A group of Manchester City supporters have called on their fellow fans to boycott the team’s Community Shield clash with Arsenal in August.
City brought a gruelling 61-game campaign to a close last week with victory in the Champions League final, but already fans are looking forward to next season.
Pep Guardiola’s side will return to competitive action on August 6, when they take on Arsenal in the Community Shield at Wembley.
However, it looks like many of the club’s most loyal supporters won’t be in attendance to see their heroes kick off the new season.
The scheduling of the match has drawn criticism from supporters due to the lack of travel options back to Manchester after the game.
The match will kick-off on Sunday 6 August at 17:30 and will be broadcast live on ITV1.
Supporters wishing to watch the whole match but still return to Manchester that evening will realistically have to catch the 21:25 or 21:48 services from London Euston.
Both are scheduled to arrive at Manchester Piccadilly after midnight on the morning of Monday 7 August, making it difficult for those with work commitments or children to attend.
As was the case before City beat Manchester United in the FA Cup final last month, some have also questioned the Football Association’s decision to stage the match at Wembley.
A leading City supporter’s group – the 1894 Group – has now called on City fans to boycott the fixture.
On Saturday they published a statement on their social media channels that read:
“The 17:30 kick-off time presents significant travel challenges from Manchester, making it difficult for many loyal supporters to attend.
“It’s time match-going fans were treated as a priority rather than an afterthought.
“By boycotting this fixture we aim to send a strong message to the FA and ITV about the impact scheduling has on fans.
“Our collective absence from the stadium will demonstrate our discontent and advocate for fairer game times in the future.
“We understand the love and dedication you have for City but we believe that our collective action will bring about positive change.
“We ask fans, who are in a position to do so, to make either a £10 donation, or the equivalent cost of a match ticket, to MCFCFoodbank or another local charity.”
The statement is signed by the 1894 Group, MCFC Fans Foodbank Support City and representatives of City Matters – the club’s elected fan network – Alex Howell, Daniel Bowlder and Mike Ash.
To donate to MCFC Fans Foodbank Support – a group of City fans who collect donations and pass them on to foodbanks in Manchester – visit their JustGiving page.
