Sport & Fitness

List of all matches

Last December, Lib Dem MP Bob Russell proposed a House of Commons motion that festive fixture-making should keep travelling to a minimum. His call was in response to such unseasonal gestures as Spurs vs Newcastle on New Year’s Eve. There’s a myth that it never used to be like this, but the famous Boxing Day programme of 1963, when ten First Division fixtures produced 66 goals, included West Ham vs not-very-local Blackburn (2-8) and Fulham vs Ipswich (10-1). The teams then had to travel for the returns two days later. Feature continues

Heed seems to have been taken this year, despite anomalies like Crystal Palace vs Sunderland on the Friday night before Christmas. As a result, there are some intriguing games in prospect, none more so than the down-table Premiership clashes involving Fulham, Charlton, Watford and West Ham. Lovers of the macabre should note that tickets are still available for most of the matches involving this quartet.

Non-member Arsenal and Spurs fans must, however, be content with TV coverage as both sides bid to haul themselves into Champions League contention – while there may be a few restricted view seats for Chelsea’s home games against Reading and Fulham.

Lower-division football has its appeal at this time of year since admission is easy for casual spectators. However, the picture for the capital’s clubs is remarkably bleak: every one is in the bottom third of their respective division. In the Coca-Cola Championship, Crystal Palace have surprisingly struggled since Peter Taylor took charge at Selhurst Park, while Queens Park Rangers are reliant on loanees to stay out of the relegation zone.

In Coca-Cola League 1, Millwall at least have an FA Cup run to cheer (though a third-round trip to Stoke could be seen as some sort of punishment), while Leyton Orient’s promotion bubble burst weeks ago. Brentford, meanwhile, parted company with manager Leroy Rosenior but the Bees board have demanded more time for interviews. Since all the main candidates have failed elsewhere, it’s a case of finding the least worst option to prevent the club joining Barnet in League 2 where London’s other Bees are desperate to avoid more last-day dramas to preserve their status.

This, though, is not the time to be miserable. The transfer window opens again soon, generating fevered speculation and top-flight bosses splashing sums on foreign players that could keep their lesser brethren in business for a year, while referees’ new year resolution to clamp down on diving will be challenged that same afternoon by Didier Drogba.

Full details of all matches in London over the festive season