Leeds United have revealed a new crest to commemorate the club’s centenary. It has not been universally welcomed.
The crest, the result of a consultation involving more than 10,000 people according to the club, is of a man giving a salute. The gesture, with the right hand balled into a fist and placed against the heart, is known as the Leeds salute. It has long been associated with the club, but that has not stopped the crest being widely mocked after it was revealed online.
“We are now delighted and proud to reveal a new crest that represents the passion and the unique identity that runs deep through the Club”, a club statement read.
Took Leeds United 6 months and consultation of 10,000 people just to combine Pro Evo 2002 & Gaviscon and pass it off as a new club badge.
— Aliko Mwambingu (@ALIKO_THOMAS) January 24, 2018
Tragic. Their fans deserve so much better. Just let down after let down pic.twitter.com/PW6t8yHdwU
“Leeds United owes everything to the supporters who have stood by the club through thick and thin. We are delighted and proud to reveal a new crest that reflects the passion and loyalty that runs deep through the Club, and celebrates the fans at the heart of our identity.”
Criticism veered from observing a similarity between the crest and both communist and fascist art, to comparisons between the new logo and that used on a football video game when licensing an official crest proves too expensive. That the crest also looks like the label on a packet of the heartburn medicine Gaviscon was also noted.
As for the popular Leeds fanzine Square Ball, they observed on Twitter: "A big glossy, exercise in branding done by a consultant in Shoreditch. We need to go for a soya milk latte and a lie down."
Leeds have a long tradition of renewing their crest. The new badge is the 11th in the 99 year history of the club. – Guardian service
