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How did an Anglo-Saxon called Hwæsa, pottering about 1200 years ago outside Sunderland, end up being dragged into a #Trump made culture war in 2020? Let’s find out…   Coming up is a #NFLPreseason game between my Cincinnati @Bengals and the Washington @Commanders. All season long I will try to give the historical and symbolic meaning behind the badges of the teams we play. So let's get started with the capital's team...   The Washington Commanders. Formerly the Redskins. Three-time Super Bowl winners. One of the most iconic teams in the #NFL .   But why today are they called the Commanders?   I don’t want to get too much into why they switched. To do so risks attracting the swivel-eyed loons of the MAGA personality cult in the States (who are doing their absolute best to destroy their supposedly sacred constitution). And nobody has time for that. As a huge fan of the USA, it just makes me incredibly sad to see what is happening to it. So let’s move on.   Yes, we all know that it was deemed by many to be inappropriate and distasteful to the memory and legacy of Indigenous peoples in the USA (who, let’s not forget, suffered genocide — at the hands of both pathogens and politics brought by European settlers). So a change was made. Was it the right change? Who knows. Personally, making these sorts of name changes comes about five millionth on my list of “Things to do to make the world a better place”. I’d much rather we had grown-up discussions about how to make the world materially better than just navel-gazing and arguing semantics. But alas. Here we are.   So, the Commanders it is. And, to be fair, there’s actually a lot more thought behind the name than first meets the eye. So let’s give this newly named franchise the honour and respect they deserve and #GetTheBadgeIn to see what lies behind the new name.   The Washington Commanders.   Firstly, they have retained the burgundy and gold of the Redskins. Good. Keeps some continuity with the past.   What about the rest? Well, the name Commanders does make sense. Washington is home to the President — the Commander-in-Chief. It is home to the Pentagon — the world’s largest military HQ (for now, China is building a bigger one). And the city itself takes its name from George Washington — the most famous of all American commanders. So Commanders ties in.   But there’s actually a lot more going on with the badge and the jersey.   The badge is that “W”. What at first appears to be a bit of a cop-out comes in military-style print — the sort you’d expect to see stencilled in white on a green ammo box in the Vietnam War or something similar.   Then there’s the very subtle positioning of the name “Commanders” on the jersey. It has dual symbolism. The word appears sandwiched between two lines. Fine.   The first symbolism is the way it mimics the name badges seen on military uniforms, tying it again nicely into the martial theme.   But the second part is much, much deeper. And to a British fan, much more satisfying. This is because embedded in the jersey is an old English coat of arms.   And that takes us back to our good friend Hwæsa.   Pottering around, probably about 1200ish years ago near modern-day Sunderland, he settled down and formed a little village near the River Wear. The meaning of the name is a little disputed, but the most likely is that Washington came from Hwæsingatūn — meaning “the estates of the descendants of Hwæsa”. From that name we get, through various evolutions, the modern English “Washington”.   After the Norman invasion, the area was, a century or so later, gifted to a noble by the name of William de Hertburn. He changed his name to William de Wessyngton to reflect his new home town and built a stately home — an updated version of which still stands, called Old Hall.   This was the seat of the Washington family.   And here’s where the connection is made. The Washington family was given a coat of arms — a shield. A simple one at that: it featured two red lines running in parallel and, above them, three stars.   Centuries later this coat of arms was taken by the Washington family to the New World, and George Washington — aka President Washington — flew the flag at his home estate in Virginia. Today, that same coat of arms is the flag of Washington D.C.: two parallel red lines and three stars.   What do we see on the Washington Commanders’ jerseys? The “Commanders” name, sandwiched between the two lines taken from the Washington coat of arms — and, on the back of the jersey near the neck, three stars. (which -remarkably – is the same number of NFL era Super Bowls they’ve won – I guess when they win a fourth the designers will need to make a decision!)   From the Potomac to the playbook.   This is the team of Washington. This is the team of America’s Commanders. And long may it continue to be so.

Hartlepool United. The Monkey Hangers. A club that wears its legend on its sleeve and its town’s history in its badge. From shipyards and steelworks to siege and folklore, this is a place — and a team — that has been through it all. So, let’s #GetTheBadgeIn. Founded in 1908 as Hartlepools United Football & Athletic Club Company Ltd, the club took its early identity from West Hartlepool, who’d won the FA Amateur Cup in 1905 before dissolving in 1910. The new club took on their assets, debts, and place in the North Eastern League. In 1921 they joined the Football League’s Third Division North and for the next 37 years made it their home before landing in the newly formed Fourth Division. In 1968, the name changed to simply Hartlepool after the towns of West Hartlepool, Hartlepool, and the village of Hart were merged. They became Hartlepool United in 1977. Promotions came in 1967–68, 1990–91, 2002–03, and 2006–07, though each was followed by relegation. The club’s longest Football League stay ended in 2017 after 96 years, but promotion back was sealed in 2021 after beating Torquay in a the National League play-off final. Sadly, they dropped back again in 2023. If Hartlepool’s football history is a tale of resilience, the town’s story is even more dramatic. Perched on a headland in County Durham, the old town was founded in the 7th century around a monastery led by St Hilda. Bede himself described it as “the place where deer come to drink”. The name comes from the Old English heort (hart) and pōl (pool). In the Middle Ages, Hartlepool’s harbour became the County Palatine of Durham’s official port. The 19th century brought transformation. With coal from the Durham fields and shipyards along the docks, Hartlepool’s fortunes boomed. Ralph Ward Jackson’s creation of West Hartlepool in the mid-1800s saw the area grow into a shipbuilding powerhouse. By 1913, 43 ship-owning companies were based here. But its importance also came with risk. On 16 December 1914, the Imperial German Navy shelled the town with 1,150 shells, killing 117 people. Hartlepudlians responded in typical style — by raising more money per head for the war effort than any other town in Britain. Folklore, though, is what gives Hartlepool its most famous nickname. During the Napoleonic Wars, legend has it a French ship was wrecked off the coast. The only survivor was a monkey in a French uniform. Locals, having never seen either before, decided the monkey must be a French spy. A “trial” was held, the monkey could not answer, and it was hanged on the beach. Today, a monument to the monkey stands on the shore, and Hartlepool United lean into it with H’Angus the Monkey as their mascot. One wearer of the costume, Stuart Drummond, even became the town’s mayor in 2002. The only town I am aware of to vote for a monkey. The club’s badge and colours connect to this wider story. Hartlepool have played in blue and white stripes since 1912, with occasional experiments in all-blue or light-blue kits. The badge has shifted from simple initials to versions featuring the hart from the town’s crest, to a 1995 design with a ship’s wheel — a nod to the maritime heritage — and back again to a hart standing in water in 2017. That maritime link is everywhere in Hartlepool. The National Museum of the Royal Navy sits in the redeveloped docks, home to HMS Trincomalee, the oldest British warship still afloat. Built in Bombay in 1817, she travelled the world on policing and protection duties before retiring here. Shipwrights and conservators now work daily to keep her in shape. Cannons fire on weekends - keeping the memory alive with a boom. Like the town, Hartlepool United have had their share of battles. Between 1924 and 1984, they had to apply for re-election to the Football League 14 times — a record. They stayed up every time, often scraping survival on the last day. Brian Clough began his managerial career here, Ritchie Humphreys racked up a record 543 appearances, and Joshie Fletcher’s 111 goals remain the club’s best. Industry’s decline hit the area hard in the late 20th century. British Steel’s closure in 1977 cost 1,500 jobs, and unemployment soared to 30% in the 1980s. The docks’ redevelopment into a marina in the 1990s, followed by the Historic Quay and HMS Trincomalee’s restoration, marked the start of a fightback. Yet the club has always been more than results. Hartlepool United are a focal point for a community that’s endured bombardment, industrial collapse, and the long grind of lower-league football. Their badge, whether ship’s wheel or hart in the water, tells you exactly who they are: a town and team shaped by the sea, defined by hard work, and unafraid of the odd scrap — whether that’s in the boardroom, on the pitch, or with a shipwrecked monkey.

I'm up early today to catch the train down to Roots Hall to catch @SUFCRootsHall take on @CAFCofficial in their last pre-season friendly. So, let’s #GetTheBadgeIn for Charlton Athletic — a club born on the bend of the Thames, with a great nickname - they've had some good times and today are looking to rebuild back to where they were in the 90s and early 00s. So let's see what we can see down in the Valley... Charlton were formed in 1905 by a group of teenagers in south-east London. They became known later as the Addicks. Why I hear you cry? Well, here is the legend: In Chalrton's early days the visiting team would be treated to haddock and chips after the match, courtesy of local fishmonger Arthur Bryan, who ran a shop at 77 East Street. He also held the catering contract during Charlton’s first season at The Valley. One version of the tale has the shop owner attending early games with a haddock nailed to a post, using it to advertise his takeaway to the crowd. Whether apocryphal or not, it stuck. The name ‘Addicks’ — a corruption of ‘haddocks’ in the local accent — became a cherished part of the club’s identity. This is an incredible story and if Charlton to this day don't offer visiting teams, and their coaching staff, a fish dinner - then they absolutely need to. (Surely Birdseye or someone needs to sponsor a pre-season friendly cup involving Grimsby (Harry the Haddock), Fleetwood (Cod Army), Chalrton ('Addicks) and Southend (Shrimpers?)... Someone is missing a trick here). Charlton's ground, The Valley, was built with the help of volunteers in the 1910s and 1920s, carved out of an old chalk pit by fans using picks, shovels, and wheelbarrows. In the early days, the pitch was prone to flooding and even had a duck pond in one corner. From the very beginning this was a club built on hard work. Charlton turned professional in 1920 and became a mainstay of the English football league system. Their golden era came just before and after the Second World War. Under manager Jimmy Seed, they reached the FA Cup final twice — losing in 1946 but winning it the year after, defeating Burnley 1–0 at Wembley. During that post-war period, Charlton wore a badge featuring a robin perched on a football in the centre of a quartered shield — each quarter marked with the letters C A F C. That crest, used in the 1946 final, reflected the club’s nickname at the time: The Robins. Though it never appeared again on shirts after the 1940s, the design has made occasional comebacks on retro merchandise. In the early 1960s, club officials felt the time had come for a more modern identity. In 1963, they ran a competition for supporters to design a new club crest. The winning entry depicted a hand gripping a sword — it stood out, it was simple, and unlike anything else in English football at the time. Though a fanzine article in 1998 claimed the design came from the Percival family crest (A noble family with connections to nearby "Charlton House" - the most famous of whom, Spencer, was the only British Prime Minister to have been assassinated). Although this claim apparently has no real connection to the original design and was dreamt up after the fact. The real symbolism was clearer: the sword stood for strength and daring. It reflected Charlton’s hard-edged, working-class identity, and perhaps hinted at the kind of fight the club would come to embody. On the back of the new badge the club experimented with new nicknames — including The Valiants (a nod to both the sword and The Valley), The Crusaders, The Rockets, and The Red Devils. None of them stuck. In the end, fans kept using The Addicks, and that was that. The now-familiar badge — with the hand and sword placed inside a red ring with the club’s name — made its debut in a match against Millwall on 10 August 1968. It was briefly dropped during the 1970s, replaced by a plain “CAFC” monogram, but this proved too bland and short-lived. The sword returned in 1975 and has remained ever since. Considering it's age the logo is a modern gem - looks easily like it could have been designed today by some marketing team after months of development, "fan engagement" and prototypes (and millions of pounds in fees). In 2002, a full-page article in the matchday programme claimed the local council had questioned whether the sword was an appropriate symbol for a “friendly” football club. Supporters were asked to vote on alternative designs, including crests based on the Addicks and the Robin. It turned out to be an April Fool’s joke, but the reaction was telling — fans overwhelmingly backed the sword. In 1985, The Valley was closed due to safety concerns. The club began a ground-share at Selhurst Park with Crystal Palace, but many supporters refused to accept it. Instead, they formed the Valley Party, a single-issue political group that stood in local elections to demand the return of their stadium. They didn’t win seats, but they forced the issue onto the political agenda. By 1992, Charlton were back home. That same spirit carried into the Premier League era. Under Alan Curbishley, Charlton became one of the most stable clubs in the top flight between 1998 and 2007. They weren’t flashy, but they were consistent — a team built on smart recruitment, good coaching, and solid leadership. Players like Scott Parker, Claus Jensen, Richard Rufus, and Darren Bent played some of their best football at The Valley. But things fell apart after Curbishley’s departure. The club endured relegations, ownership turmoil, frequent managerial changes, and a general feeling of drift. The Valley remained proud, but there was an unmistakable sense of decline. Until now. After more than a decade in League One, Charlton have finally returned to the Championship — bringing cautious optimism back to SE7. Supporters have reason once again to believe that better days might lie ahead. Meanwhile, the surrounding area of Charlton continues to evolve. Once industrial, now a mix of old terraces and new flats, it sits just along the Thames from Greenwich and the O2 Arena. But The Valley remains untouched — hemmed in by houses, flanked by old roads and railway lines, and echoing with the sound of generations past. Charlton Athletic might not have global fame, a billionaire owner, or flashy branding. But it does have history. It has character. It has a sword held aloft. — and if all else fails - on the way home they can have haddock and chips.

Wrexham finished their 2025 pre-season global tour with a more understated game against Dutch team FC Groningen (@fcgroningen). So, if you've never heard of them - what is about to unfold is a clash of the Kings in the North. North Wales v North Netherlands. So, let’s #GetTheBadgeIn for — a club whose colours, crest, and character are steeped in the history of our Dutch cousins. Founded in 1971 but rooted in football traditions that stretch back much further, FC Groningen is the pride of the largest city in the north of the Netherlands. This is a city known not just for football, but for trade, learning, architecture — and resilience. The club’s nickname? “Trots van het Noorden” — Pride of the North. The team plays in green and white, colours taken from Groningen’s flag and coat of arms, echoed in every scarf and every seat at their Euroborg stadium. The badge — a bold, stylised ‘G’ — was chosen in a fan design competition, simple and strong. And strength has always been part of the story. Groningen the city grew rich as a member of the Hanseatic League (an medieval trading bloc), trading goods across the North Sea and the Baltic. Its ships sailed to places like Lübeck, Riga (and Ipswich) exchanging grain, fish, and wool. It became a city of towers and markets, of merchants and masons. That legacy still lingers. At the heart of it all stands the Martinitoren, the iconic bell tower beside the Martini Church. The current tower — built between 1469 and 1482 — is the third to stand on the site, after two previous versions were destroyed by lightning. This one was made from Bentheimer sandstone, imported from Germany. Stronger, more fireproof, and better suited to the Gothic style its archittect wanted to emulate. It rose high above the flatlands, inspired by Utrecht’s Dom Tower and funded by the city’s growing wealth. And it’s not just history. The Martinitoren still bears scars of modern conflict. One of its bells holds a bullet hole — a mark left during fierce fighting in April 1945, when Canadian forces liberated Groningen from German occupation. That same resilience defines FC Groningen. A club that’s been up and down the leagues, but never forgotten who they are or where they come from. It shone on the European stage in 1983, when a gritty Groningen side shocked Spain’s Athletic Bilbao, knocking them out of the UEFA Cup - a feat they repeated a few years later. They really are the Spanish giant's "Bogey team". For a club from a windswept corner of the Netherlands, these were moments of real pride. And if the city’s backbone is trade, its future is education. Groningen is home to one of the Netherlands’ most respected universities — the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, founded in 1614 — attracting students from across Europe and far beyond. It has made advances in nanotechnology, "neuromorphic computing" and machine learning. But I have no idea what much of that means. Yet it gives the city a youthful energy, and the stands at Euroborg often echo with the chants of students and locals alike, united in green and white. FC Groningen might not have the global profile of Amsterdam or Eindhoven, but they carry something else: identity. Grit. Regional pride. A tower that’s been struck down and rebuilt. A bell that still rings despite the bullet. A city shaping the future. A club that keeps rising, no matter the odds. Let's see who wins this clash of the North.

let's #GetTheBadgeIn and see what we can learn about the Dutch giants with the funny badge... Ajax. The Sons of the Gods. Founded on 18 March 1900 in Amsterdam by 19 year old Floris Stempel, Carel Reeser and Han Dade, they took their name not from a city or a founder, but from one of Greek mythology’s greatest warriors. Ajax the Great fought in the Trojan War, held the line against the Trojans, and died “unconquered”. That spirit of strength and refusal to yield runs right through the club’s identity. Around 1928, the badge adopted Ajax’s profile — the version still used today, sketched with just 11 lines, one for each player. The man behind the name, Ajax the Great, was known for his power, loyalty, and courage. Overshadowed in legend by Achilles and Odysseus, he still earned the title “the bulwark of the Achaeans” in Homer’s Iliad. He retrieved Achilles’ body under fire and fought with a stubbornness that the modern club would be proud of. When he lost the contest to inherit Achilles’ armour, he fell on his own sword — but died undefeated. In an era when so many clubs carry the names of sponsors (looking at you Salzburg 👀), Ajax draws on one of the ancient classics. The club’s city is as much a part of its DNA as the hero it’s named after. Amsterdam began as a fishing village on the River Amstel, gaining city rights in 1300 and flourishing during the Dutch Golden Age. Trade, science, printing, and liberal politics made it a hub of culture and ideas. Refugees — Jewish, Huguenot, Portuguese — found safety here. By the 20th century, when Ajax were formed, Amsterdam had a working-class heart, drawn from its docks, factories, and railways. That spirit shaped the club’s openness, skill, and stubborn streak. The nickname “Joden” (Jewish), once a nod to the city’s Jewish community, became a badge of outsider pride and defiance, especially after the Second World War. Ajax’s rise was swift. Promotion to the top tier came in 1911, with their first national cup and league title arriving in 1918. By the 1930s, they were dominating Dutch football, claiming five championships in a decade. But it was the 1960s and 70s that made Ajax a global name. Under Rinus Michels, with Johan Cruyff as the talisman, they pioneered Total Football — fluid, intelligent, attacking play that dazzled Europe. Three consecutive European Cups (1971–73) cemented their place among the game’s elite, with Cruyff scoring twice in the 1972 final against Inter Milan. The honours list since is staggering: 36 Eredivisie titles, 20 KNVB Cups, four European Cups/Champions Leagues, a Cup Winners’ Cup, a UEFA Cup, two Intercontinental Cups, and multiple Super Cups. In 1995, Ajax were crowned “World Team of the Year” after adding the Intercontinental Cup and UEFA Super Cup to their Champions League triumph. They’ve done it while producing some of football’s greatest players through their famed academy — the likes of Cruyff, Marco van Basten, Dennis Bergkamp, Clarence Seedorf, Wesley Sneijder, Matthijs de Ligt, and Frenkie de Jong. The nickname “de Godenzonen” (Sons of the Gods) has some merit to it. Since 1996, home has been the Johan Cruyff Arena, the Netherlands’ largest stadium. Its roof is fitted with over 4,200 solar panels, tapping into clean energy that’s stored in two mighty “mega-batteries” deep within the stadium — together offering 8.6 MWh of storage. On matchdays, everything from floodlights and escalators to beer taps and player tunnels are run entirely on renewable energy. It also reuses rainwater, cools using nearby lake water, turns food waste into energy, feeds surplus power back into the grid - not a bad effort - Forest Green Rovers take note. It’s hosted European finals, Euros, and some of Ajax’s biggest nights. Recent years have seen revivals of the old magic — a Europa League final in 2017, and in 2019, a thrilling Champions League run that toppled Real Madrid and Juventus before ending heartbreakingly against Spurs in the semi-finals. Their fiercest rivalry, “De Klassieker” against Feyenoord, has burned since 1921 — a clash of cities and classes. Ajax lead the head-to-head, as they do in the trophy count. Ajax's badge tells several stories: one that begins in ancient myth, runs through the canals and streets of Amsterdam, and plays out in some of the most beautiful football ever seen. From ancient warriors to modern world champions, they are one of Europe’s great storytellers.

Hull City. The Tigers. A club whose amber-and-black stripes have been part of the football landscape for over a century, rooted in a city with 800 years of maritime history. This is a team shaped by its port, its industry, and its people – and one that has roared its way from the lower leagues to the top flight. So, let’s #GetTheBadgeIn. Founded in 1904, City started out playing friendlies at The Boulevard – home of the rugby league side – before joining the Football League’s Second Division a year later. The “Tigers” nickname came quickly, lifted from their amber and black striped shirts. Wrexham’s American fans may be excused for thinking the Cincinnati Bengals are in town – especially with this season’s striking tiger-stripe kits. In those early years, they were nearly a First Division side. In 1909–10, they missed promotion to Oldham by just 0.29 of a goal on goal average – one of the slimmest margins in history. The First World War saw league football suspended and City turn to guest players, but one man – “Magical” David Mercer – played 218 consecutive games including every wartime fixture. The post-war years brought mid-table stability but also financial strain, with directors often selling star players to survive in a city still dominated by rugby league. The 1960s brought one of Hull’s most famous backers – Needler, of Hoveringham Gravel. The Nottinghamshire-based sand and gravel firm – which famously used a mammoth logo after finding mammoth remains in its pits – pumped £200,000 into the club in 1963. With that money came one of the most exciting forward lines in club history: Ken Wagstaff, Chris Chilton, Ken Houghton, and Ian Butler. In 1965–66, they scored 109 goals, won the Third Division, and set new club attendance records. Fast forward to the 1990s and Dean Windass was the name on everyone’s lips. A local lad, he was prolific in the 1993–94 play-off push, attracting Premier League scouts. Financial trouble soon followed, forcing his sale – along with other key players – and by 1995–96 the club was relegated to the fourth tier. Hull’s revival came in spectacular style. In 2007–08, under Phil Brown, City reached Wembley for the first time. In the play-off final, Windass – back for a second spell – volleyed home the goal that took the Tigers to the top flight for the first time in their history. The 2008–09 Premier League debut brought famous wins over Arsenal, Spurs, and West Ham before a late-season slide into a relegation battle. They survived on the final day. A yo-yo period followed. Relegation in 2010 was followed by financial rescue courtesy of the Allam family. Steve Bruce’s arrival in 2012 brought promotion and, in 2014, an FA Cup final – their first – where they led Arsenal 2–0 before losing in extra time. That cup run earned them a first taste of European football, beating Slovakia’s AS Trenčín before falling to Belgium’s Lokeren. Another promotion in 2016 under Bruce was sealed at Wembley by Mo Diamé’s wonder strike, though Bruce left weeks later. Since 2022, Hull City have been owned by Turkish media mogul Acun Ilıcalı and his Acun Medya empire. The club has had an eventful history – one almost as eventful as the city itself. Hull began as Wyke on Hull in the 12th century, renamed Kingston upon Hull by Edward I in 1299. It became a Hanseatic League port – part of that medieval “free trade zone” alongside North Sea and Baltic cities like Lübeck, Hamburg, Bergen, and Ipswich. Wool exports made its fortune, and fishing and whaling kept it prosperous for centuries. In the English Civil War, Hull was one of the first flashpoints. In 1642, Sir John Hotham, acting for Parliament, denied Charles I entry to the city, triggering a siege. The city’s Parliamentarian loyalty, and its vast arsenal, made it strategically vital. The whaling era peaked in the 18th and 19th centuries, with Hull sending fleets to Arctic waters. Later, the Wilson Line shipping company grew into the world’s largest privately-owned fleet, connecting Hull to every corner of the globe. The Second World War hit Hull hard – 95% of homes were damaged or destroyed in the Blitz – but the city rebuilt, even as whaling and later deep-sea fishing declined. Hull’s most famous son, William Wilberforce, led Britain’s abolition of the slave trade, his legacy still celebrated across the city. More recently, modern Hull is often a surprise inclusion on lists of top places to visit in the UK. It blends history and culture – from the Old Town’s cobbled streets and museums to the striking aquarium, The Deep. Named UK City of Culture in 2017, Hull has also been dubbed “Hullywood” for its growing role in film and TV. The badge, with its fierce tiger’s head, is a nod to that early nickname – a symbol of determination, identity, and fight. Hull City’s history, like its port, is one of trade, success, and resilience.

Witham Town Football Club are a team from the heart of Essex that has lived more lives than you would imagine. There are records of football being played in the town in the 1830s – decades before it became an official sport. Since then, Witham have become known for their original red kits, colourful nicknames, wartime sacrifice, local rivalries, and a badge that today symbolises many a rebirth.   Witham’s badge is dominated by the image of the phoenix (much like Aldershot's). Rising from flames, it’s a fitting image for a club that has been disbanded and reformed several times in its history. I’ve not been able to confirm exactly when or why this badge was chosen, but the symbolism is hard to ignore. Like the mythical bird, Witham Town keep coming back. It’s also worth noting that the historic Witham family crest features three birds — officially listed as eagles — but which could easily pass for phoenixes. Whether coincidence or not, I am not sure. If anyone from the club knows exactly, please let me know 🙏.   Witham Town’s own website has an excellent history section — something more clubs should copy. Early on, they played in red and went by the nickname The Red Herrings. Their first real interruption came with the outbreak of the First World War. The entire team marched down to the local barracks and signed on, joining the Essex Regiment. Football paused, and players swapped the training ground for the trenches. Different times indeed.   In the interwar years, a local rivalry emerged with the Crittall Works team from across town. The Works side was made up of employees from the Crittall Window Company — a manufacturer of steel-framed windows that became famous worldwide. Crittall windows would later feature in landmark buildings including the Houses of Parliament and Coventry Cathedral. That works team would evolve into modern-day Braintree Town FC, now known as The Iron.   The decades since have brought highs and lows. Promotions, relegations, cup runs, and rebuilds. In the mid-2000s, Witham came close to reaching the higher levels of the Isthmian League, missing out on third place in 2006 by a single goal on goal difference. Their best FA Trophy run came in 2007–08, with a memorable giant-killing over Horsham, then leaders of the Isthmian Premier Division.   2009 saw some celebrity glamour with local lad, and former Witham player, Olly Murs shooting to fame after finishing runner-up on The X Factor. He swapped Spa Road for stadium tours, but still gets the occasional mention from fans. That same season, Witham were relegated to the Essex Senior League. If the phoenix on the badge wasn’t already there, it could have been added then — because they bounced straight back.   Under manager Garry Kimble in 2011–12, Witham enjoyed one of their most successful seasons ever. They won the Essex Senior League title, the League Cup, the Gordon Brasted Memorial Trophy, and the Tolleshunt D’Arcy Cup — and went unbeaten away from home in the league. Three of their strikers finished as the top three scorers in the division.   The town of Witham itself is steeped in history. It sits on the old Roman road between Colchester and London — and if the Romans could see the state of the modern A12 that runs parallel to it, they’d hang their heads in shame.   Archaeological digs have revealed a Roman temple complex at the nearby Ivy Chimneys site. Witham even played a role in Anglo-Saxon military history — in 913, King Edward the Elder camped here while moving to cut Essex in two and reclaim territory from Viking control.   In 1148, the manor of Witham was granted to the Knights Templar. To this day, the Witham Town Council crest carries the red cross of the Knights Hospitaller, a reminder of those medieval links. The Templars were replaced by the Church after the order was dissolved, and later the land passed into private hands. The town’s St Nicolas’s Church, on Chipping Hill, still serves a Sunday congregation, much as it has for centuries.   In the 18th century, Witham enjoyed a brief spell as a spa resort after a mineral spring was discovered. Visitors came seeking the health-giving waters, and the current football ground’s address — Spa Road — nods to that chapter. This was also a town that produced notable figures, such as Admiral Sir William Luard, a decorated naval officer whose funeral procession in 1910 drew thousands of mourners.   More recently, Witham gained a literary link with crime writer Dorothy L. Sayers, one of the “Queens of Crime” of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. Her statue stands opposite the town library, not far from her former home. Sayers brought depth and characterisation to the detective genre, much as Witham Town have brought resilience and personality to the non-league football scene.   Today, Witham Town continue to compete in the Isthmian League North Division. The facilities may have changed over the decades, the league structure may have been reshuffled, but the badge still carries that phoenix — a quiet warning to opponents that no matter the setback, they’ll be back.   From Roman Roads to Crusading Knights to Trench Warfare. From Decorated Admirals to Pioneering Authors to Pamous Singers — Witham likes to reinvent itself and come back fighting.

The Sulphurites? And why on earth are @HarrogateTown called that? All is revealed in our historical scouting report below 👇 - So #LetsGetTheBadgeIn... Initially formed in June 1914, the club was immediately put on the back burner as WWI broke out and the men of Harrogate formed one of Lord Kitchener's (the man with the moustache on the posters pointing out and saying "Your country needs you") Pals Battalions. The idea was that men would be more willing to volunteer for the army if they could serve alongside their family, friends, and colleagues. This they did. In droves. The downside was that when that particular battalion saw action and suffered heavy losses, whole villages and towns in Britain could lose all their fighting-age men in just a couple of hours. The "Harrogate Terriers", as the 15th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment were known, saw action at the Somme and Passchendaele. The British Army suffered 60,000 casualties on the first morning of the Somme – the men of Harrogate were in the thick of it. We can excuse them, then, for waiting until 1919 to officially get the football club formed – which went by the name of Harrogate Hotspurs initially. The town is just north of Leeds and is situated amongst some of England's most beautiful countryside: the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Nidderdale National Landscape, and the incredibly sculptured Royal Horticultural Society’s Garden Harlow Carr. (If you've never been to an RHS garden – do so – they're something every Briton should be proud of.) In the 17th and 18th centuries, it was discovered that the natural spa waters emerging from the nearby rocks contained high levels of iron and sulphur. Word spread, and Harrogate became a Georgian-era tourist hotspot, with the nation's well-to-do retiring there for weeks at a time to soak up the waters for their supposed health benefits. Hotels and homes sprang up and the economy grew. The town's motto is Arx celebris fontibus – which simply means "Citadel famous for its springs", which it is. The team's nickname to this day is the Sulphurites, owing to their famous waters. To keep tourists coming even during the cold Yorkshire winters, they built the Winter Gardens – a sort of glasshouse – so that visitors could relax and stroll in any weather. During the 1920s, people could unwind here, amid potted palms, listening to music from a grand piano. In the 1930s, the Municipal Orchestra played every morning throughout the year, with free admission for the patients of the baths. Today it is a Wetherspoons. Make of that what you will. But fair play to them, to be honest – there are countless beautiful old buildings across the country that may well have been converted into flats if not for the pub chain. In some respects, they do more to preserve our high streets than the government. Let’s actually get to the badge, then: It is a smart design, with the H and the T of Harrogate Town intertwined neatly, giving good symmetry. It was adopted in 2017 as part of a rebrand. In the centre of the badge sits the White Rose of Yorkshire, as you’ll also see in the badges of Leeds, Halifax, Sheffield United, and many others. For those that weren’t paying attention in Year 8 History: The Wars of the Roses (1455–1487) were a series of English civil wars between the rival houses of Lancaster (red rose) and York (white rose) for control of the throne. It was all pretty bloody, with people swapping sides the whole time and many pointless slaughters. George R.R. Martin, author of Game of Thrones, famously based many of his storylines on episodes from the Wars of the Roses (sans the dragons). The wars finally ended in 1485 at the Battle of Bosworth, where Henry Tudor of Lancaster defeated Richard III of York (who was later buried beneath a car park in Leicester). Henry became Henry VII and merged the white and red roses to form the Tudor rose. There you go – History 101. As for the actual club, they claimed the Northern Premier League Division One title in 2001–02 and were among the founding members of the Conference North in 2004. After winning the National League North play-offs in 2018, they earned a historic first promotion to the Football League with victory in the 2020 National League play-off final. They also lifted the 2019–20 FA Trophy by defeating Concord Rangers. So there we have them – Harrogate Town of League Two. They pack a noble tradition of beauty, baths, and battalions. There’s little more English than that.

Let’s #GetTheBadgeIn for Solihull Moors FC! They’re one of the newest names in English football — a 2007 creation born from the merger of Moor Green and Solihull Borough. But while their name might be modern, their badge tells a much older story. One rooted in landed gentry, noble halls, and the long memory of a Midlands town that’s often kept to itself. At the centre of that badge is the head of a griffin — a creature that links Solihull Moors to centuries of local power and nobility. The griffin, in heraldry, is a mythical beast with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle — representing strength, courage, and watchfulness. In Solihull's case it comes directly from the Aylesford family crest, a lineage that once held Malvern Hall in Solihull. Malvern Hall still stands — an elegant Georgian estate not far from Solihull town centre (today it is home to @SolihullPrep - which also carry the Aylesford Griffens on their badge). The Manor began life under the Greswolde family in the late 17th century, local landowners in the area since the 13th Century. Yhrough marriage, the estate eventually passed into the hands of the Finch family — who would become the Earls of Aylesford. These were no minor nobles. Their influence stretched across the region, with other estates at Bickenhill, Packington, and beyond. In the days before Parliament had real power, the landed elite were the power. Their family coat of arms was a white shield with three black griffens. You see it carved into stone lintels, painted on family standards, or printed in heavy volumes of peerage. And now you see it stitched into shirts at the Solihull ground, watching over a new kind of battle. A symbol of continuity, even as the town around it changes. And change it has. Solihull is often painted as a suburb of Birmingham, but that undersells its character. During the Industrial Revolution, while Birmingham exploded with factories, canals, and smoke-belching chimneys, Solihull remained largely untouched. It was a rural town, with a market, a church, and a cluster of well-to-do families. The railway arrived in the 19th century, and the town began to grow — but even then, it remained quiet. A place of grammar schools and country walks, not coal mines or steelworks. It wasn’t until the Second World War that Solihull’s industrial side truly emerged. A “shadow factory” was built in the town to produce aircraft parts — a hidden contribution to the war effort. After the war, the site was taken over by Rover, and in 1948 the very first Land Rover rolled off the production line. That vehicle would become iconic, and Solihull became its home. What had been a genteel market town was now a hub of British engineering - a little late to the game, but arguably better off because of it. You could say the same of Solihull Moors. They arrived late, quietly, from necessity rather than ambition. Moor Green’s ground in Hall Green had been badly damaged by fire, and survival meant a merger with Solihull Borough. At first, they drew small crowds and flew under the radar. But year by year, they grew. Their facilities improved. Their fan base expanded. And before long, the Moors were marching up the football pyramid. By the late 2010s, they were pushing for promotion to the Football League. In 2022, they reached the National League play-off final, only to lose narrowly to Grimsby Town. They were back again in 2024 but fell to Bromley on that occasion. It was heartbreak — but also proof. Proof that this young club, stitched together by necessity was now knocking at the door of the big leagues. Solihull doesn’t make a lot of noise. It never has. It lets Birmingham shout while it builds. The same is true of the Moors. They’re not backed by huge money. They don’t sell out 20,000-seat stadiums. But they’ve got something else: roots. Identity. That griffin isn’t just here for show. It’s been here for centuries. On manor walls. In council chambers. Now on football kits. It watches. It waits. And it builds.

Ipswich Town get the season off to a start tonight under the lights at Tom Brady's resurgent BCFC. So let's do the historical scouting report on the boys from Birminim and #GetTheBadgeIn. Birmingham City — a club forged in the fire and grit of Britain’s industrial heartland, and now stepping into the global spotlight with "Built in Birmingham", the new Amazon Prime documentary following the club’s journey under part-owner @TomBrady.. Founded in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, @BCFC are one of England’s oldest professional football clubs. Like many sides of the era, the club grew from factory workers and foundries. The name changed to Birmingham in 1905 and then to Birmingham City in 1943. St. Andrew’s, their home since 1906, still stands just a short walk from the old factories and workshops that once powered the British economy. In the club’s very early years (when still known as Small Heath), they were sometimes called “The Small Heath Rifles” — not because of their playing style, but because they trained on a rifle range and had close ties to the local military unit. The club’s current badge was created in 1972, the result of a fan competition won by supporter Michael Wood. His design replaced older versions that had featured monograms or the city’s coat of arms. The badge shows a globe above a ribbon bearing the club’s name and founding year. No lions, no crowns, no Latin mottoes, no fluff — just a loud proclamation that despite being in the middle of Britain - Birmingham was the centre of global trade. Birmingham’s industrial heritage runs deep. This is the city that built Spitfires at Castle Bromwich, turned out Minis at Longbridge, supplied buttons, bolts, bombs, and bicycles to the Empire and beyond. Its canal network rivalled Venice in length, carrying goods to every corner of Britain. And it wasn’t just metal — Birmingham also gave us chocolate (Cadbury), pens (Bournville and the Jewellery Quarter), and one of the most diverse, inventive working populations in the country. The club’s fans reflect that heritage. Birmingham is a city of migration and mixture — from Irish labourers to Caribbean bus drivers, South Asian shopkeepers to Eastern European engineers. The terraces at St. Andrew’s have long reflected that blend — full of character, humour, and loyalty. Birmingham has had some notable success throughout the ages. In 1979, Birmingham City’s Trevor Francis became the first £1 million footballer in English football, when he was sold to Nottingham Forest. What’s often forgotten is that Blues manager Jim Smith was so angry about the sale (done behind his back by the board) that he very nearly walked out on the club the same day. Francis remains a Birmingham legend — born locally, he signed for Blues as a teenager and scored 119 goals in 280 appearances and later became their manager. And while Brady’s arrival grabbed headlines, the real story is Birmingham itself. This is the “City of a Thousand Trades” — and the club wears that identity. It’s also the home of Peaky Blinders — the gritty TV drama that reimagined Birmingham’s gangland past and shone a light on the city’s working-class roots. The show’s moody visuals and tough characters captured something of the spirit that still lives on in the stands - and occasionally on the pitch. So while the badge might not be steeped in ancient legend, it is shaped by a more modern - more remarkable past when Birmingham was the workshop of the world. Today that legacy may have faded - but the echo lives on in their badge.

Stockport County FC. The Hatters. Why? The town was once a global centre of hat-making – to the point it now proudly hosts Hat Works, the UK’s only museum dedicated to hats, housed in the old Wellington Mill. If you ask me, Stockport and Luton – both Hatters – need to make it official: an annual pre-season clash, with the winner taking home the hat, Ashes-style. But there's a lot more than millinery (hat making) going on here - so let’s #GetTheBadgeIn and see what we can find: But there's more than millinery in that badge. Let’s go back. Right back. The very name “Stockport” tells us something. “Stock” – as in timber stockades. “Port” – not a sea port, but land cleared of forest, usually to build something important. And that’s exactly what happened here. After William the Conqueror beat Harold at Hastings (the arrow-in-the-eye bloke), he didn’t just sit back and put his feet up. Saxon resistance kept flaring up, so the Normans built motte and bailey castles across England to keep control. Quick-build timber forts, dug into hills and ringed with ditches – perfect little bases of occupation (We'd call them FOBs today if it was Afghanistan) One such outpost? Stockport. A wooden fortress carved out of the trees, defended by a stockade. It’s quite literally in the name. And the badge? It’s rooted deep in the town’s medieval past. That blue shield with three diamonds and those funny little crosses (called cross-crosslets, if you’re being proper) comes from the de Stokeport family – the original barons of the area. Appointed under Hugh Lupus (Lupus as in Wolf - hence why Chester have a wolf on their badge), William’s man in charge of the north, Stockport was one of eight baronies handed out to keep order. The lord of this one took his name from the town, and his shield eventually became the club’s. In the 1980s, Stockport’s badge briefly showed just one lonely cross-crosslet – looking oddly like Celta Vigo’s crest – but eventually the full coat of arms was brought back. You’ll also see two lion supporters, flanking the shield. They come from the arms of the de Warren family, Lords of the Manor from 1370 to 1826. Their Wikipedia entry may be more wedding drama than warfare, but their heraldry lives on, keeping watch over the County crest. As for colours, Stockport County have generally played in blue and white, though they’ve had several different looks. In the 70s, they tried out an Argentina-style sky blue kit, only to drop it after the Falklands War made it… awkward. In 2008, to mark their 125th anniversary, they wore a bold gold and black third kit. It went unbeaten – 13 wins, 4 draws – before being retired in style. A club with medieval roots, a hat-making soul, and one of the most historically-loaded names in English football. They’ve seen castles rise, hats stitched, and crests restored. Stockport make their own peaks - and they haven't stopped yet.

Among the clubs tipped for promotion from the National League this year are York City FC. So let’s #GetTheBadgeIn for a club, and a city, that is foundational to our nation's history. The homekit for the 25/26 season comes in the traditional red but stitched into the fabric is a repeating pattern of longboats, runes and patterns from the Viking era. Because before it became anything else, York was a Viking capital. Known as Jorvik during Norse rule, the city was once the heart of a powerful Viking kingdom in northern England. Archaeological digs in the city have unearthed thousands of items from that era – shoes, combs, coins, and even a Viking toilet. It’s no surprise that York today remains a hotspot for Viking reenactments and storytelling. That sense of ancient strength is reflected in the club's badge, which takes elements from York’s coat of arms. The five lions on the badge are directly borrowed from the civic symbol of the city, which dates back to at least 1587, and quite possibly earlier – some suggest it was granted during the reign of Edward III, who ruled from 1327 to 1377. Edward was one of England’s most formidable kings, a soldier-monarch who launched the Hundred Years’ War and laid the foundations of a more centralised English state. If you wanted someone to represent royal authority and medieval power, Edward III isn’t a bad place to start. The club’s connection to York Minster – the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe – runs deeper than just the skyline. The team’s nickname, The Minstermen, honours the city’s role as a centre of Christianity for over 1,000 years. York Minster dominates the city centre, and has long stood as a symbol of continuity, faith, and cultural pride. Older versions of the York City badge often featured Bootham Bar, one of the historic gateways to the old walled city, located not far from the Minster. These fortified gates were more than just entrances – they were statements of power, watchpoints, and tax collection posts. Bootham Bar in particular held strategic and symbolic importance and linked visually and geographically to the club’s home for much of its history – Bootham Crescent. The club also reflects York’s industrial past – particularly in the railway sector. As a key hub for the East Coast Main Line, York became a vital junction during the age of steam. Many York fans have family histories tied to railway works, engineering yards, or station life, and that working-class connection has always been part of the club's DNA. Of course, not every chapter has been glorious. In the early 2000s, businessman and former racing team owner John Batchelor took over the club. He made some drastic changes – rebranding it as “York City Soccer Club”, inserting a black-and-white chequered flag into the badge to reflect his motorsport interests, and aiming to attract American investment. It was, let’s say, not universally popular. Thankfully, the era was short-lived. In 2003, fans were given the chance to vote on a new badge. The winner, designed by Michael Elgie, brought a sense of calm and continuity. His badge reintroduced the classic ‘Y’ (for York I presume), five lions from the city's coat of arms and the castle battlements that represent the city gates – a far cry from the chequered branding of the Batchelor days. And unlike the previous redesign, this one came free of charge to the club. On the pitch, York City has carved out a proud if modest legacy. In 1955, they made the FA Cup semi-finals as a third-tier club – a record at the time. In 1984, they became the first Football League side to reach 101 points in a season. They’ve pulled off cup shocks too – beating Arsenal in 1985 with a last-minute penalty, and stunning Manchester United 3–0 at Old Trafford in 1995. More recently, they’ve twice lifted the FA Trophy at Wembley, and after leaving Bootham Crescent in 2021, they’ve started a new chapter at the York Community Stadium. York City FC isn’t a club built on glittering trophies or endless cash. It’s built on history. On Viking battles, medieval kings, cathedral spires, steam trains, and a badge that tells its own story. In a world of franchises and plastic branding, the Minstermen are the real deal.