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Some football clubs sit in history. Others sit on top of it. Al-Ittihad Ahli of Aleppo—six-time Syrian champions and winners of the 2010 AFC Cup—fall firmly into the second category. Their nickname, The Red Castle, is not just branding. It’s a direct line back nearly 4,000 years to one of the earliest kingdoms in Syrian history. Let’s start with the easy part: the name. Al-Ittihad means United. You’ll see it across the Arab world—clubs, airlines, institutions—anything trying to signal cohesion and shared identity. Ahli roughly translates as national or of the people. Put it together and you get something close to “United of the People”—or, more simply, Aleppo United. A modern name, but one rooted in a long tradition of collective identity in the region. The badge itself? Less revealing. The red, white, and black echo pan-Arab colours, linking the club to a broader political and cultural movement of unity across the Arab world. The Olympic rings—often seen on Middle Eastern club crests—don’t mean they’re heading to Paris 2028. They simply reflect a multi-sport club model, where football sits alongside basketball and other disciplines. So if the badge and name only get us so far, where does the real history come in? The nickname. The Red Castle. That’s a direct reference to the Citadel of Aleppo, one of the most recognisable and enduring fortresses in the Middle East. And that citadel isn’t just medieval. It sits on a hill that has been occupied, fortified, and revered for millennia. To understand it, you have to go back to around 1800 BCE. At this point, Syria wasn’t a country—it was a crossroads. Trade routes linked Anatolia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean, and cities rose where those routes met. Aleppo—then known as Halab—was one of them. Enter the Yamhad Kingdom. Founded by Amorite rulers who settled around a fortified hilltop shrine, Yamhad turned Aleppo into one of the dominant powers of northern Syria. From that same hill where the citadel now stands, kings like Yarim-Lim I built a state that thrived on trade, diplomacy, and geography. This wasn’t a backwater. It was a hub. Tin, wool, silver, textiles—all passed through Aleppo’s markets. Its rulers negotiated alliances across the region, with correspondence recorded in early cuneiform writing—those wedge-shaped symbols pressed into clay that look like someone attacked a tablet with a blunt knife. And that matters. Because Syria wasn’t just trading goods—it was shaping ideas. Writing systems developed and evolved here. Clay from the river valleys made it possible. Over time, these early pictorial systems became more flexible, more phonetic—laying the groundwork for alphabets that would later influence Greek and Latin. In short: every time you write a sentence, you’re borrowing—just slightly—from this region. Back in Yamhad, though, power wasn’t just economic. It was religious. The chief deity was Hadad, the storm god—controller of thunder, rain, and fertility. His temple stood on the acropolis of Aleppo. The same spot. The same hill. The same place where the citadel would later rise. So when Al-Ittihad are called The Red Castle, they’re not just pointing to a building. They’re pointing to a site that has been political, economic, and religious centre of the region for nearly four millennia. Not bad for a nickname. Like all early powers, Yamhad didn’t last forever. Around 1600 BCE, the Hittites swept down from Anatolia and sacked Aleppo, ending its dominance. Later empires—Mitanni, Assyrians, Greeks—would take their turn ruling the city. But here’s the thing: Aleppo never really went away. It kept its importance. It kept its position on trade routes. It kept its reputation as a place that mattered. Even small details from the period hint at how advanced these societies were. In nearby cities like Mari, cuneiform tablets describe state-run ice storage pits—deep, insulated structures where ice was transported from northern mountains and guarded like treasure. Not essential for survival. Just… useful. A reminder that even 4,000 years ago, people were already experimenting with logistics, supply chains, and a few small luxuries. Civilisation, as it turns out, doesn’t take long to get comfortable. And that’s the thread that runs through Aleppo’s history—from early farming communities in the Fertile Crescent, to city-states like Ebla and Mari, to the Yamhad kings ruling from their hilltop stronghold. Layer upon layer. Generation upon generation. Until eventually, you get a football club. Today, Al-Ittihad Ahli play in the shadow of that same citadel. Their honours list—league titles, cup wins, continental success—sits alongside a far older legacy. One that predates football, predates nations, and even predates most written language. A club named for unity. A badge tied to identity. A nickname rooted in one of the oldest continuously important sites on Earth. Some teams inherit history. Others are built on it. Aleppo, and its Red Castle, are very much the latter.

In the summer of 2018, a tiny east London non-league club released an away kit that placed them firmly on the map as one of the most exciting and progressive organisations in the field (literally). Designed and chosen by the members themselves in a democratic poll, Clapton Community Football Club’s new strip quickly became one of the most talked-about shirts in European football. More than 5,400 pre-orders flooded in from around the world, especially Spain, forcing the club to pause sales while volunteers and their small Italian supplier scrambled to keep up. The reason? A bold, unapologetic tribute to the Second Spanish Republic and the anti-fascist fighters of the 1930s. Red, yellow and purple stripes. “No pasarán” across the back. The three-pointed star of the International Brigades on the sleeve. For me, a History teacher with a passion for the Spanish Civil War – it’s like catnip. This wasn’t just football merchandise — it was a wearable history lesson and a statement of values.   The club itself is a fascinating story, in February 2018, disillusioned supporters of the historic Clapton FC — a club that had played at the Old Spotted Dog Ground since 1888 — broke away after a bitter dispute with the owners. The chief executive had tried to liquidate the charity running the club, prompting the Clapton Ultras to boycott home games for the entire 2017-18 season. They wanted football that belonged to the fans, not profit-driven owners. So, they created their own club: fan-owned, anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-homophobic and proudly political. Based temporarily in Walthamstow and competing in the Middlesex County League, Clapton CFC embodies grassroots football at its purest — run by the people, for the people.   Club members voted from 16 designs, and the winning concept came from designer Thom, who wrote on the club website: “I really wanted to make something that marked the importance of the sacrifice of those who fought against fascism.” The kit is manufactured by Rage Sports, a small ethical Italian company chosen because it works with grassroots clubs fighting racism, fascism and inequality. Maurizio Affuso of Rage told the club: “Rage Sport will always be there for the Clapton fans because like them we believe in a new way of doing football and because we strongly believe some battles can be fought both on and off the pitch.” The club expected to sell around 250 shirts. They sold thousands in weeks. Volunteers worked flat out handling orders, emails and social media messages. Some proceeds went to running costs; the rest were earmarked for the International Brigade Memorial Trust to fund education and memorial work in the UK. A new memorial to the International Brigades were unveiled, proudly, at the Club’s ground in 2025.   The colours and symbolism embody the flag of the Second Spanish Republic — ‘la tricolor’. Adopted on 27 April 1931, just thirteen days after elections swept the Republicans to victory in Spain’s big cities and ended the Bourbon monarchy, the flag features three equal horizontal bands: red, yellow and dark purple (morado oscuro). Red and yellow had long symbolised the former Crown of Aragon (and obviously still sit in the current Spanish flag). The purple band honoured Castile and León, recalling the Pendón Morado — the ancient armorial banner of Castile, also flown by the Comuneros in their 16th-century revolt. International Brigades volunteers took this flag and added their distinctive three-pointed red star to the yellow band. That same star also appears on the Clapton CFC shirt.   “No pasarán” is placed on the back of the shirt — “They shall not pass” — was the defiant slogan of the anti-fascist forces, most famously shouted by Republican leaders during the defence of Madrid. So who were The International Brigades? At the outbreak of the civil war over 35,000 volunteers from over 50 countries travelled to Spain to fight fascism. Among them was a young George Orwell. He joined the POUM militia on the Aragon front, was shot through the throat, and later wrote Homage to Catalonia — his classic account of the war. The Second Spanish Republic lasted only eight years (1931-1939) but in that time it introduced sweeping reforms: land redistribution, women’s suffrage, workers’ rights and secular education. But deep divisions — between monarchists, fascists, anarchists, communists and moderate republicans — tore the Republic apart. In July 1936, a military coup led by General Francisco Franco, backed by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, plunged Spain into civil war. The elected Republican government, supported by trade unions, left-wing parties and the International Brigades, fought back. Franco’s Nationalists won in April 1939. Franco ruled as dictator until his death in 1975, suppressing republican symbols and memory. The tricolour flag became the banner of Spanish exiles, then of modern trade unions, left-wing parties such as United Left, and republican movements. Clapton CFC’s shirt, released to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the conflict, carries all of that history onto the pitch. It is an absolute beauty and its messaging is sublime, it is community football at its most powerful. So, if you’re looking for a shirt that means something, get this one in. No pasarán. They shall not pass — on the terraces, on the pitch, or in the streets. Clapton Community FC have revolutionised football kits.

Sharp. Sleek. Clever. I had to order it immediately. So, let’s #GetTheShirtIn for Cambridge United’s 2025/26 Third Kit. The shirt features an embossed pattern of DNA double helix structures woven throughout the front and back. It’s subtle enough that you might miss it from a distance, but once you spot it, it completely changes how you see the shirt. The inspiration comes from one of Cambridge’s most famous contributions to the world. In 1953, scientists working at the University of Cambridge – Francis Crick and James Watson – identified the structure of DNA, the double helix that underpins all living organisms. It’s difficult to overstate just how important that discovery was. It didn’t just move science forward; it reshaped our entire understanding of biology, medicine and life itself. After working out the structure, Crick is said to have walked into The Eagle pub, just around the corner from the laboratory, and announced to those inside that they had “discovered the secret of life.” One of the most important moments in human history. Declared over a pint. Makes you proud to be British. The shirt commemorates this moment by having “THE SECRET OF LIFE” printed along the rear neck, sitting inside the collar. The rest of the design follows the same idea. The black base and the gold overlock stitching gives it a nice, refined look. Tit also features the new Cambridge United crest for the first time on a third kit. What works particularly well is how this connects back to the broader identity of the city. Cambridge isn’t just known for one thing. In the previous shirt, the focus was on Parker’s Piece and the role the city played in shaping the rules of football. Here, the story shifts to something entirely different, but equally (well… more) significant. A city that helped define how football is played, and also helped explain the fundamental structure of life itself. Cambridge has given us both the foundations – and meaning of life. DNA and Football. That’s quite a combination to carry onto a pitch. --- Are you an educator? There is a free to download lesson that explores these topics and features the Cambridge United shirt as a case study here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13430581 or here https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Crick-Watson-DNA-Lesson-History-of-Medicine-15829841

I really like this kit. Clean. Different. Properly rooted in the place it comes from. So let’s get straight into it and #GetTheShirtIn for Cambridge United’s Third Kit. Produced by Umbro and sponsored by BrewBoard, this one takes its inspiration from a very specific spot in the city – Parker’s Piece. Now, this isn’t just any park. This is the birthplace of the modern rules of football. Back in 1863, students at Cambridge – arriving from schools like Eton, Rugby and Harrow, all playing slightly different versions of the game – came together to create a single, unified set of rules. These became known as the Cambridge Rules and were first played out right here on Parker’s Piece. Crucially, they banned carrying the ball and hacking, pushing the game towards the passing, skill-based sport we recognise today. At the same time, the newly formed Football Association was debating its own laws, and these Cambridge Rules helped tip the balance. Within weeks, hacking and carrying were banned, and football split from rugby. So when we say this patch of grass helped shape the global game – it really did. Fast forward a few decades and another landmark appears on the same ground – the now famous Reality Checkpoint. Officially, it’s just a cast-iron lamppost, installed in the 1890s as part of the city’s early move into electric lighting. Built by a Glasgow foundry, it was described at the time as a “very handsome ornament” and still stands today as one of the oldest electrical lampposts in Cambridge. But of course, Cambridge being Cambridge, it didn’t stay just a lamppost. Sometime in the early 1970s, the words Reality Checkpoint  were scribbled onto its base – most likely by students. The name stuck. It has been painted over, scratched back on, restored, removed and reinstated ever since, eventually becoming an official part of the landmark itself. As for what it actually means? Take your pick. It might mark the boundary between the “university bubble” and the real world beyond it. It might simply have been a useful point of light when crossing the park late at night. Or – perhaps – it was a tongue-in-cheek warning to check you were still walking in a straight line before heading past the nearby police station. Either way, it’s pure Cambridge. The moss green base mirrors the restored colours of the lamppost, while the all-over pattern pulls directly from its design – the intertwined heraldic dolphins, along with the floral and leaf motifs that decorate its base and shaft. So you’ve got a shirt that links together two defining elements of the same space:– The place where the rules of football were first shaped– And the landmark that has stood there ever since, quietly watching it all unfold Not bad for a park and a lamppost. It’s clever, it’s local, and it’s properly thought through. A very Cambridge shirt.

Historic and world famous university town. Famed for their football? Not so much. Not yet. Not recently. But. That isn’t to say that the U’s don’t have a long history themselves. They were close to being one of the Premier League’s founding members, finishing 5 th  in the Second Tier (today’s Championship) in 1992 and having reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in their past. More recently they have bounced around between the 5 th  and 3 rd  tiers – winning the FA Trophy in 2014. But, this all being said, there is a fantastic link between Cambridge and football. Cambridge can claim to have invented the sport. Or, at least, codified it. While football is usually associated with the working-class mill towns of the north – that brought together young men in such quantity – and eventually gave them the time off – to begin playing team sports, there was a simultaneous developing in the south among university towns and elite private schools. In 1863, students at Cambridge—coming from schools like Eton, Rugby and Harrow, all with different versions of football—created a unified set of rules so they could actually play together. These became known as the Cambridge Rules and were first put into practice on Parker’s Piece (a large park near the city centre), with a match advertised for 20 November 1863. Crucially, these rules banned carrying the ball and hacking, pushing the game towards a safer, passing-based style rather than the physical, rugby-style version. At the same time, the newly formed Football Association was debating its own laws. The game was split between those who wanted a rough, carrying game and those who preferred a kicking game. When the Cambridge Rules were published just days before a key FA meeting, they gave strong support to the non-hacking side. FA secretary Ebenezer Morley supported them, and shortly after, the FA banned both hacking and carrying—effectively separating football from rugby. Parts of the Cambridge code, including the offside rule, were taken almost directly into the FA’s first official laws. But Cambridge’s influence did not stop there. In 1882, the Cambridge University team developed what became known as the “combination game”—a structured, passing style where players worked together in defined positions. At a time when many teams still relied on individual dribbling, Cambridge showed the potential of teamwork, movement and passing. So, let’s not pretend that Cambridge’s legacy to world is exclusively about intellect. It’s influence extends to the football pitch as well.   Back to the modern football team then, and we can see that their badge has had a recent redesign, making it more friendly for social media/digital platforms but still retains the shape and meaning of the original. So, let’s dig a bit deeper and #GetTheBadgeIn for Cambridge United FC specifically. Central to the city’s name – and also their football club’s badge – is the fact that they are a bridge, over the River Cam. The three turreted feature sitting atop both the old and new badge is taken from the City’s coat of arms and represents the Magdalene Bridge (although presumably an older version that I cannot find any trace of – as the modern bridge has no turrets). The earliest crossing of the river was just a ford as it was shallow enough to walk or ride through in certain areas. The Romans recognised the importance of this and began to improve it, building up causeways to make the crossing more reliable. The location was ideal. On the north-west bank, a slight hill gave protection and visibility over the crossing point. Anyone controlling that crossing could control movement through the region. As a result, Cambridge developed into a key inland port and trading hub. The river was not just something to cross—it was a route for goods. Merchants, warehouses, inns and workshops grew up around the riverbanks, particularly along what is now Magdalene Street, which once formed the main northern approach into the town. It would have been a busy, noisy, practical place—carts arriving, goods unloading, travellers stopping for the night. At this point, the River Cam was tidal. The sea’s influence reached inland, meaning boats could move more easily between Cambridge and the coast. This helped trade flourish and strengthened the town’s importance. Then came a major shift in the seventeenth century: the draining of the Fens. The Fens—vast wetlands covering large parts of eastern England—had long been difficult to farm or settle. They flooded regularly and were seen as wild, untamed land. From the 1600s onwards, large-scale engineering projects were carried out to drain them. Dutch engineers were brought in, channels were dug, rivers were straightened, and water was redirected into new drainage systems. Imagine getting planning permission for something as ambitious and transformative as this these days. Certainly not in Britain. Our NIMBY boomers with their nice houses and fat pensions would be out in force to prevent all progress, that’s for sure. The draining transformed the landscape. The wetlands became fertile farmland, some of the richest agricultural land in the country. But it also changed the rivers. The Cam was no longer tidal, and its role as a navigable trade route declined. The energy and flow of goods that had once passed through Cambridge began to shift elsewhere. As a result, parts of the town that had once been central—particularly around the old crossing—became more isolated. Development moved away, and the town expanded in other directions. What had been a busy commercial entrance became quieter, poorer, and, in many ways, left behind. Ironically, this neglect helped preserve it. Because the area was not heavily redeveloped during the Victorian period, many of its older buildings survived. Some date back to the sixteenth century. Even in the 1930s, Magdalene College lacked the funds to carry out plans to rebuild the street. Instead, with later support, the area was preserved and remains today one of the oldest surviving parts of Cambridge. At the heart of it all, and the U’s badge, still sits the bridge. The current Magdalene Bridge, built in 1823 from cast iron, stands on the same site as the former iterations, which have gone from Roman causeway, to a wooden structure during the Anglo-Saxon period the a stone bridge in the Middle Ages – to cast iron today. Drift along the River Cam beneath the bridge on a punt and you’ll pass college backs, weeping willows and historic stone buildings. These “backs” are the riverside lawns and gardens behind the colleges, giving you the best view of their architecture from the water. The University is made up of 31 colleges, each operating as its own community where students live, study and are supported alongside their central university teaching. It ’s a calm, postcard-perfect view of Cambridge that feels a world away from the busy trading hub it once was. From Parker’s Piece to Magdalene Bridge, from the second tier to FA trophy silverware – Cambridge, the birth place of modern genetics, has football in its DNA.

I really like this kit. I also love the Celta Vigo badge – and I write a long blog post deconstructing its exceptional history here: https://www.getthebadgein.net/post/celta-vigo So I intend for this one to be a little shorter. So let’s drive straight in! On the back of the shirt is the Trisquel logo. This three-armed fan-looking emblem is another ancient symbol of the Celts and it appears in many of their designs. It is perhaps most famous today on the flag of the Isle of Man with its three running legs. But the Trisquel has also appeared on the back of Celta Vigo shirts in recent seasons, neatly linking the club to the Celtic heritage that inspired the name “Celta” in the first place. The main feature of this away shirt, however, sits across the shoulders. Look closely and you will see a skyline graphic showing five landmarks from the city of Vigo itself. It is a nice touch. A football shirt that literally carries the city on its shoulders. Let’s have a look at them. The first is the Rande Bridge. This huge cable-stayed bridge stretches across the narrowest point of the Ría de Vigo and opened in 1978 as part of the Atlantic motorway network. Before the bridge existed, travel around the estuary could take a long detour inland or required boats and ferries. The bridge changed all that and helped connect Vigo more closely to the rest of Galicia. But the water below it carries a story that goes much further back. In 1702 this stretch of water was the site of the Battle of Vigo Bay, when an Anglo-Dutch fleet attacked a Spanish treasure fleet sheltering in the harbour during the War of the Spanish Succession. The bridge therefore sits above one of the most famous naval battle sites in Spanish history. Next comes the Pazo Quiñones de León, located inside the beautiful park of Castrelos. A pazo is a traditional Galician manor house, and this one dates mainly from the seventeenth century. It belonged to the noble Quiñones de León family before eventually being given to the city in the early twentieth century. Today the building houses the Municipal Museum of Vigo, while the surrounding estate has become the city’s largest park. It is a lovely example of how old aristocratic estates were transformed into public cultural spaces. If the Rande Bridge represents modern Vigo and its connections, Castrelos represents its history and culture. Then there is the Alcabre lighthouse, standing along the Atlantic coastline near the neighbourhood of the same name. Vigo has always been a maritime city. Fishing fleets, merchant vessels and naval ships have all passed through this estuary for centuries. The Galician coast can be rough, foggy and unforgiving, so reliable navigation has always been essential. Lighthouses like the one at Alcabre helped guide ships safely into the harbour, particularly at night or in poor weather. It is therefore a fitting reminder that Vigo’s identity has always been tied to the Atlantic Ocean. The fourth landmark is the Chapel of A Guía, perched high on Monte da Guía overlooking the harbour. The chapel dates back to the sixteenth century and was dedicated to the Virgin Mary as a protector and guide for sailors. Its elevated position meant it was visible from the sea, serving both as a religious symbol and a helpful landmark for ships approaching the harbour. Today the hill is one of the best viewpoints in the city. From the top you can see the harbour, the estuary and the Atlantic beyond. It is easy to imagine generations of sailors looking up at that hill as they returned home. Finally we come to the Berbés arcades, perhaps the most historic of the landmarks on the shirt. Located in the old district of O Berbés, these stone arches date mainly from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and were once right on the waterfront. The buildings above the arches housed fishermen and traders, while the covered spaces below were used to unload and sell the daily catch. Markets and maritime life unfolded directly beneath those arches. Over time the harbour expanded and the shoreline changed, but the arcades remain as one of the few surviving reminders of Vigo’s origins as a small Atlantic fishing settlement. And that is what I like about this shirt. It does not shout about trophies or sponsors or modern branding. Instead it tells the story of the city itself – its harbour, its sea routes, its historic estates, its fishermen and its views across the Atlantic. Five landmarks. One skyline. One city on the shoulders of its team. A very nice touch indeed.

This is an absolute beauty of a badge and I had a lot of fun researching it. One of those that you assume is so simple, with maybe just one story behind it, but you begin to unwrap it and you end up going down one of the deepest rabbit holes. So, without further ado, let’s #GetTheBadgeIn for Real Club Celta de Vigo! The city of Vigo in Galicia (that bit of northern Spain that sits above Portugal and looks out into the Atlantic) is about as historic as you can get. Built on a natural harbour, it was a shelter from the harsh Atlantic winds and a gateway to the interior of the Iberian Peninsula. Their football team plays in the top league, La Liga and, thanks to their iconic colours, they are known as Os Celestes  (The Sky Blues). They have never won the league or the famous Copa del Rey cup – but they have a long history and have enjoyed a famous Champions League run in 2003–04 where they were beaten by Arsenal, and in the 2016–17 Europa League they were beaten by Manchester United in the semi-finals. As a result they are quite well known in the UK and across Europe. But everything about this team is deeply rooted in the region’s history and heritage. In 1923 Spain’s oldest newspaper (still publishing), Faro de Vigo , led a push to unite the town’s two teams – Real Vigo Sporting and Real Fortuna. After a number of years where the Basque teams had dominated football the Galicians felt they needed to come together to better face off their rivals to the east of the country. Accordingly the two teams merged and became Celta Vigo. There is another Galician team – Deportivo de La Coruña – with whom Celta Vigo play the fierce Galician derby. Football arrived early to the Iberian Peninsula from English sailors and Vigo quickly adopted the game and made it their own. One of the club’s earliest trophies came in 1927 when they played against a team of English sailors in the Copa del Rey Alfonso XIII , winning 4–1. The club takes its name, Celta, from the ancient Celtic peoples who once lived in the region. The Celts were a large grouping, united by ethnicity and a language sharing core features that spread across Europe and settled in Spain, France, Germany and Britain, dominating the region before the Romans arrived. While historians argue about the connections between the two, on the face of it the Celts of Vigo trace similar roots to the Celtic peoples of England and Ireland. (see the map for the Celtic people's locations) Galicia itself has a long history of flickering between self-rule and being incorporated into various Spanish kingdoms – but on each occasion its own identity and customs were preserved and it was given large degrees of autonomy to do its own thing. The geography of the region – rolling hills, mountains and a rugged Atlantic coastline – makes it very different from the rest of the country and it is often called ‘Green Spain’. This helped the locals develop their own traditions and customs – and made it difficult for outside powers to exert much control over what they got up to. So the good people of Galicia have a long independent-minded streak – they also boast a good number of battles – usually with the English. Sir Francis Drake attacked the city and occupied it for a short while in 1585 (three years before Philip II finally got fed up with the English and sent the Armada over to try and teach them a lesson – ‘try’ being the operative word here – mwahahaha). Later, in 1719, the British returned to occupy the city – they held it for 10 days – destroyed the local stores and military supplies and withdrew (I’m sure there was some nastiness towards the locals too…). Leading this assault was the 70-gun ship of the line – HMS Ipswich , built in Harwich (get in…). This was all an act of revenge for a Spanish fleet having left Vigo to support the Scottish Jacobites (basically – the Stuart line came to an end when James II decided to be all Catholic, so the good people of London struck a deal with the Dutch to bring over William II to be king instead). A lot of people – including the Scots – didn’t like this deal and wanted to bring back James II. Hence ‘Jacobite’ (e.g. James). The Spanish fleet from Vigo, however, ended up landing in Stornoway and from there tried to march on Inverness but were defeated at the Battle of Glen Shiel. A random Spanish invasion that led to a land battle within Britain that nobody ever speaks of. As you will see later, the fact that the Spanish launched a military expedition from Galicia in support of a King James is quite fitting given their strong links to St James. The red cross on Celta Vigo’s badge is often called the ‘Sword of James’ – but not for the connection to King James – but superbly fitting all the same. Today Vigo is an important port and trading hub for the region. From the 1940s onwards it was allowed to be a ‘free trade zone’ (you can drop off and collect cargo, buy and sell etc without incurring any tax unless you move it from the port area into the mainland). Today that spirit is still alive with the city hosting a large car factory run by Stellantis, where they build and export near enough half a million cars, mostly Citroëns, a year. The city also houses the EU’s Fisheries Headquarters – so they were popping champagne corks when we voted for Brexit and they got to wrap up the British fishing fleet in debilitating red tape whenever they wanted or needed to sell into the European market or stop off at European ports (any thinking person would have seen this coming a mile off – indeed they tried to warn us… but – your granny didn’t like hearing funny accents on the bus – so we voted for it anyway…). Anywho. As fascinating as all that is – let’s look a bit more closely at this badge of theirs then and see what else we can learn from there. Let’s start with the easy bit. The blue shield with the CC inside it. Club Celta. This was on their very earliest badge – and has carried through to the modern one. The sky blue matches their home kit. Wonderful. Next: the crown. Under the reign of Alfonso XIII many Spanish clubs picked up the right to use the honorary ‘Royal’ (or Real) in their title (e.g. Real Madrid, Real Betis, Real Sociedad, Real Oviedo etc). Celta Vigo was also given this title and it sits within their official name ‘Real Club Celta de Vigo’, but for shorthand it is almost always simply called ‘Celta Vigo’. Alfonso was famous for effectively ending the Spanish monarchy – not quite the record I am sure he was intending to have. Under his reign, aside from his interest in football, he led a disastrous war in Morocco and backed a military dictatorship when one arose – leading eventually to the Spanish Civil War. He fled to Paris, then London, and finally settled in Rome – where he died in 1941. So that’s the crown. What of the cross? The red cross with the distinctive ends (known as the fleur-de-lis – like you see in French badges – or the Cub Scout logo) is officially known as the Cross of St James. Both in Spain and Portugal religious military orders were formed featuring this name and cross. They drew their symbolism and legend from James the Greater – one of Jesus’s apostles and the first to be martyred. He is the patron saint of Spain and his remains are believed to be buried in the Galician church of Santiago de Compostela. Even today this is one of the most visited religious sites in the Catholic world and sits at the end of the appropriately named ‘Way of St James’ pilgrimage route. Right – listen up – there is a very interesting link here with some English teams. The very top of the Cross of St James is supposed to be a scallop (note it is a different shape to the two ‘handles’). A scallop is another symbol of St James and is featured on coats of arms – and therefore football teams – of towns in England that were along the St James pilgrimage route down to the coast to catch a ship to Galicia. Teams which feature this, and for which I have already written a GTBI post, include Bromley and Sittingbourne FC (which both feature St James’ scallops) and Exeter City play at St James Park because it sits on the town’s St James Road which led pilgrims down to the coast. So – ok – why all the fuss about St James in Galicia then? Aside from his remains supposedly being buried there, he also miraculously appeared in 855 during the mythical Battle of Clavijo. This battle (which never happened) is supposed to have occurred during the ‘Reconquista’ period of Spanish history when the Christians forced out the Islamic forces that had run Spain, or large parts of it, for nearly 700 years. Legend has it that St James appeared to the Christian king in a dream, commanding him to attack the next day if he wanted victory. To help ensure his prophecy came true, St James himself appeared on a white horse and personally led the charge against the Muslim forces. From then on St James earned the nickname Santiago Matamoros (St James the Moor-Slayer). So that’s quite some story. What a badge. From fiercely independent traders – to performing miracles in battle – to battling the English – to adopting their national game – to producing half a million cars a year. Celta Vigo’s badge is elegant, simple – and hugely complicated. I absolutely love it.

Greenland. It’s been in the news a bit lately. But away from the rantings and ravings of unhinged world leaders, the local people – currently a population of 56,000 – have a fascinating past and, by the sounds of it, a pretty exciting future too. In and amongst all of this is the story of its national football team. While Greenland operates in a similar fashion to the Faroe Islands, in that it is an autonomous territory within Denmark, it is not – like the Faroe Islands are – registered with FIFA and therefore does not compete at national level. This is a bitter shame, and I feel if Gibraltar and co. can compete with the big boys, seeing Greenland in European qualifiers would do a lot to raise awareness of their nation and identity. Which may become more important going forward… So instead, they have had to make do with playing a series of unofficial friendlies against Danish and Swedish teams, and other nations without FIFA standing. In 2003 they pummeled the Channel Island of Sark 16–0, although the British Isles got their revenge in 2017 when the Isle of Man defeated the Greenlanders 6–0. But onto the badge – and their unfortunately named Football Association (Kalaallit Arsaattartut Kattuffiat) – or KAK for short… and perhaps more encouragingly, their absolute beauty of a home shirt made by Hummel. So, let’s give ourselves a bit of context. Greenland: 80% covered by (rapidly melting) ice sheets. It has seen various waves of migrants arrive on its shores and have a good go at eking out a living amongst the extreme cold and harsh climate – most failed. The earliest settlements date back four and a half thousand years. The more modern visitors came from the Vikings, when Gunnbjörn Ulfsson is said to have been blown off course while sailing back from Iceland and ended up on its shores. Greenland’s highest mountain is today called Gunnbjørn Fjeld in his honour. Upon returning to Norway he told tales of his discovery, and in 982 Erik the Red set off to settle the place. He tried several times, with dozens of ships being lost in the process. He is credited with coining the name “Greenland” in a bid to drum up interest in launching future journeys there – a nice bit of early boosterism for the island that has stuck. Erik’s son, Leif Erikson, would later go on to become the first European to set foot in the Americas when he established a settlement in what is today Newfoundland, Canada. Alas, the Vikings’ settlements did not last more than a few generations and in around 1200, peoples from North America arrived from the opposite direction and settled the island more permanently. These people, known as the Inuit, became the long-term residents of the island. They survived through small-scale farming and seasonal hunting parties into the north of the island. They would return with tusks and hides from caribou, narwhals and polar bears. Fats, meats, ivory and furs were exported from their growing capital, Nuuk. During this time, the Danish mostly forgot about their Greenland colony of Norsemen – who had largely died out by this point anyway. As the northern hemisphere entered its ‘Little Ice Age’ between roughly 1400–1800, the seas leading to Greenland became too littered with icebergs to make exploration safe. A fire in the Copenhagen record office also destroyed many of the records relating to Greenland, so their possessions there slipped into myth and folklore. Yet in the 1700s, the Danish sent out missions led by churchman Hans Egede to reconnect with their former colonists. Upon arrival, they were disappointed to find their Norse cousins had not survived and had been replaced by the Inuit. Not to be put off, the Danish stayed, converted the locals, and brought the island back into Denmark’s sphere of influence. So – with that brief run-down of Greenland’s history, let’s move onto that beautiful home shirt. The red and white flag of Greenland represents the island’s icy landscape and surrounding sea. The white stands for the ice cap, the red for the ocean, and the circle shows the sun over the horizon, while the colours also reflect Greenland’s historic link with Denmark. And so red is the colour of the Greenland national team. Etched into the fabric and sleeves is a pattern featuring three key elements of Greenland and Inuit culture: tupilaks, tuukkaqer spearheads and avittar patterns. The tupilaks – those slightly spooky, head-like figures – are small carvings made from bone, antler or driftwood. They were once created for spiritual or protective purposes, and today their bold designs still carry that sense of Arctic mystery. The tuukkaqer – the arrow-shaped forms – are traditional spearheads used by Inuit hunters in harsh Arctic conditions. Hunting walruses across shifting ice sheets is not for the faint-hearted, and having a tuukkaqer by your side would have been essential. The whole shirt takes these two icons and weaves them into a repeating avittar pattern, the name for the traditional woven designs found in Greenland’s national dress. It is, I think you’ll agree, a thing of rare beauty – and someone soon needs to give Greenland the funding it needs to build and maintain a FIFA-level playing surface to get this ancient, proud and hardy people competing with the big boys of Europe. Before they stick you with a tuukkaqer.

This one involves a Thai restaurant in Harwich and a caravan parked just outside Great Yarmouth… There is a football club from one of the most picturesque towns in England. Set in the rolling hillsides of the Cotswolds, it has Roman roots, medieval churches and the feel of an old mill town. It’s beautiful. And sometimes people still mock it. But they really shouldn’t. This club is, of course, Forest Green Rovers. And they’re the next #GetTheBadgeIn. So first — Harwich, Essex. 9 July. The Half Moon Inn (now a Thai restaurant called Thai up on the Quay ). Edward Peach is born. His father had served as an engineer on HMS Simoon , an iron-screw troop ship used during the Crimean War. Peach grows up, enters the Church and becomes a Congregational minister. He eventually settles in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire. There, in 1889, he sets up a football team for local young men. He calls it Forest Green, after the area of Nailsworth where it is based. Early years are not glorious. In 1906–07 they finish on zero points (they did win a game, but lost two points for fielding an ineligible player). Progress comes slowly. There are local leagues, gradual improvements, and eventually real success: the FA Vase in 1981 and steady Conference football through the 1980s and 90s. Then, in 2010, things change. Dale Vince buys the club. Vince, originally from Great Yarmouth, had built a renewable energy company called Ecotricity. His arrival does not just mean new investment — it means a new direction. In 2011 the club updates its badge. The older design had taken inspiration from Barcelona, with tweaks in green, black and white. The new badge features a lion and a unicorn, along with the founding date of 1889. The colours settle firmly into green and black. But the biggest change is not cosmetic. Forest Green Rovers set out to become the greenest football club in the world — and they have the recognition to back it up. FIFA has described them as “the world’s greenest football club”, and they are the only club to hold Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) accreditation. Their home, The New Lawn, generates much of its own energy. Solar panels line the stadium roof. A solar tracker stands at the entrance. The club is powered by 100% green electricity. Electric vehicle charging points are installed for players and visitors, and a park-and-ride system helps cut congestion and emissions on matchdays. Their carbon footprint per spectator has fallen by 42% since the 2011/12 season. Overall emissions have decreased since 2017. Waste production has been reduced. Water is recycled. Even the cooking oil from the kitchen is turned into biofuel. The pitch itself is a statement. It is the world’s first fully organic football pitch. No chemical pesticides. No artificial fertilisers. Rainwater is collected and reused. A solar-powered robotic mower — guided by GPS — trims the grass. The cuttings are given to local farmers to improve their soil. The surrounding land supports wildlife, including badgers and owls from nearby farmland. And then there is the food. Forest Green Rovers became the first fully vegan professional football club. Players and fans are served plant-based meals on matchdays. It was a bold move, but one that has reduced environmental impact and drawn global attention. Since 2010, average attendance has quadrupled. Media coverage has reached into the billions worldwide. The club also works closely with schools and the local community. Through its Ambassador Scheme and its Fit2Last programme, students learn about sport, health and sustainability. Players visit schools. Lessons are delivered on how small changes can have lasting impact. The club’s reach has spread far beyond Nailsworth. There are even plans for a new 5,000-seat wooden stadium as part of a larger eco-park — modern, sustainable and designed to push environmental thinking in football even further. Football clubs were once born out of mills, mines and railways. Forest Green Rovers were born in a mill town too. But today they reflect something more modern — an industry shaped by renewable energy, innovation and long-term thinking. From a minister in Nailsworth to solar panels on a stadium roof. From a caravan near Great Yarmouth to global recognition. Not bad for a club many once overlooked. #UpTheRovers 🌿

Kilmarnock. Damp air, heavy skies, long winters – and fantastic poetry. And, it would seem, squirrels. Not sure about the squirrels. Let’s go about twenty miles South-West of Glasgow to visit this town of around 50,000 souls and #GetTheBadgeIn to see what we can learn about them, their football team and those squirrels. On the pitch the team dates back to 1869 making them one of the oldest teams in Scotland and the oldest team currently in the SPL. They date back to the days when football hadn’t even been codified and everyone played it slightly differently, the Kilmarnock version initially looked very much like rugby league. Popularity grew and with it the desire to actually play other teams – the problem being everyone else was playing by different rules. A meeting at the George Hotel (which is today, sadly, a furniture store – see image) saw the team’s committee agree to purchase a rulebook for the traditional form of football and reform the team to compete  nationally. Today they still play at the aptly named ‘Rugby Park’ – which, as a interesting side note – was taken over by the military in the Second World War and used as a fuel depot – and was then rebuilt as a stadium using Italian prisoners of war. Not everyone can sing that. But since their creation back in the George Hotel they’ve been busy: Kilmarnock have won the Scottish Cup three times, been crowned league champions once in 1965, lifted the Scottish League Cup in 2012, and have regularly appeared in international competitions, including a bizarre appearance in the short-lived, US-based, ‘International Soccer League’. There they beat all their American rivals as well as defeating Bayern Munich and, the then English Champions, Burnley. They only lost in the final to Brazil’s Bangu. More recently they have been a long serving SPL team. Suffering relegation in 2021 but followed it by an immediate Championship title in 2022 and a return to the top tier. So that’s the club. From an East Ayrshire rugby field to American soccer success… but what then of the badge – and those bloody squirrels? Let’s dive deeper. The story starts with the name. Kilmarnock begins with cill, the Gaelic word for a church or burial ground. The second part of the name is generally linked to Saint Marnock (also recorded as Mernoc, Marnan, or Mo-Ernóc). Marnock was one of the Christians that brought the religion to Scotland. In AD 563 a bunch of Christian monks led by Saint Columba, set up camp on the Scottish island of Iona and built a monastery (see below). Using this as a sort of Forward Operating Base for their efforts to convert the locals on the mainland. Parties of missionaries sailed up and down the Scottish rivers and inlets setting up franchises where they could (and presumably running in terror from the heathen locals where they couldn’t…?). Marnock was one of those guys, and where he built his church (or ‘cill’) became known, today, as Church Marnock. Or Kilmarnock. Initially I assumed that cill came from Kirk – as in a Scottish Church – but apparently that is Norse in origin – not Gaelic. So, there you go. Cill it is. To tell the next chapter in this town’s history we need to ask the Boyd family to lend us a hand. Aha… the hand in the badge is associated with the Boyd family who were for centuries the Lords of Kilmarnock. The Boyd family first rose to prominence during the Battle of Largs in 1263, when Robert Boyd was tasked with clearing Viking forces from high ground overlooking the beach. As he set off, King Alexander III is said to have called out “Confido” (“I trust”), accompanied by a hand gesture that later became the Boyd clan motto and symbol. Boyd’s successful attack helped force a Norse retreat and contributed to the Viking defeat. In the following decades, the Boyds became closely involved in the Wars of Scottish Independence. They fought alongside figures such as William Wallace, with Duncan Boyd executed in 1306 for supporting the Scottish cause. A later Sir Robert Boyd, likely the grandson of the Largs commander, emerged as a trusted supporter of Robert the Bruce and played a key role at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 (where they thrashed the English army and sent Edward II packing). For his service, he was rewarded with lands, including Kilmarnock, firmly establishing the Boyds as major landholders in Ayrshire and laying the foundations for their long-term influence in the town. So, finally… what of the squirrels? Well. I’m afraid the story may be a slight anti-climax. The use of squirrels on the Boyd family crest first appeared in 1460 by Lord Robert Boyd. He was quite the character and has been called by one historian “an unscrupulous political gambler and an inveterate optimist”, which is quite the obituary. At various points he essentially kidnapped the young James III of Scotland and tried to arrange the marriage of his daughter into the Royal line – and in another negotiated the addition of the Orkney Islands into Scottish possession and away from Norway. And in amongst all of that he issued a new family crest which incorporated squirrels. The guy was clearly nuts. Nuts or not, his legacy continues to do this day with the squirrels going from his family crest, to the coat of arms for Kilmarnock – and then to the football team’s badge. The Boyd’s family seat at Dean Castle dominated the area for centuries, and in 1592 a Thomas Boyd secured Burgh of Barony status for Kilmarnock. That technical and legal shift allowed the town to hold markets, regulate trade, and function as a town rather than a loose settlement. By the 18th century, Kilmarnock had become an industrial centre, known for textiles, carpets, engineering, and printing. That printing industry is the reason that Kilmarnock’s most famous resident, Robert Burns, published his first volume of poems there in 1786. This book brought his work to national attention and helped establish him as the voice of ordinary Scottish people, writing in Scots about love, work, hardship, and pride in Scotland. Burns later became a symbol of Scottish culture and values, celebrated every year on Burns Night (25 January), when people across Scotland and around the world gather to eat haggis, recite his poetry, and celebrate Scottish language, music, and traditions. As if that wasn’t enough, Kilmarnock can lay claim to a second fundamental pillar of Scottishness – a man called John Walker. In the early 19th century he ran a small grocery store in the town centre and started, as a bit of a sideline, making blended whiskies to sell to his customers. After his death his son, Alex, took over the family business and expanded on the whisky side – becoming the Whisky giant Johnnie Walker which today sell more Scottish Whisky than anyone else. Kilmarnock then – An early Christian outpost, home to a family of (most of the time) patriots who fought the English at Bannockburn, a somewhat eccentric son who brought the Orkney isles into the Scottish fold, the most famous Scottish poet in history – and the nations’ biggest whisky brand. Not bad for a town of 50,000. Their football team takes that legacy and heritage into battle at Rugby Park every other Saturday, looking to add yet more trophies to the town’s incredible record.

What connects one of Islam’s greatest battles, the British Empire and…. Brendan Rodgers? A team currently sitting 4th in the Saudi Pro-League has an absolutely incredible story to tell… so let’s #GetTheBadgeIn and see what we can learn from Brendan Rodgers’ Al-Qadsiah FC. At first glance their badge looks like a very simple, modern and minimalist logo, but in fact it is carrying a huge amount of history behind the brand. Al-Qadsiah’s identity strips things back visually, but what it represents – place, memory, migration, and ambition – is a fascinating story. On the pitch, Al-Qadsiah FC have made it clear they are serious about being one of the big beasts of the Middle East – and global - football. The squad blends experience with promise. Former Real Madrid defender Nacho Fernández brings leadership and elite-level calm at the back, while exciting young Ghanaian talent Christopher Bonsu Baah adds pace and flair going forward. Guiding it all is Brendan Rodgers, whose CV includes Liverpool, Celtic and Leicester City. Behind it all sits the world’s richest oil company, Aramco. The badge itself is built around the letters QAD, set at a sharp slant and rendered in a custom typeface used consistently across the club’s wider brand (this actually took me ages to spot – even when I was told – watch the video here to see it more clearly: https://www.genebranding.com/qadsiah-scc-2/). It is clean, confident, and instantly recognisable. The slanted angle of the badge mirrors the geographic angle and footprint of Al Khobar itself, grounding the club visually in its home city. The shield shape from its old badge remains, but everything else has been refined to give it a more modern aesthetic. That shield matters. The previous crest (pictured here) held a knight on horseback, sword raised, shield to his side. The reason for that knight lies in the club’s identity and nickname: Fares Al Sharqiyah (Knight of the East) and Fakhr Al Sharqiyah (Pride of the Eastern Province). These names are rooted in history, specifically the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah – from where the club obviously takes its name. That battle, in 636 CE, was only 4 years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad. Those years after his death were ones of early turmoil for the new religion – after the passing of the Prophet people wondered if this newcomer to the world stage would quietly slip back into the deserts. So, the new religion needed a statement win. At al-Qadisiyyah it got one. That battle mattered because it was against the Sassanian Persian Empire, one of the strongest powers of its age. It opened the way into Persia, helped Islam spread across the region, shifted power away from Byzantine and Persian dominance, and shaped the early Islamic world that followed. Naming a club after Qadisiyyah is a statement. It is like a British team calling itself Agincourt, Waterloo, or Trafalgar. That Al-Qadsiah face out towards the Arabian Gulf – peering over the horizon towards the same Persian lands once defeated – almost certainly isn’t a coincidence. And what were the early Islamic forces famed for? Horsemen. Lots of them. Fast, ferocious and with the ability to trek far into the desert before sweeping back in behind the enemy lines. A tactic later employed by the British Long Range Desert Group in the Second World War (who went on to become the SAS). A technique mastered by the horsemen of Arabia. By the knights of the East. As if the name itself were not defiant enough, the city behind the club adds another layer. Modern Al Khobar was built largely on the back of the migration of the Dawasir tribe. In 1923, Britain did not physically expel the Dawasir from Bahrain, but it created conditions that pushed them to leave. British authorities tightened control, removed the old ruler Isa bin Ali, stripped tribes of legal and economic privileges, imposed new courts and policing, in a bid to westernise the realm. Rather than submit, many Dawasir chose to leave Bahrain and resettle on the Saudi coast with the permission of King Abdulaziz. That movement laid the foundations of Khobar and Dammam. Today, Al Khobar still carries traces of that past. Old market streets like Suwaiket sit alongside glass towers, malls, and seafront developments. More recently the city was once the original port used by Saudi Aramco to export oil, and it is no accident that the club is now owned outright by the same oil giant. Just to the north runs the King Fahd Causeway, the four-lane link to Bahrain, allowing the descendants of those displaced tribes to cross back to ancestral lands with ease. Al-Qadsiah’s badge may look simple and clear cut. Its story is anything but. Behind the clean lines is a club shaped by battle, migration, oil, and ambition – and a reminder that sometimes the most minimalist of designs can have the most maximalist of histories.

I love old badges like this one, steeped in heraldry and tradition. Blackpool's is an utter beauty with a tonne to unpack. So, let's waste no time and #GetTheBadgeIn and see what it can tell us! Football in the town initially grew out of church teams and school sides, with the club having roots going back to Victoria FC in the 1870s. After splits, disputes, and a decisive meeting at the Stanley Arms Hotel in July 1887, a single club was formed to represent the whole town. By the following year, Blackpool FC were founder members of the Lancashire League. Their badge is taken from the city's coat of arms, and it tells an astonishing story. Let’s start at the top and work our way down. The windmills at the very top are a reference to the famous Fylde region around Blackpool. Fylde is old-world speak for field, and the area, with its flat land and high coastal winds, made an ideal location for growing grain and barley, and then using windmills to process it into flour and beer. AFC Fylde, another local team, also included a windmill on their newly redesigned badge a few years ago. The most famous remaining windmill is Lytham Windmill, which was turned into a museum in the 1980s – funded by public subscription before online “crowd funding” was a thing – local people promoting local pride with their own money. Fantastic to see. At the centre of the windmill lies the Red Rose of Lancaster – famous from the Wars of the Roses – and also displayed in countless other teams’ badges, perhaps most notably Blackburn Rovers and Man City (and Barnet’s has both the Red Rose of Lancaster and the White Rose of York in homage to the Battle of Barnet in 1471). Moving down, we have the fleur-de-lis to the left and the lion rampant (lion stood up) to the right. These are common royal symbols in Britain and appear on the King’s official flag and crest. However, in this instance they have a very specific connection to Blackpool. The fleur-de-lis is from the Banks family. Henry Banks was a local hotel landlord who, in the early 19th century, bought up large chunks of land and built holiday cottages, helping drive forward and transform Blackpool into a tourist hotspot, catering to the newly emerging middle classes from the rapidly industrialising cities of Manchester and Liverpool. His purchases in 1819 were prescient, as in 1840 the Preston and Wyre Railway connected Blackpool to the main national network – and the boom times began. The Banks are often referred to as the “Father of Blackpool”. The lion to the right is from another notable family in the development of the town, namely William Henry Cocker (a clock tower bearing his name stands today inside the city’s Stanley Park). Cocker was a local surgeon by trade but saw the vast transformation about to take place at Blackpool. Accordingly, he began partnering with Banks and investing heavily in building new attractions. He was involved in the building and financing of the Victorian Promenade, the aquarium, the menagerie, and the Winter Gardens entertainment complex. He also pushed local authorities to speed up the electrification of Blackpool – enabling its famous Illuminations. Which brings us nicely to… The symbol in the middle of this badge’s row of three – the electric bolt. A highly unusual feature in a coat of arms. Most of Britain’s coats of arms feature heraldry from ancient noble families that can trace their roots back to William the Conqueror or beyond. In that respect, Blackpool is a thoroughly modern coat of arms. Blackpool’s experiment with illumination began in 1879 with something called an arc lamp – invented before Edison’s famous lightbulb. Eight were installed atop high poles, allowing visitors to extend their evening walks even during the winter. They became a novel attraction in their own right, but things really took off in 1912. Ahead of a royal visit, 10,000 electric bulbs were installed along the waterfront. Soon, that had stretched to over six miles of lighting that became nationally, and then globally, famous. The black and orange wavy lines on the lower half of the badge refer, obviously, to the seaside location and its famous orange sunsets. The black in Blackpool supposedly comes from a drainage channel from a local peat bog that would discharge dark brackish water into the sea, forming a “black pool”. The seagull, much like Brighton, is obviously in reference to the seaside’s most famous resident. So that, in a badge, is Blackpool. Lights, lollies, and leftbacks. And I think it is a bloody brilliant tale.