Search Results

The Dragons (@wivenhoetown_fc), established by a group of Colchester Grammar School students in 1925, have long entertained the locals. Over the years, the team has also welcomed the occasional group of University of Essex students who may have found themselves asleep on the terraces after attempting to stumble back to campus following a night out in one of Wivenhoe's many, many pubs. I used to live right behind their home ground at Broad Lane when I was a student. We had Wivenhoe scarves and attended the odd game. I vaguely remember a hut selling back issues of football programmes for almost any club you could imagine. So, let’s check them out and #GetTheBadgeIn. Firstly, the obvious- the badge is a dragon. And it has a solid reason to be: The name Wivenhoe comes from Saxon, meaning "Wifa's Hoe," referring to the ridge of land by the River Colne. Over time, it gained a mythical twist, sounding like "Wyvern" (a dragon). Maybe it should rebrand to Dragon Port—who wouldn’t want to live there? Wivenhoe’s early history, noted in the 1086 Domesday Book, describes a small community of farmers, fishers, and millers. In the Middle Ages, it passed between noble families, including the 15th Earl of Oxford, a supporter of Henry VII, whose Manor House once stood at King George V Playing Field. But beyond its name and noble connections, Wivenhoe stands out for one major thing, shipbuilding: Records from 1575 show Richard Quykeskey operating a shipyard upstream of The Quay. In 1650, Robert Page built the ketch Nonsuch, which sailed to Canada and helped establish the Hudson’s Bay Company. He also constructed the Fagons, later renamed HMS Milford, a 22-gun frigate commissioned after the Civil War. Unfortunately, the Milford met a tragic end in 1673 when it was accidentally burnt. The next four ships to bear that name (none built in Wivenhoe) were captured by the French. Not a happy name. In the 19th century, Philip John Sainty launched the racing cutter Pearl in 1819 for Henry Paget, the Marquess of Anglesey. Paget later donated a bespoke "£100 Cup" for a race between British and American yachts: the Americans won, and came back the next year, and the year after, and the year after - it is still going on - the America’s Cup. Wivenhoe’s craftsmen also built luxury yachts like the Dagmar (1865), boasting wine lockers, marble fireplaces, and bookcases. Shipbuilding later adapted to new technologies, with Forrestt’s producing innovative vessels like the paddle steamer Tern (1891), still sailing on Lake Windermere, and the mysterious 3-man submarine Volta (1905), which vanished under shadowy circumstances (best bet, she was bought by the Japanese against a British export blocking order...) Wivenhoe’s men had good experience with racing ships... as it was also a prominent port for smuggling. Ships would sail out to larger ones off-shore, collect tobacco and alcohol, and race back in to avoid customs duties. Waiting for them would be the customs coastguard cutter - Repulse. There were 5 ships in total, all bearing that name. On one occasion the Repulse so enthusiastically pursued a smuggling ship she chased it back to France and ran aground. The customs crew spent 13 months in a Calais jail. During World War II the town answered the call in style - the town’s shipyards contributed over two dozen minesweepers, motor torpedo boats, and parts of the Mulberry Harbour used in the D-Day landings. So that's Wivenhoe. The dragons have a long history of innovation, skullduggery and speed. Not a bad legacy for a football team to build on. @wtfc_res,

Taking a little trip down the A12 for this one... to Park Drive, the home of the Jammers, aka (@MaldonTiptreeFC). Probably the two most famous Essex food-based towns—Tiptree Jam and Maldon Salt. Sweet and savoury. The two joined forces in 2010 under the ownership of Ed Garty. Their red and blue striped shirts reflect their separate origins, and they’re currently scrapping it out in the #IsthmianLeague North Division. So, let’s take a look at them and #GetTheBadgeIn. It’s a beauty. One half of the badge shows the Essex blades (seaxes) from the county crest. Maldon’s original coat of arms featured three lions of England, but these were swapped for Tiptree United’s Essex blades. Maldon's lions still fly on the ship’s flag—a tidy solution. The yellow blobs at the masts’ ends are fleurs-de-lis, a nod to the English King's long held claim to France. The ship on the other side taken from Maldon's oldest seal, it shows a medieval vessel with high forecastle and aftcastle. These ships were used before cannons could accurately fire. Until then (and the English were mastering this art by 1588—as the Spanish learned), warships were floating castles. Crews threw arrows, stones, cats, dogs, and kitchen sinks until close enough to board and finish the job with swords and axes. Intense stuff. Maldon earned self-governance under Henry II on the condition it provided a warship and warhorses when required. The crest’s ship is that ship, crewed by Maldon’s men, awaiting their king’s command. But Maldon is best known for the 991 Battle of Maldon, where Vikings met Anglo-Saxons. The Saxons lost, mainly because their two armies couldn’t agree—one wanted to fight, the other to pay the “Danegeld” and buy peace. The fighters, led by Byrhtnoth, faced Olaf’s Viking horde. Olaf offered to leave if paid in gold and armour, but Byrhtnoth famously replied, “We will pay you with spear tips and sword blades.” Classic “Russian warship, go f*** yourself” energy. Makes you proud. Let’s spread the story a little further to Tiptree. Tiptree, with its rich soil, had long grown fruit for London markets. In 1885, local farmer Arthur Wilkin had a bright idea: stop selling fresh fruit and make jam instead. His first batch went straight to a ship heading for Australia. Jam’s long shelf life made it perfect for shipping across the Empire—and Wilkin cashed in. It wasn’t all smooth sailing. At one point, cash flow got so bad he sold his horse to pay wages. But he persisted, and it turned into a very sweet deal. Wilkin & Sons turned Tiptree into a company town, the sort you’d expect in the industrial North. By 1922, they owned “over 100 houses, eight farms, the windmill, the blacksmith’s forge, the Factory Club, the Salvation Army Hall, the factory and 1,000 acres of land.” Many employees still live in company housing, a rarity these days. Even more remarkably, half the company’s shares are employee-owned. In 2016, they introduced the “New Growing System,” reducing inputs, doubling plants per hectare, and making fruit easier to pick. East Anglia remains jam-packed with farming innovation. To Maldon: The salty waters of the River Blackwater and flat marshes make it perfect for salt production. When William of Normandy completed his Domesday Book audit in 1086, Maldon already had “45 lead pans” for salt making. Few towns can boast industries over a millennium old, but Maldon can. Warships and valour. Sugar and salt. The red and the blue. Maldon and Tiptree are coming for you.

@TCFC_Official Americans. Bloody Americans. Say what you like about them, they know a good investment when they see one. In 2021, when Gamechanger20 Ltd bought Ipswich Town, they spotted a sleeping giant in East Anglia—a club with a dream catchment area. Norwich’s 12-toed newts are an hour’s drive away through Europe’s worst roads, and there’s little south until West Ham. It was a smart move, and under McKenna, inspired. But where else in England offers such untapped potential? Go West. Truro City Football Club is a prime opportunity—the nearest big team is 90 minutes away, leaving a huge region craving a team to rally behind. Enter Eric Perez, a Canadian businessman with a flair for bold projects. He founded Toronto Wolfpack Rugby League, entering them into the English league (?), and when the pandemic scuttled that, he relocated Hemel Hempstead RL to Cornwall—a daring move far from Rugby League’s northern heartlands. In November 2023, Perez bought Truro FC, calling it a brilliant business opportunity with its large catchment and minimal competition. Yet his plans remain unclear; a proposed joint stadium with his rugby team fell through when he sold it. For now, Truro FC is thriving—promoted to the National League South in 2023 and currently topping the table. The Cornish boys are on the rise. Their badge features the Cornish flag at the base and Truro Cathedral’s magnificent silhouette. That flag—white cross on black—represents St Piran, patron saint of tin miners, a nod to Cornwall’s tin-mining legacy, once vital to the Byzantine Empire. The imagery of molten tin and Christ’s light may sound like GCSE student desperate to find meaning where there is none, but if I were Cornish, I’d have the flag, the phone case, the tattoo. Cornwall and Devon were home to the Dumnonia, a Celtic tribe whose hillforts outlasted most of Britain’s. They resisted the Romans and held off the Saxons longer than most, though Wessex eventually claimed most of the region there was still a separate ‘King of Cornwall’ called Alef when the Normans showed up in Hastings. Cornish culture and language therefore remained distinct, closer to Welsh and Breton than English, and they still have that funny accent of theirs today. Truro Cathedral, built in 1880 after Queen Victoria granted the city status in 1877, stands on the site of St Mary’s the Virgin. With its three spires, it’s one of only three cathedrals in the UK to boast such a feature. Truro also thrived as a port city, exporting tin across Europe and even to the Byzantine Empire. Today, the city draws visitors to attractions like the Royal Cornwall Museum and its annual City of Lights Festival, where illuminated sculptures of dragons and mythical creatures parade down the streets, flanked by thousands of lantern-carrying locals. There’s plenty happening in the South-West, but to truly experience it, you’ll need to make the journey - or - wait a bit, and I bet Truro City FC will be gracing your team’s pitch before you know it. St Piran and his merry band of tin miners are on the march.

Ipswich Town have completed the loan signing of Paraguayan Julio Enciso from @OfficialBHAFC. The exciting striker is only 21 and can hopefully make a difference in keeping us up this season. Certainly, the last South American we loaned from Brighton had an impact! Julio began his career at Club Libertad in the Paraguayan capital of Asunción. So, let's welcome Julio to the team and do his first club the honour, and #GetTheBadgeIn. Let's start with the name. Libertad is Spanish for "freedom", and sure enough, the iconography in the badge does look vaguely American-freedom-ish. The sort of badge you'd expect to see at a "gas station" in Oklahoma while next door in the diner, white-bearded men in MAGA hats eat burgers from red plastic trays. That sort of thing. But let's not do the badge or the name a disservice here, as there is a stonkingly good story behind its adoption. You see, the football club was formed in 1905 – in the midst of a revolution... For decades, Paraguay had been ruled by a group called the Colorado Party (and actually, they still are). They had been formed after Paraguay lost in a war against its regional rivals. In the 1876 Paraguayan War, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay ganged up and defeated Paraguay who were trying to fight their way to the coast and prevent Paraguay from being landlocked. Determined never to be weak again, the Colorado Party represented the conservative ruling elite of landowners, church leaders, and the military. However, by 1904, the party was seen as largely corrupt and unable to run a modern economy, denying the freedom its businesses and professionals needed to be productive. The Liberal Party was formed, largely in exile in Buenos Aires, and campaigned for change. In 1904, things came to a head. Young soldiers and students sailed a merchant ship packed with weapons from Argentina up the Paraguay River to the capital, defeating a government boat sent to intercept them along the way. Fighting broke out across the country, and eventually, the Liberal Party came to power. That same year, a group of young men formed a sports team in the capital to focus on football and basketball. The president of the team was a man called Juan Manuel Sosa Escalada – who also happened to be the mayor of the capital. He initially served for the Colorado Party but switched to the Liberals. Therefore, it was him who, given the coup that had just occurred, decided this new team should be called "Club Freedom", aka Club Libertad. The team has competed in the top tiers of basketball and football in Paraguay more or less ever since. They've won the third-most football league titles in the country. Their rivals are cross-city Club Olimpia. They are slightly older, being started in 1902 by a Dutch immigrant to Paraguay training as a PE teacher. Both teams play in black and white, so their derby games are called, funnily enough, the "black and white" derby. So that's the heritage our new loanee brings with him. From a club steeped in revolution to another club currently undergoing one. Viva la McKenna Revolution. Welcome, Julio. Help us overthrow the Premier League establishment!

Mid-Week @psveindhoven recorded a thumping victory over Premier League toppers Liverpool. They currently sit atop their own Dutch Eredivisie. I have a soft spot for all things Dutch and have kept an eye on PSV over the years, but this victory really demanded further attention. So I think they've earned a #GetTheBadgeIn. PSV were formed in 1913 by workers from the Philips company based in Eindhoven. This Dutch electrical megafirm is a rare European big hitter in the tech world. Over their long history, they began life developing carbon-filament lamps (old-fashioned light bulbs) and have poured money into Research and Development over the years. They've been instrumental in developing medical breakthroughs like the CT scanner and MRI machines, and on a more day-to-day basis, you will know them for their LED bulbs, shavers, and VCRs. They, in fact, also invented the cassette tape and, jointly with Sony, the Compact Disc. That's pretty impressive. The technology links remain today with the Philips logo on the back of the shirt, and the shirt sponsor is Brainport Eindhoven, the name of the technology hub centred around the city, bringing in many more companies and tech firms. In the process of driving innovation, their HQ and R&D labs in Eindhoven have employed thousands of people – many looking for a game to play. The football team that emerged from the company played initially with a black and white badge showing an upside-down light bulb with the words Philips inside. In 1916, they formally adopted the name Philips Sports Association (Association is Vereniging in Dutch, hence the V in PSV). It has had great success over the years, especially in the 70s and 80s, winning the UEFA cup during that time (like my beloved Ipswich Town Football Club). They have brought through their academy superstars like Ruud Gullit, Ronald Koeman, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Arjen Robben, and Memphis Depay. The fan base is especially proud of their team, and no player ever wears the number 12 – that number is reserved for the fans – their famous atmosphere at home grounds makes them the 12th man on the pitch. Their badge then is of a simple design, showing the initials of the club on a flag in front of the red and white stripes taken from the club's colours. In 1982, they adopted a new badge that gave the oval shape a chain of horseshoes around the outside. I can't find online any trace of a deeper meaning to this other than horseshoes are a traditional sign of luck (which is why they are often a wedding gift). Perhaps that is the reason; the designer just felt it needed something extra, and this pattern worked well. It certainly has brought them some luck, with the club having won over twenty league titles – represented today by the two stars over the badge. The Dutch, and PSV especially, pride themselves on their excellent academy pedigree. They have produced some of the world’s best players through their clubs, with PSV being 12th on the global list of clubs making money from their academy players. Their efforts are helped by a unique setup where the larger Dutch clubs field their Under 21 teams in the Dutch second league – meaning they’re up against professional adult opponents, all fighting for the big money promotion to the Eredivisie, right from the early days of their career. Pioneers of technology and tactics, cassettes and crosses. PSV are electric.

At the weekend, @SittingbourneFC pulled off a remarkable feat—scoring in the 97th minute to defeat former Championship outfit and current National League heavyweights, Southend United. By contrast, the semi-professional play in the Isthmian League South East, the 8th tier of English football. Their victory has taken them into the FA Trophy Quarter-Final, where they will host Aldershot Town, another National League team. And it just so happens that they have a beauty of a badge - so let's pay them a visit ans #GetTheBadgeIn. We’ll start with the top and the crown. This, along with the gold colouring, alludes to the town’s long connection to royalty. The Manor of Milton, now part of Sittingbourne, has been royal property since the Saxon era. The first Saxon kings of Kent, Hengist and Horsa, built a fort on the site of an abandoned Roman fort, which sat strategically on the creek leading to the Isle of Sheppey and the North Sea. When William the Conqueror arrived in 1066, he took the lands and gifted them to his brother Odo - the same chap who had the Bayeux Tapestry made. Next, let’s look at the two sea shells. Many believe they symbolise the area’s coastal location, famous for its oysters. However, the shells may actually reference St James, the Patron Saint of Pilgrims. Sittingbourne sits on the road to Canterbury, a key pilgrimage route even before Thomas Becket’s murder in the cathedral turned the city into the #1 holy spot in England. Sittingbourne was located on the Watling Road, an ancient route from Dover to London that the Romans paved for efficient travel. The town therefore was an important stop for travellers heading to Canterbury or the continent. Which, as you can see, explains the next bit of the badge... The red lion comes from the Red Lion Inn in Sittingbourne, one of the oldest way stations between Europe and London. It has hosted Henry V, Henry VII, Cardinal Wolsey, and Henry VIII. It still operates today as far as I can tell. Now to the green dragon. This is a wyvern, a mythical creature taken from the crest of Philip Herbert, the Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery. He was gifted Milton Manor by James I, with whom he shared a close—possibly intimate—relationship. Philip was showered with lands and titles and funded many New World ventures, including the Virginia Company (aka Pochantas) He was also mates with some playwright feller called William Shakespeare, who dedicated his first folio to Philip and his brother William. Philip was known to thump tennis opponents if he lost. The roll of paper nods to the area’s link with the printing and newspaper trade. Edward Lloyd, owner of the first British newspaper to hit a million readers (Lloyd’s Weekly), was a key figure. He pioneered “penny dreadfuls,” cheap serialised stories, with his most famous creation being Sweeney Todd. Lloyd’s innovation extended to importing esparto grass from Algeria and using it in Sittingbourne to produce cheaper and faster newspapers on a large US-made press. Now, about the club’s nickname: The Brickies. While none of the badge’s symbols reference this, it nods to Sittingbourne’s key role in the brick-making industry. London’s famous “yellow stock bricks,” used in grand Victorian buildings, were made from Sittingbourne’s brickearth, a type of earth that easily hardens when baked. For added strength, it was mixed with ash from burning London’s rubbish. Ships would carry finsihed Sittingbourne bricks to London and return with refuse to make the ash for the next batch. Sittingbourne built London. Now that’s some badge. And with the way they’re playing at the moment, they’re some team. Up the Brickies!

Let's take a closer look at this famous old team and #GetTheBadgeIn for Tranmere Rovers, because they have, objectively, a beautiful badge with an absolute tonne going on. Initially formed as a merger between two cricket clubs’ "Association Football" branches in 1884, one of their early kits was a striking orange and maroon design, resembling a modern-day Bradford more than the "Superwhites" of modern Tranmere. They’ve been a Football League regular in their time and recently secured back-to-back promotions to return to League One. Their badge is a beauty. Let's start at the top... The ship. A warship. Despite that silhouette being made in 1962, the ship looks much like the new Type 26 City Class, of which the first, HMS Cardiff, is shortly due into service. The ship alludes to the extensive dockyards that sat (and still operate) in Tranmere, Birkenhead, and Wirral, especially the historic Cammell Laird yards. In their heyday, they were at the cutting edge of naval technology. They built the world's first fully welded ship in 1929, the coaster Fullagar; HMS Caroline—built in a record 9 months (now a museum ship in Belfast); the WW2 aircraft carrier Ark Royal; and hundreds more ships since then. Interestingly, the yards still operate today on a reduced scale and built the flight decks of the current RN's carriers and the research ship RRS Sir David Attenborough (aka Boaty McBoatface). Perhaps the strangest ship built was the CSS Alabama, constructed for the US Confederacy during the Civil War. She went on a jolly around the Atlantic and Caribbean before being pursued back to France, where she was sunk by a Union ship off Cherbourg. There was a company team from the dockyards, which today still exists as Cammell Laird FC. They play in the North West Counties League and use the company logo (a camel, oddly enough) as their badge. Anyway, that's the ship explained! Let's get to work on the rest of the badge because there's a lot to unpack. Let’s go with the yellow crosier (staff) and lion. They are borrowed from the Birkenhead Coat of Arms and symbolise the Birkenhead Priory—the oldest building in Merseyside, dating back to 1150. The monks looked after travellers and were perfectly positioned at the end of the cross-Mersey ferry service. Today, it sits surrounded by heavy industry and remains an island of peace in a sea of industrial havoc. The tree comes from older Tranmere heraldry, reflecting the oak trees that used to grow in the area, as far as I can tell. The two lions supposedly represent Oxton, a village swallowed up by Birkenhead. The Oxton family crest features one lion, but the area was long owned by the Earl of Shrewsbury, who has two lions on his coat of arms. The Earl’s land also used to include Alton Towers. The blue "star" supposedly represents Bebington, which does have a giant star or sunray behind its coat of arms, though I’m not entirely sure if that’s correct. Bebington itself has two great claims: firstly, today's Bebington Golf Course is where the Battle of Brunanburh took place in 937. Æthelstan, King of the Saxons, defeated a combined army of Irish, Scots, and Cumbrians. Some historians see this decisive victory as the beginning of a united England. Secondly, a recent study named Bebington as the best place to live in the UK based on house prices, parks, and public services. Not bad—I’ll have to remember that. Lastly, the crescents in the shield are a bit of a mystery, but the best connection seems to be the coat of arms of the Laird family—as in Cammell Laird, the shipbuilders. And that takes us full circle—or full crest. So, there you have it. A cracking badge: battles that made England, motel monks, ships that defeated Hitler—and a half-decent football team. Up the Rovers!

Southampton and Ipswich have more in common than you might think. Both were successful in the 1970s, both have badges designed by competitions around the same time, and both feature wavy lines to symbolise their ties to the sea. But, before we dive into the badge, let’s start with their stadium history. The iconic Dell, with its wedge-shaped Milton Road end, was one of the most famous stadiums in England. It was demolished in 2001 and replaced with apartments. Each block is named after a legendary Saints player. It is possible to live in Le Tissier Court—though you might need to be white, unvaccinated, and believe aliens built the pyramids to live there… That said, I do like how housing on old football grounds often honours their heritage. For example, Colchester’s former Layer Road is now Turnstile Square. But I digress... What’s truly impressive is the naming of Southampton’s new stadium, St Mary’s. The club was originally founded in 1885 by members of St Mary’s Church and the club spent its first decade as St Mary’s YMA and then later Southampton St Mary’s (hence their nickname, The Saints). To return to that name a century later is remarkable. Built in 2001 during the dawn of the Premier League’s big-money era, they resisted the temptation of a corporate name like the American Express Stadium. St Mary’s Church itself dates back to the 11th century, that we still use the name every weekend is incredible. Now to the badge—starting with the halo, which is now self-explanatory as it ties directly to the St Mary’s legacy. Beneath it lies a red and white scarf, a straightforward nod to the club’s colours. The tree symbolises the New Forest, located north of the city. It was designated a royal forest by William the Conqueror after 1066—so not exactly "new." Like Suffolk, it provided high-quality timber for the Royal Navy, but Southampton’s contribution stands out. In the 18th century, local man Walter Taylor revolutionised the production of rigging blocks, essential for controlling the ropes and sails of ships. The New Forest literally built the British Empire. The forest itself has a fascinating history. King William II died there in a mysterious hunting "accident," and during WWII, SOE agents used it for training. Perhaps the most unique aspect is the New Forest Commoners—descendants of families granted rights to the forest by William the Conqueror. These rights, passed down through generations, are still honoured today. It’s quintessentially English. Beneath the tree on the badge are two wavy lines representing Southampton’s strong maritime ties. The city claims to be the original starting point of the Mayflower—though Plymouth and Harwich might argue otherwise. At the bottom of the badge lies the Hampshire rose. While typically a Tudor rose, Southampton uses a white variation, possibly linked to a pre-Tudor Hampshire emblem (some say even as far back as the legendary King Arthur who is supposed to have resided at nearby Winchester). So that's Southampton. A great and iconic badge. A thousand years of saintly protection, a forest that powered the Empire and is today still protected by an ancient society, and a city that served as a gateway to the continent and the New World—Southampton has a lot to be proud of. Let’s just hope the Saints are not looking out for their team this weekend.

Rochdale have a wonderful badge rooted in the Borough’s Coat of Arms and its rich history, so let's honour them and #GetTheBadgeIn. The black shape in the middle is a sack of wool (known as a Woolpack – think Emmerdale). This symbolises Britain’s wool trade, which powered East Anglia in the Medieval Period and made the North-West an industrial superpower. The "fleece of wool" (the dangling sheep) at the top reinforces this, and Rochdale FC was even formed after a meeting on Fleece Street in 1907. The shear number of sheep references here is baarmy. Rochdale became a centre of the wool trade during the Industrial Revolution, thanks to its location on the River Roch, which powered water mills and made shipping easy. The town’s importance grew in the early 1800s with the Rochdale Canal, linking Yorkshire and Lancashire. This superhighway of commerce shipped cotton, wool, coal, limestone, timber, salt, and more. As the Empire expanded, the area switched from local sheep’s wool to imported cotton from the Americas. Rochdale played a key role in Manchester’s "Cottonopolis" reputation. The green "laurel wreath" around the woolpack represents branches from the cotton tree – showing the importance of both materials to the town. Beneath the fleece is a millrind, a tool used in mills to secure the millstone. Another nod to the local industries in the area. The badge also features eight martlets within its blue trim. These birds, common in heraldry, are from the Dearden family, who owned the region after buying it from the Byrons in 1824. The Byrons were fascinating. John Byron fought for Charles I during the Civil War and was made a Baron for his bravery. He later died in exile in Paris, hiding out with his other Royalist chums. The most famous Byron was the Romantic Poet Lord Byron. He led an incredible life and ended up in Greece, fighting for in their War of Independence against the Ottoman Turks. Desperate to help, he sold Rochdale Manor in 1823 to raise funds for their fight. The club should arrange an annual Rochdale-Greek pre-season friendly called the Byron Cup. Rochdale, at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution, has also led progressive politics. The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers founded the first cooperative society. Their MPs have included protest leaders, although their election of George Galloway in 2024 (briefly) was a less glamerous chapter in the same traditions. So that's The Dale. Wool, cotton, canals; Royalists, Rebels, and (Greek) Revolutionaries. A remarkable heritage - lets hope they can get back into the EFL soon.

Time to visit Town's other club – Ipswich Wanderers (@_IWFC). They play Norfolk's Gorleston tomorrow at Humber Doucy Lane. I'd get down there and support this team on the rise – they've won two league titles in the last few years. But before you do, let's #GetTheBadgeIn. Because they fly a simplified version of the Ipswich Coat of Arms. And its history and legacy should give you the chills: The badge features a lion and three ships’ sterns, reflecting Ipswich’s connection to the Cinque Ports. Although Ipswich was never officially one of these ports – which were based in Kent – its strategic location on the River Orwell made it a crucial hub for trade, shipbuilding, and maritime innovation. The Cinque Ports were specially designated towns that received tax and law-making powers in exchange for providing ships, sailors, and provisions to the Navy in times of conflict. As we will see, while not in receipt of those benefits, Ipswich was vital to the nation's projection of power at sea. The Cinque Ports had their own crests depicting three half-lions emerging from three ship hulls. Ipswich’s adaptation reduces the lions from three half-lions to one upright lion. And, importantly, it adds rudders to the ships. This distinctive feature is a hallmark of the Town's history: Ipswich’s town seal (a piece of rope from May 1200 with a pattern on it – which still exists inside the Town Hall) is the earliest known depiction of a ship with a movable stern rudder in the world. This innovation greatly improved manoeuvrability at sea, and there is a very strong likelihood that it was designed in Ipswich. Ipswich’s location and maritime skills boosted Ipswich on land too – as a member of the Hanseatic League: a powerful network of Northern European trading cities that struck a deal with each other to lower regulations and taxes on each other's imports and exports. This embryonic European Single Market gave Ipswich traders a boost, attracting customers and investment from far and wide. Ipswich traded in goods like wool, cloth, and grain. The use of cogs – robust cargo ships – can be seen in a lot of medieval images from Ipswich. Many of those ships would, in turn, have been built and maintained in Ipswich too. The River Orwell provided deep, sheltered waters, perfect for launching large vessels. The town’s proximity to London and major European ports ensured a steady demand for ships capable of both trade and warfare. Most importantly, the abundance of Suffolk oak – prized for its durability – allowed Ipswich shipbuilders to construct reliably strong vessels. Timber from the great oak woods around the town was floated downriver to shipyards, ensuring a steady supply of materials. Ipswich’s shipyards played a vital role during the Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453). Edward III’s fleet of over 300 ships assembled in the River Orwell ahead of his invasion of France. Before setting sail, Edward received word that the French fleet had already sailed to Antwerp to block his army’s transit to the mainland. Edward decided, sod it, I’ll fight my way through. The ships waiting in the Orwell were hastily converted into warships, with high sterns and forecastles for the soldiers to utilise in raining hell down on the French ships before coming alongside to board. Imagine the scene as the carpenters and shipwrights of Ipswich hurriedly turned a fleet of transports into a fleet of warships bristling with towers. The plan worked. These ships, adapted for battle with sterns and forecastles, were key to England’s decisive victory at the Battle of Sluys in 1340. This naval triumph, which one local historian describes as the Trafalgar of its time, was extraordinary. Check out these numbers: the Orwell fleet lost 2 ships; the French lost 190, of which 166 were captured! What the actual... where is Sluys Square in Ipswich? With Edward’s column? This surely has to be a bigger part of our legacy! So, the Ipswich Wanderers badge encapsulates this proud history: innovators, traders, shipbuilders, and slaughterers of the French. Ipswich Wanderers are the very best of British.

Firstly, let's go straight to the nickname: The Hatters. Matt enjoys towns known for particular industries, moving from the chairs of Wycombe to the hats of Luton. Luton had over 500 hat-making companies in the 1800s, helped bizarrely by Napoleon. Straw boater hats had originally been imported from Italy until Napoleon took over and tried to strangle Britain into submission by creating something called the Continental System (basically blocking Britain from trading with Europe until they went broke... little did he know that if he'd waited until 2016, we'd have done it to ourselves... but I digress!). Without access to European hat makers, we had to turn inwards, and Luton's industry boomed. Many French prisoners of war interned at Peterborough were skilled plaiters – it’s claimed they introduced the straw splitter, a device used in Europe to plait finer wheat, to the area. By the 1930s, Luton was making over 70 million hats a year. Post-WW2, the industry declined, but unlike many traditional industries, the town still hosts 10 hat-making companies, and people are still employed in the trade, which is great to see. So, that's the nickname and the hat on top of the crest explained. What about the rest of the badge? Well, there's a lot going on, with five more symbols here to digest. Let's start in the middle with the bee and the associated beehive in the top right. The bee shows up in a lot of football badges and heraldry – the Manchester "bee," for example – all for the same reason. Brits in the 19th century enjoyed a saying as much as we do today: centres of industry were said to be as busy as a bee. So, the bee represents industry (e.g., all those hats). Top left is a bushel of wheat. This is a hat-tip to the local agricultural workers who provided the straw needed to plait together the hats. There is a local legend that James I, King of Scotland – and later King of England (the Union Jack is named after him) – brought French-trained plaiters from Scotland with him and settled them in the Luton Hoo estate to grow and plait the wheat for hats. The rest of the symbols also allude to Scottish roots. The Napier family of Scotland were wealthy merchants who moved to England during the reign of Henry VIII. During the reign of Elizabeth, two generations after their move south, one of the sons, Robert Napier, grew famously rich through his involvement with the Turkey Company. This company didn't sell poultry but rather, more profitably, traded with the Ottomans (Turkey). Silks, spices, and all manner of other Middle Eastern goods came in, and Napier turned a huge profit. With these profits, he bought the estate of Luton Hoo, and James I made him a knight and granted him the title of Baron of Luton Hoo. The Napiers’ coat of arms, which featured a rose, has made it to the modern Luton Coat of Arms (bottom left). All of these Scottish connections are celebrated with the inclusion of the thistle – bottom right. So, there you have it. A world-beating industry, built on foreign expertise and funded through trade with the Middle East. The world doesn't change as much as you think, does it? You'd have to be as mad as a Hatter to think it does.

Firstly, it's a cracking badge. Brentwood is derived from "Burnt Wood"—hence the flames dividing the shield. A nice literal touch. Saxons settled the area first, but legend says it flourished after the death of Thomas Becket in 1170. Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, supposedly angered Henry II, who said, "Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?" (At least, he does in Shakespeare’s version). In response, three knights trotted off and killed Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. The news shocked Europe, turning Canterbury into a pilgrimage site. Brentwood was conveniently located on the road from London to Tilbury, where pilgrims ferried to Canterbury. With recently burnt woods clearing space, homes and inns for pilgrims sprung up, making it a Becket boom town. I imagine medieval Del Boys selling knock-off Becket T-shirts and Cathedral snow globes. The shield also features a blackbird with walking sticks—symbols of Saint Thomas of Canterbury. Brentwood High Street has a chapel dedicated to him, and a district is called Pilgrim’s Hatch (hatch meaning gate). Brentwood was built on a Becket bonanza. (Some local historians downplay this—but they’re boring. And wrong.) There’s more to the badge: The three crowns symbolise the Abbey of St Osyth, one of Europe’s largest abbeys. Its monks managed lands, including Brentwood, perhaps it was them who spotted the opportunity to expand into pilgrim themed hospitality. Osyth herself was fascinating. A Saxon king’s daughter (possibly Redwald’s), she fled an arranged marriage to become a nun. Her understanding would-be husband gifted her land for an abbey. Later, Vikings demanded she renounce Christianity. She refused, so they beheaded her. Here’s the best bit: Osyth supposedly picked up her severed head, tucked it under her arm, and walked back to the abbey. Legend says her headless ghost still appears today. Having once seen a Brentwood girl down 23 Sambucas, twist her ankle in heels, and fend off a dozen police officers, I’m inclined to believe it. Essex girls are built different. The badge’s turret references Weald Hall, a Tudor mansion knocked down after soldiers billeted there during WWII damaged it—much like Belhus in nearby Aveley (@AveleyFC) The stag atop the badge nods to Weald Park and its deer population—or it could also be Richard II’s emblem, the White Hart. He stayed at a building later named The White Hart Inn, which closed in the 2000s and reopened as the Sugar Hut, made famous by TOWIE. Brentwood has it all. Money-making monks, headless saints, and reality TV stars. Brentwood has always had an Ardens Fide in its abilities.