Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe (Image: Gareth Fuller)
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe (Image: Gareth Fuller)
EDDIE Howe says Newcastle United's club crest announcement last week came as a "surprise", with the head coach unaware of the plans to change the badge.
But Howe is glad to see the club's supporters playing a central role in the process of selecting a new crest, with the head coach saying: "It cannot be done without their consent".
Newcastle last week revealed their plans to update the crest, with the club citing the need to "keep pace" as the "club grows on the global stage".
A workshop was then held at St James' Park this week, with club chiefs explaining their thinking to supporters and outlining the next steps. Bosses ruled out a circular badge and insisted they will take as long as required to ensure the final product pleases as many fans as possible.
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A crest was leaked earlier this week which Newcastle bosses confirmed had been looked at by the club, but club chiefs insist that isn't the final product and supporters will have their say on how the badge looks.
Newcastle United Supporters Trust last week wrote to chief executive Darren Eales to express their "concern" at the survey issued to supporters.
The letter said the survey is "framed in an incredibly leading manner throughout, and it is hard to see how any meaningful fan engagement or reliable conclusions can be drawn from it".
Boss Howe was asked for his thoughts on the matter in his press conference on Friday morning, and 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.
"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."
Explaining the thinking behind the decision, Newcastle said in a statement last week: "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.
"As football and the world changes, so too must the symbol that unites us."