This season, Aston Villa has already surprised the entire football fandom with their performance on the field. So much so that they are positioned 2nd in the Premier League ahead of Manchester City and Arsenal.
Can Aston Villa maintain this consistency and qualify for their debut Champions League campaign, or will another Premier League giant topple them off the top four? We still have nearly half the season remaining to confirm that. But one thing that can be said with certainty right now is that the club’s kit will once again feature a new club badge for the upcoming season. A recent leak brought to light the alleged image of their new logo, and fans are apparently not fully convinced about it.
Interestingly, the club’s current rounded crest, featuring the right-sided rampant lion was only recently introduced in the ongoing 2023/24 season. This adoption was finalized after significant consultation involving over 21,500 supporters, wherein 77% of the fans voted in favor of the round design, replacing Villa’s customary shield design from 2016/17.
So it raises the question that what suddenly changed within the club that they had to revert back their decision within a mere six months of making the change?
If internet reports are to be believed, Chris Heck’s appointment as the club’s president of business operations in May 2023 played a role in this decision. Apparently, he considered the current badge unsuitable for the long term brandings and thus initiated a process to create ideas for a new crest.
As per the club’s statement in September 2023, Aston Villa confirmed their plans to explore new options for a redesigned crest in preparation for the club’s upcoming 150th anniversary next year
Following the decision, Aston Villa has apparently already finalized their logo and filed a trademark registration for their new badge with the UK Government on December 20, 2023. The internet has played its role as leaked images of their new badge surfaced on social media and the fans can’t keep their calm.
The new badge will reportedly be a reminiscent of their crest from 2016 to 2023 reintroducing the shield design. This crest will prominently feature their traditional yellow lion against a sky-blue backdrop, highlighted by a shadow drop effect. The lion, symbolizing ‘bravery, valor, and strength,’ remains an integral part of Aston Villa’s identity and is rightfully non-negotiable. Notably, the badge will now incorporate the full club name instead of just the ‘AVFC’ abbreviation, along with the founding year, 1874. It will showcase a maroon-colored double borders.
Even though the Aston Villa board has already applied for the trademark, the fan base seems to vehemently oppose their new logo. They are firmly against this ‘boring’ and ‘old-fashioned’ color scheme. While they acknowledge that it carries its own identity, they have labeled it as ‘horrible’ and ‘awful’. The club has undergone 14 alterations of badges throughout its 142-year history, but this particular one seems to generate the most disagreement.
Some have even threatened that they won’t lay their hands on the new kit if this logo becomes the permanent emblem from the next season.
Many of them have also put forward suggestions to improve the logo. They have recommended changes in the color palette, comparing the proposed logo design to be something created casually on ‘Microsoft Paint’. However, for the majority, it’s the club’s full name that appears tacky and out of place.
A handful of them have also highlighted the poor use of the drop shadow effect in the logo. And rightfully so, because replicating the drop shadow effect on the stitched logo on kits presents a considerable challenge, especially when creating monochromatic kit designs. It makes the logo design somewhat amateurish.
However, there are a few odd ones among them who have actually taken to X.com to express appreciation for the new logo. However, that ratio is just peanuts compared to the overall dissent.
The new badge conundrum seems destined to be a drawn-out affair, and controversies have already arisen from within the Aston Villa offices already.
The new crest, set to be used from the next season, was reportedly selected after 16,000 supporters responded to an online survey. According to FA rules, for a change to pass, a majority of fans must support it after the club has compulsorily undergone a ‘thorough and extensive consultation process.’ However, Aston Villa’s Fan Advisory Board (FAB) does not believe that the necessary protocols were respected in making these decisions.
Members of the FAB have subsequently contacted the FA to outline their concerns expressing dissatisfaction with the vague consultation process conducted by the club. However, the club has expressed and maintained their innocence.
If the club is found to be in breach of the rules, the FA can order them to revert back to a previous badge. Apparently, the majority of the fan base would be happily rooting for that to happen.