Banks O’ Dee Football Club was established in 1902. The club was originally called the Rechabites, the origins of which are quite peculiar. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the temperance movement was at its height in the United Kingdom. The Independent Order of Rechabites is a fraternal organisation that was established in England in 1835. It was established based on a commitment to total abstinence from alcoholic beverages. (The name was related to the biblical people called the Rechabites, who were committed to abstaining from wine and living a nomadic life.) It was in this vein of thinking that the club set up shop beside the River Dee in Aberdeen. As the story goes, a club committee member discovered that some of the players were enjoying a bevvy in a local hostelry and the Rechabites name was abandoned in 1920 in favour of the current Banks O’ Dee.

For most of its existence, the Dee has competed in regional junior leagues. They have amassed a large number of junior league honours, including winning the Aberdeen District Junior League seven times, the subsequent North East Premier Division eleven times, and the current SJFA North Superleague five times. These figures set Banks O’ Dee apart from other regional junior clubs, though success on a broader stage has evaded the club. Perhaps Banks O’ Dee’s greatest success came in their first-ever participation in the 2008/09 Scottish Cup tournament. Their first-round 10–0 victory against then-Highland League outfit Fort William is of particular note. The following season, the Dee applied to join the Highland League, but were unsuccessful. Despite this, the club became full members of the Scottish Football Association in 2014.

After the ascendence of Cove Rangers from the Highland League to the SPFL in 2019, Banks O’ Dee was invited to submit an application to take Cove’s place in the Highland League. The Dee declined the offer, remaining in the SJFA North Superleague. Their continued participation in the North Superleague wouldn’t last long as the Dee won the league by an overwhelming margin (with 24 wins, two draws and no losses and amassing a +117 goal difference) in the 2021/22 season. This set them up for a two-leg play-off against Fort William for a place in the Highland League. Due to player eligibility rules, Fort William were forced to withdraw, cementing Banks O’ Dee’s admittance into the Highland League, where they compete presently.

I find the current Banks O’ Dee badge endearing in its home-grown minimalism. My redesign is a ‘light’ reboot of the current badge, having clearned up the thistle design and incorporated a more bounded roundel.

The kit redesigns are based on the current colours used by the club.