Manchester City Football Club’s current crest, introduced in 2016, is a circular badge that returns to the club’s historical round shape. It features a series of iconic Manchester symbols: the ship, the three rivers and the red rose of Lancashire. For the first time, the club included the year of its foundation, 1894, within the design.[1]
The badge was first unveiled to fans on Boxing Day 2015, following a 30-day consultation period with Cityzens supporters, which revealed resounding support for the badge to evolve. Supporters had a say on the shape, colours and elements featured on the badge, and all of their feedback was used to help shape the final design.[1] The consultation process revealed an overwhelming desire among Cityzens to evolve the badge with a round design, as used in two of the club’s three previous crests, emerging as by far the most popular shape. Only one third of supporters were keen to retain the existing badge shape.[2]
Design and History
The current crest revives the circular design used from 1972 to 1976 and 1981 to 1997, now with a fully blue shield.[3] The previous badge, adopted in 1997, was a more radical departure: it featured a golden eagle with outstretched wings, a ship, three golden stars and the Latin motto “Superbia in Proelio” (Pride in Battle).[4] The three stars were purely decorative, and the motto was added during that redesign.[4] The ship was retained in the 1997 version, but the rose was not.[5]
The 2016 redesign eschewed the bird, stars and motto to bring a modern look to the logo City used from 1972 to 1997, while incorporating the club’s founding year and a red rose.[6] The badge was formally launched in July 2016 during Cityzens Weekend, a free, two-day event that brought together fans from around the world to celebrate the launch of the new club badge.[7]
Meaning and Symbolism
The club consulted its supporters to identify which symbols they most identified with. The fans’ three favourite symbols, all integral to the new design, were, in order of preference:
- The Manchester ship (85%), which appeared on all three of the club’s previous badges and symbolises the city’s trading links and its global outlook.[6]
- The three rivers (67%), the Irwell, Medlock and Irk, the lifeblood of the city, featured on Manchester’s coat of arms and on two of the club’s three previous badges.[6]
- The red rose (60%), from the original Manchester coat of arms and one of the past badges, symbolising the club’s early heritage and historic connection with Lancashire.[6]
The ship first appeared in the club’s emblem in 1894, the year the club adopted its current name and the year the Manchester Ship Canal opened. The canal improved communications and became a fundamental commercial waterway, and the ship was included in the crest to commemorate it.[5] The ship is the only element that has remained intact across all four modifications of the crest since then.[5]
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