Stoke City set to start consultation over club badge
Stoke City are set to start consultation with supporters about the future of the club badge. The club has been liaising with the new Stoke City Connect panel, a group of fan representatives, about the possibility of change and the process will now be opened out to the wider fan base.
Stoke has had its current minimalist crest since 2001, having worn the city’s coat of arms on its shirt for the previous nine years, and it is emblazoned on everything from kit and merchandise to the stadium and around the training ground.
The hierarchy is aware that there is at least some desire for something different and perhaps 2025 is an opportune year to consider it because it is the 100th anniversary of Stoke becoming Stoke City following Stoke-on-Trent being granted city status.
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Consultation alone will be a major process and if a change was implemented it would be unlikely to be rolled out in one fell swoop. There are guidelines from the FA and EFL and it will involve workshops, fan assemblies and digital surveys.
An update from the latest meeting of Connect said: "The club will commence the process of consulting supporters about the future of the crest in the coming weeks. The consultation will include an online survey, together with various opportunities to attend sessions."
Other items on the agenda included an update on Stoke City Women, including their move to a new home pitch in Yarnfield. Marie Hourihan's side are currently on a run of 14 wins in 16 games, sit fourth in the Northern Premier Division and have reached the National League final, where they will take on Nottingham Forest next month.
The minutes said: "Yarnfield was selected as the new home venue for the women’s team following an exhaustive process during which no suitable sites more local to ST4 were found. The club invested £250k in the facilities to prepare them for National League football.
"Club explained that investment in the women’s team has increased significantly in recent seasons. All enhancements to playing budget, the surrounding operation and editorial coverage come with a cost and can’t all be addressed at once. Possible double headers on men’s team match-days would come with operational challenges, but will be considered once the logistics have been discussed in greater detail."
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