendlies
Chertsey Town v Walton & Hersham @745pm - 2019 FA Vase winners Chertsey host a derby against the Swans down in leafy Surrey
Colliers Wood United v Alfold @730pm - a short bus ride from Putney will bring you to CWU's Wibbandune ground where SCFL club Alfold provide the opposition

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Saturday 3 July

Friendlies
Carshalton Athletic v Walton Casuals @3pm - the pick of the day's action is this all-seventh tier encounter between sides from the parallel Isthmian and Southern Leagues. I'm not certain if pre-booking is required but it often proved to be the case last year with the Robins selling out many of their Covid limited-capacity games. Click here for tickets
Haringey Borough v Romford @3pm - I always enjoy my visits to Coles Park. Situated on White Hart Lane not far from Spurs, Haringey have made huge strides in recent years. One of the main reasons behind the significant growth in their supporter base has been their amazing offer of free season tickets which are available once again for this campaign. Click here for details of that deal and ticket info for this match
Staines Town v Farnborough @3pm - the visitors make their second trip of the week to the TLFG zone. The Swans' Wheatsheaf Lane is a well appointed venue with great facilities, although I haven't been for about 30 years when it all looked very different!
Tooting & Mitcham United v Tooting Bec @3pm - there's a cracking groundshare derby to look forward to at Imperial Fields in south London. The only slight drawback is that it's not being played on the main pitch so the spectator facilities won't be as good as they could be
Southall v Shepherds Bush @11am - the 'All are celebrating their 150th year this season and entertain ambitious new start-up Shepherds Bush who include former Brentford and QPR striker DJ Campbell among their ranks. This match is being played at Brunel University

A bit further afield

Non-League Diversity Football Festival
Just beyond the south-eastern boundary of the M25, you come to Gravesend where Punjab United will be hosting this tournament between themselves, Leicester Nirvana, Sporting Bengal United and Sporting Khalsa - the action gets underway at 130pm




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.

Friday, 11 June 2021

TLFG: 11-27 June 2021

Greetings one and all and welcome to this rather impromptu edition of TLFG.

Having pretty much decided to write off the rest of June, I've had second thoughts and put together one match map to last you until the latter part of the month when pre-season really gets going.

Unlike TLFG's usual maps this one has all the games listed on one map in purely chronological order - there is no colour scheme, just start as the top and work your way down. 

It's by no means exhaustive so more games could well get added as the days progress.

You'll also notice it's become more of a home counties guide with several games outside the M25 and to boost the amount of matches on offer, I've included a few county cup finals down to a much lower level than normal. There are also one or two other more unique fixtures like the fans game between England and Scotland on Friday ahead of the big Euro 2020 match in the evening.

Well here's the map - let me know if you become aware of any other interesting games so I can add them.

UPDATE 26/06 - I've added a few new fixtures and removed all the ones which have been played.


You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Monday, 31 May 2021

TLFG: 1-6 June 2021

Greetings one and all and welcome to a very minimal offering from me.

Bar a handful of friendlies, there's very little on this week.

However, if you hear of anything else interesting, get in touch.

Last week I went to my first live match for around six months when I went to Bedfont Sports to watch the Capital Women's Cup Final between Actonians and QPR.

As you may have read last week, my daughter plays for Actonians U9s but as a family we support QPR - so my loyalties were very divided.

Actonians play a level above the R's and on balance probably had the better of things. However, they found it hard to make their dominance count and twice get pegged back as the game ended 2-2.

The match then headed straight to penalties and ended up being one of the most dramatic shootouts I've ever seen.

QPR opened a two-goal lead but then blew it so when it came to the fifth penalty it was all square.

Actonians scored theirs meaning that their keeper Paige Horsnell, who sometimes coaches my daughter, just needed to save QPR's final kick to win the match.

QPR win a thrilling Capital Women's Cup Final on penalties

With the ball heading to her right, she got her hands on it and turned it on to the bar only for it to drop down, hit her and go in!

Moving to sudden death, the gutsy Horsnell then got straight up and volunteered to take the next penalty - she leathered the ball only for it to fly over the bar.

This left R's captain Vicky Grieve to calmly roll home her spot-kick to claim the cup for the W12 club.

It was quite a climax to a very entertaining game and I can't wait to see more of both sides next season.

Overall it's been a pretty good week for London football with Chelsea winning the Champions League and Brentford claiming a place in the Premier League via the play-offs (a very tough day for QPR and Fulham fans) - hats off to the latter who have really deserved their crack at the big time. 

In the National League, Bromley won their final game to edge into the play-offs at the expense of Wrexham and now travel to Hartlepool United for a one-legged match on Sunday. The winners go through to a semi-final at Stockport County on 13 June.

Congratulations also go to Tooting & Mitcham United who played three ties in less than a week to win the London Senior Cup, beating AFC Wimbledon 2-1 at Hendon in the final on Monday.

There was joy too for FC Elmstead who claimed the London Senior Trophy on Saturday beating Forest Hill Park by a similar scoreline at Barking.

Well done everyone!

With very little happening before July, other than a few sold out European Championship games at Wembley - I might well take the rest of this month off as there's not much I can really add but we'll see.

Enjoy your week ahead and keep me informed of what you get up to.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include a handful of friendlies - if you hear of anything else being played at stadiums with reasonable spectator facilities, please let me know.

As there are a very limited number of games, I've also included a few games just outside London which can be reached with relative ease on public transport. Some matches are still to be arranged so there could be one or two additions before the weekend.

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 or youth 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. However, capacity restrictions are currently in place at all grounds because of Covid-19 meaning only clubs from the seventh tier and below can currently admit spectators.

It should also be noted that the top four levels are for fully professional teams. Level 5 has a mixture of professional and semi-professional teams, while Levels 6-10 will see most players paid but it will vary from no more than travel expenses at the bottom, right up to several hundred pounds a week at the top.

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Tuesday fixtures - green pin



WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin




GET INVOLVED
If you're going to see a game, whether you're a local or a visitor, please let me know what you've been up to. If you're interested in reviewing a ground in the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

NEED HELP?
Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries. I do not charge for this advice like some other sites so don't hold back!

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or even by good old email.

Sunday, 23 May 2021

TLFG: 24-31 May 2021

Welcome back to another late season TLFG.

With play-offs, the Euros and various other bits and pieces I don't think the blog will really stop now until next summer unless we have another lockdown.

This week's piece runs for an extra day, including next Monday's Bank Holiday.

There aren't a huge amount of games this week but they're all pretty big with the EFL play-off finals, the last day of the National League season and several important league and county cup matches.

I'll be off to my first post-lockdown game on Tuesday when I head to Bedfont Sports for the Capital Women's Cup Final between Actonians and QPR.

My daughter plays for Actonians U9s and was lucky enough to take part in a Women's Euro 2022 Legacy event at the Middlesex FA's Rectory Park on Wednesday, the same day all the ticketing and match info came out for next summer's tournament.

THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include games in the EFL, National League and a number of cup matches in various competitions.

As there are a limited number of games, I've also included a few games just outside London which can be reached with relative ease on public transport. Some matches are still to be arranged so there could be one or two additions before the weekend.

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 or youth 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. However, capacity restrictions are currently in place at all grounds because of Covid-19 meaning only clubs from the seventh tier and below can currently admit spectators.

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 - blue pin
Thursday fixtures - purple pin
Friday fixtures - black pin



WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin




TLFG DAILY DIGEST
In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 23 May

Premier League 2
Crystal Palace v Sunderland @7pm - this week's action begins with another U23 match at Selhurst Park. Last Monday Palace saw off Wolves to make the PL2 Division 2 play-off final against the Mackems so there's quite a bit at stake here. Adult tickets are only £5 but must be bought online by noon on Monday

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Tuesday 18 May

National League
Barnet v Maidenhead United @745pm - the Bees have had a terrible season and under normal circumstances would have been relegated by now but thanks to Covid-19 that's not happening this year. On Saturday they pulled off one of the shocks of the day by drawing at second placed Torquay, almost gifting Sutton the title in the process. With Maidenhead sitting snugly in midtable there's little to play for. Tickets are only available to those with a previous booking history

London Senior Cup Quarter-Final 
Haringey Borough v Hanwell Town @745pm - after months of Covid-enforced hibernation, Haringey return for their first competitive match of the year on Tuesday. This county cup quarter-final against Hanwell looks very decent indeed with the Geordies booking their place in the match after an entertaining 4-3 win at Fisher on Saturday. The winners will host Tooting & Mitcham on Saturday before playing AFC Wimbledon in the final on Bank Holiday Monday - quite a hectic schedule! Tickets are £10 on the door

Len Cordell Memorial Cup Semi-Final
Clapton v Redbridge @745pm - if you're on the east side of town then this cup match between a couple of fifth-tier teams could be for you. The match is being played at Barking's ground with tickets available online or on the day for £6. The final is at Redbridge's ground at the weekend against Holland or Clacton

Capital Women's Cup Final
Actonians v Queens Park Rangers @745pm - the match of the week in our house without doubt - my daughter plays for one of Actonians' youth sides and we all support QPR so we can't really lose. Acton and Shepherd's Bush are right next to each other in the geography of London so it's a very local derby too. It may come as a surprise to some readers to know that Actonians play at a higher level than QPR, Brentford and Fulham so should start as favourites on paper at least. The match is being played at Bedfont Sports and has sold out already

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Wednesday 26 May

Middlesex Premier Cup Final
Kensington & Ealing Borough v St Panteleimon @745pm - the cup final feast continues on Wednesday in Northolt where we have another derby at the Middlesex FA's Rectory Park HQ. The ground has a tiny capacity so all tickets are gone. However, it's little more than a posh five-a-side facility so if you really want to watch, you can just stand outside and look through the chainlink fence

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Thursday 27 May

Women's match
QPR v Saltdean United @745pm - details for this are rather sketchy at the moment but Saltdean have confirmed thy're playing QPR at Brunel University and fans are allowed in - check with the clubs tomorrow to get the latest info

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Friday 28 May

London Senior Cup Semi-Final
Hanwell Town v Tooting & Mitcham United @745pm - after beating Haringey on Tuesday, the Geordies will play the Terrors in this all-Isthmian League clash. With Hanwell's pitch unavailable, the tie has been switched to Haringey's Coles Park - adult tickets are available on the gate for £10. The winners will face AFC Wimbledon in the final on Monday

Women's friendly
QPR v Ashford Town (Middlesex) @745pm - the R's are putting a side out for the third time in four days in this end of season friendly. The match is set to be played at QPR's Harlington training ground but the details are again a bit sketchy so check all the details before you travel

A bit further afield
There are a couple of matches in Kent on Friday night with a friendly at Lordswood and the Kent Challenge Shield Final at Maidstone United's ground between Metrogas and Farnborough OBG


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Saturday 29 May

Championship play-off final
Brentford v Swansea City @3pm - one of the biggest games of any season takes place at Wembley on Saturday. There will be fans but only 10,000 of them meaning each club will only get 4,000 - in other words if you're not a Bees or Swans season-ticket holder, you've got very little chance of getting a ticket. Brentford did superbly well to recover a 2-0 aggregate deficit and beat AFC Bournemouth on Saturday. They also finished third and had the best form coming into the play-offs so, despite their terrible play-off record, they should start as favourites against their Welsh opponents

National League
Barnet v Sutton United @1230pm - just up the road from Wembley, Sutton will arrive at The Hive as champions after beating Hartlepool on Sunday. Tickets are only for home fans with a previous booking history
Boreham Wood v Maidenhead United @1230pm - one of the smallest clubs in the division, the Wood have done well to keep their place in the fifth tier again. They conclude their season against team who sit just next to them in the table so this match will decide who finishes 13th! Adult tickets are £20 and can be bought online
Bromley v Notts County @1230pm - the hosts go into the final game with just goal difference keeping them out of the play-off places. Notts County have already secured their place but still need a point to secure home advantage in the first elimination match. Adult tickets are £25 and are on general sale
Dagenham & Redbridge v Wrexham @1230pm - the Daggers have fallen short in their pursuit of a play-off spot but Hollywood superstar Ryan Reynolds' Dragons side still need points to make sure of a top-seven finish. Adult tickets are £21 and must be bought in advance

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Sunday 30 May

League One play-off final
Blackpool v Lincoln City @3pm - the Seasiders finished the regular season in third and had the best form coming into the play-offs. They saw off last season's beaten finalists Oxford 6-3 on aggregate in the semi-finals and look like favourites to beat a plucky Imps side who did superbly well to beat Sunderland in their semi-final. Tickets are again very limited so your chances of getting one are tiny

Women's friendly
Clapton CFC v London City Lionesses Development @2pm - the season comes to an end for all the Tons' teams on Sunday and there will be an awards ceremony to go with this match up in Walthamstow. Given their sizeable support you'll need to have a ticket and there are less than 200 left - it's also pay what you want 

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Monday 31 May

League Two play-off final
Morecambe v Newport County @3pm - the teams who finished fourth and fifth have made it to Wembley. Welsh club Newport should fancy their chances after doing the double over their opponents during the regular season. Once again tickets are very limited but check with clubs for the latest

London Senior Cup Final
AFC Wimbledon v Tooting & Mitcham United @1pm  - After winning a thrilling semi-final against Hanwell Town on Friday, the Terrors now travel north to play near neighbours AFC Wimbledon at Hendon's ground. Adult tickets are £10 and can be bought online


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.

Sunday, 16 May 2021

TLFG: 17-23 May 2021

Three, two, one... and we're back!

After another break of almost five months where football below the fifth tier was once again brought to an early end, fans are being allowed in for - well who knows how long???

With a new Covid-19 strain beginning to manifest itself in the UK, another lockdown could be on the horizon.

In other words football fans, it's time to make hay while the sun shines and get out there while you can.

The loosening of restrictions means you'll be able to start going back to games from tomorrow (Monday) and there are games every day this week although several are sold out already.

Despite this, there are a number of options still open to you so no-one need miss out.

So what have you been up to over the last 20 weeks or so?

I was honoured to pick up this award last week
    

For me, my free time has mostly been filled with running and lots of it!

Early in January I had a week off and started it with an early morning run with a friend which turned into a half marathon. 

With nothing better to do, I did another one the day after and the day after that until I ended up doing seven in seven days!

The sixth one on the Saturday saw me run the streets surrounding QPR's ground about 26 times whilst they were playing Fulham in the FA Cup. 

I did it with a couple of friends and we drew a good amount of support from the stewards and police as we toiled away - we were even brought beer and water at one stage! This feat saw me end up having a chat with Phil Parry on BBC London Sport when I finished. 

The next big challenge arrived in March when I captained a team of 23 QPR fans in a virtual race around the Euro 2021 venues against teams from all the other clubs in London.

Over the course of the month we managed to run, walk and in some cases cross country ski over 5,000 miles to end up as champions in the non-cycling event!

At lunchtime on the final day we were over 100 miles behind West Ham but somehow turned it around in the final hours to win by 27 miles - it was possibly the greatest sporting achievement of my life.

As a result of this and the earlier 7 in 7, I was nominated by my team-mates to be named 'QPR Supporter of the Year' and last Friday I received a breakfast call from the R's chief executive Lee Hoos to say I'd won alongside a young supporter who had overcome a brain tumour.

What an honour - when fans are back in, I'm invited to be Mr Hoos' guest at a future game.

The other big thing of note on the football front was, of course, the disastrous attempt to set up a European Super League a few weeks ago.

The backlash caused by this and limited capacities at the big clubs will hopefully lead to a significant increase in crowds at non-league games over the next couple of weeks and at the start of next season.

Anyway, that's it from me. Hopefully you'll find this week's guide useful - enjoy!


THE WEEK AHEAD

The highlights of the next few days include games in the Premier League,  EFL, National League and a number of cup matches in various competitions.

As there are a limited number of games, I've also included a few games just outside London which can be reached with relative ease on public transport. Some matches are still to be arranged so there could be one or two additions before the weekend.

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 or youth 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. However, capacity restrictions are currently in place at all grounds because of Covid-19 meaning only clubs from the seventh tier and below can currently admit spectators.

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 - blue pin
Thursday fixtures - purple pin
Friday fixtures - black pin



WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Saturday fixtures - blue pin
Sunday fixtures - orange pin




TLFG DAILY DIGEST
In the following section I list, by day, what are in my opinion the most notable games of the week and give some brief reasons for my choice. Check the maps above for kick-off times, ticket info and directions.

Monday 17 May

Premier League 2
Crystal Palace v Wolverhampton Wanderers @7pm - the big return to football in the capital begins with this U23 match at Selhurst Park. Fair play to Palace for opening up the ground for this one and allowing fans and neutrals alike to visit before the end of the season. Adult tickets are only £5 but must be bought online by noon on Monday - none will be on sale on the night

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Tuesday 18 May

Premier League
Chelsea v Leicester City @815pm - the biggest game of the day is this instant repeat of Saturday's FA Cup final. Although the Foxes took the silverware at Wembley, a win in this one will almost guarantee them a far more lucrative place in the Champions League. With the Blues just behind them in the table and also desperate to clinch a top-four finish the stakes are huge. Several thousand fans are being allowed in but your chances of getting a ticket are virtually zero

Len Cordell Memorial Cup Quarter-Final 
Barking v Holland @745pm - there are number of matches in some regional cup competitions on Tuesday. Barking are the highest ranked team in action and their new artificial pitch will guarantee the game gets played whatever the weather. Tickets are £5 and can be bought online in advance. I'm not sure if it's all-ticket but with only small attendance limits I would buy one before to make sure

A bit further afield

National League
Aldershot Town v Eastleigh @745pm - the Shots' hopes of promotion are now over but Eastleigh, with games in hand, can still make it into the play-offs. Aldershot can be reached in just 44 minutes by train from Waterloo (if you catch the 1825) and the ground is a short walk from the station. Tickets for this must be purchased in advance by 23.59 on Monday night - no sales on the day. Strictly speaking, no away fans are being allowed so don't wear Eastleigh colours! 

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Wednesday 19 May

Premier League
Crystal Palace v Arsenal @7pm - the Eagles' last home match of the season sees them entertain the Gunners in a London derby. The hosts' season effectively finished a while ago with relegation comfortably averted. Arsenal have had another disappointing year and although a European place is still mathematically within their grasp it looks highly unlikely. If you're not a Palace season-ticket holder, then your chances of getting in also look unlikely
Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa @6pm - earlier in the evening, Spurs will need a win to keep their chances of a European place alive. With Villa still in with a good chance of a top 10 or possibly even higher finish, they can't afford to be complacent. Once again, unless you're a diehard Spurs fan, you'll struggle to get a ticket for this

Middlesex Senior Cup Final
Hanwell Town v Harefield United @745pm - if you're not a member of any of the big clubs above, then this match is the next best thing. Covid-19 has seen the entry list for this competition significantly cut back from normal years with National League South side Hampton & Richmond Borough the highest ranked team to take part. They fell at the first hurdle leaving the way open for smaller clubs to take centre stage. Eighth tier Hanwell had made a reasonable start to their campaign in the Isthmian League and were expected to do well before the season got curtailed. Harefield play a level below their opponents so will start as underdogs. This match will be all-ticket and will probably sell out. Once the clubs have taken their share, any remaining tickets will go on general sale on Monday morning. Follow the Middlesex FA on Twitter for updates. The match is being played at Bedfont Sports, a short walk from Hatton Cross Tube station near Heathrow Airport

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Thursday 20 May

Women's FA Cup Fifth Round
Chelsea v Everton @7pm - the Blues have had a season to remember. Having won the Women's Super League and League Cup, they could win the Champions League tonight (Sunday) and also go on to bag the FA Cup and a quadruple if they can get past Everton here. The following round is being delayed until next season so this will be Chelsea's final match of the current campaign. At the time of writing, I haven't been able to find any ticket details but given how well they've done, they'll probably be in very short supply. Keep checking their Twitter feed for updates
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Friday 21 May

Sellebrity Soccer @730pm
If you've never been to QPR's Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium then now's your chance as two teams of celebs, peppered with a few R's legends and Lee Trundle will be taking to the hallowed turf to raise funds for 'Just 4 Children'. More info via the organisers' Twitter feed. It could be a giggle or maybe not...

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Saturday 22 May

Championship play-off semi-final second leg
Brentford v AFC Bournemouth @1230pm - the game of the day is this hugely important match at the Bees' new ground. Although they've played there all year, most of their fans have yet to visit and sadly only a very limited number will be allowed in for this. Brentford have a terrible knack of losing in the play-offs at various levels with last year's defeat to Fulham in the final being only the latest example. Of all the teams in this year's Championship play-offs, their form is the best by some margin with Bournemouth losing their last three regular season games. The first leg is on Monday night in Dorset. Tickets will not be going on general sale to neutrals  

National League
Wealdstone v Solihull Moors @3pm - Covid-19 means there's no relegation from the National League this season, therefore the Stones are safe and can't go down. Solihull are 12th but have a couple of games in hand and could just squeak into the play-offs with a very strong following wind. At the time of writing, I've seen no ticketing details but it's likely to be all-ticket

Non-League Finals Day
Usually the non-league showpiece event of the year gets a healthy aggregate crowd of around 40,000+ travelling to Wembley. This year, capacity has been severely restricted for the FA Vase/FA Trophy doubleheader and you'll do very well to get one. TLFG club Hornchurch have defied all the odds and caused a number of upsets along the way to make the Trophy final against Hereford so the very best of luck to them. In the Vase, Binfield take on Warrington Rylands

London Senior Cup Quarter-Finals
Tooting & Mitcham United v Erith Town @3pm - one cup match you should be able to get tickets to is this county cup game at Imperial Fields which has some of the best facilities at non-league level. The Terrors play a level above their opponents so will start as favourites. Tickets are available in advance and given capacity is limited, I would buy one ASAP
Fisher v Hanwell Town @3pm - over in Rotherhithe in the other tie of the day, the Fish welcome the Geordies in the battle of the black and white stripes. This time, Hanwell play a level above so should be expected to progress. Tickets for this are £8 and appear to be available on the gate with no advance booking available

Middlesex Super 6 League
Clapton CFC v Sporting Hackney @2pm - with the MCFL curtailed, these clubs plus AEK London, Cricklewood Wanderers, NW London and Stonewall set up their own mini league to end the season. All six clubs play on the same afternoon at Wadham Lodge in three back-to-back matches. The running order has changed to the one I saw so I can't give you the full details but the biggest game of the three is this one at 2pm. Although the Tons play down in the 11th tier they are very well supported and have had to limit tickets to 500 for this. At the time of writing, about 100 remain so get in quick - it's pay what you want

Conifa International Exhibition game
Kernow v Cascadia @3pm - three years ago Conifa brought their World Football Cup to London providing the locals with a feast of action featuring sides from parts of the world that aren't officially recognised as independent countries. Ultimately it was won by a team representing a Hungarian minority based within Ukraine after they beat Northern Cyprus on penalties. Sadly the winners were thrown in jail on their return home and faced all kinds of sanctions for daring to take part. This friendly match, which is being played at Northwood, is far less controversial as Kernow (Cornwall) take on Cascadia, a side hailing from the Pacific north west area that straddles the Canada/USA border. Adult tickets are £10 and can be bought in advance

A bit further afield

National League
There are three fifth tier matches within 80 minutes train ride of London with varying degrees of significance. Aldershot Town, Eastleigh and Maidenhead United all have matches where either themselves or their opponents will be chasing a play-off spot. Tickets are available to home fans only and must be bought in advance. Only 600 are being made available at Maidenhead with general sale starting at 9am on Monday. Eastleigh are selling tickets for their match against Boreham Wood now. Tickets for Aldershot v Bromley are also currently on sale

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Sunday 23 May

Premier League
The final three Premier League matches in London this season aren't hugely significant. Arsenal might still have a slim chance of European football going into their match with Brighton who have nothing to play for. Fulham are already down and face a Newcastle side who are just enjoying themselves. The most important of the three is likely to be at the London Stadium where West Ham entertain Southampton. As it stands, the Hammers are still very much in contention for a European place so they'll need all three points to make sure. There might be a very slim chance of tickets for the match at Fulham but the others have all gone

National League
Sutton United v Hartlepool United @1245pm - if the matches above are the biggest of the day, then this isn't far behind. If Torquay and Stockport drop points on Saturday, a win here will give Sutton the title and take them into the EFL. In other words, it could be arguably the most important match in the club's history. The visitors are also well in the hunt for a top-three finish so it's absolutely massive for all concerned. Capacity is being limited to just 1,050 and general sale will commence at 9pm on Wednesday

Charity match
South Western Railway v SouthEastern Railway @2pm - your most realistic chance of seeing any action will be this big railway derby that's being played on one of the 3G pitches at Tooting & Mitcham United's ground. It's free to attend, the bar will be open and donations are being sought for the mental health charity MIND as both sides have lost a number of colleagues to suicide in recent months


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.