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Our Boys Football Club

ReBrand: Forfar Athletic FC

graphic

FAFC badge new-01Forfar Athletic Football Club was established when the now-defunct Angus Athletic Football Club (1883-1885) second team of the broke away from their mother club in 1885. This young team, dubbed ‘the Loons’ (East Angus Scots for ‘young men’) proved their meddle early on, defeating the established Dundonian club, Our Boys, 1-0 in their first match on 16 May 1885.

Since joining the Scottish Football League for the 1921/22 season, the Loons have competed in the professional game in Scotland, but have yet to reach the top tier. Their best Scottish League Cup and Scottish Cup performances came in the 1977/78 and 1981/82 seasons, respectively. In both competitions, the Loons reached the semi-finals, where they lost to Rangers on both occasions. The first was a 5-2 loss in the 1977/78 League Cup, which Rangers would go on to win. In the 1981/82 Scottish Cup, Forfar Athletic forced a replay against Rangers after a 0-0 draw. Unfortunately for the Loons, the replay resulted in a 3-1 loss and the club would go away empty-handed once again.

The Loons’ 1960/61 shirt featured a badge consisting of the four heraldic symbols of the former royal burgh of Forfar within a shield: a Scots fir tree, a bull’s head, a stag’s head and a depiction of the former Castle of Forfar with three towers. A round badge featuring these symbols without a shield came into regular use in 1980. Some version of this badge has been used ever since, with the current badge, in use since 2007, placing the heraldic symbols within a shield once again.

For my redesign, I considered working with the current badge, but decided that, as these symbols are so far removed from the people of Forfar (the castle being destroyed in 1313), I would go another route. This began with a sketch of a highly-stylised, round monogram. Eventually, I placed the monogram within a ring. The outer ring contains two jute plant flowers, a reference to the contribution of the jute industry to the growth of the town in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The textile theme is recalled once again by the knot that borders the badge.

FAFC badge-01

For the home strip, I went with the Loons’ classic light blue colour scheme. This particular rendering is inspired by the kits used between 1983 and 1986. The away strip is inspired by an odd move for the club. Between 1955 and 1967, Forfar Athletic departed from their traditional blues in favour of a green home strip. My design draws mostly from the kit used from August to December 1967, but with vertical stripes composed of a diamond pattern.

FAFC kit-01

FAFC badge new-01

Thank you to Forfar Athletic supporter David Carnegie and to Dave at Historical Football Kits for some of the historical information used above.

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14 May 201824 February 2020 E Tagged Angus, Angus Athletic, Angus Athletic FC, Angus Athletic Football Club, badge, brand, branding, Europe, football, Forfar, Forfar Athletic, Forfar Athletic FC, Forfar Athletic Football Club, Forfarshire, jute, Ladbrokes League 1, Ladbrokes League One, logo, Loons, monogram, Our Boys, Our Boys FC, Our Boys Football Club, rebrand, redesign, Scotland, Scottish League 1, Scottish League One, Scottish Professional Football League, Sky Blues, SPFL, SPFL League 1, SPFL League One, sport, texture, The Loons, The Sky Blues, UK, United Kingdom Leave a comment

ReBrand: Dundee FC

graphic

DFC badge new-01Established in 1893 by way of a merger between two Dundee football clubs—East End and Our Boys (both formed in 1877)—throughout the club’s history, Dundee Football Club have experienced their fair share of glory. The club won the Scottish Cup in 1909/10, as well as the Scottish League Cup in 1951/52, 1952/53 and 1973/74. The Dee were also crowned 1961/62 Scottish champions and the following season, they reached the semi-final of the European Cup.

But in 2003, Dundee’s future was put in jeopardy. As a result of accruing a £23m debt, the club was placed in administration. The Dee was able to continue operations after selling their stadium and remained in the second tier until 2012, when they gained unexpected promotion into what was then the Scottish Premier League as a result of the financial collapse of Rangers. Unfortunately, Dundee was knocked back down to the second tier after just one season.

Demonstrating their resilience, Dundee fought successfully to win the 2013/14 Scottish Championship (the second tier in Scottish football after the 2013 founding of the Scottish Professional Football League), beating out Hamilton Academical for the title and gaining promotion back to the top tier. Dundee’s fortunes took another knock at the end of the 2018/19 season, when they finished at the bottom of the Premiership table and were relegated to the Championship once again.

In Dundee’s first season back in the Championship, they finished third, but upon the second asking, came in second behind Hearts, earning themselves a place in the Premiership play-off semi-final against Raith Rovers. Having dispatched the Rovers 3-1 over two legs, Dundee went on to face Premiership side Kilmarnock in the final. Dundee were able to hold on, defeating Killie 4-2 over two legs and joining their city rivals Dundee United in the top tier for the 2021/22 season.

In 1952, the Dee first began sporting a club badge on their tops, featuring ‘DFC’ laid out diagonally, enclosed in shield. In 1955, the club began using the current ‘DFC’ badge. By 1970, a new badge, replacing the shield with a circle and red detail, was used on the kit. 1973 saw the return of the ‘DFC’ monogram, though without a shield. This was used until 1987, when a new badge (a variation of the design that appeared after the Second World War on official blazers and publications) was adopted. In 2008, Dundee returned to their original 1955 badge.

While I have long admired the 1955 badge, for my redesign I wanted to draw out more of the club’s history and locale. I drew inspiration from the laurel wreath featured in the badge used from 1987 to 2008 (which has reappeared for the 2019/20 season), as well as the knotted dragons’ tails in the Dundee coat of arms. I also redesigned the lettering of the monogram to be more uniform and proportioned and have added some implied depth by interweaving the letters. In seeking to comply with the ancient Scottish heraldic law forbidding lettering within a shield which is not approved by the Court of the Lord Lyon (something against which clubs like Airdrieonians and Ayr United have struggled), I have omitted the handsome shield surrounding the monogram.

DFC badge-01 2

The home shirt makes use of the traditional Dundee FC colour scheme of dark blue, red and white in a striking geometric arrangement. The away kit is inspired by the 1971/72 home kit and various away kits over the years, most recently, the away kit used for the 2016/17 season.

DFC kit-01

DFC badge new-01

As ever, I am indebted to Dave at Historical Football Kits for some of the historical information used above.

23 April 20189 June 2021 E Tagged badge, crest, Dark Blues, Dee, Dees, DFC, Dundee, Dundee City, Dundee FC, Dundee Football Club, East End, East End FC, East End Football Club, Europe, football, logo, monogram, Our Boys, Our Boys FC, Our Boys Football Club, rebrand, redesign, Scotland, Scottish Premiership, Scottish Professional Football League, SPFL, SPFL Premiership, SPFL Scottish Premiership, sport, texture, The Dark Blues, The Dee, The Dees, UK Leave a comment
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