From the publisher:
The Beautiful Badge tells the fascinating story behind the UK's football club badges, from 1860s hand-embroidered symbols on home-knitted jerseys to today's multi-million pound brands. The book not only covers hammers, cannon and Liver birds but also reveals the link between Peterhead FC and Viz comic; which TV celebrity designed Aldershot Town FC's badge; and whose GBP10 doodle became the opposition's badge.
Some clubs have sported ten or more different badges over the decades, ranging from their town's coat of arms to cartoon insects and initials. Promotion, moving to a new stadium or an owner with controversial views often results in a new badge. The book plots the influence of fashion, technology and fans, and investigates the tensions between clubs and supporters over changes to their beloved badge.
Do you know why your club's badge looks the way it does? The Beautiful Badge is essential reading for football enthusiasts, historians, designers and anyone who enjoys putting their feet up in the boot room.
The author:
Elspeth Wills is a historian, researcher and writer with a career in marketing. She is the author of 14 non-fiction titles including The Briggers: the Men Who Built the Forth Bridge. Martyn Routledge first wrote about football badges for his degree thesis, created the book OlymPICS: a snapshot history of the Olympic Games and now runs his own creative agency, mr. The authors have collaborated on a series of art books on the shipping line, Cunard.
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