Detail of the Newcastle United badge next to the Adidas logo
Detail of the Newcastle United badge next to the Adidas logo
Newcastle United are set to consult fans over a change to the team's crest, with the club claiming that as its global presence increases, "the symbol that represents us needs to be able to keep pace" - but some Magpies fans in the Chronicle Live comments section are extremely wary of tinkering with an iconic logo that has been around for decades.
The current badge has been on Newcastle shirts and merchandise since 1988, and fans will help to decide its future in a upcoming consultation. The club has ruled out major changes, with a 'Refine & Revive' approach preferred to modernise and clean up the design.
“As our club grows on the global stage, the symbol that represents us needs to be able to keep pace,” read an email sent to fans. That suggests that the next iteration of the club badge will be something that has a more international appeal, with the current badge, which became synonymous with the entertainers era of the football club in the 1990s, featuring a number of elements from the city’s coat of arms.
Newcastle United will be far from the first to opt to change their badge with new and digital audiences in mind, with other top Premier League and European clubs trying to alter and simplify their crests without losing the local connections.
Some fans are dead against what they see as unnecessary tinkering or compromising with an iconic badge. Reader Toontoonblackandwhitearmy says: "The badge as it is now is a beautiful piece of cultural art, it says everything you need to know about the club and city. Changing it is only for those who know nothing of our heritage, unfortunately that's who the owners want to attract. As I've said previously its all about £££ and that's it. Shame, but that's the world we're going to have to live in if we want to be a 'big' club globally, and a dominant club in the UK and Europe."
Commenter Kaldek writes: "The current crest/badge is both awesome and majestic… not to mention uniquely distinctive as well." Hitback agrees: "Leave it alone, we love our badge."
EGMAG says: "Please don’t mess with the badge just for marketing purposes. The current badge is iconic." Gazza949 writes: "Love the badge, best one of the past 4 we have had, would be a shame to see it changed."
Others would support a redesign - or are at least curious to see what the future might bring. Reader JimBaty says: "I have the current club badge as a tattoo, but just because they will replace it, doesn't devalue the meaning of it. Just like the old coat of arms one, the NUFC round one or the magpie in a circle, all are worn with pride and have meaning. These people who own clubs are, in the long run, eventually going to go away, but the people and supporters are here to stay, regardless of the badge the 'powers that be' decided to choose."
Canuckgeordie writes: "The existing badge has only been around since 1988 in any case - it is not as if we have not changed crest before! Let's see what is proposed, and then decide."
Thescoreboard says: "I think it will be redesigned castle/magpie badge, or the NUFC logo... both have appeared on Adidas strips this season. I don't mind either, or a redesigned current crest!"
Davidfaraway writes: "The badge has changed three times in my lifetime. It wasn’t the end of the world then, and it won’t be this time. Personally I like the last two."
Have your say! If you were in charge of the badge redesign, and you had to make a change, what would it be? Comment below, and join in on the conversation.