Wigan Athletic Football Club’s visual identity is built around the “Tree and Crown” emblem, a design drawn from the town’s civic heraldry. The current crest, introduced ahead of the 2008-09 season, is a modern reworking of a badge the club used in the late 1970s, and it remains the club’s official mark today.
Design and History
The first badge used by Wigan Athletic was the full coat of arms of the County Borough of Wigan, granted on 28 April 1922.[1] Around the time the club gained Football League status in 1978, it adopted a simplified emblem commonly known as the “Tree and Crown” badge, which focused on two recognisable elements from the borough arms: the Plantagenet crown and the Wiggin tree.[2]
In 1989, Wigan Athletic adopted a new crest based on the coat of arms of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, strengthening the club’s connection to the local authority.[2] This civic-arms design remained in use through the club’s rise to the Premier League, but many supporters retained a strong affection for the earlier Tree and Crown emblem.[2]
Ahead of the 2008-09 season, the club reintroduced the Tree and Crown badge, updating it with a cleaner, more modern appearance while retaining the traditional symbols and adding the club’s foundation year, 1932.[2] The new crest was first revealed in the matchday programme at the final home game of the 2007-08 season.[3] The club described it as “a modern, professional symbol” that provides “a meaningful reminder of our traditions and history.”[3]
Meaning and Symbolism
The Tree and Crown design draws on two elements from Wigan’s civic heraldry. The crown is a fleur-de-lis crown associated with the Plantagenets, while the mountain ash, also known as the Wiggin tree, was chosen as a pun on the name of the district of Wigan.[4] The current badge places these symbols in a roundel with the club’s name surrounding them, the formation date under the crown, and two old-style footballs added.[4]
The earlier Metropolitan Borough arms, used from 1989 until 2008, carried additional heraldic meaning. The black lozenges on the shield represented the local coal-mining industry, while the red roses represented Lancashire.[5] The lion, crowned lion and castle were taken from the Arms of the County Borough of Wigan, and a sparrowhawk was taken from the Arms of Leigh and Atherton.[5]
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