Umbro view:
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City and its Crest
One talking point has remained throughout the City kit launch and it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. The club crest has been the source of much discussion and opinion and so I’ve decided to give you a quick rundown on the badge. Let’s start from the 1970s…
Before the present incarnation, two other crests have been used. The first, which can be dated to 1970, was based on a design seen on official club documents since the mid-1960s. It was simple in design – a round badge using the same shield used nowadays, inside a circle bearing the name of the club. In 1972, the shield was modified and the lower half of it was replaced with the Lancashire red rose.
The crest we see now was introduced in 1997. The reasons for this seem to vary a little, and it would be good to see if anybody can shed some light on the actual reason? Anyway, back to the badge. It is based on the arms of the city, and consists of the shield in front of a golden eagle. The shield, in detail, features a ship on its upper half representing the Manchester ship canal, and three diagonal stripes in the lower half, for the city’s three rivers. The bottom of the badge holds the motto ‘Superbia in Proelio’ (the ‘correct’ spelling of this seems to be hotly debated) , and if my beginner’s Latin serves me well, it translates to ‘Pride in Battle’.
So far I’ve managed to avoid the most contentious issue concerning the crest and that is those three stars above the shield and eagle. Many have expressed their views on those three little stars and — more to the point — what purpose they serve. I had my suspicions but thought it was best to find the [most] official line on them. It appears they constitute a design element that give a more continental feel to the design of the crest. Interesting.
That’s all I have on the crest. If you can verify what I’ve found, or provide any extra information, get in touch.
