Editing FA Community Shield (section)

==Status==
Serving as England's [[super cup]] between the previous season's [[Premier League]] champions and [[FA Cup]] winners, the Community Shield is regarded as the "curtain-raiser" and is the first competitive game of each top-flight English football season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11715/10676765/leeds-united-englands-13th-biggest-club-according-to-sky-sports-study|title=Leeds United England's 12th biggest club, according to Sky Sports study|access-date=26 February 2018|archive-date=28 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228210113/http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11715/10676765/leeds-united-englands-13th-biggest-club-according-to-sky-sports-study|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="espnfc1">{{cite web |url=http://www.espnfc.com/english-fa-community-shield/story/2923662/community-shield-will-not-be-a-friendly-game-leicesters-claudio-ranieri |title=Community Shield will not be a friendly game – Leicester's Claudio Ranieri |work=ESPN FC |date=3 August 2015 |access-date=7 August 2016 |archive-date=30 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180730081222/http://www.espnfc.com/english-fa-community-shield/story/2923662/community-shield-will-not-be-a-friendly-game-leicesters-claudio-ranieri |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.manutd.com/en/Community-Shield/United-in-the-Community/2016/Aug/Match-preview-Leicester-City-v-Manchester-United-Community-Shield-7-August-2016.aspx |title=Match Preview: 2016 FA Community Shield |publisher=Manchester United |date=4 August 2016 |access-date=7 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180518064641/http://www.manutd.com/en/Community-Shield/United-in-the-Community/2016/Aug/Match-preview-Leicester-City-v-Manchester-United-Community-Shield-7-August-2016.aspx |archive-date=18 May 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, it has been treated with varying degrees of seriousness by participating teams, with some using it similarly to [[friendly match|friendlies]] in their pre-season schedule – as an opportunity to give match practice to fringe members of their squads or those returning from injury. BBC Sport pundit [[Mark Lawrenson]] and ''The Guardian'' writer Tom Bryant both described the match as a "glorified friendly".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6932349.stm |title=Lawro's Community Shield verdict |access-date=19 October 2009 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=5 August 2007 |first=Mark |last=Lawrenson |archive-date=2 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802140757/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6932349.stm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/aug/09/chelsea-manchester-united |title=Chelsea v Manchester United – Community Shield as it happened |access-date=19 October 2009 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=9 August 2009 |location=London |first=Tom |last=Bryant |archive-date=9 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109024655/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/aug/09/chelsea-manchester-united |url-status=live }}</ref> Prior to the [[2008 FA Community Shield]], Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson summarised his opinion of the competition: "The Community Shield is a prestigious match but I have used players in it who were not quite fit... it's always a game we never quite use as a do or die thing; we use it as a barometer for fitness".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jPX7BZK3glaCaTldgAxzq9AoaDfw |title=Relaxed Manchester United to take on Portsmouth at Wembley |access-date=10 August 2008 |date=9 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080813113120/http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jPX7BZK3glaCaTldgAxzq9AoaDfw |archive-date=13 August 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/8/main/2008/08/08/810091/neville-and-carrick-to-feature-in-community-shield|title=Neville And Carrick To Feature in Community Shield|website=goal.com|access-date=26 February 2018|archive-date=26 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226211616/http://www.goal.com/en/news/8/main/2008/08/08/810091/neville-and-carrick-to-feature-in-community-shield|url-status=live}}</ref>

Others, however, continue to recognise the status of the match as the first official game and trophy of the domestic season.<ref>{{cite web |last=Banks |first=Tony |url=http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/595646/Chelsea-John-Terry-Community-Shield-Arsenal-Petr-Cech |title=Chelsea's John Terry rues Community Shield defeat to Arsenal |website=Daily Express |date=3 August 2015 |access-date=7 August 2016 |archive-date=5 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305081252/http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/595646/Chelsea-John-Terry-Community-Shield-Arsenal-Petr-Cech |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Tweedale |first=Alistair |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/11773513/Community-Shield-2015-Why-winning-would-give-Chelsea-or-Arsenal-an-early-edge-in-Premier-League-title-race.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/11773513/Community-Shield-2015-Why-winning-would-give-Chelsea-or-Arsenal-an-early-edge-in-Premier-League-title-race.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Community Shield 2015: Why winning would give Chelsea or Arsenal an early edge in Premier League title race |work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London |date=31 July 2015 |access-date=7 August 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cityam.com/1407685653/arsenal-3-0-manchester-city-does-winning-community-shield-mean-successful-season |title=After Arsenal's win, how often do Community/Charity Shield winners win the Premier League? |work=City A.M. |date=11 August 2014 |access-date=7 August 2016 |archive-date=8 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208082619/http://www.cityam.com/1407685653/arsenal-3-0-manchester-city-does-winning-community-shield-mean-successful-season |url-status=live }}</ref> Ahead of the [[2016 FA Community Shield]] against Manchester United, Leicester City manager [[Claudio Ranieri]] asked, "Why do you say this question, a friendly? When is the Community Shield a friendly? Of course we will be at the maximum and Manchester United will be at their maximum. The two teams want to win. I am very excited."<ref name="espnfc1"/> The following year, [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] manager [[Antonio Conte]] affirmed the significance of the cup, stating "It is not a friendly game. It is an official game and there is a trophy so for us it must be important" ahead of his side's clash with [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.com/chelsea/story/3169492/antonio-conte-chelsea-players-very-tired-following-preseason-tour-of-asia|title=Antonio Conte: Chelsea players 'very tired' following preseason tour of Asia|date=31 July 2017 |access-date=2 August 2017|archive-date=28 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230428181307/https://www.espn.com/soccer/chelsea/story/3169492/antonio-conte-chelsea-players-very-tired-following-preseason-tour-of-asia|url-status=live}}</ref> Likewise in 2018, [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] manager [[Pep Guardiola]] referred to his side's clash with Chelsea in the competition as "the first final" of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/07/27/pep-guardiola-says-man-citys-world-cup-players-cut-short-holidays/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/07/27/pep-guardiola-says-man-citys-world-cup-players-cut-short-holidays/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Pep Guardiola says Man City's World Cup players cut short holidays to prepare for new season|first=Steve|last=Brenner|date=28 July 2018|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref>