Middlesbrough appear to have pleased almost every fan with the unveiling of their new club crest, avoiding the recent mistakes of clubs like Leeds United, who got their attempts at making a new crest wrong and quickly reversed the decision to change.
Part of Boro’s 150th anniversary celebrations, the new badge will be used from the start of next season, Designed after an 18-month planning process which included fan consultation right along the way, the feedback has been almost unanimously positive.
Our fan panel, which consists of Youtube analyst Phil Spencer, Boro Breakdown co-host Dana Malt, Boropolis co-founder Chris Cassidy and Twe12th Man member Liam McArdle, offer their verdicts below.
Phil Spencer
I'm a big fan of the change. It feels only right to mark our upcoming 150th anniversary with a change that truly honours the history and the tradition of the club. Admittedly, I had grown quite fond of out current badge, but it's great to see us go back and re-imagine it based on such a popular and iconic design. The circular design is clear and iconic. It reminds of what it was like growing up in the 90s watching Middlesbrough with a team that was a mix of a hard-working, industrial core and a sprinkling of star quality - a combination which, for me, encapsulates what I think Boro are as a team.
It feels incredibly nostalgic to see such a familiar design emerge once again and I'm pretty certain that the decision will be a big hit with supporters, so well done, Boro!
Chris Cassidy
Personally, I’m delighted with the new badge. As a match-going fan that’s only ever known the current crest, I can’t help but feel it’s become a symbol of failure for the club.
Unfortunately, since the change from the circular shape in 2007, the club have struggled on the pitch. The new badge isn’t only visually a success; I think it comes at a great time to look towards the future and hopefully a more successful period.
In regard to the circular crest returning and the design in general, I don’t think there can be any complaints. The font, shape and lion are all meaningful and have been chosen with genuine consideration for the town.
There’s not really any aspect of the badge that I’m not in favour of. It appears to be a genuinely rare case where a club has changed their badge and completely nailed the brief set by the fans. All of the social media reaction that accompanied the announcement was filled with positivity.
Even fans of other clubs were keen to wax lyrical about a club finally getting a new badge right and not producing a modernised, worse crest that made the design process feel like an embarrassing PR stunt. *Cough cough* Leeds United.
Dana Malt
I like it, and I expected to hate it. Change sometimes prompts a negative reaction like that, but I was pleasantly surprised when it was revealed. They’ve taken inspiration from Boro’s 1986 badge, which, I think, was genuinely the best move here. So many people love that badge, and so harping back to it but giving it a rework and update is smart.
I love what they’ve done with the lion. The subtle details in it, with the River Tees and Roseberry Topping, is very clever and I can appreciate the craft in that. I much prefer this lion to the previous one. The biggest change, though, is that we’ve gone back to a circular badge. So many football fans frown upon them as ‘modern garbage’, but this one’s great.
A circular badge was prominent in Middlesbrough’s halcyon days in the mid 2000s. Plenty of Boro fans grew up with that badge, so going back to a circle is a bit like joining hands with history and nostalgia. All in all, I think graphic designer Andy and illustrator Jo have done a fantastic job, and I’m looking forward to seeing the badge on the shirts from next season.
Liam McArdle
Had it not been for the club’s 150th anniversary, I’m not sure I would have been in favour of changing the badge. I’ve grown quite attached to the current one over the years, especially after not really warming to it at first. It’s become part of our identity.
That said, I really do like the new badge. A modern version of the classic 1986 design (which has always been my favourite). Especially as we won our first major trophy with that badge.
The subtle references to the River Tees, Roseberry Topping, and the famous white band are really well done. There’s been plenty of talk about adding things like the Transporter Bridge or the ships, but I think you can sometimes over complicate things.
It’s not something I’d say I’m unhappy with, but if I could tweak one thing, I’d have made the white band stand out a little more by having the top and bottom sections of the badge in red. The white band is the first thing a lot of fans look forward to seeing on the new home shirt each season. It’s another big part of our identity.
Overall, I think it’s a fantastic way to mark the club’s 150 years — a fresh, meaningful update that still respects the area and our history. I’m really looking forward to seeing the gold version on next season’s kits in the Premier League.
As well as hearing their views on particular Boro topics on Teesside Live each week, you can also hear from them further on their respective platforms. Phil Spencer runs his own Youtube channel The Boro Breakdown, which you can subscribe to here. Chris Cassidy is part of the Boropolis Podcast, Dana Malt is part of the Boro Breakdown Podcast, and Liam McArdle is part of the Twe12th Man Podcast, all of which you can listen to on all major podcast outlets.
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