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Why stop at just badges? So many teams these days (to my sheer delight) are using their own kits to tell the story of their history and heritage. There are lots of teams doing it this season but one of the stand outs have baked their story onto the home kit in a very iconic war… Reading FC. So let’s #GetTheShirtIn Their 2025–26 Macron home shirt is a proper tribute to Reading’s industrial heritage, dipped in nostalgia for the days when biscuits made the town world famous. From a distance it is familiar: white base, blue hoops with a red trim. But zoom in and you’ll see those stripes aren’t flat colour blocks – they’re filled with Victorian-inspired patterns, the kind that once decorated Huntley & Palmers’ biscuit tins. Back in the 19th and early 20th centuries, those tins were as recognisable as Coca-Cola bottles are today. Ornate, intricate, often depicting exotic scenes from around the globe, they turned the humble biscuit tin into a worldwide icon. Reading wasn’t just a railway stop between London and the West Country – by 1900, it was the home of the world’s largest biscuit factory. Huntley & Palmers employed thousands, powered the town’s growth, and exported to 172 countries. Huntley & Palmers produced an astonishing variety of biscuits – around 400 by 1903 – ranging from everyday staples to more elaborate creations. Their range included digestives, chocolate-coated biscuits, Nice biscuits (which they are often credited with inventing), Bath Olivers, Abernethy biscuits flavoured with caraway seeds, arrowroot biscuits for children, and their own versions of cream crackers. They also made Opera Wafers, Morning Coffee biscuits, shortcakes, and rich shortbread, while their famous assorted tins mixed ginger snaps, chocolate creams, and countless other varieties. These tins, decorated with ornate Victorian and Edwardian designs, became collectors’ items in their own right and helped turn Huntley & Palmers into one of the world’s first truly global brands. The brand was a symbol of the British Empire’s reach – their tins even made it to the Congo River and the Himalayas. The company’s biscuits went as far as Antarctica too. Captain Scott’s ill-fated Terra Nova expedition packed Huntley & Palmers fruitcake, one of which was rediscovered in 2017 – still intact after more than a century. Closer to home, Huntley & Palmers shaped Reading itself. The Palmers family gave land and money to the town, with Palmer Park still carrying their name. For years, Reading F.C. carried theirs too: The Biscuitmen. A nickname lost when the factory closed in 1976, but not forgotten. This isn’t the first time Reading have worn their story. In 2022/23, the “climate stripes” kit – designed by a University of Reading professor – turned data on global warming into a striking visual pattern. Other kits have carried town landmarks and their away kit this season also features the designs from Reading Town Hall. As a history teacher and football fan I am thoroughly enjoying Reading’s philosophy of football kit design. From factory floor to football pitch – that’s how you #GetTheShirtIn.

Everyone who ever used to watch Soccer AM as a kid knows Crewe's nickname – The Railwaymen. (Didn't they used to shout "Choo Choo" or something every time they appeared?) So, even for those not from the North-West, we all know that Crewe Alexandra is the home of the railways. Without the railways, Crewe would likely still be little more than a small Cheshire village. In 1831, before the iron tracks rolled in, the settlement had just 70 residents. By 1837, the Grand Junction Railway, looking for a connection hub between Britain's two major industrial regions - The Midlands and North-West, had planted a station in fields near Crewe Hall. Large locomotive works followed in 1843. Out of this industrial forge grew a railway colony—terraces for workers, workshops, chapels, and a sports field, Queen’s Park, donated by the railway company for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee. Crewe became synonymous with steam, iron, and engineering precision. Crewe Alexandra Football Club itself was born in 1877, an offshoot of the Alexandra Cricket Club, founded by workers at the locomotive works. The name came from the park they played in – Alexandra Recreation Ground – which was named in tribute to Princess Alexandra of Denmark, then Princess of Wales and wife of the future Edward VII (eldest son of Queen Victoria and the man who gave his name to the Edwardian Era). I feel there needs to be an annual pre-season friendly against a Danish team in honour of this legacy. For decades, Crewe’s badge carried its legacy embroidered proudly: a white lion gripping a six-spoked wheel. Each spoke symbolised one of the six main trainlines that converged at Crewe station, making the town the iron hub of Britain. That six-spoked wheel was dropped in a recent modernisation. Why? Who knows. What we do know is that something so uniquely Crewe, so deeply tied to the town’s history, should be brought back. The badge’s lion is not random either. It comes directly from the coat of arms of the Crewe family – historic landowners of Cheshire, seated at Crewe Hall. The family traces its roots to the Domesday Book (recorded as “Creu”), its name derived from the Old Welsh criu – a fish weir. Among their prominent figures were Sir Ranulph Crewe, Speaker of the House of Commons and Lord Chief Justice, and Nathaniel, Lord Crewe, Bishop of Durham and benefactor. It would be remiss not to mention the legacy of Crewe’s ladies’ team – which continued under difficult circumstances even after the FA banned women from playing the professional game. Crewe Alexandra Ladies also provided the platform for a trailblazer: Kerry Davis, the first Black woman to play for England. Born in Stoke-on-Trent to Jamaican and English parents, she debuted for the Lionesses in 1982 and became a prolific striker, scoring goals at Wembley and representing her country at the 1984 Euros and the 1995 World Cup. But the English game was not ready to support a player of her talent. Davis had to spend much of her career in Italy, where the women’s game was taken more seriously, winning titles with clubs like Lazio. Her achievements were finally recognised when she was inducted into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame in 2022. If the 19th century made Crewe, the 21st has threatened to undo it. HS2, the high-speed rail project, once promised to restore Crewe to the centre of Britain’s transport revolution. Investment, jobs, prestige – all seemed destined to return. But the plans fell through. The dream of Crewe as a 21st-century rail hub was shelved, leaving behind frustration and a sense of betrayal in a town built on iron. Crewe Alexandra are one of the oldest names in English football – all (rail)roads lead to, and out of, Crewe. It is time Crewe embraced its legacy of being at the heart of the British network – and rebuilt outwards – to expand its influence once more.

If ever there was a club born in controversy, it’s Milton Keynes Dons. I was listening to a Grimby podcast the other day and the host wouldn't even say their name. For some, they represent something unsavoury about modern football. Yet, to stop thinking there would be to do Milton Keynes, a city of over a quarter of a million people, a huge disservice. But, of course, to understand their badge and identity, you do firstly need to rewind to South London and the collapse of Wimbledon FC. Wimbledon were known as the Dons, short for their home district of Merton (Wimbledon being part of the old Borough of Wimbledon and Merton). The “Crazy Gang” upset Liverpool to win the 1988 FA Cup final, one of the great shocks of Wembley. But the money dried up, Plough Lane was abandoned, and the club eventually relocated to Milton Keynes in 2004. The move tore Wimbledon in two. Fans left behind formed their own Phoenix club – AFC Wimbledon – who rose rapidly through non-league back into the Football League (and currently sit a league above MK). Meanwhile, in Buckinghamshire, the relocated side were rechristened as Milton Keynes Dons, carrying part of the old name north with them. To say they still carry quite a stigma is an understatement. Although today they have established themselves as a solid League Two, sometimes League One, side, they have financial backing from their owner Fahad Al-Ghanim – one of Kuwait's, and therefore the world's, richest men. Incidentally, he also owns Kuwait SC, that country’s most successful club – and the new home for former Ipswich Town captain, Sam Morsy. Wimbledon’s old badge had proudly carried a double-headed Roman eagle – taken from the London Borough of Wimbledon’s coat of arms – which had embraced it as a hat tip to the legend that Julius Caesar himself had camped with his army in the area during his invasion of England. That heritage is reflected in the MK badge today, where the Roman numerals MMIV (2004) feature to keep the legacy alive. At the initial inception of the new team in MK, the first proposed logo was an eagle’s head with an italic M and K forming the feathers and beak of the animal. This design was ditched in favour of the current badge. The current logo is actually an M sitting atop an upturned K. I have to admit – before I read that I didn’t actually see it – I just saw a sort of chevron-looking badge. But once you’ve seen it, you can never unsee it. Look closely at the MK Dons badge and you’ll also spot a red dot. This is actually part of the town’s identity – and was used in marketing materials for Milton Keynes at the time the club moved there. In Milton Keynes, the red dot is everywhere: there’s a Red Dot bar, a Red Dot hotel, and even the matchday programme is called The Red Dot. I occasionally glance at scores and think it is supposed to represent a red card being awarded during the game – which would make MK a very dirty team indeed. To understand the linear, streamlined badge as it is today you need to understand Milton Keynes itself. Created in 1967 as the boldest of Britain’s post-war new town projects, Milton Keynes was designed with grid roads, linear parks, and modernist architecture. It swallowed up older towns – Bletchley, Wolverton, Stony Stratford – and dozens of villages. Scratch the surface and you find a much deeper history: the village of Milton Keynes was recorded in the Domesday Book as Mideltone (meaning middle farmstead), later becoming Mideltone Kaynes after the Norman lords, the de Cahaignes. So the name may sound modern, but it stretches back centuries. Milton Keynes is also home to some heavyweight institutions: Bletchley Park, where the Enigma code was broken; the Open University, Britain’s pioneering distance-learning institution; and even Red Bull Racing, just to underline the modern, fast-paced image. Now, I actually want to propose a post-factual reading of the badge’s meaning. Much like a GCSE student is encouraged to find meaning in a novel when the curtains in a room are blue – despite the author having absolutely no intention behind it whatsoever… So in that spirit, isn’t the badge’s meaning quite obviously tied to Milton Keynes’ Open University? Created in 1969 by Harold Wilson’s Labour government, the idea was to open up university education to the general public who otherwise would never be able to afford it. Courses could be completed remotely and part-time, and lectures were broadcast late at night on BBC radio. It was an inspired idea, and over two million students have graduated from it since its creation. It has a solid claim, alongside the NHS, to be one of Britain’s post-war wonders. So let’s look again at the badge. The M and the K clearly make the shape of an open book – while the nickname inherited from its Wimbledon roots – The Dons – well, come on, this is perfect for a university. If this is EXACTLY what it is supposed to be anyway, then please let me know – but I can’t find reference to this being the case on any website, including the club’s own. Another suggestion is the circular background pattern - one website suggests this is simply to represent a football... surely a missed opportunity? Milton Keynes is famous for its roundabouts (more than 130!). Is this an acknowledgement? Who knows. So there we have it. Born in controversy, acknowledging the Roman roots of its inherited legacy and showcasing the grid systems, minimalist architecture, and bold inclusivity and educational ambition of a brave new post-war world – MK Dons have, if the narrative is told right, a superb claim to be treated as equals within the English Football League. Up the Open Uni Dons.

I have a new favourite badge. It has everything. It tells the entire story of Britain. In one club we have Medieval, Early Modern, Industrial and Modern history. The story of a nation — in one newly promoted National League side. I don’t mind admitting that I am a little bit in love with Brackley Town FC. Halfway between Oxford and Northampton — or, if I was describing this to my wife, “10 minutes north of Bicester Shopping Village” — sits the picturesque town of Brackley. It grew as a market town back in the day, specialising in wool and lace. Its location made it the perfect halfway spot between Oxford, Coventry and Northampton. Richard I nominated it as one of only five official jousting locations in England — bringing more “match day” crowds (and some heavy cavalry) down the winding country paths that led to Brackley. So that’s all well and good — but let’s turn our attention to the elements of the football club to continue our story, and let’s do this in chronological order. We start not with the badge, but with the ground: St James. In 1150 a church-run hospital, known as St James and St John, was established in the town. Hospitals at the time were not paramedics rushing about and lines of pensioners clogging up A&E while grumbling about the ethnicity of the medical staff trying to help them. Instead, they were more like hostels where weary travellers could rest for the night and get a warm meal. St James, of course, is the patron saint of travellers and pilgrims — and Brackley’s hospital was a layover spot for pilgrims from the north heading south, famously to the holy site of St James of Compostela in Spain. The actual building of this hospital remains, having passed through several noble hands until finally ending up owned by Magdalen College, Oxford (the wealthiest and probably the most famous of all the Oxford colleges). The College used the land in Brackley to set up a school — Magdalen College School, Brackley. Today this is still the town’s main secondary school, operated by an academy trust. It had a chapel and buildings dating back to the Norman era. This is astonishing heritage for a state school. Upon first reading I assumed this must be a costly private affair, but no — this is a school open to all. Incredible history here. So, the football ground? They play at St James Park, named after the nearby medieval hospital. That’s Medieval England. Onwards now to one of the most important years in English history: 1485. The Battle of Bosworth and the dawn of the Tudor dynasty. At the battle Richard III (the fellow found under the car park in 2012) was defeated by Henry Tudor, ending the Wars of the Roses once and for all. Vital to Henry’s victory that day were a pair of brothers — Thomas and William Stanley. They arrived at the battle with a powerful army to support Richard. However, upon seeing the flow of the battle, they paused. And this was to be one of the most consequential decisions in English history. When their army finally did enter the field of battle, it was on the side of Henry Tudor, not Richard. Thomas Stanley is famous for having plucked Richard III’s crown from a bush in which it had landed and placing it on Henry Tudor’s head. The Stanleys: kingmakers. Accordingly, the Stanley family were showered with gifts and lands from the grateful Tudors. Their coat of arms — the three stag heads in a diagonal line — sprouted all over England. Many generations later a Stanley heiress, Lady Frances Stanley, married the Viscount of Brackley, who merged his coat of arms with hers, quartering it so both were reflected. This explains one half, or two quarters, of Brackley Town’s badge: the kingmaker Stanley family. So what of the other half? This brings us forward into the industrial era — and the Egerton family. Also a powerful family from medieval times, the Egertons had quietly assembled estates and royal patronage by working, usually as lawyers, in the King’s courts. Egertons were some of the most important men in the land under the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I. As a result one of the titles they were given was Viscount of Brackley, and their coat of arms — the lion with the three arrowheads — became the symbol of Brackley itself. But the Egerton story doesn’t stop there. One of their number, Francis Egerton, was about to do something transformational. The Egertons owned land in Worsley, which today sits outside Salford. Upon this land sat a coal mine. The year was 1761, and coal was quickly becoming a hot commodity — especially in Manchester, as cotton mill owners were beginning to install coal-fired motors to operate their factories. But Egerton had a problem. He found the cost of transporting his coal to Manchester was so high that his profit margins remained tiny. Egerton struck upon a solution when visiting France. There he witnessed a newly built canal that linked the city of Toulouse with the ocean. Why not do the same in England? Egerton got to work and eventually the Bridgewater Canal — which featured many innovative canal features like bridges and tunnels — was built. It cut by half the cost of transporting his coal. Egerton was soon rolling in cash and the rest of the country took note. The Bridgewater Canal is famed for ushering in the canal age of England — a vital step in the total industrialisation of the nation. No Egerton, no canal. No canal, no “Great” Britain. The man’s a legend. It was one of his sons who later married the Stanley girl — bringing the two family coats of arms together, and Brackley’s badge. The last element of this story is to look closely at modern Brackley today. Because far from being “just” a pretty little town near Oxford, it has nestled within it one of the most exciting and cutting-edge technological establishments on Earth: Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. Quite recently the home of Lewis Hamilton. England’s F1 track at Silverstone is only a short distance away, and Mercedes have made Brackley their home. Only a short walk from where medieval squires fine-tuned and tested the armour and saddles of their jousting knights, motor technicians and designers now sit and build faster and more efficient racing cars. Brackley, the small town that tells the story of England in one football team’s badge, has come full circle. Or lap. I love this badge.

Let's #GetTheBadgeIn for this team with an iconic badge featuring an iconic aircraft.... Eastleigh Football Club might be one of the younger names on the English football map, but both the team and the town carry a weight of history that goes far beyond the game. Their identity is stitched into the industrial, military, and community fabric of this Hampshire town – and at the heart of that story is one of the most iconic aircraft in human history. The club began life in 1946 as Swaythling Athletic. By 1950 they had joined the Hampshire League, and in 1977 they simplified to “Swaythling” - a small village to the South of Easleigh airport, before choosing the name of the bigger settlement, Eastleigh itself. Like a purring engine progress has came steadily to the team: founder members of the Wessex League in 1986–87, champions in 2002–03, and then climbing the pyramid through the Southern League, Isthmian League and Conference South. In 2013–14, Eastleigh won promotion to the National League, placing them at the top table of non-League football, where they still compete today. Home is the Silverlake Stadium, and their colours are blue and white. But it is their nickname that tells the real story. Until 2005, Eastleigh had no official nickname. That changed when fans were asked to vote for one. The winning choice – The Spitfires – wasn’t much of a surprise given the history of the area. The Supermarine Spitfire, the legendary fighter plane of the Second World War, was first flown from Eastleigh Aerodrome in March 1936. Designed by R. J. Mitchell and produced in Southampton, the Spitfire was a marvel of engineering and remains one of Britain’s proudest inventions. But Eastleigh existed before the propellers of this war winning aircraft spun into life - Eastleigh is a place where history runs deep. The town lies on the Roman road linking Winchester (Venta Belgarum) and Bitterne (Clausentum), with archaeological finds showing that people were living here nearly two millennia ago. By 932 AD, the Saxons knew the area as East Leah – a “clearing in the forest.” The Domesday Book of 1086 records the settlement as “Estleie,” proof of its continuous importance through medieval times. Eastleigh grew dramatically in the 19th century with the coming of the railways. In 1838, the London and South Western Railway built its line through the area, and the village of Barton was given a station: Bishopstoke Junction. By 1868, Barton and Eastley had merged into a single parish. In the following decades, railway works relocated from London to Eastleigh, making the town a major centre of carriage and locomotive production. For over a century, the rhythm of Eastleigh was the sound of hammers, wheels, and whistles. The railway shaped Eastleigh’s character: a working-class town with skilled labour, proud communities, and a strong sense of place. And a legacy of mechanical innovations - something that would become useful when the fate of the world hung in the balance... In the 1930s, Eastleigh Aerodrome became the site of a revolution in aircraft design. On 5 March 1936, the prototype Spitfire, serial number K5054, took to the skies for the first time. Sleek, powerful, and agile, it was unlike anything the world had seen before. Designed by Reginald J. Mitchell of Supermarine, the Spitfire combined elegance with deadly effectiveness. Its elliptical wings reduced drag, while its Rolls-Royce Merlin engine gave it speed, power and a roar that exists spotters and the general public even today. It was a plane that pilots loved to fly. The timing could not have been more critical. Within three years, Britain was at war. The Spitfire became the jewel of the Royal Air Force, alongside the Hawker Hurricane, and was decisive in the Battle of Britain. Its ability to outmanoeuvre German Messerschmitts gave Britain the edge in the skies. Without Eastleigh’s contribution, history may have taken a darker turn. During the war, the airfield was renamed RNAS Eastleigh, or HMS Raven, and played a vital role in training. Nazi propaganda even claimed “HMS Raven” had been sunk during bombing raids – not realising it was an air base, not a ship. The Spitfire’s impact was immense. More than just a machine of war, it became a symbol of hope, resilience, and ingenuity – qualities that Eastleigh still takes pride in today. Modern Eastleigh is a town that has balanced growth with heritage. The borough has been praised for its quality of life, and while the great railway works closed in 2006, smaller operations keep the tradition alive. In 2004, a sculpture of the Spitfire prototype was installed near the airport entrance, and in 2006, five restored Spitfires flew from the site to mark the 70th anniversary of the first flight. Every resident of Eastleigh lives in the shadow of that history. For them, the Spitfire isn’t just a plane – it is a reminder of their town’s role in shaping the modern world. Eastleigh FC, now firmly known as The Spitfires, carry that story with them every time they step onto the pitch. Their nickname links them to courage and innovation. Their stadium, their shirts, and even their mascots – Mr and Mrs Brooksy Bear, honouring club founder Derik Brooks – reflect a club that values both its community and its history. For visiting fans, the Silverlake may seem like just another ground in the National League. But for locals, it is part of a town where Romans marched, Saxons settled, railways boomed, and Spitfires soared. It's one hell of a badge.

Grays in Essex does have a fairly rich history and heritage fron which to draw upon when creating a badge for their team . However, their current badge is a fairly simple affair featuring the county badge. The three curved blades gleaming on a field of red. They’re not swords, not scimitars – but seaxes, the Anglo-Saxon short swords that gave Essex its very name: the land of the East Saxons. The same motif is carried around Essex by the likes of Southend United and the Essex County Cricket Club. Grays sits on the Essex side of the Thames. Sandwiched between Tilbury and the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge (Dartford Crossing – to most of us). The town’s name itself tells the story. “Thurrock” is Saxon for “the bottom of a ship,” a nod to the Thames and trade. “Grays” comes from Henry de Grey, a Norman knight gifted the manor here by King Richard I in 1195. His descendants rose to power, and the blue-and-white stripes of the Grey family arms echo still in the club’s colours – The Blues. But the real soul of Grays is not knights or kings, but workers. From the 19th century onwards, the gravel pits, chalk quarries, and cement works carved into Thurrock’s landscape gave the town its nickname. Just as the dockers gave identity to Millwall and the miners to Barnsley, so too did the labourers of Thurrock gift their club its name: The Gravelmen. Grays’ gravel built London. Sittingbourne on the Kent side dug the bricks, Thurrock dug the stone – the capital rose from their graft. Lakeside Shopping Centre, one of Britain’s retail giants, even stands today on the site of an old cement works. And tucked into this industrial heritage, Grays Athletic football club was founded in 1890, carrying the spirit of the pits onto the pitch. For much of their history, Grays lived the life of a non-league journeyman. The Hoppit Ground gave way to the New Recreation Ground, their home for over a century until developers forced a nomadic era of groundshares – Aveley, East Thurrock, Tilbury. But no matter where they played, the Gravelmen carried Thurrock and Grays with them. The club’s golden age came in the early 2000s. Backed by Mick Woodward and managed by former Spurs midfielder Mark Stimson, Grays were unstoppable. Founder members of the new Conference South in 2004–05, they won it at the first attempt. Not content, they lifted the FA Trophy too, beating Hucknall Town on penalties at Villa Park. The following year, with players like Jamie Stuart, Stuart Thurgood, Aaron McLean and a young Michael Kightly, they stormed to third place in the Conference National, just shy of the Football League dream. To crown it all, they retained the FA Trophy at West Ham’s Boleyn Ground, with nearly 10,000 Blues in the stands. Goals from Kightly and Glenn Poole sealed it – Grays Athletic, back-to-back Wembley giants in all but name. Grays has always been more than a football town. Samuel Pepys recorded buying fish here in 1665. Alfred Russel Wallace, co-discoverer of evolution, built The Dell, one of Britain’s earliest concrete houses, in Grays. And the town’s chalk pits and landfill sites tell the Victorian story of London’s insatiable hunger for resources. The club, too, has sent players up the pyramid. Freddy Eastwood, who famously scored a hat-trick against Derby in seven minutes, began here. And more recently, Freddie Ladapo, of recent Ipswich Town fame, wore the blue of the Gravelmen before stepping into the EFL spotlight. Today, Grays are fighting their way in the Isthmian League North, groundsharing at Tilbury while they prepare to take over Ship Lane – the former home of Thurrock FC – in time for the 2026–27 season. It’s a project that promises stability after years on the road. Through it all, the badge endures. Three seaxes, white on red, the emblem of Essex. Behind them sits the story of Henry de Grey, of gravel pits and Saxon kingdoms, of Pepys and Wallace, of players who rose to the big time, and fans who never left.

When FC Kairat Almaty qualified for the Champions League phase by beating Celtic on penalties after two scoreless legs, it wasn’t just an upset – it was the starting gun for a rivival in Kazakh sport and identity. So, let’s travel to the very eastern edge of UEFA territory and visit Kazakhstan’s ancient capital – and today its commercial hub – Almaty. Almaty sits closer to Tokyo than London, further east than Mumbai. Yet it has always been a crossroads: of trade, empires, fruit, warriors, and football. From the Bronze Age to the Soviet Union, from wild apple orchards to the world’s biggest stage, Almaty and its club Kairat have carried a story of resilience and global connections. The name Almaty comes from the Kazakh word for apple (алма). The city is often translated as “full of apples,” while its Soviet-era name, Alma-Ata, meant “father of the apples.” This is with good reason: the wild apple species Malus sieversii, found on the slopes of the Tian Shan mountains near Almaty, is believed to be the ancestor of every domestic apple eaten today. The humble fruit in your kitchen is Kazakh. Settlements in Almaty stretch back thousands of years. Bronze Age farmers established communities around 1000 BC. Later came the Saka and Wusun tribes. These nomads were famed for their horsemanship and their skill at firing bows while on the move. They roamed across Central Asia and into Europe, settling in large numbers in Ukraine. As they moved, they left behind burial mounds, artefacts, and myths. Almaty’s greatest symbol may be the Golden Man (Altyn Adam). In 1969, archaeologist Kemal Akishev unearthed a burial mound at Issyk, just outside the city. Inside lay the remains of a Saka warrior from the 5th century BC, clad in a costume made of around 4,800 individual gold pieces. The attire included a tall, pointed headdress decorated with snow leopards, elk, and birds of prey. Every item shimmered with meaning, linking the warrior to the myths and animals of the steppe. The Golden Man has since become a national emblem. Replicas stand in squares across Kazakhstan, including Almaty’s Republic Square. For many Kazakhs, it represents a deep-rooted sense of identity: before empires, before Soviets, before modern borders, their land produced leaders, warriors, and culture. By the Middle Ages, Almaty’s region became an important subsection of the Silk Roads under the Mongols. Before modern sea and air freight, the most lucrative trade routes in the world travelled through Central Asia. Goods, faiths, and armies all moved through Almaty at one point or another. The city’s fortunes rose and fell, but it remained a meeting point between East and West. The great Mongol Empire that stretched from Korea in the east to Krakow was simply too large, and expanded too quickly, to survive in the long term. It fell into competing territories and empires. Around Almaty, the Kazakhs appeared as a separate culture, while to their north rose the aggressive Dzungars. For decades, the two sides fought for control of the Central Asian steppes – but in the 18th century the Kazakhs finally defeated the Dzungars at the Battle of Anyrakay near Almaty. However, fresh from pushing away one invader, another, in the form of Imperial Russia, arrived. As the Russians advanced, they paused and built a defensive post known as Fort Verny in 1854. That fort became the seed of modern Almaty. By the 20th century, Almaty – then Alma-Ata – had become central to Soviet Kazakhstan. It was named capital in 1929, a role it held until 1997. During the Second World War, entire industries, universities, and film studios were relocated to Alma-Ata to keep them safe from Nazi invasion. For a time, the city became a cultural capital of the Soviet Union, producing films, ideas, and goods that fuelled the war effort. And – after this gallop through Central Asian history – we arrive back at football. For it was in this Soviet city that FC Kairat emerged in 1954. The Soviets organised sport through voluntary sports societies tied to industries or trades: Lokomotiv for railwaymen, Dinamo for police, Spartak for workers. Kairat was founded under this model, originally linked to agriculture. Their first badge reflected that identity: a diamond-shaped crest – a form common among Soviet clubs – encircled by wreaths of wheat, signalling the club’s roots in the rural sports society. The name Kairat (meaning strength, energy, willpower) was chosen in 1956, carrying Kazakh values of endurance and resilience. It wasn’t just a name – the Kazakhs were allowed to enter only one team in the wider Soviet league, so the team’s name would be one of the main identifying marks of Kazakhstan to the wider community. In the Soviet Top League, they were known for defensive resolve, earning the nickname “Kairat Concrete.” For Kazakhs, though, their presence among Moscow’s giants was symbolic: proof that their republic had a place at the top table. Post-independence, Kairat lifted the inaugural Kazakhstan Premier League in 1992. They have since added multiple cups and titles, and built a fierce rivalry with FC Astana, the new capital, in the “Two Capitals Derby.” The modern Kairat badge keeps that Soviet DNA alive. The diamond shape remains, just as it was in the era of voluntary sports societies. The wheat wreaths have gone, but look closely: the sun’s rays behind the rising football still echo the shape of corn husks, a subtle nod to the club’s agricultural origins. It is a badge that connects eras. From Soviet collectives to modern independence, from steppe farmers to Champions League floodlights, from wheat wreaths to mineral wealth. They are the Golden Warriors of the Steppe – and they intend to make their mark on the Champions League.

They began life in the 1860s not as a football side at all, but as a cricket club at Moor Park, on the north end of town (get it…?). By 1867 they were known as Preston North End, dabbling in rugby, athletics, and even lacrosse before turning to association football in 1878 at Deepdale – their home to this very day. Few clubs in the world can claim to have played continuously in just one location. The decision to focus on football paid dividends. By the mid-1880s, Preston were practically unbeatable. They turned professional in 1885, among the first clubs to do so, and famously went unbeaten from August 1885 to April 1886. In the 1887/88 season they won 42 consecutive matches, including a still-record 26–0 FA Cup victory over Hyde. When the Football League was formed in 1888, Preston were one of the 12 founding members alongside Accrington Stanley, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Derby County, Everton, Notts County, Stoke (now Stoke City), West Bromwich Albion, and Wolverhampton Wanderers. In that first season they went unbeaten in the league and also won the FA Cup – the first ever league and cup double. They were dubbed “The Invincibles”, and set the standard for professional football in England. So, let’s look then at their badge. It is certainly distinctive and unique. Deceptively simple yet heavy with meaning. It shows a lamb, a sword, the letters P.P., and the halo of light behind. The lamb is the lamb of St Wilfrid, the 7th-century Anglo-Saxon bishop who became the patron saint of Preston. St Wilfrid was born around 634 in Northumbria and grew up studying at the Lindisfarne monastery – that little island off the coast near Newcastle which, about 150 years after Wilfrid’s time, became the famous landing site of the first Viking raiders. From Lindisfarne he travelled to Rome, where he studied further, and on his return he took part in the Synod of Whitby in 664. There he successfully argued that the English Church should adopt Roman practices and abandon the older Celtic ones, bringing England closer to the continent (he was no Brexiteer…). He later served as Bishop of York, spreading Christianity across Northumbria, Sussex, and the Isle of Wight, and he became the patron saint of Preston. The lamb reflects both his patronage and its biblical parallel – Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God. The sword behind the lamb symbolises Christ in his heavenly role as Michael the Archangel, battling evil, while the halo and flag symbolise triumph and resurrection. The initials P.P. stand for Princeps Pacis – “Prince of Peace” – another title of Christ found in the book of Isaiah (9:6). Locals, however, often insist it means “Proud Preston” – and given the city’s reputation for civic pride, that works too. The three red roses of Lancashire were added in earlier versions to mark county pride. Together the lamb, sword, roses and initials form one of the most unique and historic crests in the game. Attempts in the 1970s and 80s to modernise the lamb were swiftly abandoned. Tradition won out. The name Preston itself comes from Old English prēost tūn – “the priest’s settlement” – and appears in the Domesday Book as Prestune. Preston became a market town in the Middle Ages, granted a Guild Merchant charter in 1179. The Preston Guild still takes place once every 20 years, the only surviving civic guild celebration in the UK. Its processions, fairs, and events are so iconic that the phrase “Once every Preston Guild” entered English as a byword for something very rare indeed. During the Industrial Revolution, Preston became a cotton boomtown, with mills, railways and factories turning it into one of northern England’s most important centres. It wasn’t always smooth: Dickens visited during the strikes of the 1850s and later based his grim Coketown in Hard Times on what he saw. Yet Preston also produced Sir Richard Arkwright, inventor of the spinning frame and one of the architects of the factory system. No wonder the city still proudly calls itself “Proud Preston”. If the lamb is the badge and the Invincibles the legend, then Sir Tom Finney is the soul of Preston North End. Finney signed for the club in 1939, though war delayed his debut until 1946. He played 433 games, scoring 187 goals, and spent his entire career at Deepdale until retiring in 1960. Known as “The Preston Plumber” thanks to his trade outside the game, he was admired worldwide for both his genius on the pitch and his gentlemanly conduct off it. Today, Sir Tom Finney Way leads up to Deepdale, one of the stands bears his name, and his statue – The Splash – is one of English football’s most iconic monuments – set in the middle of its own fountain showing Finney sliding in for a tackle across a wet pitch. It is awesome. In a world when today teams are owned by faceless hedge funds and sovereign wealth funds Preston’s ownership is one to be proud of. Owned today by the Hemmings family because in 2010 it was bought by the, now late, Trevor Hemmings. Born in London but moving to Preston during the Second World War as he relocated with his dad who worked in a munitions factory. Hemmings worked his way up from the railways and bricklaying to make his fortune in housebuilding, selling his first firm in the 1970s and later selling another to Barratt Developments for £5.7 million. He went on to own a business empire spanning leisure, finance, and property, and was well known in horse racing circles as the owner of over a hundred race horses - three of which became Grand National winners. This year the shirt sponsor is local company Spud Bros – and they too have a great story and link to the club. Ever since 1955 they have operated a stall outside the stadium selling baked potatoes. Today the company has grown thanks to their famous TikTok videos and now boasts 4.2 million followers – not your average potato stand. Deepdale remains one of English football’s most historic homes, with a capacity of over 23,000. While Preston haven’t lifted a major trophy since the 1938 FA Cup, their badge, ground, and history keep them firmly among football’s great names. In recognition of this in 2001 the UK’s National Football Museum opened next to the stadium – turning Deepdale into the UK’s cultural football capital. Unfortunately for the club in 2009 Manchester City Council made an offer of over £2m a year in support if they would relocate to Manchester. The board had little option as the entire deal did, despite sentiment, make a lot more sense in terms of funding and attracting visitors. But the fact that it originated in Preston tells you all you need to know about this giants of English football. So, when the Lilywhites walk out with the lamb and the potato on their shirts – they are not just the personification of a Shepard’s Pie. It’s the story of St Wilfrid, of Invincibles, of cotton mills and guilds, of Sir Tom Finney and Trevor Hemmings. Faith, history and pride. Lamb of God, Prince of Peace, Proud Preston. Call it what you like – but it’s a badge like no other.

Sutton United were founded in 1898 from the merger of Sutton Association and Sutton Guild Rovers, adopting their famous amber and chocolate colours. Early success came with the Herald Junior Cup in 1902, and over the years they rose through the amateur ranks, settling at Gander Green Lane and winning titles such as the Athenian League. Wembley appearances in the 1960s and their record FA Cup tie against Leeds in 1970 (14,000 in attendance) marked their growing stature. In 1979 they became the first and only English side to win the Anglo-Italian Cup (a now, sadly, defunct competition that pitted non-league English and Italian sides against one another), later adding famous moments like a 2–1 win over Coventry City in 1989. Under Paul Doswell they enjoyed another revival, capped by a memorable 2017 FA Cup run and finally promotion to the Football League in 2021. Though relegated in 2024, Sutton remain a team with aspirations to rejoin the big leagues. Their badge is a beautiful one based on the local coat of arms – so let's see what it can tell us: To understand it, you have to turn to the coat of arms of the Borough of Sutton, granted in 1966 when Sutton and Cheam were merged with neighbouring Carshalton. The designers combined their centuries of history into a single shield. The two keys represent the Abbey of Chertsey, which owned Sutton at the time of the Domesday Book. The Abbey was linked to St Peter and this explains the keys: St Peter is the guardian of the gates of heaven – these are his keys. Peterborough have St Peter's keys on their badge too – and they are found all over England for the same reason ("The Cross Keys" is a popular pub name too, for the same reason). The crosses come from the See of Canterbury, which held Cheam from 1018 for over five hundred years. Four small black crosses mark this legacy, a nod to Sutton’s place within the archbishop’s estates. The parrot perched on top holds a 5th cross from Canterbury too - not sure if he's stealing it or delivering it - but it's a nice touch. I say parrot, but technically it is a popinjay. This brightly coloured bird is lifted from the arms of the Lumley family, lords of the manor of Cheam. In heraldry, the parrot is a symbol of noble distinction, and the Lumleys carried three green parrots on a silver shield with a red band. The Lumleys were one of England’s oldest noble families, with roots in Saxon County Durham. The line included Sir Ralph Lumley, Baron Lumley in the 14th century, and in Tudor times the great John Lumley, 1st Baron Lumley (1533–1609) – a courtier, scholar, and one of England’s greatest book collectors. For a time, the Lumleys were landlords in Sutton, tying the parrots of the north to the farmland of the south. There is also a "Greater Lumley" and a "Lumley Castle" near Durham if any Sutton fans fancy making a pilgrimage. The football club is only part of Sutton’s history. The town itself, whose name comes from Old English sūth-tūn – “southern farm” – has long stood on the road out of London. By the 18th century, Sutton was a coaching stop on the London to Brighton turnpike, established in 1755. Two toll roads met here, and the Cock Hotel, with its sign straddling the road, became a landmark for travellers. Coaches would pull in at 9am on their way to Brighton, and the bustle of inns, stables, and small shops grew around them. For a century and more, Sutton’s identity was tied to the rattle of stagecoaches and the clink of toll bars. The old Cock Hotel was pulled down in 1950, but its famous inn sign survives, standing as a listed monument over the historic crossroads. Today, Sutton has reinvented itself again – as a centre of cancer research. The Royal Marsden Hospital, established in 1962, has grown into one of the world’s leading cancer treatment centres. Next door stands the Institute of Cancer Research, ranked among the best medical research institutions in the world. Together, they are the anchor tenants of the London Cancer Hub, a cluster bringing together scientists, doctors, and biotech companies in a drive for new treatments. In 2023, Prince William opened the new Oak Cancer Centre, uniting researchers and patients under one roof. Sutton, once a stop for tired coach horses, is now a stop for global medical breakthroughs. So when the Sutton faithful sing for the Amber and Chocolates, they’re not just backing a football club. They’re giving voice to a thousand years of history – keys, crosses, parrots, coaches, turnpikes, and the cutting edge of medical science – all carried forward by a team whose story is stitched into its badge.

Walsall has been a club through the years that has struggled to eclipse its much larger West Midlands neighbours - Birmingham and Wolverhampton sit only a few miles away. However, Walsall boats a long history and a unique role in British history, so it is well worth diving deeper behind that badge - so let's do them the honour - and #GetTheBadgeIn. Founded in 1888 through the merger of two fierce local rivals – Walsall Town and Walsall Swifts – the new team was originally called Walsall Town Swifts. But by 1895 the name was simplified to Walsall FC. On the pitch, they began in the Second Division of the Football League, where they rubbed shoulders with clubs that would go on to far greater things. For decades the badge has carried the image of a swift, borrowed from founding club of the same name. At first, the bird faced downwards, but in the 1990s it was redrawn pointing upwards - which is certainly nore optimistic. The club’s colours of red, white, and black frame the design. An earlier badge also featured a saddle alongside the swift, in reference to Walsall’s leather trade and the reason for the nickname: The Saddlers. Walsall was once one of the great centres of leatherwork in Britain. Saddles, harnesses, buckles, and leather goods made in Walsall were exported worldwide, and to this day the town honours that heritage with the Walsall Leather Museum and the Saddlers Shopping Centre, as well obviously as the team's name. Walsall played in various locations —The Chuckery, West Bromwich Road Ground, and the Pleck Ground—but they finally settled at Hilary Street, later renamed Fellows Park in the 1930s after chairman H. L. Fellows. They remained there until 1990, when the move to the Bescot Stadium (now the Poundland Bescot) gave the Saddlers a more modern 11,000-capacity home. Surrounded by Villa, Blues, Albion, and Wolves, attendances have always been challenged by the gravitational pull of the bigger Midlands clubs, but Walsall have their own devoted following and fierce local pride. The town itself has older roots than the football. The name Walsall comes from Walh halh—“valley of the Welsh”—a reference to the Celtic peoples who lived here before the Saxons. By the 13th century it was a market town with a manor house and regular fairs. The Industrial Revolution transformed it, turning a village of 2,000 into a booming town of over 80,000 within two centuries. Leatherwork, quarrying and the manufacturer of all those buckles, chains, and saddles - essential items in a world still mostly powered by horse- made Walsall wealthy. Queen Mary founded a grammar school here in 1554; Queen Elizabeth I visited; and by the 19th century rail and canals tied Walsall into the wider Black Country and Midlands industrial belt. On the pitch, Walsall have never reached the top flight, but they’ve had their moments. They won promotion to the second tier on several occasions, most recently in 1999, and in the 2014–15 season made it all the way to Wembley for the first time in their history in the Football League Trophy final. Cup upsets are not unknown too, including famous wins over Arsenal in the 1930s. Walsall may not have the glamour of their neighbours, but the badge carries the history of a proud working town. The Saddlers are a reminder that football doesn’t just belong to the giants—it belongs in far more honest places places like Walsall too. A place where industry, tradition, and resilience have long held the reins.

Shrewsbury is a place where history runs deep. Set in a loop of the River Severn and almost encircled by water, its medieval centre still follows its original street plan, lined with timber-framed buildings from the 15th and 16th centuries. It has been a fortified Anglo-Saxon town, a Norman stronghold, a royal headquarters during Edward I’s conquest of Wales, and today serves as the county town of Shropshire. It’s also the birthplace of Charles Darwin. Formed in 1886 at the Turf Hotel on Claremont Hill, Shrewsbury Town emerged from the ashes of the Shrewsbury Castle Blues, a team based at the castle in the early 1880s. The Castle Blues wore blue shirts and were known for their uncompromising style of play, with matches occasionally ending in multiple injured opponents. When they disbanded, former players carried their colours and competitive edge into the new club, shaping Shrewsbury Town’s early identity. The club began at Monkmoor Racecourse but moved several times in its early years—to Amblers Field in 1889, Sutton Lane in 1893, and the Barracks Ground in 1895—before settling at Gay Meadow in 1910. Gay Meadow’s picturesque riverside location and Victorian turnstiles became part of the club’s character for nearly a century until the move to New Meadow in 2007. The blue and yellow of their kit reflects the arms of Roger de Montgomery, the first Earl of Shrewsbury. The badge has almost always been based on the town’s coat of arms, featuring three “loggerheads”—lion or leopard faces shown full on. These likely originate from the three golden lions of the English Royal Arms and may have been granted during the reign of Edward I, who often used Shrewsbury as his headquarters and substantially rebuilt its castle. Locally, the loggerheads have been part of civic identity for centuries, with the Loggerheads pub in the town centre being over 400 years old. The town’s motto, Floreat Salopia (“May Shropshire Flourish”), adds a proud flourish beneath the emblem. On the pitch, Shrewsbury Town have spent most of their history in the lower two tiers of the Football League, but have enjoyed memorable moments, including Third Division titles in 1978–79 and 1993–94, and six Welsh Cup wins in an era when English border clubs competed. Wrexham and Hereford are seen as close rivals—Shrewsbury traded wins with Ryan Reynolds’ men two seasons ago. They reached the EFL Trophy final in 2018 and have had notable FA Cup giant-killings against top-flight sides, including Everton, and in 1982 beating Bobby Robson's UEFA Cup-winning Ipswich Town. Shrewsbury’s position on the River Severn made it a key military and trading hub. Known then as Scrobbesburh—“the fortified place among the shrubs”—it grew into a stronghold of the kingdom of Mercia. In the 9th and 10th centuries it was fortified by Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, daughter of Alfred the Great, as part of the defence against Viking incursions. By the reign of King Athelstan in the early 10th century, Shrewsbury was significant enough to have its own royal mint, striking coins that circulated across England. Religious life also took root early: the relics of St Alkmund were brought to Shrewsbury, giving it a place of spiritual importance alongside its military role. This was not lost on the Normans. William the Conqueror granted Shrewsbury to Roger de Montgomery, one of his closest allies, who became the first Earl of Shrewsbury. Roger transformed the town, building the red sandstone Shrewsbury Castle around 1074 to secure the border with Wales and founding Shrewsbury Abbey in 1083 as a Benedictine monastery. These enduring landmarks reshaped the skyline and anchored Norman control in the Marches. The castle became a key military base during campaigns into Wales, while the abbey grew into one of the most important religious houses in medieval England, drawing pilgrims and wealth into the town. Shrewsbury’s prominence as a semi-royal centre was cemented during Edward I’s wars against the Welsh in the late 13th century, when the king used the castle as his headquarters.

Suffolk is a far more remarkable place than it gets credit for. In Felixstowe we have an incredible ancient history and today one of the largest ports in Europe. In Ipswich we have UEFA Cup Winners, a historic waterfront (and the highest concentration of insurance firms outside London 💁‍♂️). In Martlesham you have the invention of fibre optics and VOIP. In Framlingham you have that castle and some chap with a guitar. And a little further up the A14, you have... another national treasure... A place unmatched in its field... a global centre with unrivalled talent, facilities, passion and prestige... We are, of course, talking about Newmarket — the centre of world horse racing. But while the gallops and racecourses dominate the headlines, operating under the radar are the other Jockeys... Newmarket Town Football Club 🏇 See, whilst on race day everyone's attention was on the horses and the nobility and the glamour, behind the scenes another sport was taking root. Spreading out from the big industrial cities and into the market towns and rural communities... football began to be played. Football offered something that cut across class lines — in a place like Newmarket, where much of the economy revolved around the horse racing season and its wealthy patrons, the local football pitch became the preserve of grooms, stablehands, and working families as much as the local shopkeepers and clerks. And so it came to be that in 1877 (making them one of the county's oldest clubs) Newmarket Town FC was founded. The nickname “The Jockeys” was inevitable, but the football club quickly established its own identity in the regional game. Playing at Cricket Field Road since 1885, they have been part of the Eastern Counties football scene for well over a century. They’ve competed in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire leagues, lifted local cups, and built a reputation as a competitive non-league side. While the crowds may not match those at the Guineas, the club has been just as much a part of the town’s sporting calendar. Newmarket’s identity as a sporting town began in the early 17th century. James I first visited in 1605 and quickly fell in love with the open heath, seeing it as perfect for hunting and racing. He established a royal palace here, ensuring the town became a regular stop for the Stuart court. James was a busy man. Initially King of Scotland he was invited down to London to become King of England too after the death of the childless Elizabeth I. This he did - and in so doing changed the nation's history. He was the first King of both nations - he created the Union Flag (Union Jack...), he had a new bible written to try and unite the realm (King James Bible - still in use today) and sent off settlers to the Americas (Jamestown...). Oh, and some feller called Guy Fawkes tried to blow him up. So he had a lot going on. He needed a safe space. Some me time. A 17th century mancave. Somewhere to unwind and let down his perfectly rolled hair - Newmarket was to be the place. Look again at the badge of the football club. See the Royal Lion? That's why. James' grandson, Charles II, was even more influential. A keen rider, he rebuilt and expanded the palace, laid out formal racecourses, and personally took part in races - winning several. Under his reign in the mid-1600s, Newmarket was transformed into the recognised headquarters of English racing. The presence of the monarchy also drew aristocrats, trainers, and breeders from across the country, embedding racing deep into the town’s culture. It was a boom town built on bridles and thoroughbreds. Centuries later, Time Team excavated parts of the old palace site. They uncovered the remains of the royal complex, revealing its scale and confirming just how important Newmarket was to the Stuart kings. Key to its success was of course the surrounding plains and flatlands of the Suffolk countryside- which provided excellent pasture and room to run. That badge - it features the crown and crossed arrows of St Edmund - the county symbol of Suffolk. So there have it. Newmarket Football Club. From royal palaces to football pitches, from thoroughbreds to a through pass, the Jockeys are still chasing glory.