Boycotting Man City fans make their absence felt at Wembley despite 'sell-out'

It took 50 minutes for the first rendition of Blue Moon at Wembley, but that may have been because much of the Community Shield felt like a stereotypical friendly.

While there was a competitive game between Manchester City and Arsenal, with a trophy on offer, the afternoon felt subdued at times as could possibly be expected in early August after both sides had returned from energy-sapping pre-season tours.

Both sides claimed sell-outs of their respective ends at Wembley, although there were plenty of red seats dotted around the whole stadium, especially in the upper tiers.

Some City fans had tried to encourage a boycott of this game, until the club put the tickets on general sale ahead of schedule and sold out. The absence of supporters who did stay away was still felt even if their seats were taken.

ALSO READ: Guardiola spots 'incredible' Man City trait vs Arsenal that will help them

That isn't to say the City end was deadly silent for 90 minutes. There was some noise ahead of kick-off, as would be expected, and the volume rose whenever the Blues were on the attack. In the second half, there felt like a need to get behind the team to spark them back into life, with the fans responding.

It must be said that many in the City end are regulars, and follow the team everywhere. Some simply didn't want to boycott, and others were at Wembley to see the treble-winners having been unable to see the FA Cup or Champions League finals. It could have been the first chance for some fans to see City at Wembley, and those who don't often attend could turn into match-goers in the future.

The boycott calls were always good-natured and respectful of fans who wanted to attend. Those who did go will have been welcomed and can say they've