Detroit FC

As an Ipswich fan and former academy host, I’ve followed the progress of young players as they advance in their careers. One such talent is Ben Morris, who had a stellar academy goal-scoring record and regularly played for England’s U17s. Despite not making the Ipswich first team, he was loaned to Forest Green and then to the Swedish club GAIS before joining @DetroitCityFC in the @USLChampionship. If that sounds familiar, it’s because this is the same league as Ipswich's sister club, Phoenix Rising.

In their honour, let’s take a closer look at Detroit FC, their badge, and their journey - #GetTheBadgeIn

To begin with, this club has an inspiring origin story. It began as the Detroit City Futbol League (DCFL), a local community football league founded by Sean Mann, who still serves as CEO. Mann created the league to unite Detroit’s diverse communities through a shared love of football, bringing together teams from various backgrounds. In interviews, he recalls how the league featured groups from all walks of life, bringing together people who might not otherwise cross paths. It doesn’t matter where you come from – you can always argue if something was offside or not.

However, to understand the significance of this in the Detroit context, a quick Google search for "Detroit abandoned buildings" shows that this city has not had the best half-century. Once the USA’s "Motor City" that hosted @Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler, Detroit was a magnet for ambitious workers and families from around the world. Ford’s Model T, and arguably the world’s first assembly line, were produced here. It even created its own musical genre – the songs from Detroit would come to be known as #Motown (short for Motor Town).

Today, however, Detroit faces huge challenges and is part of America’s Trump-supporting "Rust Belt" – a place where poverty, frustration, and resentment at economic decline can all too easily manifest in negative ways.

Enter the heroes: community action groups like the DCFL. Building on their good works in the community and the large numbers attracted to the game, they eventually spawned a more professional flag-bearer team – Detroit City FC. Formed in 2012, they initially played in local leagues (winning the “Rust Belt Trophy” a few times) before joining the USL Championship in 2021. In 2024, they announced the purchase of land for a new stadium in the city, planned to open in 2027. The new stadium will be on the site of a closed hospital – a massive urban regeneration project that will continue the club’s positive impact on rebuilding this once-mighty city.

But enough about the club’s history – what about the badge?

Starting with the Fleur-de-Lys pattern in the background, this symbol pays homage to Detroit's French roots, as the city was founded by French settlers in 1701. Previously, the area was controlled by the Iroquois, but they had recently been weakened by conflicts with other tribes in the "Beaver Wars” (smirk). This opened an opportunity for the French, who established a settlement and named it "Detroit," meaning "strait" in French, referring to the Detroit River, a narrow waterway connecting Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie.

The French connection is further honoured through the colour – dark red – taken from the River Rouge, which runs through the city and flows into the larger Detroit River. The river is also home to Ford’s ‘River Rouge Complex.’ Over the years, this mega-factory has produced everything from Model T components to anti-submarine patrol boats during WWI, B-24 Liberator bombers in WWII, and, more recently, electric vehicles.

Lastly, the giant golden figure in the centre of the badge – what’s that about? This is the ‘Spirit of Detroit,’ a large bronze statue in the heart of the city that has long symbolised Detroit. In one hand, it holds a ray of sunshine (divine light), and in the other, a representation of the people of Detroit. The figure appears on nearly all civic institution crests, such as those of the police and city council. When Detroit’s sports teams, like the @Lions (NFL) or @DetroitRedWings (NHL), achieve success, someone usually finds a jersey large enough for the statue to wear.

So, that’s Detroit City FC: a unifier of people, a powerhouse of urban regeneration, and a club steeped in colonial and industrial heritage.

Quite the badge. Let’s hope the Spirit of Detroit is soon proudly wearing the Rouge of the club.