Swindon Town FC - a brief summary of Badge history and development.
The current badge of Swindon Town FC was introduced in time for the 1991/92 season. The design clearly has the letter 'S' (for Swindon) running through it, while a green section was also included at the time to match a new 'green trim' introduced on the team's home (red and white) shirts.
A re-design of one of Swindon Town's original club badges was re-introduced in the mid 80's showing the more traditional shield, and included the club name, a robin (after the club's nickname 'The Robins'), a train (the rail industry being an important part of the Town's heritage) a football and the league that the team played in. An important change on the re-introduction to the original design was that the motto - 'Salubritas et Industria' - meaning 'healthy and industrious, was at that time replaced with the words, 'Division Four Champions 1985/1986'. This motto was one shared with that of the town since 1901.
Old to New
During the 1970s, a new badge (known by some as the 'traffic sign' badge) temporarily replaced the original "shield" design before that was eventually re-introduced. A circular design it had the letters 'S' and 'T' interlocked, which both ends of the letter 'S' being made into an arrow. Also shown on this one there was a simple football plus the club name. This was used until the start of the 1986/87 season, when the club reverted to an amended design of the original badge.
Why change the club badge?
The present club badge has used for the past 16 years and this design that was introduced when the club felt that it needed a 'brand new' and 'fresh' image, following a difficult period in it's history following the issues of the late 80's and a relegation. Although this change may have been refreshing at the time and served its purpose, it did not retain any of the heritage from the traditional club badge.
We feel now is an opportunity to revisit the possible reintroduction of a design that would be a return to something akin to the club's traditional shield design and also the include the motto - 'Salubritas et Industria'
They said...
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This is a real opportunity to involve the fans and supporters groups in the decision...
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STFC
As well as reinstating the heritage aspect, both of Club and Town, it would also give the club a solid mission statement, the motto translating to - 'healthy and industrious' which would then be used across all facets of the club, from the football team, back room staff, fans, and also the community development team.
However, we appreciate that to simply adopt a replica of a previous design may not fully reflect the requirements for today. The suggestion is therefore that by simplifying the elements and also the colour schemes, we will create a badge which not only captures our tradition and heritage, but one which will be welcomed by fans on the first team kit and other merchandise. The logo is also displayed on official stationary, the official website, media backdrops etc which is why such a simplification is necessary as it will facilitate part of the printing process.
Comments
Option one
1) Why the turret top? Swindon has no castle and is not a walled city
2) Why is the Robin white? Swindon associated with the robin's red breast
3) I really don't like retro footballs. And it's in the wrong place
Option two
1) Why is the Robin gold? This cleary makes even less sense
2) I think need to drop STFC as a brand function as Shrewsbury Town got the website
Option three
1) Look, you're not fucking trying anymore.
If it's going to be a shield...
Use the outline of option three. Have SWINDON TOWN FC across like option one. Have the centre like option two in the middle but have 1879 inside a white circle, no football. Inverse all the red and white so that the top left section can be a WHITE background with a RED ROBIN. I'm not thrilled with putting Robins and Trains together, but the bottom left could be a white background with a red train. And in the top section you put the motto.
And lose the leaves. They seem to be added for no real reason.
And that would look half decent.
If I had PotatoShop I would give it a crack myself.
I think we were the first to be the Robins. What I don't understand is the trains part. Swindon saved itself when all the railways stopped being made their by attracting international companies to have their headquarters there. Swindon has more to do with Nationwide, Honda, Intel, Burmah/Castol and other companies which stopped being another knacked post-industrial town.
But I don't think there's an iconic symbol for admin work.