Villa To Host Community Shield

www.avfc.co.uk have announced that Villa Park will host the FA Community Shield on Sunday August 12 2012

The game, played the week before we all kick off, will be between FA Cup winners Chelsea and Barclays Premier League champions Manchester City

Villa CEO Paul Faulkner said: ‘All football fans will know that Villa Park is an iconic stadium with wonderful facilities and a rich heritage of staging England internationals, FA Cup semi-finals and big-occasion games. We’re proud of our pitch – the best in the country – and we are confident that Villa Park will provide a great stage for what I’m sure will be an entertaining start to the new season, a new season that we are all excited about and looking forward to.”

Alex Horne, General Secretary of the FA, said: ‘Villa Park is one of English football’s most iconic grounds and has a wonderful tradition of hosting some of the game’s biggest matches, including 16 England internationals and 55 FA Cup semi-finals. Once we knew the Olympic football schedule, we worked hard to secure a suitable alternative venue for The FA Community Shield 2012 and we are delighted that Aston Villa have agreed to host the season’s traditional curtain-raiser.’

Full details: www.avfc.co.uk

Didn’t it used to be called the charity shield?!