After 18 years since the club’s last rebrand, Peterborough United launched its new identity on Monday.
For the first time since the 1970s, Posh are no longer sporting the city’s coat of arms.
The club previously said it wanted to modernise its branding to keep up to date with platforms that simply did not exist last time round, like social media and its own streaming service.
Advertisement
The new emblem was designed following feedback from fans, but what do people on the streets of Peterborough make of it?
‘I like the key in it’
Bill Thatcher thinks the new logo is less cluttered than the old one [John Devine/BBC]
The League One side’s last crest was created in 2008 and was based on the city’s coat of arms, which features cross keys and the motto “upon this rock”.
It was a familiar design to Peterborough United fans. According to the Posh Supporters Trust, the club’s emblem has almost always featured the coat of arms, which is also used by local taxi firms and other sports clubs.
Now it is a much more streamlined design, with a simplified version of a winged lion holding a key, paying homage to the city’s shield.
Advertisement
Bill Thatcher, from Eastfield, said he thought the new logo was “very good” and less cluttered than what it was replacing.
“I like the key in it, because there are a lot of keys around Peterborough,” he said.
Chris Annison, from Stanground, agreed and said it meant a lot to him the club had kept a key prominent in the design.
‘It doesn’t ring any bells’
Michelle Wilson is not a fan of the new Peterborough United crest [John Devine/BBC]
Many Posh fans felt the design did not represent them or their city.
Michelle Wilson, a former season ticket holder from Gunthorpe, said: “I don’t like it.”
“It doesn’t ring any bells with me,” she said. “It doesn’t make me think of Peterborough. Definitely not.”
Advertisement
Angela Noble, from Peterborough, said she was disappointed the new design did not showcase Posh’s history, compared to the old logo which included the team’s name and the year the club was founded.
“It doesn’t mean anything,” she said.
Denise Thornton thinks Posh has gone “the wrong way” [John Devine/BBC]
Denise Thornton, from Werrington, said she would not mind the branding being refreshed “if it looked a little bit like the old one”.
“But this has nothing to do with Peterborough United on it,” she said, “so it’s gone the wrong way.”
Why has the badge changed?
The previous crest was based on Peterborough’s coat of arms [Getty Images]
Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony previously said branding was a “massive part” of the club’s evolution, and he thought the new design would help Posh secure commercial deals.
Advertisement
The new crest was designed by Christopher Payne, who spent time in the city speaking to the club, historians and fans.
Peterborough United is not the only side to have rebranded.
Local rivals Cambridge United launched a new logo last year, as did Norwich City in the 2022-23 season.
Katie Skingle, director of branding agency Kat Marketing, said it was important for brands to move with the times.
“Football club logos need to have longevity,” she said.
“I really like what Peterborough has done with the new crest. It’s much cleaner and more modern while sticking to the heritage of the club’s roots.”
Advertisement
Do you have a story suggestion for Peterborough? Contact us below.
Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
