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Sometimes a badge looks interesting, but then you read the team's history notes on the website, and it quickly turns unremarkable: "Fred Bloggs scored a hat-trick, we finished 4th in the Southern Premier Division in 1972 under manager Dicky McDickDick," and so on and so forth. And then, just occasionally, you stumble across a team like North Ferriby Football Club ( @north_ferribyfc ). Their story explodes from the page. Most of what follows is taken from their own excellent website (hat tip to the club's historian). It is so inspiring that it deserves telling in short form for a Twitter audience. So let's #GetTheBadgeIn for The Villagers. North Ferriby, just upriver from Hull, has always been about making the most of what it’s got. Formed after the Great War, the club has thrived thanks to decades of hard work from its resourceful fan base. In 1954, they built a brick pavilion at Grange Lane Playing Fields using salvaged materials—a structure still standing today. Later, when concrete was scarce, they swept up concrete dust from a local supplier to finish renovations. Piece by piece, the club grew. Players like Dean Windass have left their mark. Sold to Hull City, a sell-on clause saw Ferriby collect £60,000 when Aberdeen bought him in 1995. This windfall funded youth facilities, helping secure the club’s future. In 2015, the club hit national headlines. Playing as North Ferriby United, they won the FA Trophy Final at Wembley, coming from 2-0 down to beat Wrexham on penalties. They've been up and down since then, on one occasion securing three promotions in a row and reaching National League North, mixing it up with the big boys—which, for a village of less than 4,000 people, is pretty remarkable. So that's the actual club, and I love the story of community engagement keeping this club alive and punching way above its weight. Visit their full history for a much more inspiring story, full of eccentric characters, than you can see in the synopsis above. But what of the badge that first drew me to look closer at the club? The chevron and the three heads of wild boar. Aside from triggering flashbacks to Asterix and Obelix books, these too tell a remarkable tale. It is the coat of arms of the Ferriby family, a local wealthy family that took its name from the settlement. It was originally settled by Vikings sailing down the Humber. They established two camps on either bank and ran a ferry service between the two—today they are North Ferriby and South Ferriby (obvious when you see it, huh? - also reminds of me of North and South Queensferry either side of the Firth of the Forth). The village boasts some impressive history besides that. Going back even further, the oldest ever discovered sewn plank boats —outside of Egypt— in the entire world- were found at North Ferriby. They have been carbon-dated to 4,000 years ago. Yikes. After the Viking landings, the village became Christian, and a priory was established—belonging not just to any old order, but to the Knights Templar themselves. The Templars were famous for being the shock troops in the Crusades, for inventing a continent-wide banking system, and for maybe even protecting the secrets of the Ark of the Covenant... (has anyone checked Ferriby?). So, there you have it. Three boers on the shirt, knights templars still gleaming... North Ferriby FC continue to probably be the most over achieving village team in English history.

Visiting Portman Road on Saturday will be one of the most iconic teams in English football. Both teams have enjoyed incredible success in the past, owing much of it to the same man, Bobby Robson. Statues of Sir Bobby stand outside both stadiums. Before the game, let’s head up the East Coast and #GetTheBadgeIn for Newcastle United FC @NUFC.   Starting in 1882 as two rival cricket teams (East End vs West End), they began kicking a ball around in winter to stay fit. A common enough origin story, but that's about all that is "common" about this team and its city.   Let's start with the name: Newcastle City's coat of arms features three castles, not just the one on the football badge. So, what are they?   Castle 1: The city sits at one end of Hadrian's Wall (hence "Wallsend"). On high ground near the River Tyne, it was an ideal site for a Roman fort, allowing easy shipment of men and materials to defend the border.   Castle 2: The "New" Castle, built in 1080 by William the Conqueror's son Robert Curthose, followed the Norman motte-and-bailey design. These castles were quick to build, used local materials, and acted as bases for Norman troops. Northumbrians resisted fiercely, and during the "Harrowing of the North," thousands were killed, and crops burned to starve survivors.   Castle 3: In 1172, Henry II rebuilt the wooden castle in stone. The Black Gate, added later, still stands with the Keep today. Visitors should take a short walk from St James' Park to see these incredible structures. The castle saw action during the Barons' Wars and the Civil War, when Parliamentarian forces surrendered to the Scots.   So that’s Newcastle—a tale of three towers. The second gave the city its name, and you can still see the Keep on Newcastle's badge.   The city’s coat of arms features a lion carrying the St George Cross, symbolising its role defending against the Scots. On the team badge, the white has turned blue—though the reason remains unclear to me. Did Iceland invade? If anyone knows, shout.   What about the seahorses? They represent the city’s seafaring heritage. Newcastle’s dockyards built much of the British Merchant and Royal Navy. "Tyne Built" became a respected mark worldwide. Iconic images of the town's working classes (who nonetheless could get well paid ship building jobs) playing footie in the streets as the hulking great ships on the horizon were being welded together come to mind.   Local man William Armstrong, of Armstrong Whitworth, pioneered innovations like ironclad ships, rotating bridges, hydro-powered homes, and breech-loading artillery. Advocating renewables for efficiency, he funded schools, museums, and hospitals. His last project was restoring Bamburgh Castle, which remains in his family.   Lastly, coal. Before the Industrial Revolution, Newcastle coal powered trains, ships, and homes. Colliers—ships carrying coal—delivered it nationwide. Ipswich’s River Orwell saw its share, supplying its coal-fired power station, which ran until 1985.   That’s Newcastle: military bastions, seafaring power, industrial hub—and home to a storied football team.   I have a soft spot for Newcastle United. I just hope they have a horrible day on Saturday. 😉

For a town of only 4,700 people (what's that, the South Stand at Portman Road?), Needham Market has a heck of a history. Its Football Club @needhammktfc, currently sits in the National League North, having won the Premier Division Central last season. So, let's pop down the A14 and #GetTheBadgeIn. The crest of Needham Market FC is derived from the family coat of arms of the Earls of Ashburnham. This noble family, which began with (as ever) a buddy of William the Conqueror, started out in England as Constable of Dover. From there, they made a fortune from ironmaking in the Weald (Sussex and Kent) and maintained close ties with the Crown over generations. The coat of arms is quite literal—an ash tree (ASHburnham) grows out of the top of a crown. The most notable Ashburnham was John Ashburnham, a close friend of Charles I. During the Civil War, John was one of two companions who fled Oxford with the King. After Charles I was executed, John endured imprisonment and exile, including stints in the Tower of London and Guernsey. When the monarchy was restored under Charles II, John regained influence. As a reward, the family was granted property in Westminster, where they built Ashburnham House, now one of the boarding houses for Westminster School. I've never been, but I imagine the paintings chat back, and the staircases drift about. They probably have a groundsman called Hagrid. The Ashburnhams remained loyal to the Royals, and John's grandson, another John, was awarded an Earldom, becoming the 1st Earl of Ashburnham in 1730. Their Suffolk connection began in 1756 when the 2nd Earl married Elizabeth Crowley, heiress to a small fortune and lands in Barking, Suffolk. Barking, a small village near Needham Market (not that place in Essex), was historically the seat of regional nobility, with Needham Market as the junior neighbour. Elizabeth's wealth came through her father’s family, who owned the country’s largest metalworks in Durham—so both families had iron in their blood. They missed a trick not calling themselves the Ironborn (sorry, Game of Thrones reference). The Ashburnhams built Barking Hall in the 1700s, a grand stately home. It was demolished in 1926 and is now farmland (like so many stately homes in East Anglia—a waste, didn't they stop to think how much wedding planners would pay for Instagram friendly venues?) As major landowners and benefactors, the family supported local churches and influenced the town. Naturally, Needham Market adopted their coat of arms. Enough about them though—what about Needham Market itself? It has a harrowing story. In the early medieval period, it grew into a prosperous part of the East Anglian wool trade, specialising in combing wool to prepare it for spinning into yarn. Henry II granted the town a charter for a regional market, and the place began to thrive. But then the Black Death arrived. The town was such an infection risk that it was chained off at both ends. Two-thirds of the population died. Chainhouse Road marks where the chain once stood. The “Causeway” in the town comes from “Corpse Way,” the route through which bodies were removed. It took 200 years for the population to recover, but when it did, the town punched above its weight in science and radical thought. One local was burnt at the stake by "Bloody" Mary I for his beliefs, while another was jailed for being a Quaker. A local blacksmith invented a "safety" bicycle—actually a tricycle—and Joseph Priestley, the scientist who discovered oxygen and invented carbonated water, was briefly the town’s priest. Needham Market can also boast having once had a mouse trap factory. I’ve struggled to unpick the Ashburnham/Needham Market crest, but I think the stars must represent a megastar like no other: June Brown, aka Dot Cotton from EastEnders, who grew up there. From a prosperous wool trade to a catastrophic plague, from noble patrons to soap opera royalty, Needham Market has thrived and survived in its own idyllic way. When that National League North side takes to the pitch this weekend, currently languishing near the bottom of the league, they're writing an exciting new chapter for a town that is used to coming back strong from early setbacks.

If you are a British football fan, upon hearing of FC River Plate, you probably don't immediately think of one of Argentina's most successful football clubs. The club with 38 league titles, 16 national cups, and 18 international titles. The club that holds the highest average attendance of any club in the world (84,000!). That probably isn’t what jumps to mind. Furthermore, upon hearing of where they are based – the Belgrano District of Buenos Aires – your mind probably again leaps to a more nautical and military-minded topic. It is for both those reasons – the famous Royal Navy victory at River Plate in 1939 – and the 1982 sinking of the Battleship Belgrano by HMS Conqueror – and The Sun newspaper's infamous "Gotcha!" headline the following day – that it is well worth a look at this club, its history, and the region it represents. So let's #GetTheBadgeIn for the giants that are Club Atlético River Plate. Let's go straight to the badge. A shield bearing the club's initials (CARP – see above) and a red stripe, going diagonally across a white shield. This is a direct reflection of the team's iconic kit – and makes them look a little like they're all wearing sashes as they run about the pitch. In terms of design, it looks like a modern, crisp and minimalist design. However, it has very old and disputed origins. One popular tale says that during a local carnival, some of the early players found a red ribbon and pinned it diagonally on their plain white shirts, creating the first red stripe. Another suggestion is that the red colour was a nod to the Italian city of Genoa (which has a St George's flag on the city crest), since many of the club’s founders were Italian immigrants from that region. And here, like with Palmeiras in Brazil, we see the impact of that wave of Italian migration to Latin America during the 1800s – that brought pasta and football – amongst other things. Whatever the exact origin, the red “band” became a proud symbol of the club – so much so that one of River’s nicknames is “La Banda” (Spanish for “the Stripe” or “the Band”), referring to the red stripe on their kit. So that's the badge. What of the club? River Plate was founded on 25 May 1901 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The club began in the port neighbourhood of La Boca, which, interestingly, is the same area that later became home to their great rivals, Boca Juniors. The club’s name “River Plate” is of course English – it comes from the English name for the city’s river, the Río de la Plata. According to legend, one of the founders saw some cargo crates at the Buenos Aires docks labelled “The River Plate” (perhaps left by British sailors), and he decided this would be a unique name for the new club. This English name stuck, giving the club an international-sounding identity from the very start. The team earned promotion to Argentina’s top division in 1908, and by 1914 River had won its first major title. Over the following decades, River Plate became one of Argentina’s most successful and popular football clubs. In the 1930s, the club gained the nickname “Los Millonarios” (The Millionaires) after spending then-huge sums of money to buy star players. This big spending and the move to a wealthier district cemented River’s image as a rich and ambitious club. River Plate dominated much of the 20th century in Argentine football – they won so many championships (28 official tournaments by 1999) that they were honoured as “El Campeón del Siglo” (The Champions of the Century) in Argentina. Throughout its history, the club has produced and featured many famous players, including legends like Alfredo Di Stéfano (who played in the 1940s before becoming a star in Europe) and more recent heroes like Enzo Francescoli, Ariel Ortega, and Marcelo Gallardo. With its long list of victories and star players, River Plate is regarded as one of the football giants of Argentina and of South America. River Plate’s home stadium is the monumental Estadio Monumental (officially named Estadio Antonio V. Liberti) in the Núñez district of Buenos Aires. It is the largest stadium in Argentina, with a capacity of around 84,000 spectators. One of the most defining aspects of River Plate’s identity is its fierce rivalry with Boca Juniors. Matches between River Plate and Boca Juniors are known as the “Superclásico,” and this derby is often called one of the most intense and famous rivalries in world football. The BBC has ranked the Superclásico among the top sporting experiences in the world. Buenos Aires, as a city, grew fast on the back of its football-loving Italian migrants during the 1880s. As the main port city, it was central to Argentina’s export-driven economy, especially during the 19th-century agricultural boom (beef and wheat). Wealth poured in, making Buenos Aires one of the richest cities globally by the early 1900s. Politically, it was these dock and factory workers that gave birth to a form of Argentinian soft socialism known as Peronism, after their President Juan Perón (whose wife was Evita – which is where that "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" song comes from). So that's the club and city. However, I should probably map out a little more about why River Plate has strong naval connections in British eyes. The Battle of the River Plate was the first major naval victory for the British in the Second World War – and it all came down to some underhand trickery. In 1939 the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee broke out into the Atlantic to cause havoc on the shipping lanes. The Royal Navy was terrified that Hitler would do this, so sent dozens of ships after her. Three British cruisers – HMS Exeter, Ajax, and Achilles – caught up and chased their German prey south down into the Atlantic. These smaller vessels could do no more than chip away at Graf Spee and keep well out of range of the devastating German guns. However, they were able to do enough damage that Graf Spee put into Montevideo in Uruguay – sailing up the River Plate to get there. Holed up in this neutral port, the rules of war said she would have to leave within 72 hours. The three British ships waiting for her didn't fancy their chances in a straight fight, so flooded the radio waves with false chatter between themselves and – what sounded like – a larger British fleet on its way down to reinforce them. The German captain had to now make a decision. Not confident they could take on the combined might of the three cruisers plus whatever was over the horizon, he decided to take his crew off and scuttle (sink) his own ship. He must have felt really silly when he discovered the ruse – but by that point it was too late, and the Royal Navy was celebrating its first big catch of the Second World War – and all because of some underhand tomfoolery by their radio officers. Graf Spee was sunk by fake news. So there you have it. A team of Italian migrants, inspired by their Genoan roots, and representing the working men of the Argentinian capital. Today, it is by many measures the biggest club in all of world football. Not half bad. Not half bad at all.

Let's a pay a visit to FC Palm Tree from Brazil and #getthebadgein —Founded in 1914 by Italian immigrants in São Paulo, this club has grown into Brazil’s most successful domestic side, rooted in the struggles and triumphs of a fast-changing, immigrant-driven city. @Palmeiras #FCWC25 At the turn of the 20th century, São Paulo was booming. Brazil had abolished slavery in 1888, and the government launched aggressive immigration campaigns to attract European labour—especially Italians. Many of those who left Italy in the late 1800s were fleeing poverty, social unrest, and the aftermath of Italy’s failed unification wars—a period marked by civil strife, economic stagnation, and political instability. Drawn by promises of land and work, millions of Italians made the journey to Brazil, especially to São Paulo. Some worked on coffee plantations in the countryside, while many found jobs in the city’s booming industrial economy—as labourers, bricklayers, cobblers, mechanics, and factory workers. They built neighbourhoods, ran bakeries, and formed tight-knit communities defined by Catholic values, regional pride, and a growing passion for football. Italian migrants were central to São Paulo’s transformation from a provincial town into Brazil’s economic powerhouse. They helped build the textile industry, urban transport, railways, and financial services. Italian-run businesses—from grocers to banks—contributed to the city’s economic ascent. Today, an estimated 31 million Brazilians have Italian heritage, the largest population of Italian descent outside of Italy itself, and nowhere is that legacy felt more deeply than in São Paulo. In this context, 46 Italian-Brazilians gathered in the Alhambra Room on 26 August 1914 to form a football club of their own: Palestra Itália. Inspired by clubs like Pro Vercelli and Torino, they wore blue and white kits and proudly flew the Italian flag. Football was their way of asserting identity in a country where they were still viewed as outsiders. By the 1930s, they’d built their own concrete stadium and become one of São Paulo’s dominant clubs. But Brazil’s entry into World War II in 1942 changed everything. Under pressure to remove Axis-associated names and symbols, the club was forced to change its identity. The name Palmeiras was chosen—after São Paulo’s Avenida das Palmeiras—and the club adopted green and white as its permanent colours. The “P” remained in the badge, but the team began a new chapter—rooted in Brazil, but never forgetting its Italian foundations. Since then, Palmeiras have become one of Brazil’s most decorated sides. With a record 12 Brasileirão titles, 4 Copa do Brasil victories, and three Copa Libertadores triumphs (1999, 2020, 2021), they’ve built a legacy that stretches across South America. The club also won the Copa Rio in 1951—considered by some to be the first ever club world title. Their badge is a quiet classic: a green shield with a bold white “P”, encircled by stars and the club name. It’s not loud, but it tells a story—of migration, reinvention, and dominance. Today, Palmeiras remains a modern powerhouse. In 2021, Leila Pereira became the club’s first female president—and one of the most influential figures in South American football. She is also the head of Crefisa, a personal credit company based in São Paulo and Palmeiras' main sponsor. Under her leadership, Palmeiras has combined strong financial backing with on-pitch success, lifting multiple international trophies and investing in world-class infrastructure. What began as a working-class team for Italian migrants is now a truly global club, with fans across Brazil and beyond. Yet its heart still beats strongest in São Paulo, among the descendants of those who built the city’s factories, laid its bricks, and passed down the love of Palmeiras from generation to generation. Palmeiras isn’t just a football club—it’s the story of immigration, ambition, and identity. Its badge blends Italian heritage and Brazilian pride. Its stadium stands as a monument to São Paulo’s migrant energy. And its legacy continues to grow, shaped by bold leadership and a fanbase that knows where it came from.

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.