From the 2017/18 season Harrogate Town AFC will be operating under a new identity
A club crest is at the heart of every football club, and ours has been born from careful thought and intentional consideration to create something forward-thinking, recognisable, iconic and practical.
Our rationale behind this change is to re-invent the football club with a genuine, authentic and timeless identity; to give our club a presence of its own in a local and national context.
2017/18 will be watershed season for the people of Harrogate, as it will see the town lay claim to a full-time, professional football club for the first time in its history.
As proud Yorkshire-folk we are determined to represent Harrogate as a strong, bold, collaborative community, deeply rooted in and proud of its history.
Our research when creating our new identity included a study of Harrogate's iconic symbols, landmarks and people. We studied heraldry, badges, coat of arms, history and focused on achieving four key qualities: Simplicity, Legibility, Memorability and Timelessness.
It had long been asked why Harrogate Town's crest was mainly red and blue, when the team play in a distinctive yellow and black. While some fans will be able to tell you the badge was the heraldic crest of Harrogate, others will struggle to see the resemblance between a 10-year-old civic icon and our forward thinking, progressive and modern football club.
Our new crest symbolises everything we are trying to represent at Harrogate Town, and we look forward to more forward progress under this exciting new identity.
The Crest Explained:
The Yorkshire Rose – We are proud of our heritage and display the White Rose at the heart of our badge.
Yellow and Black – Our crest should reinforce our club colours, which previously it did not. This strong and consistent branding reinforces our identity across all mediums.
The Intertwining ‘H & T' – The intertwining of the H and T alludes to teamwork, strategy, harmony and unity.
1919 – The subtle but poignant nod to our proud history and year of formation.