WALTHAM Forest FC play Ilford on the opening day of the season, on August 21.

It is a fixture which proves the fooballing gods are real and that they have a delicious sense of humour.

Forest FC have been desperate to end a two-year long groundshare arrangement with Ilford FC and to return home to Wadham Lodge.

So it was inevitable that the first game of the Ryman one north campaign should pit the pair against each other, with Forest as the home side.

All this days after the Ryman League told Guardian Series Sport that the imminent ground switch could still be blocked.

That is if the Wadham Lodge ground fails its inspection by league officials, one week before kick-off.

If it does, then Forest will begin the season as hosts but at a ground owned by their opponents, again.