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Currently riding high in the @ThurlowNunnL  league are a small village with a big heart: ( @MulbartonFC)  So let's continue our journey around the Eastern Counties and take a closer look, let's #GetTheBadgeIn.   Firstly, they're a relatively new team, only formed properly in 2001. The men's team was spun out of another team, Mulbarton United (now called Mulbarton NotSoUnited?), which merged with the ladies’ team Harford Belles to form the current Wanderers outfit, which fields both men’s and women’s teams.   The badge seems simple enough: a football with two bells over it. I can only assume this is both a reference to the Belles team that came before and a reference to the local parish church, St Mary Magdalen (if I'm wrong, please let me know). This church sits at one edge of the village’s most notable feature — its very large common (green). Previously, this was used by villagers for grazing animals. There is a great history site for the village which has records of locals remembering walking to school through herds of cows kept on the common (being chased by cows was often used as an excuse for being late too...)   This would indicate a long tradition of cattle and dairy farming in the area. There is more evidence for this: The village name itself derives from the Old English for milk (hence the Mul) and homestead/settlement (Barton). Cattle and dairy being the main industry is supported to by the Domesday Book, William the Conqueror's great audit of England, which records the village as having a lot of cattle at the time.   After William's conquest of England, he divided up his new lands amongst his Norman backers. Mulbarton was given to Baron de St Omar, a Frenchman from St Omar (near Calais).   His son, Thomas de St Omar, acting as judge for his lands, had a man accused of sheep rustling hanged. Later, it emerged the man was innocent. Thomas paid for the rebuilding and renovation of the church as a means of penance for his mistake.   Later, the village moved into new hands during the reign of Elizabeth I. The Edwin family bought the estate. The original Sir Edwin Rich sailed with Drake on the 1587 attack on the Spanish port of Cadiz — the so-called "Singeing of the King of Spain's Beard." This attack destroyed many of the transport ships the Spanish planned to use in the Spanish Armada, delaying their invasion of England. For his efforts, Elizabeth gave him a knighthood.   One of his sons is still benefitting the village even today (and appears on the village sign). When Edwin Rich Jr died, he left money for the poor of Mulbarton. This money was used to buy land near the church, which today serves as allotments. And this is the remarkable bit — it still operates as a registered charity today. The rent from the land left by Edwin Rich, 349 years ago, is still used to assist the needy in Mulbarton today. Charity Commission records show it distributed £1,240 in the financial year ending 2024. What a legacy.   For a village of three and a half thousand, Mulbarton has some stories to tell. Diligent dairy farmers, swashbuckling strikes against the Spanish and charitable acts that echo down the centuries. Mulbarton Wanderers build on an incredible legacy.

Continuing our journey across the county, our next stop is @MildenhallTown FC, another Suffolk side that has enjoyed success in recent years. Last season, they won the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division and now compete in the @IsthmianLeague North. Let’s take a closer look and #GetTheBadgeIn . Founded in 1898, Mildenhall Town FC has a long history. Their badge, in striking orange and black, is quartered traditionally, with two quarters showing the club's initials and a football in the third. Straightforward so far. The structure in the top-right quarter is the Mildenhall Market Cross, a hexagonal, timber-framed structure that was a focal point for the local market. Granted a market charter in the 1200s, Mildenhall’s Market Cross, built in the 1500s, is one of the few in England still in excellent condition. The Market Cross does appear on most Mildenhall symbols, including the local cricket team. In this sense, the badge is similar to @HarbTownFC in Leicestershire which also features its market building/grammer school on their badge. Away from the badge, Mildenhall has a rich history. In 1942, the Mildenhall Treasure was discovered—34 Roman silver dishes and bowls decorated with depictions of Roman gods. Likely buried for safekeeping in the 5th century as Roman rule in Britain crumbled under Saxon raids. The owner never returned for them. I bet his wife never let him hear the end of it. In the Domesday Book (1086), Mildenhall (listed as "Mildenhale") was recorded as having 64 families and over 1,000 sheep - clearly playing its role in the lucrative East Anglian wool trade. Later, during the 1381 Peasants’ Revolt, the prior of Bury St Edmunds Abbey was chased, caught, and killed in Mildenhall. Though sparked by the poll tax, the revolt took on a broader anti-establishment tone, and I can only assume the prior had said the wrong thing at some point. Mildenhall might have grown further had it been connected to the main London to Norwich railway. However, local opposition at the time, fearing the railway would spoil the countryside, diverted the route elsewhere. This decision sidelined Mildenhall economically, causing it to decline (I feel modern Britain, with its legions of nimbys, could learn a lesson here...). In 1934, Mildenhall found a new lease of life with the opening of RAF Mildenhall, initially the starting point of the Mildenhall to Melbourne air race. Amy Johnson, the famous record-breaking pilot, was the first to take off, cheered on by a crowd of 60,000. The race’s winner completed the journey in just 72 hours. During World War II, RAF Mildenhall played an immediate role. Just six hours after Neville Chamberlain declared war on 3rd September 1939, its aircraft bombed the German Navy in the Kiel Canal. Post-war, the United States Air Force took over, housing large aircraft like the B-50D Superfortress and, more recently, air-to-air refuelling planes. And so, Mildenhall emerges as far more than the sleepy rural spot it’s often perceived to be. From hosting Roman elites to thriving in the wool trade, to breaking aviation records and being a base for aerial juggernauts, it holds a lot of secrets. As for the badge, I like its simple and striking design, though perhaps a future redesign might free up some space for a nod to Mildenhall’s Roman treasure or its aviation achievements. Still, this newly promoted team is fighting to put Mildenhall on the map for its future glories as much as for its past ones. #UpTheHalls

Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) might be one of the newer faces in Major League Soccer – founded in 2014 and playing its first season in 2018 – but it has rapidly become an iconic USA team. In this #GetTheBadgeIn fan feature, we’ll dive into what makes LAFC special: from its passionate fan culture, to the distinctive winged crest logo, and the deep connections with the City of Angels that fuel the club’s identity. LAFC was awarded an MLS expansion franchise in late 2014, giving Los Angeles a fresh start in pro soccer after the demise of the former Chivas USA. The club spent the next few years building from scratch – literally constructing its own 22,000-seat stadium in the heart of the city and signing Mexican star forward Carlos Vela as its first marquee player. This was all very clever. LA had an MLS team in LA Galaxy (of David Beckham fame), but they played some distance outside the city centre – by positioning themselves right in the centre of the city (their stadium is next door to the famous LA Memorial Stadium, built in 1921 and used in the 1932 and 1984 (and scheduled for 2028) Olympics). By signing Vela, they immediately won over a huge chunk of the Latino community in LA. Overnight, they became the city’s main team. The new crosstown rivalry against the older LA Galaxy is nicknamed El Tráfico – which is superb. In fact, their derby clashes have drawn massive crowds – including 82,110 fans at the Rose Bowl on July 4, 2023, a new MLS single-game attendance record. A few years later, the club reached the pinnacle of US soccer by winning its first MLS Cup championship in 2022, which led to a Supporters’ Shield/MLS Cup “double” that year. Equally important in LAFC’s story is the fan culture that sprang up around the club from day one. The club’s independent supporters’ union, known collectively as “The 3252,” formed even before the first match and has become the beating heart of LAFC’s game-day experience. (The name “3252” comes from the safe-standing supporter section’s capacity of 3,252; interestingly, if you add 3+2+5+2 it equals 12 – a nod to the “12th man” and homage to the supporters themselves.) Week after week, in the North End of BMO Stadium, the 3252 create a raucous wall of noise and colour – even for sceptical European fans – it is quite an impressive sight. You’ll hear songs in English, Spanish, and even Korean, reflecting the diverse Los Angeles community. So what about that badge then? It is a good-looking one. The crest is a sleek black shield outlined in gold, with the bold letters “LA” stylised in an Art Deco-inspired font. Notably, the “A” is adorned with a wing sweeping back from its top. The wing is a deliberate homage to Los Angeles’ nickname, the “City of Angels”. The wing design also carries a historical nod: it harkens back to the winged eagle crest of the Los Angeles Aztecs, a 1970s NASL team, connecting LAFC to the city’s soccer heritage. “City of Angels” is obviously derived from the city’s name – which in turn comes from the original Spanish name for the settlement, which was quite a mouthful – known as El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles de Porciúncula  (The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels on the Porciúncula River). The ‘Lady the Queen of the Angels’ is a long way of saying ‘The Virgin Mary’. Why a Spanish name in the first place? Well before the USA expanded, this area became known as ‘New Spain’. In 1769, Spanish explorers and missionaries began travelling north from Mexico to claim land, build missions, and spread Christianity. One of their goals was to create Catholic missions, military forts (called presidios), and settlements (pueblos) to keep control over the territory and convert the Indigenous peoples to Christianity. In 1781, a group of settlers — including people of Spanish, Indigenous, and African backgrounds — founded the city of LA. Beyond the wing, every element of the crest ties back to Los Angeles. The shield shape itself is derived from the official Seal of the City of Los Angeles, giving the logo civic pride and authority. Even the typography has an LA flair: the club chose a typeface inspired by Art Deco architecture (specifically, the work of L.A. architect Richard Neutra), a nod to the city’s rich collection of 1920s Art Deco buildings downtown (which is similar to Inter Miami). LAFC’s colours further reflect the club’s identity and its hometown. The gold adds a touch of Hollywood glitz (which is also included in its ownership group – which includes the likes of Will Ferrell and Magic Johnson). In just a few years, that winged LA logo has become a badge of honour around the city, as recognisable to locals as any Hollywood logo. LA is the second-largest city in the USA (after New York). Its location made it perfect for tourism and then, in the early 1900s, it became the centre of the emerging film industry – bringing in more people and investment. The Port of Los Angeles was developed and is now one of the biggest ports in the world, and is the USA’s main gateway to the Pacific and Asia. During the Second World War, LA benefited from large investments in aerospace, which in turn then fed into the Cold War’s Space Race, and LA became one of the major centres for NASA and rocket development. Such a diverse and successful city needs a diverse and successful football team. In LAFC, they may have just got one.

The Ipswich Town Football Club badge is one of the most recognisable in English football. Friends from Manchester to London have told me they followed Ipswich weekly as kids, drawn by its shield and horse, evoking images of medieval knights and chivalry. They’re not entirely wrong. The club originally used variations of the town’s crest, featuring three ships—believed to reference a Viking ship-building industry known for its unique stern designs. However, today’s badge was designed in the 1960s by John Gammage, the Supporters’ Association treasurer, who won a club design competition. At the heart of the badge is the Suffolk Punch, a powerful and durable horse traditionally bred for heavy agricultural work. The horse was effectively a “medieval tractor” and went beyond farming—its strength also supported England’s military, pulling supply wagons for the army. Kings like Richard I and Henry VIII even established stud farms to ensure the Punch’s availability, recognising its role in supporting English soldiers. No Punch, no power. When not serving the military, the Suffolk Punch led agricultural production in East Anglia. Suffolk was the heart of England’s wool trade for centuries, exporting prized wool through its ports to the continent, where it was seen as a luxury. Before the industrial era, Suffolk’s fields and wool exports contributed significantly to Britain’s economy. Ipswich was a “medieval Chicago,” channelling produce from the region through roads, coastal shipping, and rivers like the Gipping and Orwell to larger ships bound for Europe. The wavy lines on the badge’s base symbolise this maritime history. Ipswich was also an essential member of the Hanseatic League, a medieval trading network around the North Sea, with Ipswich still marked on medieval maps across the Baltics and Germany. Historically, the title of Duke of Suffolk has been one of the most important a King could bestow. The fortress-like crenellations at the badge’s top evoke Ipswich’s medieval buildings, notably Thomas Wolsey’s Wolsey Gate—although no “Ipswich Castle” ever existed. Medieval Ipswich did have town walls, which today lend their names to places like “Northgate” and “Sidegate.” The fortress motif even appears on Ed Sheeran’s recent pink third strip, where Wolsey Gate merges into Framlingham Castle. Wolsey Gate symbolises Ipswich’s moment of near-global recognition through Thomas Wolsey’s planned “Cardinal’s College.” Wolsey, a butcher’s son, rose to become both Chancellor to Henry VIII and Archbishop of York. He began building a grand college in Ipswich akin to those founding Oxford, but it was left unfinished after his sudden fall from power, later becoming Ipswich School. Shakespeare immortalised Wolsey’s Ipswich vision in Henry VIII, writing: “Those twins of learning that he rais'd in you, Ipswich and Oxford! One of which fell with him, Unwilling to outlive the good that did it; The other, though unfinish'd, yet so famous.” Had Wolsey remained in favour, Ipswich might have rivalled Oxford as a university town. Instead, it carries the badge of one of the world’s greatest football teams—we will have to make do with that.

They did it! Promoted from the Isthmian League North Division! They’re managed by Cole Skuse, long time Ipswich Town midfielder (and yes, I’m part of the rare club of people who’ve seen him score!). Their director is also Alan Lee ( @Alandesmondlee ), former Ipswich Town striker (I was at Elland Road the day Lee scored for us and sent Leeds down – I seem to remember him picking up a Leeds fan by the neck and placing him back into the stands during some of the chaos/pitch invasions that day). Founded in 1872, Bury Town FC ( @BuryTownFC ) is one of the oldest football clubs in the country, boasting an impressive history. Their squad once included the brilliantly named Reginald De Courtney Welch, who not only played in the first-ever England vs Scotland international but also represented Wanderers FC, winners of the inaugural FA Cup in 1872. Thanks to a community whip-round, they also became the first team in Suffolk to have floodlights, hosting the county’s first evening game in 1953. Their badge is a standout: modern, simple, and striking. Featuring the crown and crossed arrows of St Edmund, which also appear on the Suffolk flag and the Greene King brewery logo. As a logo, there’s few better. We all know the story, but it’s well worth a visit, so let’s #GetTheBadgeIn . Cast your mind back 1,200 years to 840 AD. Edmund was King of East Anglia, a powerful Anglo-Saxon kingdom that had thrived for centuries. To give context, the famous burial of King Rædwald at Sutton Hoo occurred 200 years earlier. However, by the 700s, a new threat had emerged… Around 50 years before Edmund’s birth, the Vikings made landfall at Lindisfarne (north of Newcastle). They noticed the peculiar religion of the monks and, more importantly, the undefended wealth of the monasteries. After slaughtering the inhabitants, stealing the women, and looting everything, they returned to Norway and told their mates, “Lads, you won’t believe the away day we just had…. Same again next week?”. And they did. Many, many times. The raids grew larger and more frequent until, in 869, the Vikings decided to go all in and take the land for themselves. They assembled an invasion force known as The Great Heathen Army, led by famous leaders, including Ivar the Boneless and Halfdan Ragnarsson. The Lowestoft band The Darkness made a brilliant video on this for their song Barbarians, a great history lesson on this incident – and surely a contender for a Suffolk National Anthem? According to legend, when the Danes invaded East Anglia, King Edmund attempted to appease them by offering horses, hoping they would spare his kingdom. Instead, they ravaged the region and captured him. Refusing to renounce his Christian faith, Edmund was tied to a post and shot with arrows until he resembled a pincushion, yet he refused to die (there is a great statue of poor old Edmund covered in arrows on the roundabout as you enter the town today). Frustrated, the Danes beheaded him and discarded his head in the forest. The legend tells that Edmund’s followers searched for his head, which miraculously answered their calls, guiding them to its location where a wolf was guarding it from harm. This miracle contributed to Edmund’s sainthood, and his shrine in Bury St Edmunds became a significant pilgrimage site. The “Bury Wolves” is surely a future American Football/Speedway team or something? Regardless, Edmund was given a sainthood and has a very strong claim to be the legitimate Patron Saint of England (he isn’t Turkish, for a start). We’ve also just missed St Edmund’s Day, on November 20th So that’s the badge. Bury itself has thrived as a centre of trade and pilgrimage, boosted by its grand Abbey, founded in the 11th century. Its thriving wool and brewing industries played a key role in its economic success, while its regular market, first granted a charter in 1235, attracted merchants from across the region. More recently Greene King and Silver Spoon Sugar supply the nation with dopamine hits. Greene King today is owned by Hong Kong-based Hutchison Holdings, who also own Superdrug, the phone operator 3, and Felixstowe Port. Quite a portfolio. There are few things as English as being too stubborn to die. There are few places as English as Bury St Edmunds. Each weekend Bury Town FC take to the pitch they’re representing a town of Angles, Abbeys, and Ale. Come on Bury, let’s get promoted this season and join the big boys in the National League. Do it for Edmund, do it for England.

Next on our coverage of East Anglian teams is , aka, The Magpies. What we discover is a Town with a fascinating history of bodysnatching and burning. And, interestingly, for a town on Norwich's doorstep, a connection to Ipswich’s most famous son – Ed Shee, sorry, Thomas Wolsey.So , let's #GetInTheBadge and see what we can learn about this team, and their Norfolk hometown. Sat about half way between Norwich and Kings Lynn this team currently occupy 8th place in the @ThurlowNunnL, with a good shot of the playoffs this season if their continue recent form.Founded in 1884, Dereham Town FC has undergone several name changes and league promotions. More on which a bit later. They’ve won the Norfolk Senior Cup five times, most recently in 2019, and achieved promotion to higher leagues multiple times. In 2022, they joined the Northern Premier League but were relegated back to the Eastern Counties League in 2023.Their badge reflects their colours, black and white, from which their nickname derives - The Magpies. But, there is a case to be made here that a different animal has equal claim to the name... the doe. The doe is central on the town's coat of arms - and the name itself derives from "Deer Village", in Old English. So, it fitting that Dereham is supposed to be home to Saint Withburga, who's miracle tale involves two does.The legend says Withburga was the daughter of Anna, King of the East Angles. Yes, he was called Anna). Withburga, who, after her father's death, decided to build a convent. Noticing her workers only had stale bread to eat, she prayed for help. Two wild does appeared at a well, providing milk each morning. When a local official, unimpressed by such otherworldly nonsense, tried to stop the miracle by hunting the does, he was thrown from his horse and died. In the town centre today, a sign hangs across the road showing the official hunting the does—a warning to officials entering the town thereafter. But Withburga is only just getting started: In 799, after her death, the townspeople dug up her body to move it. Upon doing so, they found her body "entire, and free from decay," as recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle . Odd, considering she had been buried for 55 years. Word of this miracle spread, and Dereham became a place of pilgrimage. But wait, there’s more… A century later, greedy monks from Ely, envious of Dereham’s miracle, decided to steal it. Clearly, the town was making too much money from letting spare rooms through AirBnB and selling novelty Withburga snowglobes to incoming pilgrims. Ely wanted a piece of the pie—actually, the whole pie. The Abbot of Ely, Brithnoth, arrived with monks and armed men. They went down the local pub, buying rounds for the locals and inviting everyone to join. While they were suitably distracted, Brithnoth’s men dug up the body of Withburga and fled back to Ely. With sore heads the next morning, the Dereham townsfolk realised they’d been tricked. They gave chase through the Fens, but it was too late, by the time they reached Elu the body was safely interred inside Ely Cathedral. Dejected, embittered, and hung over, the Dereham boys returned home to discover yet another miracle! From the hole where she’d been buried, fresh water suddenly sprang forth—a well that remains to this day. Haha, Dereham has the last laugh! Surely an annual pre-season game between Dereham and fellow @ThurlowNunnL team, @ElyCityFC needs to be played for a ‘Withburga Cup’ or something? Aside from stolen saints, Dereham is also known for the ‘Burning Bishop,’ Edmund Bonner. A close friend of Ipswich’s Cardinal Wolsey who first gave him his break in government. He later rose under Thomas Cromwell, becoming a key figure in the newly formed Church of England. As a reward, Bonner received numerous positions, including rector of Dereham. His cottage, now a museum, commemorates his role in the Reformation. A skilled administrator, Bonner initially supported Protestant reforms. However, under Edward VI, he grew uneasy with the rapid changes and reverted to Catholicism. This shift aligned perfectly with Mary I’s reign, earning him the role of Bishop of London. Tasked with prosecuting ‘heretics,’ Bonner gained the nickname ‘Burning Bonner.’ Recent historians, however, suggest he was more pragmatic than zealous, often looking the other way to avoid persecuting people where possible. The jury is still out. So, that’s Dereham, a fascinating tale of Doting Does, Stolen Saints and Burning Bishops. More than enough to be proud of, and like Withburga herself, I don’t think History is yet done with Dereham. The Magpies are looking to write the next chapter.

Let's continue our tour of East Anglian National League teams and pay @officialKLtown a visit. King’s Lynn Town FC, known as The Linnets, carries the history of a proud town. Currently perched second in National League North, The Linnets look perfectly placed to swoop in on promotion this season.   Their current badge features the Linnet bird, a type of finch, in a direct reference to their nickname. Before 2010, their badge used a simplified version of the town’s coat of arms, showing three dragon heads swallowing three crosses. This references St Margaret of Antioch, patron saint of the town, who, according to legend, was swallowed by a dragon and burst free when the cross she carried tickled the monster's throat. Her name lives on in St Margaret’s Church, one of King’s Lynn’s most iconic landmarks.   King’s Lynn’s story begins in the medieval period, when it became one of the most important ports in England. In 1204, King John granted it Royal Port status, allowing it to import wine and collect duties. By the late Middle Ages, King’s Lynn was one of the largest ports in England and played a vital role in the Hanseatic League, the powerful European trade network. Today, the Hanseatic Warehouse, the only surviving one in the UK, stands in the town as a reminder of this era of European trade.   Medieval travellers to King’s Lynn often passed through The Walks park (officially opened as such much later in the 18th century), which is home to the Red Mount Chapel, built as a stop-off for pilgrims journeying to Walsingham. Like much of pre-Reformation East Anglia, the pilgrimage trade was big business—see our post about Brentwood FC for another great example. Today, The Walks is home to the Linnets stadium. So, a pilgrimage of sorts still takes place every time there is a home game.   Just like many of the other badges we have seen, the team's identity has been shaped by that break with Rome engineered by Henry VIII. In 1537 the town, previously controlled by the Bishop of Norwich, was taken under crown control. Bishop's Lynn, as the town had been called, rebranded to reflect its new owner: Kings Lynn was born.   King’s Lynn sat surrounded by the marshlands of the Fens. This large tract provided many with livelihoods in reed beds and wild birds, but for centuries others saw its potential as a vast and fertile area for agriculture. Evidence shows the Romans had tried to drain the area with mixed success, but over 1,000 years after their exit, things got more serious.   The 4th Earl of Bedford, Francis Russell, was instrumental in the draining of the Fens in the 17th century, working with Dutch engineer Cornelius Vermuyden (who also built Canvey Island’s sea defences—see our post on Concord United) to transform the marshes into farmland. For Bedford's efforts, he and his investors were rewarded with large portions of the reclaimed land, which greatly enriched Bedford's estate. This ambitious project had a significant impact on the local economy, particularly in King’s Lynn, as it boosted agriculture and improved trade routes. However, the drainage efforts were met with fierce resistance from local communities, known as the Fen Tigers (surely a better name than "Stars" for King’s Lynn's Speedway Team?), who relied on the wetlands for their traditional livelihoods. Despite the conflict, the Earl’s work in the Fens remains a landmark in land reclamation and economic transformation in the region.   Today, such ambitious engineering would be scrapped because Mrs Scoggins from 22 Garden Lane wrote a letter to the council complaining about too many trucks on her road. Thankfully, Britain used to have bigger ambitions.   Fast forward to World War I, and King’s Lynn faced modern threats when it was bombed by German Zeppelins in 1915. This tragic event, one of Britain’s first air raids, shook the town.   Later in the 20th century, King’s Lynn acquired an industrial landmark with the construction of the Campbell’s Soup Tower in 1959, the American company’s first factory in the UK. The tower employed generations of locals and became a key part of the town’s identity before its demolition in 2007.   From shipping to saints, from soil to soup, King’s Lynn has always found a way. And The Linnets are only just beginning to write their story.

With our flat, rolling fields and reputation as country-bumpkin Tractor Boys, it is easy to overlook the industrial centres that have thrived throughout East Anglia. Stowmarket supplied gunpowder to Europe, Ipswich’s Crane built the first railways in China, Wivenhoe’s torpedo boats harassed German destroyers, and today Lowestoft’s docks clank with the assembly of wind turbines – we do far more than just munch carrots.   The jewel in the crown of this industrial heritage is perhaps overlooked: Leiston. Today, the cutting-edge technology of its nuclear power stations is safeguarded by its own government agency. But Leiston has been an industrial powerhouse since the 1700s. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is what you can see in @leistonfc ’s unique badge. So, let’s #GetTheBadgeIn for East Anglia’s entrepreneurial acropolis.   Before it became a manufacturing hub, it was a monastic one. Leiston Abbey served as a centre for spiritual and physical support from 1182 until its dissolution by Henry VIII in 1537. Local nobles lavished funds on it, especially Robert Ufford, the 1st Earl of Suffolk, who financed its relocation from marshland to a stable site. When not funding monasteries, Ufford commanded Edward III’s left wing at the Battle of Crécy – decimating much of the French nobility. Today, the Abbey is a ProCorda school, training future chamber musicians – a beautiful and fitting use. Songs have been sung here for nearly a millennium.   Fast forward to 1778, and we meet Richard Garrett from Melton. Marrying Elizabeth from Leiston, he founded Richard Garrett & Sons, producing agricultural tools before transitioning to steam engines for tractors and factories. The company grew rapidly, employing 2,500 workers.   Two generations later, Richard Garrett III visited the Great Exhibition in 1851 (at Crystal Palace - before it burnt down), witnessing American assembly line techniques. Inspired, he returned to Suffolk and introduced a ‘long shop’ for steam engines. This transformed production, making it faster, cheaper, and more consistent. Steam tractors and rollers poured out of Leiston, with one design built under licence in Czechoslovakia by 1925. Today, the Long Shop Museum keeps their stories alive.   In 1912, the firm began producing electric vehicles, including small trucks and vans for local government use. Glasgow used Leiston-built EVs for rubbish collection until the 1960s, and trolleybuses served Bradford, Southend, and Doncaster. During WWII, Leiston hosted three US Air Force fighter squadrons, flying P-47s and P-51s to protect bombers coming out of East Anglia and Lincolnshire. Among the pilots at Leiston was Chuck Yeager, who became a fighter ace (11.5 kills – with 5 in just 1 day!) and, in 1947, broke the sound barrier flying the Bell X-1.   Now, back to the football team and its badge. Leiston FC, formed in 1880 by workers at the Garrett Engineering Works, displays a badge featuring what appears to be a steam engine. The curved design, I like to think, may also nod to the second major industry that came to dominate the area. From steam engines to steam reactors: in 1966, Sizewell A was commissioned. Its Magnox reactors produced 325 MW each. Sizewell B followed, and we’re still waiting on Sizewell C, buried under red tape. Even with the loss of the Garrett plant, Leiston remains a bastion of heavy engineering amid a sea of agriculture.   What Garrett would make of Britain today is unclear. I’m sure when sketching his assembly line after the Great Exhibition, he wasn’t also on the phone to his lawyers about dealing with decades of planning permission. Alas.   Yet, East Anglia stands – a gateway to Europe, fertile soils, and harbours, with a proud history of innovation and daring. Every time a Leiston player pulls on that shirt, they represent a region of piety, pioneering spirit, and passion. One to rival the best of the North-West teams and their Industrial Revolution heritage. We weren’t outmatched then, and we’re not outmatched now – and neither is Leiston FC.

There’s a town on the Suffolk/Norfolk border that often gets a bad rep—but I’d argue unjustly so. We’ve all been there, we all know it, and increasingly, more of us are working there. That town is Lowestoft, and it’s on the rise. From becoming a hub for offshore jobs to landing the county’s first Taco Bell, Lowestoft is making waves. Its football team, Lowestoft Town FC ( @OFCLTRAWLERBOYS ), topped the Isthmian League North last season and now competes in the Southern League Premier Division Central. The Trawler Boys are riding the high tide, so let’s #GetTheBadgeIn and see what we can find. Let’s start with the sunrise. This references Lowestoft as England’s most easterly point, home to Lowestoft Ness, where the Euroscope points to far-off places (and behind you, a Birds Eye frozen food plant churns out a million potato waffles every 24 hours—surely a strategic national asset worthy of a few Patriot air defence batteries?). The rising sun motif also appears on Suffolk’s Coat of Arms. The three white plates on the blue chevron represent the Lowestoft Porcelain Factory (1757–1802), famous for its blue-and-white teapots and jugs. Inspired by Chinese designs, the factory sold nationwide and to tourists visiting the town, with a large shop in Cheapside, London. One celebrated artist was the mysterious Tulip Painter, known for intricate floral designs. Surviving pieces, often inscribed with "A Trifle from Lowestoft," sell for up to £30,000 at auction. Now, the roses and crown. Some claim these symbols reference Saint Margaret of Scotland, but that seems mistaken. The actual patron saint of Lowestoft is Saint Margaret of Antioch (also the patron of pregnant women, exiles, the falsely accused, and kidney disease… make of that what you will). If anyone knows the real purpose of the roses and crown (Tudor on the town’s crest, red on the Football Club’s badge—closet Lancastrians, perhaps?), do let me know. Back to Margaret: legend says she was swallowed by a dragon but emerged unscathed after her crucifix choked the beast. Some versions say she smashed its head in with a hammer—having met women from Lowestoft, this sounds plausible. But there’s more to Lowestoft than its badge. In 1665, James, Duke of York, led the Royal Navy to victory over the Dutch, sinking or capturing 30 ships. It's also been an economic powerhouse: The Trawler Boys’ herring fleet fed East Anglia and, with railways, reached major cities. Inside St Margaret’s Church, a roll of honour remembers sailors lost at sea. Railways also brought tourists, and by the 19th century, Lowestoft boasted fine hotels and restaurants. In 1831 engineers joined Lake Lothing to the Noth Sea, creating a large harbour for ships. Shipbuilding took off and facilities to maintain the fishing trawlers sprung up. Much like Grimsby’s Mariners ( @officialgtfc ), it’s fishing town cousin further round the coast, it had its own ice factory that operated for over 100 years – delivering fresh fish to the nation. During WWI, the fishing trawlers became armed patrol boats, defending Britain’s coasts. For its troubles, the town was bombarded by German forces, which destroyed 200 homes before being driven off by the Royal Navy and poor visibility. In WWII, Lowestoft became HQ for the Royal Naval Patrol Service (RNPS) at Sparrow’s Nest Gardens. Lowestoft’s fishermen and Navy Reservists bravely cleared mines and hunted submarines in the war’s most dangerous naval branch. Today, Lowestoft serves the country still, combining its maritime legacy with renewable energy. The Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm, with 140 turbines, and ongoing developments see tugboats leaving daily to service them, powering millions of homes. More turbines are being built today in the same harbour that once fixed up the herring fleets. From porcelain to power, from fighting Germans to fixing generators, Britain’s most easterly town keeps working for us all in the early light. The Trawler Boys are on the up, just like their hometown.

When it comes to iconic badges, theirs is definitely up there. The Foxes, as they’re famously known, carry a badge and name recognised worldwide. Their historic achievements - championed weekly by their Minister for Propaganda, Gary Lineker on Match of the Day - and their extraordinary Premier League victory under Claudio Ranieri, have cemented their place in Premier League history.   So, what’s the story behind this badge?   Interestingly, weren’t always the Foxes. When they moved to Filbert Street in 1891, they were given the nickname the ‘Nuts.’ This was either because Filbert is another name for a hazelnut or due to their ground at the time being on Walnut Street. Or perhaps it was both. Either way, they became known nationally as ‘The Knuts’ (with a K, apparently). Perhaps this is what urged them on to find a newer identity...   So, how did they become the Foxes? In 1949, during the FA Cup Final against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leicester appeared with a fox crest on their shirts for the first time (possibly as a playful jab at Wolves?). That said, the fox emblem had been drawn up in the 1920s but hadn’t yet made it onto their kit. I like to imagine an ambitious kit man, the night before the final, sewing on a fox to make a statement.   But why a fox in the first place? Leicestershire is historically linked to fox hunting – the first recorded hunt supposedly took place in 1696 in the village of Quorn. There’s even a small link to Ipswich; the Royal Navy has had three ships named HMS Quorn, after the Leicestershire hunt. One of the 'Hunt Class' series of ships - all named after famous hunts (makes sense now - they hunt for mines... clever). The most recent one, a mine countermeasures vessel, was assigned to Ipswich as her home base. She visited the Waterfront for public tours in 2014. Her crew were given the ‘Freedom of the Town’ and celebrated with a march through the town centre. I remember visiting before an Ipswich home game, where I vaguely remember queuing behind a line of 8 year olds to pretend to fire a mini gun vaguely in the direction of Harwich.   The fox emblem, then, honours the county’s fox hunting heritage. But what about the white flower in the background? That’s directly taken from the Leicester City Coat of Arms – look it up, and you’ll find a five-petalled flower known as a cinquefoil in the centre. This was the family crest of the noble Beaumont family, whose last in line, Robert de Beaumont, was made Earl of Leicester while journeying to the Third Crusade with Richard I in 1190.   So, the badge’s fox head framed by the cinquefoil is a blend of fox hunting tradition and noble crusading lineage. Better than a budgie, that’s for sure.

Why I love the pink third shirt... @IpswichTown Ok, so, a bit controversial here, but... I think it's great. I know. It is pink. VERY pink. I get that. Not the usual go-to colour. But... We are one of the last teams that I know of to actually release a pink 2nd or 3rd kit, and they're a clear winner with a large demographic. My wife wants one. My wife hates football shirts (which is awkward for our relationship, given I consider myself a collector/spotter/connoisseur/geek when it comes to shirts and badges). And I hope Sheeran sells these at his concerts. Legions of fans from Toronto to Tokyo should be leaving his concerts clad in Ipswich shirts. But hear me out, a quick commercial opportunity isn’t the only reason this is a winner. We didn’t just lazily release a pink shirt to tick a box or to follow a trend like some teams have (*cough, cough, @SouthamptonFC, cough cough). Instead, we (I think tbf, it was actually Ed Sheeran who designed it?) made it PACKED, and I mean PACKED, with local Suffolk symbolism. The colour itself is Suffolk Pink (actually, it looks a bit brighter to me, but that's what it is supposed to be). Suffolk pink is a thing. You know it is. Drive for 15 minutes in any direction in the Suffolk countryside and you will see pink houses/cottages. It's a local tradition. The pink itself dilutes/graduates slightly as you go down, mimicking the Suffolk sunset - again - something we are famous for and people who visit always comment on. Then, my favourite aspect, the silhouettes/skyline of Framlingham Castle and Wolsey Gate runs across the top of the shirt. This links it directly to the heart of our town and its history, as well as a nod to Sheeran's Castle on a Hill, which must be the only million-copy selling pop song about Suffolk. Next up, there is a wave made up of 6 lines which represent the 60-mile historic Suffolk Coastal Path, which stretches all the way from Felixstowe to Lowestoft. I am desperate to walk this one day. The last lines across the middle are the soundwaves created from the cheer of the crowd as players run out of the tunnel (and not the opening lines to Castle on a Hill, which my wife assumed, but nonetheless, it is a clear nod to the musical legacy of a certain Mr Sheeran too). Sunsets and songs, cardinals and castles – it is Suffolk through and through. I challenge anyone to find another shirt from any other team that is so packed with local imagery. Proud to wear it. The only thing that would have improved it is a dead budgie lying down near the bottom somewhere. Maybe felled by three throwing stars... or trophies, as we like to call them in Suffolk. #ITFC #Uppatowen

While Essex lacks teams in the English Football League (bar Colchester, who seem intent on losing their status every season), it’s home to some strong National League and lower outfits. Today, let’s look at one recent addition to the sixth tier: Hornchurch FC .   Last year, they won the Isthmian Premier League and are, at the time of writing, sitting 11th in the National League South. They’ve adapted well to the higher tier, racking up eight wins. But they’ve been around for a while—initially formed in 1881. Club records show they ended their first season 7 shillings in debt, no doubt breaking FFP guidelines.   Their badge is a classic, rooted in the area’s Coat of Arms. Let’s decode it and #GetTheBadgeIn.   First, that bull’s head. It comes from a metal sculpture on St Andrew’s Church in Hornchurch town centre. Records mention a bull’s head on the church as far back as 1222. Legend has it this is where the town gets its name—"the church with horns." Another theory? A local abbot used the bull motif as his official seal which then was picked up by the Church. Bulls on churches are rare; it’s not exactly Mother Mary.   Next, the three red roses. Initially, I thought it was a nod to the War of the Roses. But Essex is far from the Red Rose of Lancaster. Turns out they’re linked to William de Wykeham (ancestor of Connor? #itfc), and it turns out his story is also connected to the bull.   In 1159, Henry II gifted the area of Hornchurch to the Great St Bernard Hospice, a French monastic order. The monks controlled Hornchurch for centuries, but in 1378, the Catholic Church got itself in a right old mess, ending up with two rival Popes: one in Rome and one in Avignon. England sided with Rome (naturally, we couldn’t side with the French), and monasteries loyal to Avignon were declared enemies. The French monastery’s lands were confiscated and sold to William de Wykeham, who, conveniently, was the guy who suggested the idea to the crown. Classic medieval insider trading!   Wykeham didn’t just pocket the profits. He endowed Hornchurch to fund his legacy project: New College, Oxford. Rents paid in Essex would now fund study in Oxford. The church at New College Oxford mirrors St Andrew’s, Hornchurch—presumably, Wykeham got a two-for-one deal with the builders.   Now, the bird on the badge: it’s a martlet from Edward the Confessor’s arms. Edward, the last Saxon King (unless you count Harold, who got an arrow in the eye for his troubles), had a hunting lodge at nearby Havering-atte-Bower. Edward owned much of the area, and the martlets also feature on Dagenham & Redbridge’s badge, though theirs are red, not Hornchurch’s yellow, which is the original colour. Hornchurch is OG Confessor.   There’s also the heart at the bottom of the crest. One theory claims it’s linked to St Bernard, the man who created the Great St Bernard’s Hospice monastic order, which ran the priory before Henry II shut it down. Bernard of Menthon established safe routes through the Alps for pilgrims, setting up hostels and using dogs, later called St Bernards, (yes, the Beethoven ones) for mountain rescues. While the idea of the dogs carrying brandy is mostly legend, for establishing this network of pit stops and mountain rescue teams across the Alps, giving safe passage to Rome, he was made a saint.   As for the nickname "Urchins," theories abound. One story ties it to medieval hedgehogs (called urchins – in French) that infested the land before the club moved in. Another credits local street children from a nearby Dr Barnardo’s home who served as ballboys, sparking shouts of "Come on you Urchins!" when the ball went out of play.   During WWII, Hornchurch played a critical role as home to RAF Hornchurch. Its Spitfire squadrons were pivotal to winning the Battle of Britain. Fittingly, the RAF emblem also featured the bull from St Peter’s church (and the Coat of Arms).   And here’s a prehistoric twist: Hornchurch marks the southernmost reach of ice sheets during the Ice Age.   From mountains of ice to French monasteries to Messerschmitts  -  Hornchurch FC have stood against them all.   Come on you Urchins!