Why Newcastle United Is Wrong To Change Crest

On Friday afternoon UK time, Newcastle United announced plans to change its crest for the first time in almost 40 years. The club’s supporters were left to pick up the pieces after something of a shock, and it is fair to say the reaction is mixed at best.

This is an incredibly emotive subject. Nothing quite represents a club’s identity like the crest; that is its purpose by definition. For supporters, it is a thing to cling to; one of the few constants they have, alongside the black and white stripes. Only, as this announcement proves, it isn’t that at all.

In a statement on its website, Newcastle promised fans would be central to the direction of the new design, and members have been consulted via a survey. But the decision itself has been made without consultation of anyone.

“This isn’t a decision we take lightly,” it wrote.

“We love our crest. It’s iconic and has stood us through unforgettable triumphs and testing times. But it was created in a different era.

“Its intricate design doesn’t always translate well in today’s digital world. And it’s difficult to reproduce it clearly and consistently.

“We’ve spoken to our Fan Advisory Board, now we want to hear from you. What should stay the same?

“What needs to be updated? And how can we embrace our history – not just by honouring it, but by preserving its spirit and building on it, so we can thrive in the years ahead?”

It is admirable that the club has reacted in this way, but it will sting for many who have never known anything different. Without question, responses to this will be generation-dependent; the current crest has been in place since 1988, with three other iterations before that. To some, change is a part of the club, others have known nothing different.

While this crest didn’t don the shirt Bob Moncur wore when he lifted the 1969 Inter-City Fairs Cup, nor when Jackie Milburn scored in the 1955 FA Cup victory, it has been there for the birth and growth of a modern Newcastle. It is the crest of Kevin Keegan’s ‘Entertainers’, of Alan Shearer and, perhaps most pertinently, the crest of Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimaraes and the Wembley heroes that ended 70 years of waiting for a domestic trophy.

There is a wonderful quote from Sir Bobby Robson, Newcastle’s legendary former coach, which can be interpreted in support of either argument.

“What is a club in any case? Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it. It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes.

“It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city. It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.”

The club isn’t the crest, either. Things change and evolve. But it certainly isn’t considerations of the digital age and the cold, hard business reasons behind the change. For fans, the crest represents the feelings and emotions Robson outlines; the connection to their home, through the unique, captivating seahorses there to represent the River Tyne, standing beside a black and white shield, below the castle from which the city bears its name. It is a thing of beauty.

How will a new crest impact Newcastle?

Perhaps a new design will embolden a brand new age for Newcastle. There is a certain complexity to the existing one, hence the club is looking for simplifications. Brand experts often say circular crests are easier to market, and a more basic design could resonate with new fans, leading to greater exposure.

But that misses the point; marketing is about recognition, and diluting the crest by making it look more like any other will surely only lead to harm in that regard. For many fans, particularly those who can only remember seeing that crest on their chests, there is pride that theirs stands as one of the few classic designs in an increasingly boring, modern landscape.

Ultimately, though, this is what Newcastle signed up for when the Saudi Arabian-led takeover of the club happened in 2021. For all of the celebration that comes from watching Isak score a goal, or Guimaraes lift a trophy, feeding the emotion Robson talks about, it is funded and led by cold, clinical decisions. Growth, exposure and money are what matter here. Making the announcement ahead of a huge, potentially season-defining match with Chelsea is questionable at the very least.

Newcastle fans have been supportive of that in the main. With Profit and Sustainability Rules tangibly hampering progress, they’ve reluctantly accepted ticket increases and general price hikes. Re-naming the stadium, once viewed as a criminal offence by previous owner Mike Ashley, is actively encouraged because there is belief that the incumbents want to improve things, which Ashley patently didn’t. Building a new ground and leaving St James’ Park has even been backed by many, which initially felt unthinkable.

But the positive consequences from all those decisions or suggestions are clear. There are visible up sides. With the crest change, they are less obvious; some may have seen it before and be more accepting. For others, this was the day the club changed forever and it will be hard to move on.