Happy Halloween... I'm a Mom-bie

I finally had a weekend that didn't feel like it was over in a blink of an eye. Crazy, right? I just soaked in a lot of time with my boys and enjoyed the (mostly) gorgeous weather we had all weekend. Who cares that's it's almost November?! I wore shorts on Saturday to run errands and enjoyed every second of it.

Some of you long-time readers might remember that most years we go to Jared's cousin's house for a huuuge Halloween bash every year. Sadly, they were unable to host one this year and we will miss all the fun, games and treats they are known for! So tonight I'll be snuggling my little pumpkin who will only be awake for about 15 minutes of Trick-or-Treat and then just enjoy passing out candy with my family.

Halloween 2014

No costume for me this year- unless you count a "mom-bie/zombie" as a costume. Little man has been waking up more often lately -I'm thinking growth spurt or teeth or both- so I have been extra tired these past couple of weeks. I saw someone share this on Facebook and thought it was so hilarious and clever. The little girl wanted to dress up as a mom so she's rocking the sweats, babies hanging off of her, dark circles and even spit up! She nailed it.

Full article here

Hope everyone had a great weekend, I'm sure I'll see lots of your fabulous costumes soon. I can't wait! :) 

TLFG: 31 October - 6 November 2016

Welcome one and all to this week's TLFG.

It occurred to me the other day that this blog has now been going for five years.

I set it up back in 2011, shortly after returning from a trip to Bosnia, as a way to fill the time after taking redundancy from my job at the BBC.

It kept me occupied through a few worryingly jobless months and has somehow continued through until today despite me becoming a father and taking on a new line of employment that sees me work some crazy shifts. 

The rewards of slowly developing and growing the blog have been immense. I've been interviewed by the New York Times, helped authors research their books, offered advice to travellers planning visits to London and have developed some great friendships and contacts with readers and club officials.

The thought that I can be of help to people is the main reason why I do this so it's always great to get an email or tweet asking for tips and help - so keep them coming.

It's FA Cup First Round weekend and this is one of the best ties in London

What else have I been up to over the last week? Well I actually managed another live game and what a waste of time it was too!

I finally made it down to Loftus Road for the first time this season to watch QPR take on local rivals Brentford in Friday night's live televised game.

It wasn't a classic performance by either side but the Bees deserved their 2-0 win which was their first at our place for 52 years!!! I'm so glad I was there.

People are calling for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's head but we're 14th in the table, we've got an average squad, play in an average size stadium and personally I believe we are where we kind of deserve to be. Did I mention I don't lose sleep over QPR any more? 

Enough about them - this week is all about Harrow Borough. 

The Ryman League minnows have battled through four qualifying rounds to make it to the FA Cup First Round 'Proper' on Saturday and have landed an incredibly tough tie against League One play-off contenders Northampton Town at Sixfields.

Avoiding defeat is almost unthinkable but the Boro have got absolutely nothing to lose and I'm sure they will give a good account of themselves.

I'm just gutted I won't be there - I am actually off work but it's my birthday and I'm already committed to a trip to Bristol. I was praying Harrow would draw Bristol Rovers but it wasn't to be. Oh well, I'm free for the second round so I'll have to make do with that instead. 

If you're in London this weekend you can gorge on FA Cup football with games spread right across the weekend from Friday to Sunday. Tickets are available for all games although you will need to buy in advance for the very interesting looking tie between Boreham Wood and Notts County.

I think that's about it from me. Enjoy your week and let me know what you've been up to. Some readers who always do are the guys at 'Two Men In Search Of The Beautiful Game' whose latest trip took them to Ilford FC over in east London - give it a read.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are well almost 90 matches in the London area over the next week with the Premier League and FA Cup taking centre stage. The Champions League is also back and there are games in several county and minor league cups too.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. 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 (white 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 (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

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

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

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 31 October

Premier League 2
West Ham United v West Bromwich Albion @7pm - once again there's a good selection of U23 football on Monday with this PL2 game at Dagenham & Redbridge's ground the best on offer

Ryman League Division 1 South
Carshalton Athletic v Walton Casuals @745pm - both these two have made a decent start and a win for the hosts will fire them into the top four

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Tuesday 1 November

FA Trophy First Qualifying Round Replays
Wingate & Finchley v Grays Athletic @745pm - after fighting out a 1-1 draw on Sunday, these two do it all again in N12 for the £2,700 prize money
Harrow Borough v Herne Bay @745pm - Boro grabbed an injury-time equaliser on Saturday to earn this replay but with their massive FA Cup First Round game at Northampton looming, will they be distracted???
Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Tonbridge Angels @745pm - the Tangerines did superbly to hold Tonbridge to a 3-3 draw on Saturday and now have home advantage to try and pull off a cupset
Northwood v Royston Town @745pm - the Woods welcome the Southern League Division 1 Central leaders for a challenging game

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Wednesday 2 November

Champions League
Tottenham Hotspur v Bayer Leverkusen @745pm - with a loss, a win and a draw Spurs have made a stuttering start in Group E so they really need to take three points against the Germans who haven't lost yet

Kent Senior Cup First Round

Phoenix Sports v Charlton Athletic @745pm - the joint leaders of the Ryman 1 North host a squad from the League One Addicks in this county cup fixture

Essex Senior League
Ilford v Clapton @745pm - if neither of the above appeal, try an East End derby between these two old rivals

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Friday 4 November

Championship
Brentford v Fulham @745pm - after winning the derby against QPR last Friday, the Bees welcome their other west London rivals this Friday for another televised game. The Cottagers trounced high-flying Huddersfield 5-0 on Saturday so will also come into this match on a high

FA Cup First Round - at this stage League One and League Two clubs join the draw alongside the 32 non-league clubs who have survived the six qualifying rounds

Millwall v Southend United @745pm - the Lions have enjoyed an upsurge in form of late and leapfrogged Southend on Saturday with a win at Oxford. However, the Shrimpers beat Millwall 3-1 earlier in the season so will fancy their chances

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Saturday 5 November

Premier League
Chelsea v Everton @530pm - the Blues are starting to hit some serious form but the Toffees, a top six side themselves, should provide stiff opposition in the game of the day
West Ham United v Stoke City @3pm - at the other end of the table we've got an early season six-pointer between clubs perched just above the relegation zone

FA Cup First Round
Charlton Athletic v Scunthorpe United @3pm - the Addicks are unbeaten in four but have drawn the League One leaders in this tough tie
Dagenham & Redbridge v FC Halifax Town @3pm - the Daggers held leaders Forest Green to a 1-1 draw in the big National League game on Saturday will start as favourites against the Shaymen who play in the division below. However, they are a canny cup side and won last season's FA Trophy
Dartford v Sutton United @3pm - the Darts welcome the U's for a TLFG derby. Sutton play in the higher division but the hosts are in great form so there shouldn't be much between them

Friendly
Brentford B v Manchester United U23 @3pm - one of the more unusual games of the day sees the Bees' youngsters and reserves entertain their counterparts from Old Trafford at Griffin Park. To top it all, it's free to get in

Ryman League Division 1 North
Phoenix Sports v Cheshunt @3pm - at the time of writing, four teams share the lead of this division and these are two of them. Sadly, after a strong start, Phoenix have gone four without a win and are on the slide so will want to arrest that run here

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Wembley v London Colney @3pm - the top two in the league go head-to-head at Vale Farm. The visitors are 12 points clear at the top but Wembley have three games in hand so a win would make things really interesting

Southern Counties East League Division 1
Forest Hill Park v Rusthall @3pm - FHP are in only their second season at this level but are up in the top four and ready to take on the leaders at the Ladywell Arena

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Sunday 6 November

Premier League
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur @12pm - the match of the week takes place at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday as we get to enjoy our first North London derby of the season. They both finished in the top three last season and they're both vying for honours again this time. The Gunners are currently joint top but Spurs are only three points behind and the only unbeaten side in the top flight - it should be close

FA Cup First Round
Boreham Wood v Notts County @2pm - the Wood are enjoying a good season in the National League and have landed a great draw against these League Two play-off contenders. It will be tough but it's caught the interest of the TV companies and it should be tough for the Magpies

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 within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

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

Things I Never Want to Forget

The cool thing about blogging is feeling like I have friends all over the country. Katie and I had due dates within a few days of each other so it was fun sharing "notes" while pregnant. Even though T came early and our babies are actually about a month apart, we can now continue to chat and compare and talk through all the new momma stuff we have going on. She posted a beautiful post recently that inspired me to write these things down. Time truly goes so fast and I don't want to ever forget...

How happy and smiley you are when I come to get you up in the morning. I know one day you'll be a smelly teenager and I'll be dragging you out of bed every day. (Say it ain't so!)

How funny all your sounds and squeals are. It seems like every few days you discover a new noise to make and that's all we hear nonstop until the next one comes along.

How no matter what way I put you down in your crib, you end up the opposite way in the morning. You are a little ninja in there, I swear.

How adorable your pouty little lip is right before you start to cry. You don't cry too often, so I gotta' admit it's stinkin' cute.

How you will really only be snuggly as we put you to bed. You finally give in to my snuggling and seem to love my singing as you drift off into dreamland.

How you love to look at yourself in the mirror. You must know you're pretty cute because you always smile and never get tired of checking yourself out.

How big your eyes get when there is something new to look at. A toy, a face... you take it ALL in.

How the most random things make you laugh out loud. The other day I started reading a book and was only a few words in and you laughed bigger than ever!

How much we LOVE YOU!!

Momma Gets Fit

I mentioned it last month at some point, but Jared and I recently signed up and completed another DietBet together. We'd participated in these challenges a couple years ago and decided it was a great time to get motivated again. Post-baby me was finally ready to take control of my health and fitness once and for all. I'm happy to say we WON our DietBet. I even lost a little more weight than required which felt awesome. It wast seriously just what I needed to start feeling better about myself again. 

If you've never done one before, you essentially just put money into a "pot" and if you reach your goal (Lose 4% in 1 month) you get your money back plus a little bit of winnings. The winnings come in from anyone who didn't meet their goal. That money gets divided up among winners. So while it's not likely you'll get rich doing DietBet, having money on the line is a motivator for me. I definitely don't want to lose my money... and if I make an extra $10-15 that's great too! 

Once we started our month-long DietBet it really motivated us to get movin' more and also to say no to treats and sweets too. Month after month I kept using the excuse of, "Well, we have a new baby! It's okay to eat out or not exercise..." Sure, that's okay to some extent, but if I kept doing that I was going to end up at 500 pounds ;) Our DietBet helped us slap those step counters back on and helped us get excited about healthy meal options again.

I still have a ways to go to meet my ultimate fitness goals so we decided to sign up for another challenge this month too. If you want to join me in the challenge you can sign up for the game I'm doing here. You still have time to weigh-in and the final weigh-in is right before Thanksgiving. Perfect timing if you ask me ;) By the way, I get absolutely nothing for sharing about this- I just believe in the game and it makes losing weight a little more fun. I also love following them on Instagram for awesome success stories and fun/funny motivational posts.

This month, in addition to the changes we made last month, I am going to TRULY make a huge effort to cut out most sugar from my diet. Just typing that makes me scared because this girl loves her sweets- but I know it'll be worth it if I can do it! What are your fitness goals over the next month or so? Anyone else trying to shed some pounds before the pumpkin pie starts rolling out?? :)

A New Opportunity

Hey, remember me? The gal who went totally missing from blogland all last week? I don't even know what happened. Time just went flying by and I couldn't find the time (or motivation) to sit down at the computer and blog at all. Don't worry- you didn't miss too much. Last week was fairly uneventful until FRIDAY because. . . drumroll, please.

I got a job! Yes, you read that correctly and I am just thrilled! It's a very part-time role right now that I will be able to do mostly from home which completely blows my mind. When I left my job at the Bengals I'd hoped that eventually something part-time would work out somewhere. I'd honestly been browsing part-time positions or jobs that I could do remotely but it never seemed like I was qualified or that it would work for me whenever I'd see a job posting. Until this gig came along. I saw the posting, immediately applied and said my prayers that this was meant to be.

After a casual interview at an adorable coffee shop, I was offered the job a couple days later and have already done a few hours of training. I don't need to go into all the details right now but I'll essentially be an assistant for someone and their business. Handling emails and some customer service type of matters to start, and then potentially growing the role into other things as I learn the ropes and take on more.

I seriously can't put into words how excited I am for this opportunity. Since leaving my full-time job there have been SO many days I doubted my decision, or worried about what the future would hold for me and my family. While we were financially prepared for me not to work, it wasn't initially what we had in mind just a few short months ago. And other than the financial side of things, I was having trouble feeling like I was "just" a stay-at-home-mom. I knew I wanted to continue to use my talents and abilities and I knew something would work out one day- I just didn't know when.

So I'll be working from home for the first time this week, just a handful of hours but I cannot wait to get started. I have no doubts that this is where I'm supposed to be right now :) Happy, Happy Monday!

TLFG: 24-30 October 2016

Generally, for me, it's been a pretty good week on the footballing front.

As I mentioned last week I was hoping to head down to Margate to see Harrow Borough contest an FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round replay.

Given I had Tuesday and Wednesday off and with the last train leaving too soon if extra-time were required, I decided to splash out and book a hotel and take my family with me.

Arriving around 230pm on Tuesday afternoon, we checked in and then headed straight out on to the seafront. Despite a pretty stiff breeze, it was sunny so exploring the sandy beach wasn't too much of an ordeal.

Margate viewed from the entrance of the Turner Contemporary

After a quick spin around the Turner Contemporary gallery, we grabbed an early dinner before I headed off to the game.

With 'Dulwich Hamlet-like' queues to get in, as one regular described it, there was obviously quite a bit of interest in the game and with a trip to League One club Northampton Town on offer to the winners it was no surprise.

Margate play a division above Harrow so it was a bit unexpected to see the visitors have much the better of the first half and even take the lead with a fine goal from Francis Babalola shortly before the interval - with the highly rated Ibrahim Meite heavily involved in the build up.

When the hosts equalised around the hour mark, you felt they would take control and get the win but the opposite happened.

Boro raised their game, retook the lead through Lewis Driver and then wrapped it up with a third from Meite with 10 minutes to go. If they'd scored five or six it wouldn't have been undeserved as the gilt-edged chances were there.

The club now face a tough trip to Sixfields on 5 November as they make only their fourth appearance in the First Round. If you want to join the merry band of Harrow hopefuls heading up to the game, here are the details. Alternatively, just turn up on the day and pay at the turnstile although you might have to go in with the home fans.

Harrow's players celebrate with their travelling supporters after the final whistle

Elsewhere that night, QPR also picked up an impressive win over play-off contenders Bristol City although their week ended on a low note after a narrow defeat at Sheffield Wednesday. On the brightside, however, Harrow won again crushing Folkestone 4-1 to move a little further away from the relegation zone.

Apparently the Community Day at Fisher went well on Saturday and with another international break less than three weeks away, I'd like to remind clubs once again that they've got another great opportunity to try and get more people through the turnstiles. If you do come up with something at your club, let me know and I'll put it in here.

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are well almost 100 matches in the London area over the next week with the Premier League and EFL taking centre stage. The FA Trophy is back and there are games in several county and minor league cups too.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. 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 (white 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 (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

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

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

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 24 October

Premier League 2
Fulham v Newcastle United @7pm - there's a good selection of U23 football on Monday with this PL2 game at Motspur Park the best on offer.

Ryman League Premier Division
Kingstonian v Worthing @745pm - the K's regular Monday night slot returns with this match against recently promoted Worthing. The Sussex club had a good start but both are now firmly in midtable.

Essex Senior League
Tower Hamlets v Clapton @745pm - despite being only a ninth-tier game, this could be the place for the best atmosphere on Monday night. Last season's match, albeit on a Friday night, attracted around 350-400 people most of them members of the lively Clapton Ultras who sang from beginning to end.

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

Tuesday 25 October

EFL Cup Fourth Round
Arsenal v Reading @745pm - we're down to the last 16 now and seven of the Premier League's top eight are still in, giving it one of its strongest line-ups in years. The Gunners have only won the cup twice but are currently joint favourites and should progress with ease against Championship side Reading if they take it seriously and don't field youngsters as they have done in the past.

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Aldershot Town @745pm - there are some big games in this division on Tuesday but this is the pick of what you can see in the London area as second plays seventh. Both are former EFL clubs (although Aldershot are a new incarnation after financial collapse) and are desperate to get back among the pro ranks. 

Ryman League Cup Second Round
Greenwich Borough v Dulwich Hamlet @745pm - this is a really intriguing tie as it pits the leaders of the Ryman 1 South against one of the biggest clubs in the division above. Greenwich won the SCEFL last season after significant investment from a new owner. However, it was noticeable that this success was achieved in front of tiny crowds. Although attendance is now up to an average of nearly 200, it's still only a fraction of what Dulwich attract every week (c. 1,000). This match could give us some indication of how good Greenwich really are and whether we'll be seeing them in the Ryman Premier next year.

Essex Senior League
Redbridge v Barking @745pm - the visitors have now opened a seven-point lead at the top and next travel to Redbridge who, despite being in midtable, have hit a decent run of form with seven points from their last three games.

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Wednesday 19 October

EFL Cup Fourth Round
West Ham United v Chelsea @745pm - this derby is one of the ties of the round. The Hammers' renaissance continued on Saturday with a vital 1-0 win over fellow strugglers Sunderland. Although still far from the form they showed last season, a solid three game unbeaten run will give them some confidence against a Blues side who are still a shadow of some of the teams which have come out of Stamford Bridge over recent years.

Ryman League Premier Division

Grays Athletic v Leiston @745pm - with Grays having a very sorry time of things down at the bottom, this match is more about taking a look at the current leaders. Leiston hail from a small town of the same name in Suffolk. With just over 5,500 inhabitants, they're having a fantastic season and are unbeaten in the league after 13 games. With 38 goals, they are also the most free-scoring so it could be a very tough night for the hosts.

FA Trophy Preliminary Round
Cray Wanderers v Carshalton Athletic @745pm - this tie is being re-played after Carshalton fielded in ineligible player in the original game. These two well matched Ryman 1 South play-off contenders produced a six-goal thriller last time so hopefully we'll have some more of the same.

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Friday 28 October

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Brentford @745pm - one of the games of the week at any level is this west London derby at Loftus Road. Games between these near neighbours have been surprisingly rare with only eight competitive matches between them over the last 50 years. Back in the same division from last season, these games are among the highlights of the campaign for both sets of fans. This match is beautifully poised with the clubs locked together on 19 points and neither in any kind of form. The good news is that you can be there too as tickets are on general sale and still available.

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Saturday 29 October

Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City @3pm - these two went head-to-head for the Premier League title last season and, as we all know, the Foxes came out on top. Unsurprisingly, Leicester have found their title defence hard and it is Spurs who are among the frontrunners again. The smart money would seem to be on Tottenham extending their unbeaten record.
Crystal Palace v Liverpool @530pm - the Eagles will be desperate to avoid a repeat of last season where they started very strongly and then died spectacularly. They made a solid start again this time but now a three-game winless run has suddenly developed. Liverpool are looking good under Jurgen Klopp and, at the time of writing, are joint top with one league defeat all season. They've also won on their last two visits to Selhurst Park and should fancy their chances this time too.
Watford v Hull City @3pm - nothing much was expected of the Hornets when they came up last season but they held their own and are in the top half again thanks to a run of one loss in six. Hull returned to the top flight this season but were in some disarray after their manager resigned and no new players were brought in. They stunned many by winning their first two but now six defeats from the following seven has left them in the bottom three. Home win.

Championship
Fulham v Huddersfield Town @3pm - if you're struggling to get a ticket for a Premier League game on Saturday, this is your next best option. Fulham, like their two west London rivals Brentford and QPR, have been the model of inconsistency this season. One week they can give a top team like Newcastle or Norwich a run for their money, the next they can lose at a crisis hit one like Aston Villa. This weekend they welcome former leaders Huddersfield who, after a mini wobble, got back into the top three with a win over Derby. Given what I've just written about the Cottagers' capabilities, they should be worried!

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Bradford City @3pm - after spending several years concentrating on simply surviving in League Two, the Dons got themselves promoted last season. Rather than struggle in the third tier, they've acquitted themselves rather well, are in the top six and going along nicely. This weekend they welcome second placed Bradford who with crowds of nearly 18,000 are way too big a club to really be in this division. Tickets are selling fast with only a few standing places on one of the terraces still available.

National League
Boreham Wood v Woking @3pm - the fact Boreham Wood are still in the National League, let alone pushing for a play-off place is quite amazing. With average crowds of 555 they are one of the minnows of the division but this doesn't seem to bother them. With three wins in a row, another triumph here will probably push them into the top eight. Woking, on the other hand, are teetering just above the relegation zone and should be there for the taking.

FA Trophy First Qualifying Round - this competition features sides playing in the fifth to eighth tiers. It is a national competition with the final at Wembley. Although this is the 'First' qualifying round, there has been a preliminary round prior to this one. The winning club in each tie receives  prize money of £2,700. At this stage, teams from the seventh tier join the draw alongside all the eighth tier teams who got through the opening round.

Enfield Town v Canvey Island @3pm - the Towners have pushed hard for promotion from the Ryman League over the last couple of years but have fallen just short. After a poor start, they're starting to get amongst things again and should be favourites against divisional rivals Canvey who are struggling.
Metropolitan Police v Brightlingsea Regent @3pm - the Met have got off to a worrying start this season and are down in the Ryman Premier relegation zone. Although playing at home, a game against one of the top sides from the Ryman 1 North will be tricky and we could well see a cupset.
Staines Town v Basingstoke Town @3pm - these sides were both in what was the Conference South until not that long ago but both have suffered relegation and are now midtable sides in the Ryman Premier and Southern Premier respectively hopefully leading to an even contest.
Hanwell Town v Bury Town @3pm - it was a bit of surprise when Bury ended up getting relegated to the Ryman 1 North but after a season of consolidation it seems they're back with nine wins from 16 propelling them to the top of their division. Hanwell, over in the parallel Southern Division 1 Central, will find this tough.
Tooting & Mitcham United v Dunstable Town @3pm - the Terrors got back to winning ways on Saturday at Sittingbourne as they moved back into the Ryman 1 South's top four. On Saturday they welcome a very useful Dunstable side who find themselves in the top five of the Southern League - which equates to 23 places above Tooting in the pyramid.

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Sunday 23 October

FA Trophy First Qualifying Round
Grays Athletic v Wingate & Finchley @3pm - in terms of attendance, these two are the most poorly supported in the Ryman Premier. This is because Grays don't have their own ground and are doing badly whilst Wingate... I'm not so sure. They have a decent stadium and a great pitch, they also play good football and are in no immediate danger of relegation. They do have to contend with Arsenal, Spurs and Barnet being in their locale and they do face competition from Hendon and Enfield Town but that still shouldn't mean average crowds of only 142. Anyway, I digress. This is an all Ryman Premier tie and should provide the best quality of football on Sunday if not the atmosphere.
Kingstonian v Lewes @3pm - until last season this game would've received top billing as they were both Ryman Premier sides. However, Lewes had a shocker and got relegated to the Ryman 1 South. Despite this, I'd expect to see at least 300 at Kingsmeadow for this.

FA Women's Super League 1
Chelsea v Reading @6pm - with Manchester City having already won the title, the battle is now on to secure second place. With two games to go, if Chelsea win here then it will be theirs. In fact, with nearest rivals Arsenal having to beat Doncaster in a 2pm kick off just to keep things alive, it could all be decided before the Blues' game even begins.

FA Women's Super League 2
London Bees v Yeovil Town @2pm - although in the division below, this game is of greater significance as it will play a huge part in who wins the title. Yeovil are currently top on goal difference, just ahead of Bristol City. Third place Everton are also only two points behind and there are two games to go. A win would seem to be a must for the Glovers.

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 within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

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

A Fabulous Weekend

What a FABULOUS weekend!! Isn't it great when a weekend doesn't necessarily hold some special event or some epic happening, but it's still awesome?? Jared and I truly soaked in every ounce of this weekend with each other and with T and it couldn't have gone better.

Friday I had a couple errands to run so while my boys held down the fort I was out and about for a few hours. I had a package to pick up from my old office so I swung by there to grab it while I was out. It was nice to see my boss and the familiar faces that I worked with for so long. As cheesy as this might sound... it feels like home when I go there. I'm comfortable, I'm welcomed with open arms and it's like I never left. Me staying home is the best option for our family, but it's nice to be in touch with my work peeps here and there. There were talks of a "reunion" happy hour so I hope someone puts those plans into action.

After meeting with a contractor first thing Saturday morning, we hit up a tiny, local Halloween/Fall fest in our area. Obviously T is too young to enjoy or appreciate these things, but it was a beautiful day to get out and enjoy the festivities. We got him his own little mini pumpkin which he was totally unimpressed with. 

That night Jared and I entertained ourselves with Snapchat filters and tried out the Halo ice cream everyone has been raving about. Our verdict is that we liked it, but we didn't LOVE it. After awhile, I felt like I really noticed that artificial sweetener after-taste that some of you might be familiar with. It's a nice treat to have when you're trying not to indulge too much, but I didn't go completely ga-ga over it.

My Bengals lost horribly on Sunday. That makes two weeks of ugly losses in a row. While it's brutal and I hate it- I must admit something. It's WAY easier to get over a team loss when I'm not going into work there the very next day. I mean, WOW! I knew it would be different going from an employee to a fan, but I never imagined it would feel this different. I like being a fan, I'll tell you that much! It's much less emotional, no matter the outcome.

I'm excited about this week and all it could hold for me. Cheers to a fresh start!

TLFG: 17-23 October 2016

After two glorious weeks of getting out and about and watching some live games, I've been back on late shifts missing out on all the fun.

However, I will be off to watch Harrow Borough again on Tuesday after they managed to come from behind in the FA Cup to secure a replay against Margate in Kent. The stakes are high as the winners will earn a place in the First Round where they could draw a lucrative tie against a League One or Two club.

SCEFL side Fisher are holding a Community Day at their new ground on Saturday

I've also never been to Hartsdown Park so I'm looking forward to spending a bit of time by the seaside and will be making a bit of trip of it as I have a couple of days off. I'm already eyeing a visit to the mysterious Shell Grotto...

In other news, Fisher are holding a community day on Saturday when they play Deal Town. They've recently moved to a new ground back in the area where they originally come from and are doing all they can to get local people interested. The Salter Road facilities look good and have Canary Wharf and the rest of the Docklands skyscrapers as a stunning backdrop. If you're in the area, check them out.

I've also heard from West Ham fan Robin who is part of a group of supporters who are trying to petition the Mayor of Newham to help them relocate the West Ham Supporters Club venue from Upton Park to Stratford. Apparently, the supporters club raise money for various charitable causes and this is becoming more difficult following the move to the London Stadium. Click the link above if you want to find out more.

Lastly we've got another guest ground review from Australian reader Nick Guoth who paid a visit to big spending Greenwich Borough as they took on VCD Athletic in the FA Trophy. Here's what he had to say:

GUEST GROUND REVIEW

GREENWICH BOROUGH

by

Nick Guoth

Greenwich Borough have moved back to the Royal Borough of Greenwich after an eight-year hiatus. Through some good work from the chairman and a lengthy deal struck with Cray Valley PM, the ground-sharing will continue for some period into the future. The ground is easy to get to via a number of different methods of transport and there is ample parking on site. I used a bus from Lewisham.

The entry was £10 as Greenwich are a Ryman League team and once inside, the ground is fenced off with six-foot picket-style fencing, coloured in red and black - Greenwich colours. On the building that is the clubhouse there are two large painted banners, one in green and black for Cray and one in red and black for Greenwich. 

There are two stands, one on the northern side which is standing only, called the "Family Stand", and a somewhat larger one on the southern side with has four rows of seats primarily coloured red and back alternatively with a green set in the middle of the stand. There is also a small shop near the entry where one can purchase replica shirts and old programmes. Finally, about 30 minutes prior to kickoff, the team sheet is handed out to any spectators who are interested, a worthy touch not commonly found at other grounds.

This game was a replay from the 1-1 draw at Old Road, Crayford on Saturday in the FA Trophy. I think VCD Athletic win the toss as they kicked down the hill. The ground is sloped more than any other I have seen so far with probably a drop of about three to four feet between the eastern end and the western end. Primarily, the game was played in the two defensive/attacking areas of the park as long ball was the plan of both teams. Early on the home side broke the deadlock. An intelligent cross-field clearance from the right back was brought down and from the parried shot the ball fell to Denness who could have tapped in, but chose to slam the ball into the empty net from one yard out.

It appeared that with the slope and, what appeared to be momentum, Greenwich would continue and see the game out. However, a cross from the left was met well by Newby who headed past the Greenwich goalkeeper to tie up the scores with 20 minutes left. Then, 10 minutes later, an error from one of the defenders, too high up in the opposing half and with no real understanding of what to do with the ball, led to the winner. Having stripped the ball, the VCD players took it down the right. Stevenson made an unchecked, darting run into the box, received the ball and beat the Greenwich keeper at the near post. As he had done in the Saturday match Stevenson was the hero for VCD.

The game itself, as I mentioned before, tended to rely on long-ball throughout. The midfield rarely obtained a touch, if they existed at all. However, late in the game it was a surprising that VCD started to play the ball on the ground and I feel that their work through that method generated the first goal and assisted somewhat in the second. The last 10 minutes were tense and typical of a cup tie but probably the better team won.

ED - thanks a lot Nick. We'd love to hear from any other TLFG readers who want to send in a brief ground review. Get in touch by one of the methods outlined at the bottom of the page if you do.

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THE WEEK AHEAD

There are well over 100 matches in the London area over the next week with the Premier League and EFL taking centre stage. The FA Vase is back and there are games in several county and minor league cups too.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. 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 (white 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 (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

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

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Orange pin - Sunday fixtures

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 October

Professional Development League
Millwall v Crystal Palace @2pm - the Lions' U23 side kick things off again this week with this interesting derby against the Eagles. According to the blurb I've seen it's being played at Bromley's ground but confirm with the club before you travel

Ryman League Premier Division
Kingstonian v Enfield Town @745pm - the early kick-off in the match above could see you catch two games on Monday with this Ryman League game being the pick of the non-league action. The K's groundshare with AFC Wimbledon so you'll get the chance to visit an EFL ground too

Ryman League Division 1 North
Aveley v Phoenix Sports @745pm - the visitors have just lost top spot to Cheshunt but only on goal difference and they have two games in hand. A win here will put them back in control but Aveley are play-off contenders themselves so it will be tough

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

Tuesday 18 October

Championship
Fulham v Norwich City @745pm - the biggest match of the night sees leaders Norwich pay a visit to Craven Cottage but they haven't won there since 1986
Queens Park Rangers v Bristol City @745pm - just up the road in Shepherd's Bush, QPR also face a tough evening as they host fifth-placed City

League One
Millwall v Bolton Wanderers @745pm - both sides were fancied to do well this season but while the Lions have faltered, Bolton have kept themselves in the top three

Ryman League Premier Division
Dulwich Hamlet v Harlow Town @745pm - despite being the biggest club in the division, Dulwich are woefully inconsistent at the moment with only one win in five. However, when it clicks it clicks as Lowestoft, Folkestone and Grays discovered

Essex Senior League
Barking v Waltham Forest @745pm - the hosts have recently claimed top spot and with several games in hand on most of their rivals it's looking really good for them. However, fourth-placed Forest are one of the few teams who have played fewer games and might realistically be their main challengers

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Wednesday 19 October

Champions League
Arsenal v Ludogorets Razgrad @745pm - next up for the Gunners are the Bulgarian league champions who have come to dominate their domestic competitions following a takeover by Kiril Domuschiev in 2010. Despite this, Arsenal should take all three points with relative ease.

Uefa Youth League

Arsenal v Ludogorets Razgrad @1pm - if you're in town for the game above, you can see the sides' respective U19 sides battle it out at Boreham Wood's ground at lunchtime

Middlesex Senior Cup First Round
Hendon v Wembley @745pm - for me, the best non-league game features these two local rivals whose grounds both afford views of the national stdium
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Friday 21 October

FA Vase First Round
FC Elmstead v Sporting Club Thamesmead @745pm - get your weekend of football watching underway with some cup football in Bromley as two clubs from south-east London look to take another step towards Wembley

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Saturday 22 October

Premier League
Arsenal v Middlesbrough @3pm - on paper this should be a comfortable win for the hosts but they only scraped past a weak Swansea outfit on Saturday so must avoid complacency at all costs
West Ham United v Sunderland @3pm - now two games unbeaten, the Hammers are slowly pulling away from the bottom three. The Mackems are winless and rooted to the bottom so anything less than victory will be close to disastrous

Championship
Brentford v Barnsley @3pm - both made decent starts to the campaign and consequently find themselves in the top 11 and well placed for a tilt at the play-offs. However, things have gone badly wrong for the Tykes in recent weeks and they're now winless in five

League One
Millwall v Fleetwood Town @3pm - there's not too much of interest about this midtable match other than the fact that the Lancashire club have never won at The Den but that's been made a lot harder by the fact that they've only played there once

National League
Dagenham & Redbridge v Macclesfield Town @3pm - the Daggers have had some big games in recent weeks and face another one here. At the moment the hosts are two points off top spot in second but the visiting Silkmen will draw level with them if they win

National League South
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Maidenhead United @3pm - the game of the day in the NLS pits third versus first. I saw the Beavers play about six weeks ago and they gave a great account of themselves as they beat St Albans. The Magpies will be a different proposition though and are already five points clear at the top with one league defeat from 14 so far this season

Ryman League Premier Division
Dulwich Hamlet v AFC Sudbury @3pm - the top five have already formed a group which seem to be pulling away while, at the time of writing, Dulwich and Sudbury represent the best of the rest. Locked together on 18 points, at least one of them will try and keep pace with the leaders

Ryman League Division 1 North
Phoenix Sports v Bury Town @3pm - it's a big week for Phoenix who will come into this game as leaders if they can get something out of their match against Aveley on Monday. Bury are currently third and have a game in hand so might even be top themselves by teatime on Saturday - huge game

Southern League Division 1 Central
Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Barton Rovers @3pm - from a TLFG point of view, Ashford are leading the charge for honours in this division. Having been promoted last season, they're up in the top six and doing well. Barton are fourth so victory here would be impressive and great for morale

FA Vase First Round - this competition features sides playing in the ninth, tenth and, in a few cases, eleventh tiers. It is open to clubs all over the country with the final at Wembley. Although this is the 'First' round, there have been two qualifying rounds previous to this one. The winning club in each tie receives  prize money of £675 and the losers £225. At this stage there are still over 200 teams in the draw so there's a long way to go yet.

Abbey Rangers v Tunbridge Wells @3pm - I think I'm right in saying that this is the first year Abbey Rangers have entered the Vase and they've done really well to get this far already. On Saturday they welcome the beaten finalists from 2012-13. The Kent club are steeped in history having been around since 1886 so it will almost be like having royalty come to visit
Walton & Hersham v Thame United @3pm - two of the form teams from the Combined Counties League and Hellenic League meet at Stompond Lane in this tie. W&H were once one of the greats of non-league with an FA Amateur Cup win in 1973 and several notable runs in the FA Cup. Now playing way down in the ninth tier following relegation last season, they're looking to get back on track
Wembley v Desborough Town @3pm - what better way to watch an early round game than in the shadow of the national stadium itself? It's always worth going to see a match at Wembley if they're playing in an FA competition just to be able to see the gleaming arch over the east stand. This match is also a fine one on paper too as second in the Spartan South Midlands League host third in the United Counties League

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Sunday 23 October

Premier League
Chelsea v Manchester United @4pm - for most of the 21st century these two teams have been the dominant powers of the English game. However, times have changed as money and success has gone to other clubs. Not only did they both fail to win the Premier League last season, neither qualified for the Champions League and Chelsea failed to get into Europe at all. Although it's still early days, neither are in the top four again. However, a win for the Blues and a set of freak results elsewhere could see them end the week back on top

FA Vase First Round
Wadham Lodge v Hertford Town @2pm - the alternative to the glitz of Stamford Bridge can be found at Wadham Lodge Sports Ground up in the wilds of Walthamstow. The hosts have so far failed to show the form that propelled them to a top-six finish in last season's Essex Senior League but should be more than capable of giving Hertford a game

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 within the London area for this blog then get in touch. I also very much welcome photos of your football travels.

Got any questions about visiting London? Don't hesitate to ask - be they football or more general travel/touristy queries.

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

Bring on the Weekend

One of my Home Goods finds the other day.

Happy Friday, everyone! After surviving a miserable migraine last night I am SO ready for this weekend. I really don't get migraines very often, maybe a couple times a year but last night's was brutal. It started coming on around 3pm and I finally felt better around 8pm. Let me just say this- it's bad enough to have your head hurt, but trying to take care of a little baby while your head hurts? OMG. Here's to hoping I don't have to deal with that again for a very long time. 

Jared and I have a free weekend, but also have some exciting things on the calendar for the next few days. Our neighborhood has a little Halloween fest that we plan to check out tomorrow. Am I a terrible person if we don't put T in a costume this year? I thought about getting him one but they are honestly too expensive for something he'll likely have on for a couple of hours this year. Heck, he goes to bed before Trick-or-Treating even starts and we don't have any parties to go to this year. If I see a cute pair of Halloween pj's I might snag those for him to wear but that's about it.

We also are having a contractor come out to the house to do some measurements for one of the house projects I mentioned we were getting started on. I am super pumped about the changes and updates that are to come! Other than those couple of things though, we are hoping for time to get some fall yardwork done, drop off more donation boxes (YES!) and do some major meal prepping. By the way, I made these baked chicken tenders this week and they were phenomenal.

Are the temperatures jumping back up again where you live? We've had temperatures down in the 60s all week but the next few days we're going right back up to 80. Ohio, you are so weird. ;) Today's post is short and sweet because I've got a squishy little boy to play with and then a coffee date to get to. Enjoy your weekend, friends!

Blog Posts I Haven't Hit Publish On

Alyssa has a fun link-up going now through November 11th and it's one of the most unique ones out there! She calls it a non-challenge challenge :) She gave 10 prompts and you can post about any of them anytime you want in that time frame. Less pressure to get them all in, or write them on certain days- but great blogging inspiration and great topic ideas. I'm snagging one off her list today... all the things I want to write a blog post about but haven't been able to hit publish on them yet.

A hair tutorial. I'll admit that I'm not that awesome at hair, but mainly due to a lack of trying to be awesome at hair. However, I did a really cute style months ago, took photos and everything but when I started writing about it everything seemed too hard to explain. Tutorials are apparently not my thing.

Detailed budget posts. If you've been reading for awhile you know about our alter egos Sallie & Perkins and I'd say we've been pretty open about how much debt we had and paid off. There is still more I'd like to share, but I struggle with where to draw the line with public finance stuff. Often I feel like people have gotten the wrong impression re: these posts so sometimes I just want to be completely transparent and put ALL the numbers out there. And then I quickly change my mind ;)

The Presidential election. Okay, I actually really don't want to give my opinion but sometimes I just wanna hammer away on a keyboard and let the world hear it. Because that would do a lot of good. (That's my sarcastic font in case you can't tell.) 

How I REALLY feel about my son's birth and the way it happened. Now, I know what you're thinking... Erin you wrote THREE posts about it how could you have more to say?! Trust me, I do. And it's in a messy, emotional post that will likely never see the light of day.

Pet peeves of mine. This post is 100% written and edited, but it feels too mean to actually post. I didn't intend for it to sound that mean so it needs some work, obviously. Maybe I can soften it up so as not to offend anyone. I mean, everyone has pet peeves, right?!

Adoption. My niece was adopted at birth and she is one of my favorite little people in the world :) She's almost 3 1/2 now, by the way. (!!) Adoption is such an incredible thing and I wish I had the words to share more about it. Recently, Jared's cousin and her husband became foster parents with hopes of fostering to adopt. They have already welcomed multiple kids into their home and it's so cool to know what an impact they're having on these children. My hope is that Jared and I could foster or adopt one day as well.

SAHM Life: Reality vs Perception. I'm still adjusting to being a stay-at-home mom. It was only a couple of months ago that I decided to leave my job and many days that is still difficult to grasp. Being at home is wonderful but definitely has it's challenges.

How amazing Jared is. Sometimes I really want to write all these mushy, gushy posts about him because he is seriously THE.BEST. But I know many things are best kept to ourselves and I always want to respect his privacy as well. Just know that I'm pretty fond of my husband ;)

I think I'll stop there. What have you always wanted to post about but haven't yet??

Why I Don't Go Shopping

You might have seen me mention it on Instagram over the weekend, but a very wonderful thing happened to me. A wonderful thing for me, potentially a very bad thing for Jared. Let me start by saying that I'm not a big shopper. When I go out to a store, I am on a specific mission. Perhaps my black flats finally fell apart and it's time to replace them. I set out in search of replacement shoes, find the shoes, purchase, leave the store. Or maybe I'm shopping for a gift for someone else. Nine times out of ten I shop online for that gift but if I go looking for a gift in person, I am pretty confident I already know exactly what I'm buying.

There were days long ago that I wasn't like this. Days where I loved a good session at the mall. In fact, I once wrote a paper in 4th grade about how the mall was my favorite place to go. I kid you not, that paper existed and it was multiple pages long about each of my favorite stores and which flavor of Dippin' Dots I usually purchase. But those were the days where I didn't have bills, I did have an allowance and my favorite shirts at American Eagle were probably like, $8.99 at the time.

But let's get back to why this weekend was so monumental. You see, I stumbled upon the Home Goods store that opened up in our area over the summer. I hadn't been out that way in awhile and I mentioned to Jared that I'd been meaning to check it out. Bless his heart he told me to go for it while he and T held down the fort so off I went!

And you guys... I FELL IN LOVE. Fell in love right then and there with that store. I had been in the store maybe 5 minutes before I texted Jared that I was ready to redecorate our whole house. I now understand the obsession. So many cute things at good prices... holy cow I was in trouble. My cart was filled up in no time at all. Of course, me still being the non-shopper shopper I'd add a few things to the cart, put a few back; add something else into the mix, decide to let one thing go. It was a very back and forth trip- thank goodness for the "back" because otherwise I might have drained our bank account.

I am now convinced that Home Goods has magical powers. I saw things like this giant acorn and suddenly I was racking my brain for where I could put it in our tiny tri-level. I grabbed every notebook that I remotely liked and had them in my cart before I let myself think of how many I already had at home. 

And don't get me started on the holiday stuff floating around... Of course I needed every Halloween candy dish, every Thanksgiving-related wooden sign and I'll for sure be back soon for the Christmas penguin salt and pepper shakers that will never be used. Sidenote- does anyone else think their shopping carts need to be larger or is that just me... ?

My friends... this is why I don't go shopping.

TLFG: 10-16 October 2016

For the second week running I managed to spend my Saturday afternoon at a real live football match.

After enjoying Harrow Borough's FA Cup win over Winchester last week, this time I found myself at Champion Hill for the Ryman League fixture between Dulwich Hamlet and Bognor Regis Town.

The south-east London club had decided to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street and the Spanish Civil War by holding a 'Trade Union Day' with the members of any union gaining entry for just £4 (a discount of 60%). 

I've never really been into the whole union thing but at my place of work it's the done thing to join and I signed up just over a year ago. So with membership card in hand, I went to claim my discount.

Having been to Dulwich several times over the last few years, I've become used to having to join a sizeable queue at the turnstiles (unlike at many other non-league grounds) as their various promotions have really captured the local community's attention.

A large crowd packed into Champion Hill on Saturday as Dulwich's Trade Union Day promotion paid off

Bognor, one of the better teams in the division, brought a sizeable following of their own and were in good voice throughout and they had reason to be as they gave an accomplished performance which saw them run out 3-1 winners. 

Despite defeat, the crowd of 2,217 and the funds they injected into the club's coffers probably softened the disappointment.

The Hamlet have had their detractors over the last two or three years for becoming too hipster, too middle class, too politically left wing or whatever but some might say so what? During that period they've gone from being just another club to the biggest one in the league with their average attendance of just under 1,000 almost double that of anyone else in the Ryman Premier. To be fair, you can't even accuse the new fans of being glory hunters as they haven't won anything during that time. 

When you also consider clubs like Crystal Palace and Millwall are on their doorstep and Chelsea aren't a million miles away, to get these crowds is even more of an achievement.

Maybe things were a little too political yesterday for many clubs and some fans but it worked because Dulwich seem to understand their audience and know how to use the tools that will help them reach them.

I believe that in the current footballing and economic climate, more clubs should be able to grow in a similar way but it does take vision, a strong connection with the local community, manpower, a willingness to do things differently and the commitment to see things through. As friends at Dulwich have told me, this success hasn't happened overnight.

Harrow Borough, my own favourites, have started to try and boost attendances too with some promotions of their own. On Saturday they decided to offer half-price entry to anyone going to England v Malta at nearby Wembley Stadium. To make sure this would work for all parties, they brought forward kick-off in their match against Billericay to 1pm. Although the crowd was nothing like that at Dulwich it was probably about 30-35% up on what they've been getting for most games this season which is significant.

If any other clubs want to do something, a great way to start is by trying to exploit an international break when there are football fans - stadium going and armchair - who will be without their normal clubs and a percentage of them will definitely want to watch something else instead. The next one is on Saturday 12 November so if your club are interested, you've got just over a month to pull something together. Please ask if you'd like any advice or suggestions.

That's it from me. Sadly I'm working this weekend otherwise I'd be at Earlsmead for Harrow's hugely important FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round tie against as yet to be decided opposition. Come on the Boro!

THE WEEK AHEAD

There are well over 90 matches in the London area over the next week as the Premier League and Championship make their return. The FA Cup is back, there are some FA Trophy replays as well as games in several county and minor league cups.

However, please make sure you check with clubs before you travel just in case a game has been called off or venue has been changed. 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 (white 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 (e.g. clubs in the Conference South).

MIDWEEK MATCH MAP
Yellow pin - Monday fixtures
Green pin - Tuesday fixtures
Magenta pin - Wednesday fixtures
Purple pin - Thursday fixtures
Black pin - Friday fixtures

WEEKEND MATCH MAP
Blue pin - Saturday fixtures

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 10 October

Professional Development League
Millwall v Leeds United @2pm - the U23 sides of these two former top-flight clubs meet at The Den in a lunchtime game with adult tickets priced at £5

Combined Counties League Premier Division
Sutton Common Rovers v Westfield @745pm - SCR have made a disappointing start to the season and face a tough challenge from Woking-based Westfield who will go top if they win their two games in hand

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Tuesday 11 October

Professional Development League
Crystal Palace v Huddersfield Town @1pm - there's more U23 action at Selhurst Park which means you can catch a game at a Premier League ground for £5

FA Trophy Preliminary Round Replay
Greenwich Borough v VCD Athletic @745pm - after fighting out a 1-1 draw on Saturday, these two clubs from south-east London have another go on Tuesday

Ryman League Division 1 North
Phoenix Sports v Haringey Borough @745pm - elsewhere on the south-east side of town Phoenix have made a superb start to the season and are already five points clear at the top, see if they can extend that lead here

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Wednesday 12 October

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Hadley v Edgware Town @745pm - the hosts did superbly well to get to the third qualifying round of the FA Cup before bowing out to Eastbourne Borough after a replay. Consequently they've fallen behind with their league fixtures and are at the wrong end of the division but they are still above local rivals Edgware going into this derby

Essex Senior League

Sporting Bengal United v Clapton @745pm - there's another derby at Mile End Stadium but this time of the East End variety. The Tons usually take a strong and lively following with them which should generate a bit of atmosphere

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Thursday 13 October

FA Trophy Preliminary Round Replay
Carshalton Athletic v Cray Wanderers @745pm - after thrashing out an entertaining 3-3 draw in the original tie on Sunday, these two Ryman League rivals will hopefully provide another entertaining game on what is an otherwise quiet night UPDATE (12/10/16): MATCH POSTPONED

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Friday 14 October

Premier League 2
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City @7pm - the weekend gets underway with this very attractive looking game between the respective U23 sides of the top two teams in the Premier League. Tickets for the game, being played at White Hart Lane, are just £5 but it would seem they are only available until 5pm on Friday afternoon so buy in advance
Arsenal v Southampton @7pm - if Spurs aren't your bag, then you can catch their arch rivals' youngsters in action the same night up at Boreham Wood where the Saints' highly talented side pay a visit

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Saturday 15 October

Premier League
Chelsea v Leicester City @1230pm - the Blues have, by their high standards, made a disappointing start to the season and are already five points off title pace. On Saturday they welcome the reigning league champions who have so far struggled to replicate that form but will no doubt be well up for this one
Crystal Palace v West Ham United @530pm - these two London rivals have almost swapped the roles they played at the end of last season with Palace now pushing towards the Europa League places and the Hammers fighting the drop. It is of course early days but the visitors badly need a win
Arsenal v Swansea City @3pm - the Gunners could go top with a win against the struggling Swans who welcome new manager Bob Bradley into the dugout

Championship
Queens Park Rangers v Reading @3pm - QPR return from the international break with a tough derby game against the Royals who are fancied to be among the play-off contenders this year

League One
AFC Wimbledon v Swindon Town @3pm - after an iffy start to life in the third tier, the Dons have upped their game and are now only two points off the play-off places, the form guide suggests they should win here

League Two
Leyton Orient v Luton Town @3pm - the O's are a club in trouble and are going through managers like they're going out of fashion. They were a penalty shoot-out away from a place in the Championship a couple of years ago but now they look all set for a dramatic fall into non-league football if things don't pick up soon. The visiting Hatters know full well what that feels like after a very traumatic decade but they're on their way back up and start as firm favourites

FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round - this is the final round before the pro clubs from League One and League Two enter. It is therefore absolutely massive for the 64 non-league clubs who've made it this far - in some cases it could be the biggest game in their history. With £12,500 awarded to the winners of each tie, the gate receipts from a larger than normal attendance and the promise of a potentially even bigger pay day in the next round, the incentives to progress are huge

Sutton United v Forest Green Rovers @3pm - the U's have landed the toughest opposition they could've drawn with National League leaders FGR coming to Gander Green Lane. It will be tricky but Sutton should take confidence from the fact that they drew their away league game against the Gloucestershire outfit
Dagenham & Redbridge v Wealdstone @3pm - in many ways this tie appeals to me more than the one above as it pits two TLFG clubs from the far east and west of London against each other. The Daggers were a Football League club this time last year and look like strong contenders to bounce straight back up. The Stones play in the division below but cheered on by a sizeable and vocal following, should make life hard for their hosts
Boreham Wood v Hendon @3pm - these two are local rivals and used to meet regularly in the Ryman League but after a few truly great years, the Wood are now two divisions above the Greens in the National League. Given this and the fact they have home advantage it should be a foregone conclusion but with Hendon having already seen off the likes of Dulwich Hamlet and AFC Rushden & Diamonds it might not be
Welling United v Whitehawk @3pm - the FA Cup has provided the Wings with some relief from their otherwise disappointing season. Relegated into the National League South at the end of last season, they are in danger of going down again but have bagged nine goals in their two ties so far to raise spirits. Whitehawk are a much tougher proposition than Swindon Supermarine and Whyteleafe were but are also among the NLS strugglers so can be beaten
Harrow Borough v Margate @3pm - the draw has been kind to Boro so far, landing them lower division opposition in the three previous rounds. Given who they could've got, they've been pretty lucky again. Margate won the Ryman Premier play-offs a couple of years ago and, with some significant investment behind them, looked like a club who could be going places. That financing ended last season and they're no longer quite the side they were. However, as they play in the division above Harrow, they should still start as favourites here
Egham Town v St Albans City @3pm - hailing from the eighth tier, the Sarnies are one of the lowest ranked teams left in the competition and it's been 25 years since they last reached this stage so this is really big for them. The Saints play two divisions above and are among the promotion contenders so it will be quite an upset if Egham win

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