Past Masters Boro Are Kissing The Badge
IT HAS been much leaked and it will now be much derided but here is the new Boro badge. Stand by for outcry from diehard supporters now facing the prospect of ripping up their block-paved drives designed around the old crest and small businesses everywhere are forced to repaint their white vans and change their stationary. Gazette photographers are on stand-by to rush to the house of the first to complain about the now outdated tattoo that covers their back.
As part of the heralded "rebranding" of the club this falls flat for me. The shield motif is fine and echoes heraldic images of the past, but the scroll is unconvincing and the complexity of its lines seem incongrous with the simplicity of the rest of the design and will be difficult to reproduce on some products. The fonts are clumbsy and of different sizes. The line under the word Middlesbrough' is weak. If the aim was to reinstate the date on the badge why not put that on the body of the shield? If the aim was to tap into the past and reconnect with the heritage of Ayresome where is the blue and black? Why a shield at all when the club badge has always been round? Where are the little ships from the old crest? I liked them.
Hot on the heels of a barmy decision to remove the white band in favour of an identikit red shirt (as big a branding own goal as you could get) it appears that the club is diluting rather than emphasising its own unique heritage in favour of corporate bland.
There has been a trend of clubs to 'rebrand' in recent years. Arsenal rebadged last season, Spurs did it in the Summer and last month Aston Villa expunged all signs of their heritage and reveal a dumbed down monstrosity that looked like it had been sketched out by Randy Lerner's grandkids. Obviously the key is to eliminate ornate flourishes and time honoured heraldic quirks in favour of something that can be more easily co-opted for commercial purposes. Given what could have happened maybe culturally sensitive Boro fans have got off lightly.
The logic of the change is that the 1986 on the now defunct badge is misleading. “I’ve been pressing for the change of badge for some time," said Steve Gibson." The 1986 badge suggested our history was far shorter than it really was. The club is one of the oldest not just in England but in the entire world. Our history before 1986 might not always have been covered in glory but it is our history all the same and we should recognise that."
And as the club point out the 1986 badge was hastily designed and was expressly intended to show a break with the descredited past of the club that had lurched towards liquidation.
Keith Lamb explained: “We launched our old badge in 1986 on the back of the liquidation saga when the new club was keen to distance itself from the old Boro and some of the less than reputable people involved in it. It was a fresh, new start with new people in charge and a new vision. It was only right then that we had a new badge that drew a line under what had gone before as the club sank towards bankruptcy.
“We understand that many of our fans only know the post-1986 Boro and we are certainly not erasing that from our history. We are proud of our rise from the brink of extinction and all of us - club and fans - will remain grateful to the people of the post-1986 era for pulling the football club through that difficult period. But 1986 is now more than two decades ago so we feel it is time to move on from that and to reflect our true, far greater heritage."
It is hard to argue with those sentiments. The club have moved on to stability and to Cardiff glory and the European dream but no fan needs reminding of their past and the idea that Riverside regulars are unaware of the clubs history is ridiculous. The statues of George Hardwick and Wilf Mannion outside the ground reflect that history, as do the Ayresome Park Gates and the names in the Boro brick road. The outside world may be unaware of our past but we are not.
And the outside world - other fans, Europe's elite, the lazy and sometimes jaundiced media - will not be galvanised into recognition of all things Boro by tinkering with our badge. Symbols are important devices only to those who have a connection to them. For others it is just a confused switch of a symbol that they care little for anyway. Like losing the band it is more likely to undermine brand recognition that reinforce it.
For Boro to be a brand that is instantly recognisable it will take success on the field. That is where big clubs are forged, where reputations and images are created, not in a design studio or through carefully stunted press initiatives. You can't declare a new image, you have to earn it with hard work, endeavour and a story that catches the imagination of a wider public.
And as for the date 1986 - that IS our history. The liquidation crisis and the club's response is the bedrock on which the new Boro is based. Before that Boro were a byword for humdrum mediocrity. Since that Boro have launched onto one of the most dramatic and emotionally turbulent periods that any club has ever faced. We should not look to discard that cheaply who should proudly revel in the fighting spirit of the club that wouldn't die.
And if the apparent youth of the club causes interest and forces us to explain once again the refounding of the club the fine, let's do that. It is a fantastic story that we should be proud to explain no matter how many years pass since that watershed.
******
AS USUAL the fans have an innate feel for these things. A productive debate on the Fly Me To The Moon board that combined common sense, passion and the imput of artists, graphic designers and brand managers quickly developed a consensus that the badge would look better without the scroll. Equally quickly a photoshop wizard tagged Bully-Boy devised this design:
That five minute sketch seemed to address some immediate problems like tightening the design, losing the line under the word Middlesbrough, eliminating the potential problems of the superfluous flourishes and containing all he information within the body of the shield. Which raises the question: wasn't this design ever product tested? Didn't they ask a focus group outside the rarified atmosphere of the commercial department what they thought? Surely the problems could be seen instantly even by laymen let alone the design team working on it?
Now what could have been a grand statement of intent, a symbol for a reinvigorated Riverside Revolution and the launch of a brand new era has become embroiled in dissent, back-biting and resistance to what is seen as remote and aloof decision making that is insensitive and often seems at odds with the instincts of supporters.
To write this resistance off as Luddite conservatism or fear of change misses the point, which is that things like badges and colours and powerful symbols heavy with history that can have a key role to play in motivating and uniting the crowd.
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Anthony Vickers
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The club have got it wrong. It's as simple as that.
I fully understand the reasons behind the change of badge, but to come up with something so inflexible, insipid and poorly designed - it's shameful.
It's a Disneyfication attempt to show heritage. There is nothing, beyond the lion, that is truely anything to do with the history of the club.
I only hope they got some junior oik in the office to do this, and didn't pay a design company to come up with this prime example of non-design.
I'm really angry about this. Let's only hope that when it's gets displayed on Sunday it is meant with a chant of 'what the effin hell is that'.
I'm left cold by the rebranding exercise I don't see the point. That said the new badge looks fine except for the scroll which is too old fashioned. Its not a big deal though, within a few months we'll hardly notice it.
The big deal for me was dropping the white band, Steve Gibson couldn't have scored a bigger own goal if he'd tried. The white band is an iconic symbol which clealry differentiates us from thousands of other teams.
I'd love to hear Steve Gibsons justification for removing the band, the badge I'm not too concerned about.
Regardless of the arguments for or against the rebranding, the fact is that the badge itself is very poor. I speak as a designer myself, and I'd be very surprised if a design agency had been anywhere near it.
Everything about the typeface, size, shape, positioning and letterspacing shouts out that this has been done by somebody with no design experience - perhaps one of the marketing team?
The badge should convey a sense of history but also a sense that the club is modern and forward-thinking. This effort makes the club look staid and amateurish.
I personally liked the the badge we adopted after 1986. The current one looks bland and when allied to an all red shirt will make us look like a poor version of Liverpool.
Well aware of rebranding but it smacks of the miriad changes to post office branding which all met with total disdaign. Perhaps the most pertinient comment is that the change to Consignia was soon consigned to the laugh and tear up file.
You can add all the gizmos and fancy badges to a car but it still remains a Punto or a Mondeo or an Aston Martin. Time, effort and money are better spent on improving the product before any rebranding exercise.
There are certain core values behind any brand and it is good to see that we are showing a consistency in the running of our club - Woodie is having an exploratory operation on his knee after the game against Fulham. Does anyone share my forebodings for woodies medium term fitness. Luckily we have our state of the art medical facilities to fail back on so that is a huge relief
PS he probably only said he wanted a haircut, if he needs it I wonder if they will operate on the correct knee?
changing the badge i can accept but this new one looks like dave allen spent 5 minutes using photoshop!
It seems to me that this was created using clip art. A shield motif has nothing to do with our history, as the badges in the past have been round or just the lion with mfc.
I dont agree with the new design. If the club are always saying it a family club and they welcome input from the fans, like picking the away strips, why couldn't the fans pick the badge?
The white band is both synonomous and unique to Boro.
We have a unique design of kit that distinguishes us from the rest. Wy change to a "me too" red shirt, who wants to be mistaken for a Liverpool or worse still a Man U fan.
I won't be buying one this season nor will I buy it for my two sons, instead I will be explaining to them how the Boro historically used to have a white band or white shoulders and that is our true Boro heritage.
As for the badge, embarrasing and cringeworthy come to mind. Typical Boro though, not listening to the fans again at least some things continue as they have in the past!
AS someone who had the badge tatooed on my lower leg after the joy of Cardiff I suppose I have a vested interest.
I'm not disappointed that we are rebranding - I've got another leg after all - but I do think that the new design is very poor - we could of course have just changed the date on the current badge!
The loss of the white stripe is definitely a disaster. When I drive home, most nights, my step son is out playing football with his pals, here in deepest Lancashire - as I pass I instantly know he's there because his Boro shirt is so different from the Liverpool, Man U and other shirts worn by the other boys - why change this USP when the fans don't want a change?
I can't imagine the Skunks or Blunderland losing their stripes - so why are we?
Since my post I've had a look at a thread on the FMTTM site:
http://boards.rivals.net/default.asp?sid=892&p=16&style=2&forumId=6548&action=1&replytoid=529256386
I think those at the top should have a look and then consult a design agency before they waste an awful lot of money - or is it already too late?
**AV writes: Very rarely is a decision from the top at Boro reversed. And public dissent cuts no ice. Look at the white band. How much clearer could public opinion be on a matter than that outcry but the club copped a deaf 'un.
I can only echo the points above, the "new" design is appaling and would be derided in any media circles from GCSE level upwards.
The current badge is recognisable and loved, as is the white strip on the shirt. To single-handedly try to replace one peice of loved heritage and reintroduce a redundant one smacks of somebodies boredom.
The club really does have more important things to spend its time on instead of upsetting its fans even more!
Hmm. Vic, I waited ten years to get my hands on a Boro shirt... and it's already outdated. The white band and the badge both gone.
Disappointed then? Definitely. Outraged? Not quite. We'll get used to it, like we have all to all our other kits. (Although this season's kit was easily the best one we've had for years.)
Dont understand the sudden change in the badge? I thought as a club we were looking beyond 1986 as a new era? So why is the club now going back to day 1?
Apart from selling more club shop tat, what is the point?
With regards to woodgate, apaprently its a routine operation on a problem he has had in recent months.that might explain why he has been at fault for a few goals recently. But knowing boro it will turn into a major operation
as for the white stripe, its not something historic of mfc. it only goes back to the 70's.
But in the day of modern football clubs like to make as much money as they can so a change of strip is a good idea. Until fans stop buying new kits then they will constantly change. Maybe iof fans feel that stronglt then dont buy this seasons kit.
Believe it or not fans power is pretty influential if everyone acts as one. I expect the white stripe to make a come back in about 10 years
Personally i do like the badge. Although I didn't really see why we needed to change the one we currently have.
I think the club should have got the fans involved in deciding which design of badge they would prefer.
Also are these rumours true about the white band being removed? I didn't hear about this but just reading on here that it is being removed. I thought that our home kit was one of the smartest designed in the country when it had the white band on it.
On another note are Boro going to have the vote on which away kit we shall be having this season? Since the FA Cup exit (effectively ending our season) that was really the only thing I was looking forward to. If so I thought something would have been done by now.
**AV writes: There is nothing official on the new strip but it has been indicated that a decision to remove the white band has been made right from the very top.
There is no vote on the away strip this season. There has been no indication as to why and no timetable for a new strips to be unveiled.
Alf
It certainly will turn into a major operation and once they have practiced on the wrong knee they will try again on the dicky one.
Or we will find out it was an elbow injury afer all.
The reasons for the dissent are different though AV.
The reason for the diquiet over removing the white band is one of preference - I'm personally happy with the decision as I've never liked it (give me green and black stripes anyday, ha!) and you can argue against it on historical grounds.
With the badge it's the execution not the principle that is the problem.
**AV writes: I would argue that both cases are similar in that they are cack-handed interventions in changing well established symbols that, whatever the motivation, damage the branding potential of the club.
What a lot of negative whingers!. I am sorry the white band has gone, but it will be back for sure when the club realises what a bollock it's dropped.
As for the badge, well I for one like it. It relects our clubs seniority and I was never happy that our old badge gave the impression that we has only been around 21 years.
I am neither qualified or care to comment on the likes of the typeface and spacing etc. but then again neither are 99.9% of the fans. Only designers and perhaps journalists would comment on that sort of thing. The badge looks good to me that's all that matters.
I do have one niggle though, I hope the lads who spent good money on the large flag in the North Stand are given a bit of financial help from the club in obtaining a replacement!
**AV writes: And with the new badge beinga shield rather than a circle they can't even slot it into one of the spare 'O's in "Come On Boro".
We'll have to disagree on the white band AV - it's never been 'established' in my mind despite me being in my 'prime' as a Boro fan during Charlton's reign.
**AV writes: Fair enough.
You don't have to be 'qualified' to know when something looks tacky Madmeister. I'm not qualified to cut hair but I know when it's cut badly.
Judging by the responses I'd say that the majority of fans qualified or not, are not happy with this effort.
yet again the men behind this rebranding will be the ones who must be sat there with a big smile on there faces. "What a great badge", you can here them say, "lets do away with the white band aswell"," brill" they say.
well let me tell you this, start putting things right on the pitch before you rebrand with this crap badge. what a joke.your driving the fans away as it is.
no red book or white book holders were asked there thoughts about this just as boro have always been sod the fans. they're just the ones who lay out all the money.
yeah.. we understand what the club wanted..
but the badge is just too simple.. & to be honest.. the current boro badge is even much better designed.. the current boro badge strongly represent the calibre of boro players..
let's put that aside.. the most importrant thing is.. what type of players will southgate bring in.. remember.. he needs to bring in at least 4 new faces during the summer..
Now I have had a bit of time I have had a look on MFC homepage where you can see new and old badges alongside each other.
If the old badge was 'rushed' out then it still looks more appealing than the new one. It looks clean and to the point.
The time spent on the new badge would have been better invested elsewhere. I disagree it looks like something knocked up in a hurry. The words camel horse and committee spring to mind. A number of people wanted their pet theme included, debated for hours no doubt, experts on branding consulted and the end result it looks like a Police photofit of a villain - it is all there but just isnt right.
As I posted before add in a plain red shirt and it is a poor Liverpool copy. And we are not Liverpool.
Maybe the club misread our postings and thought we meant enraging instead of engaging the fans.
Coops last night quoted his boss Southgate who said,
" We are merely the temporary custodians of the club which belongs to the fans "
If this is how they feel then great but this badge is therefore an absolute pr disaster on a par with the new flavour Coca Cola which everyone detested.
This badge is an integral part of the club which symbolises its heritage for countless thousands of lifelong Boro fans who have made this club what it is and they have all been railroded by a hierarchy that are now as far removed from this fan base as politicians are from voters.
Where was the extensive fan consultation that would have provided a choice of great designs for the fans to then vote on ? Steve Gibson. Keith Lamb. Wakey wakey. Too many fans no longer feel that they belong. Without them you are both nothing.
Haven't you noticed how far attendences have dropped ?
This weekend sees the final game of the season and the radio advertising declares that you want a carnival atmosphere. Great !
But why must this be only on the last game of the season, a season which has proved to be a poor one.
What exactly are we celebrating here ?
If the pr department sought to make EVERY game a flag waving, shirt wearing, all singing all dancing event with incentives for the unemployed / minimum wage man then you might just see more bums on seats and the 12th man re awoken so that when Saturday came at home there would truly be a fortress Riverside.
Mr Chairman - SACK THE PR PEOPLE, SPEND MORE TIME AT THE CLUB YOURSELF AND ACTUALLY COME AND TALK TO US ALL ON A REGULAR BASIS.
TB
Looks like it has been designed by a school kid as part of an art project!
**AV writes: 6/10. Must do better.
OK I know the club needs to have a shirt sufficiently different so that the loyal fans can be separated from their dosh.
Surely it was not beyond the talents of the design office (junior!) to incorporate the white band. This should be a permanent feature on both home and away shirts - especially with our push into the Far East so that we create a recognisable, different shirt.
As for the badge I prefered the symmetry of the circle. OK it's Steve's decision and his money so I'll go with it but all the other cut out souveniers / badges etc are going to be pretty fiddly.
The new badge is very poor. In time, we prob' won't care or notice, yet I feel that there should have been a move towards the old (pre '86 badge).
I agree about the white band - yes, it is from the 1970’s, but it was/is different & it marks us out. I can only assume that the club did not sell as many shirts this year & therefore the badge & new shirt will move things on.
It is a HUGE shame that the fans weren't consulted. It would have been good PR & it would have helped to gain 'buy in' with the new concepts.
I really think the club are starting to lose any sense of connection with a lot of people. We are viewed as consumers therefore they should treat us as consumers.
I had to call the 'Bank of America' yesterday. I was greeting by an unfortunate lady who had to start her engagement with me by saying - 'How can I exceed your expectations today?' platitudes yes, but Boro could learn from the attempt
The badge and white band are only small things but are typical of the irritants that build up to create ill feeling.
A question to AV, does anybody from MFC actually talk to the fans or yourselves at the Gazette to ascertain public opinion?
**AV writes: No. But I think they are aware of the general consensus on most big issues
I like it - new era - new badge - Come on Boro!
It is difficult to find the words to describe what a load of old tat this badge is, I'm sure we'll see some quote from Fordy saying how "well received" its been, which will mean that Lamby's assistant said itwas "ok".
The new strip will look like a £7.99 Liverpool knock off from the market with a £1 iron-on patch for a badge. The only "sentiment" behind it is to sell more kits, Liverpool and Man utd sell the most ergo we must look like them to sell more ourselves.
Its an embarassment, we have been rebranded alright as a 2-bit, one horse joke, who design the insignia that represents OUR club as a joke, I hope people let the PR men know what a load of rubbish this on Sunday with a rousing chorus, of "What the......hell is that?".
It'll even make the side of Boro taxis look worse!!!
As a piece of design, its shocking. And yes, I'm qualified to comment! It is amateurish and poorly executed.
The principle behind it - history, tradition etc - is exactly right, but the delivery has no insight or class to it. (So in some senses, its very on-brand for the Boro! Great idea, right sentiment, but done on the cheap resulting in a poor outcome).
Without the white band (which is a bigger bollock-drop in my view) and with this new shield, we will look like Man U, Pool or, wait for it, WALES next season...
By the way, fact fans, the tradition of white areas on the shirt - whether bibs, bands or shoulders - has appeared on more of our kits than just plain red.
Mr. Gibson is a hero to me beyond compare. We all owe him so much. But here are two examples of things that he has got very, very, wrong. Sorry, Steve, its true.
Let's hope he makes up for it by giving Gareth the ammo he needs to suceed next season.
Have a look at the following web site which clearly illustrates our clubs kit through its history including our very first "AC Milan" lookalike, so please no more nonsense that the white band/shoulders only dates back to the 70's. www.historicalkits.co.uk/Middlesbrough
The current circular badge and motif should have been kept ... if the date needed altering that was a simple enough job.
I think everybody has forgotten about the name of the stadium "The Riverside" when there's another Riverside less than 30 miles away!!
I don't think public opinion count's for much with the bosses of MFC. I appreciate Steve Gibson is Boro through and through, but he is a business man first who has to be self directing at times, but I don't think the white stripe should go even if it's only been since the 1970's, and I do hope he reconsiders that proposal.
But I do aggree with the badge being redesigned, not quite showing any of our proud heritage on the badge e.g. Ships, steel or chemical, if it's good enough for the Iranians to emboss a nuclear sign on there new money we should start being a bit more proud of our own hertitage good, bad or indifferent.
At the moment I'm based in Houston, Texas. Every night I drink in an English Pub called the Richmond Arms, bearing down on me is a Black and White stripped shirt that sticks out like a big sore thumb, but people do notice it and know who it is at a glance.
If a plain red shirt was in its place I'm sure the English community their would think it was a Liverpool shirt "how sad would that be"....just hope we never end up with the same sponsership as them, its not unknown.
Please Reconsider the Stripe Steve.
Hope you change your mind
Ken Angus....deep in my heart I do believe!!!!
Fools, that stupid white band was never part of the club in the 60s and before.
For the past few seasons my heart has been in my mouth because I've always associated the white band and shoulders as a relegation strip. Mclown almost achieved it.
To compensate for his failure in that way, he sold us down the river by accepting the england job a week before the eufa final - totally lost the dressing room and didn't care any more.
SO GLAD HE BECAME ENGLAND MANAGER and not Scotland manager. HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!
As I've said before, patriotism used to be the lst refuge of the scoundrel - now it's corporate re-branding.
Retro is clearly in - we are a year behind ManUre in the reverting to a 60's version of their badge - but the design you show is not so much retro as just, well, dated.
If this is the mindset that Gibbo and Count DracuLamb are in - more of a retreat into 'Little Teesside/small town not in Europe/small-minded' - we're in more trouble than I thought. And I thought we were in big trouble.
This season has been a disaster and just short of a catastrophe - relegation. One slip last week and we'd have been goners, in my view.
Aspirations of doing radically better aren't unrealistic. look at the clutch of clubs there or thereabouts below the top 4, some now regulars there - Reading, Blackburn, Bolton, Pompey amongst them. None of them have crowds as big as ours - and a lot lower than ours could be if we were doing well.
Gibbo is right with 'the poisoned chalice' he handed Gate but he dropped in another dose of hemlock when he didn't support him with experienced new coaches, a director of football or any new players in the January window (I don't think we can count Lee who seems to be some sort of Far East marketing trophy).
Radical change is required if it's not to be worse next season. I've set out often enough what I think that means - on and off the pitch.
The 'white band' and badge decisions - plus the intransigence not to listen to the customers - indicates to me that we won't get the radical change needed off the pitch - will we get it on it?
I'm pleased that Gate has started a very necessary clear-out. 3 or 4 more to go yet, I hope - starting with Mendi, Euell and Rocky for me.
But now Gibbo and McLamb must support Gate in re-building with the money to secure Vids and to get in at least 3 or 4 more quality players in key positions.
A rumour this morning suggests that Vids is going to Pompey. That's a bad sign. If a club like them can better our wage offer and convince Vids they have better prospects over the next 3 seasons then we're in for a dismal time.
As ever, we seem to be linked with no-one at present, whereas others are already securing their targets.
No point in going on about Sidwell, Gate, like you did about Malbranque last Summer. He's on his way to Chelski. Get over it and move on.
If Gibbo and Count DracuLamb aren't going to divvy up, well, there's only so much poison a body can take without the antidote.
I posted on the MB that ticket prices and the shirt/badge were linked.
We are willing to pay more for a meal with service than at MacDonalds. The reason is that we accept that there are other aspects besides pure price that govern our buying decisions.
If we freeze rather than cut prices like some other clubs have done then we must provide a superior product/service to justify that decision.
When the decision was anounced many expressed I view that if we got new players, better football linked into the club engaging with supporters then I could live with the choice made by the club, especially when it dawned on me that new money comes at the end of next season.
Simple things like the badge and shirt would have been perfect opportunities to enhance the product by involving the fans. It must be one of the worst kept secrets that things were going to change, it ranks alongside the fact we supporters would like a say.
It is a bit like paying for a nice meal and getting fast food service.
Why the fuss over the new badge?
It is dull and unimaginative, just like the club and its fans.
The new ground was called Riverside by the fans because it is by a river, just like lots of other places around the world by a river. They could have chosen Middlehaven, Teesside or Erimus - all unique to Middlesbrough, but no, the boring option was taken.
As for the badge, a boring and ubiquitous rampant lion. Not much to do with Middlesbrough. Maybe Hercules or overt references to ship building and iron & steel, but no, a rampant lion.
Do not say because it is an English symbol. The Boro has lots of foreign players. Take them out and what have you got, no forwards or goalkeepers, an ineffectual midfield and half a defence. The Boro are a team based in Middlesbrough. That's about as English as it gets.
The change of badge and removal of the white stripe are to do with selling merchandise and raising revenue. Simple as that. You'll all have to buy more goods, which with a herd mentality you will inevitably do. In a couple of years the white stripe will return due to 'pressure from fans' and you will all gleefully restock with replica strips et al.
If fans weren't so gullible and absurdly loyal in buying branded goods, all football clubs would not get away with such blatant commercial exploitation.
Ron, you missed the point that the "fools" were making.
Everyone knows that the white band only appeared in 73, but we have a long tradition (from well before the 60s) of having white features on our shirts. The band was just an evolution of that tradition.
Arsenal didn't always play with white sleeves. Blackpool didn't always play in orange. The Mags didn't always play in b/w stripes - but they struck on something that was unique and so those iconic images stuck with those teams and we would do well to do the same.
By the way, most people associate the white band with Charlton's champions, not with relegation. The glass is always half empty, eh?
Does anyone know why the shorts changes colour over the years?
It's clip art. Simple as that. The visual equivalent of one of those trophies you buy from a catalogue, get engraved and give to the winners of the pub darts league.
Marketing has long been a liability at the club, even under Gibson. White band or no white band, the club's monopoly on shirt distribution means whenever the Boro are playing on Fox Soccer, they can never run a banner saying 'buy Middlesbrough shirts at...'
And even if the white band is relatively modern, it's distinguishes us from Yet Another Team In Red. Gah.
Neal
Many of us remember the shirt with white shoulders from Dickie Rooks time in the early sixties.
Da new badge is da paps, like!
John Powls- "One slip last week and we'd have been goners, in my view."
Ironic that it was a "slip" by Downing that gifted us all three points.
Anyway, Viduka won;t go to Pompey. We'll have a good season. 12th and ahead of the Mgs was a great debut for the Gate and he managed a good cup run and keeping Woody. The future looks bright. We'll most likely keep Vid, add a quality RW and if we can keep Yak out of the Raj Bari then I see no problems.
if you arnt happy then blame gibson and write him a letter complaining. the more people write to him the more chance of it being binned before next season. Gibson was the one who wanted a new badge and agreed to this design.
Malc - Hopefully the powers that be will not agree with your view of our season.
The last two results have papered over the cracks on what has been a poor season.
The fans know that we are in need of 2 midfielders (a right sided player being the main priority), a RB (I live in hope that Tony Mac will fulfill his potential) but it is just as likely that he is to fragile to be a PL player.
We will also need 1 or 2 strikers (depending on Viduka staying or not, Pompey have allegedly offered hom 60k a week).
However it seems that those that run the club watch a different game to the rest of us most weeks.
They do not seem to recognise the teams needs and as with the badge and white band continue to treat the fans with contempt.
Malc - 'The Raj Bari' now I know where Yaks been on a Saturday afternoon the past few weeks!
The papers seem to be saying Vid will either go to one of the 'big four' or stay at Boro. Which makes sense, that said I can't see one of the big four wanting him, they aren't short of quality strikers and they can buy pretty much any new striker they desire.
Fortunatley for us THe Duke is probably the wrong side of 30 for the top four so I'm optimistic........
AV - No announcement from the club on the new strip yet, could they be hastily embroidering a white stripe across the chest per chance?
**AV writes: No, I think they are waiting on a new sponsor.
"Fortunatley for us THe Duke is probably the wrong side of 30 for the top four so I'm optimistic........"
like when manutd signed sheringham and larson?
How old was robbie fowler when liverpool signed him.
dont think arsenal will sign him but then again they need a natural striker and he is on a free.
Chelsaea have bags of money so might want him if they end up selling chevchenko
My money is on newcastle or manutd. means they sell owen and replace him with viduka which will keep the fans happy.
great to win last 2 games but lets not get carried away fulham and wigan are poor teams
The new badge is truly awful.. & I echo other comments about it being nowhere near a decent professional designer. I am a professional designer working down in Brighton (Boro Lad born) & would have done the job for free, just for the honour...
Who is responsible for this piece of crap?.. Why? Why? Why? This will be popping up every week on Match of the Day & will just look utter rubbish.
With all the money involved in today's top flight football in terms of merchandising alone, why wasn't the badge done by a decent design team?
Obviously the club wanted to get an amateur to do it on the cheap, pay nothing in terms of usage fees (designers get paid more for designs the more exposure & usage it has)
In simple terms, cheap, tatty & very VERY POOR indeed
Sean Sims, gibson out do you reckon? does he know what he is doing? why did he want to change the badge anway? has he thought aboput those loyal fans who have the badge tattoed on their bodies?
I agree in principle with Gibbo's desire to "forge ahead", and yes maybe a new badge, a new Boro if you like is the way.
But why didn't he think fit to involve the fans. Sean says above, he'd do it for nowt just for the honour, so surely here was a gilt edged opportunity to win some credibility back with the fans, some of whom are so disengaged from the club we may never see them back at the Riverside.
We've now read Gibbo's latest piece in the Gazette, which strangely appeared right after the new badge/new shirt announcement. Was this his attempt to appease us, by talking about his new vision. It all sounds too contrived to me, almost like the The Management speaking down to The Workers, rallying the troops, the annual pep talk from the boss, lets have more output (sell more season tickets??).
Well one thing is for sure, it will be the first time in over five years if we are actually prepared for next season, with all the new signings, maybe a new attacking policy (promised this year but fizzled out shortly after the Reading result away), all sporting our new shirt and logo.
Sounds wonderful. So we can now all look forward to a summer
Up the New Boro!!
Regarding the badge/logo debate...the first thing that sticks out for me is that the typography is so poor, it hurts me to see it associated with the Boro.. although West Brom, Arsenal and Spurs can rebrand so why can't we?
I've sent my letter to sir steve I urge other to do the same...I fear it may be too late.
What a sad day for the Boro when we feel the need to change the symbol that represented hope when we reformed in 1986. We have crammed more history in those 20 years than we did in over a hundred before.
The white band that we are so proud to wear, the one thing that distinguishes us from the Rotherhams or the York Citys of he world, rid of it like it was a one season experiment. Its like celtic going from green and white hoops to navy blue stripes.
I love our football club and we have sold out, to the big corporate bull$**t clubs like Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea following them like lost sheep.
Middlesbrough fans come from the area. You dont have Boro fans in Surrey do you (at least not without a connection. Who are we trying to kid, the club have sold out and the fans dont matter no more.
That badge resembled the hope and pride,the heart and soul of a club that had once died but would not give up the fight and lived again. MFC ...dont take it away....
Problem i have with the the club is that they only think local.
The premier league is now big nationally and internationally due to tv exposure and i think over the last 10 years boro have missed out big style with commercial opportunities to expand their fan base outside teesside. For example the lack of yorkshire teams in the premier league and leeds in div 1 then there is scope to tap into west yorkshire and north yorkshire all the way across to hull and edge of manchester. then add in darlington and hartlepool. whyu not giove tickets away to schools in these area and even pay for their travel?
if we want to grow and be higher up the league the club has to think bigger and increasing the fan base
I just feel sorry for the poor saps that have the 'old' 1876 badge and the 1986 badge tattood on their arms, legs, backs, etc., etc. However I must say that I'm pleased that blasted white stripe has bitten the dust as being a lady with a rather large busom it was damned impossible for me to wear a home shirt over the last few seasons.
The white chest band gave the boro an instantly recognisable shirt whether in colour or black and white. Its about time we stuck to our brand image. with the new badge it will just look like a liverpool shirt
For years now we have been a Premiership team who has reached cup finals and semi finals of the modern era. We have got to the FA cup final and UEFA cup final and signed many top world players from top European and world Teams.
My point being is that all the people and fans from around the globe will now recognise Middlesbrough Football club just by its white banded Shirt and just by its badge. So why change?
I love my boro and my town but im sick and tired of Middlesbrough putting up with second rate football kits and rubbish sponsors. (To be fair we have had a decent kit for a change this season).
My honest opinion, rubbish unprofessional badge and taking the stripe away from the kit is a total PR disaster
i like the new badge its nice and simple somthing poeple will remember!!!
I hope Wymondham college in Norfolk don't mind their school badge being ripped off!
The badge is "simple" because its a rip off and so cheap and tacky it will definitely never be forgotten.
Unfortunately "simple" sums up the clubs view of their supporters in all of this. The club complain about lack of support and trying to win fans over and then insult them with this embarrasment.
I wonder if Niall's ego up the road will have him reinventing the Mackem's history? Even Freddy hasn't stooped this low in his series of gaffs and clangers!
Interesting how the badge was launched at the Fulham game, just a cheap and tacky piece of plywood stuck in the middle of the pitch with a groundsman turning it around every 5 minutes to face the stands in turn. Hilarious if it wasn't for the fact that it added to the cheapness of the whole thing. The low key of it all spoke huge volumes!
I await the new kit launch with interest, no doubt they will tie it into some charity event to try and deflect from any further critiscism!
Middlesbrough fc shud change its name to, easyboro F.C. like them greek gadge's companies.
"The No-Frills Football Club"
We now have a tacky badge to go wiv our tacky errea strips... and no white band??
i tottally h8 the skunks but they wud neva get rid of the barcode, and same wiv the mackems' deck chairs
If Gibbo wants to sell more strips to boro fans he shud spend a bit more on a good brand. and keep our white band.
I think we'll have a mint season next tarm, lets have a decent badge and a white band to go wiv it!!!
OW'EE LADS!!! and UP THE BORO!!!