West Bromwich Albion Football Club, based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands of England, has used a throstle (a Black Country term for a song thrush) as its central emblem since the late 1880s. The club’s crest has evolved through several redesigns, most notably in 2006 and 2013, while retaining the throstle and hawthorn imagery at its core.
Design and History
Albion’s main club badge dates back to the late 1880s, when club secretary Tom Smith suggested that a throstle sitting on a crossbar be adopted for the badge.[1] The club’s official website confirms that Smith decided the throstle should be the club emblem in 1884, when the team would get changed in the Plough and Harrow pub adjacent to Stoney Lane, Albion’s former home.[2]
For most of its history, Albion did not feature a badge on its shirts. The first regular shirt badge appeared in the late 1960s and early 1970s.[1] The club used six different logos on team kit in the 20 seasons prior to 2006.[3]
In February 2006, the club unveiled a redesigned crest created by GVC Advertising & Design Consultants.[4] The redesign incorporated the club’s name for the first time, taking the core elements of the existing logos, the throstle and hawthorn, into a new shield design.[4] The club stated the redesign aimed to consolidate the club’s identity after the previous inconsistency of logos.[3]
A further redesign was unveiled in May 2013. The modern badge incorporated the traditional throstle, hawthorn bush, berries and stripes, along with the club’s name.[5] Designer Peter Dykeaylen, who worked on the project while at GVC, noted that the redesign simplified the throstle so it would work in new media where it would be used small on mobile devices or on television broadcasts.[6]
Meaning and Symbolism
The throstle bird has been an image associated with West Bromwich Albion for more than a century, sitting on the hawthorn tree in the middle of the club’s crest.[2] The hawthorn connection extends to the club’s stadium, The Hawthorns, which was named after the hawthorn bushes that covered the area and were cleared to make way for it.[7] Hawthorn trees are a favoured habitat of the song thrush.[7]
The club’s early nickname was “the Throstles,” derived from the bird on the emblem.[1] The current crest combines the club’s name, the throstle and the hawthorn branch inside a shield of the club’s blue and white stripes.[8]
Typography and Design
The 2013 redesign placed emphasis on the word “ALBION” within the crest, with designer Peter Dykeaylen stating he concentrated on that word while simplifying the throstle design for legibility at small sizes.[6] The club’s 2026/27 home kit description references Albion’s “famous ‘WBA’ italic crest” adorning the back of the collar, indicating the club also uses a standalone monogram mark.[9]
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