Eddie Howe has revealed that even he has not had a glimpse of what Newcastle United's new crest could look like.
One week on from the Magpies announcing they were looking to rebrand the badge that has served them well since 1988, Newcastle are consulting supporters on their decision to change the club crest. And Howe made it clear that it should be the fans who make the call on what changes.
When quizzed for his thoughts on the new crest, Howe, speaking at his Press conference ahead of the trip to Arsenal, said: "It was one of surprise, because I had no idea myself. I’ll be interested to see it, what that actually looks like.
"I’ve said many times, whether talking about St James’ Park or whatever the theme, I’m a great believer in respecting tradition and history.
"But then, you have to try and move forward. If something needs to be changed for the betterment of the club, then I’m all for that."
Newcastle held a workshop at St James' Park with club chiefs this week ruling out both a circular badge and the possibility of using a clunkier crest that was leaked prematurely. Howe believes it must fall on the fans to decide.
He added: "The great thing that I took from it was the collaboration between the supporters - that has to be there. It cannot be done without their consent."
A club statement issued last week read: "As our club grows on the global stage, the symbol that represents us needs to be able to keep pace. It needs to show up clearly and confidently across everything – from kits to screens to merchandise.
"So, we’ve been asking ourselves: how well does our current crest represent the club today? And how well will it serve us tomorrow? It’s time to update our crest. This isn’t a decision we take lightly. We love our crest. It’s iconic and has stood us through unforgettable triumphs and testing times.
"But it was created in a different era. Its intricate design doesn’t always translate well in today’s digital world. And it’s difficult to reproduce it clearly and consistently."