Peterborough United FC

So, Peterborough have today announced their new rebrand. The team behind it have given a fairly good account of themselves on a YouTube video that I'll stick in the comments. Despite their careful groundwork it appears to have divided opinion with some saying it is underwhelming or too similar to Chelsea's badge. Personally I think if you see it with the words POSH beneath it then it starts to make more sense and it grows on you. Slowly.

But - this would appear therefore to be the perfect time to #GetTheBadgeIn for Peterborough's existing crest before this minimalist version takes over and potentially buries some of the symbolism that the current one has linking it to the town.

So, let's see what we can discover about The Posh:

Peterborough United came into being in 1934 at a meeting in the Angel Hotel, filling the void left by the defunct Peterborough & Fletton United. That club had grown out of earlier sides like Peterborough City and Fletton United, who played just south of the River Nene at the London Road ground, in a part of the city best known for its brickmaking. It’s no surprise, then, that early nicknames like The Brickies and The Clay Dobblers stuck.

The now-iconic name The Posh emerged from a 1921 appeal by player-manager Pat Tirrel for “posh players for a posh new team”. Initially said tounge in cheek, it was soon taken on with pride. When Peterborough United kicked off in green shirts (donated by local shop Trollopes) and beat Gainsborough Trinity 4–1, the nickname began to take root. By 1937, the club switched to its now familiar blue and white, after fans complained green was unlucky. The board’s response? “Pay for blue shirts and we will wear blue shirts.” So they did and crowd funded a new kit. And The Posh were here to stay.

Peterborough itself has ancient foundations—quite literally. Once a Roman route stop, it grew into a significant Anglo-Saxon religious centre. King Penda of Mercia chose it as the site for Medeshamstede Monastery in 654 AD. Rededicated to St Peter, the area eventually became known as St Peter’s Borough—hence the city’s name. It weathered Viking raids, flourished under Norman rule, and developed a patchwork of medieval walls and gates, though never fully enclosed. Street names like Cowgate and Westgate recall those days. Today, most of those defences are gone, but the spirit remains.

Adapted from the city’s coat of arms, Peterborough United’s badge displays a pair of crossed keys, a reference to St Peter—holder of the keys to Heaven, as described in Matthew 16:19:

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven"

It’s a powerful symbol of authority and spiritual responsibility. You’ll find it echoed across English heritage, from local pubs named The Cross Keys to private schools (Cranleigh down in Surrey is next to a St Peter's Church and displays the keys in its badge).

The gold crown above the shield represents the city’s historic defences. It’s styled after town walls—specifically the kind that once marked Peterborough’s medieval limits. Though much of the stone is long gone, the crown keeps that memory alive.

Flanking the badge are two lions, drawn from the heraldry of the Marquess of Exeter—once the Lord Paramount of Peterborough.

On the older badge the design mimicked the city coat of arms more precisely and you can see their wings nod to the eagle supporters of the first Earl of Peterborough, and the stars come from his arms too. The lions rest their paws on tree trunks—a nod to the Fitzwilliam family, whose estate shaped much of the local landscape.

The club’s motto, “Upon This Rock”, is both spiritual and historical. It refers to Jesus’ words to Peter in Matthew 16:18:

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church"

Fitting for a city founded around a monastery dedicated to St Peter, and for a club built on foundations. In the more recent badge, the lions even stand on a rocky outcrop—visual confirmation of both foundation and faith.

No badge is complete without the people behind it. Peterborough United’s history features familiar names: Barry Fry, the exuberant manager-turned-director; Jimmy Bullard, who brought flair before finding fame on and off the pitch; and Darren Ferguson—long-serving gaffer and son of Sir Alex—who has steered the club through numerous promotions with understated competence.

So there it is. A badge full of faith, history, brick dust, lion paws, and blue shirts bought by the fans.

Peterborough United. Upon this rock, they built a club.

Let's hope the redesign doesn't forgot that.