Middlesbrough are just a few years away from reaching a major landmark in their history.
The club were of course, formed all the way back in 1876, making them one of the oldest teams in the Football League.
It also means that they are now not far away, from the 150th anniversary of their formation.
That landmark is one that Middlesbrough are due to reach during the 2026/27 season, which is now less than three years away.
As a result, plans to mark the occasion now already being put in place. One of those, will seemingly have a significant impact on the branding of the club.
In a statement on Wednesday, the club confirmed that one change they will make as part of their upcoming anniversary celebrations, is to their badge.
‘Boro have used their current logo since 2007. This incarnation of the badge features the now traditional lion in the centre of the shield.
The name of Middlesbrough Football Club and its year of formation are then included across the top and bottom.
That is now all set to change, and the club have stated that a new logo will be in place for their 150th aniversary.
Supporters will be involved in the process of choosing a new badge, while design experts will be invited to submit contributions for potential new badges.
Even so, this is a move that may well split opinion among the Middlesbrough fanbase.
There is a good chance that the news of a new badge will split opinions around The Riverside Stadium.
It is often the case that when new logos are introduced, they do not always go down well with supporters. Leeds United’s recent ill-fated attempt is one that particularly springs to mind.
There is a sense that when changing badges, clubs may often abandon the tradition of old badges, in favour of ones that are arguably more commercially motivated in their appearance.
That is something that unsurprisingly does not go down well with some of those who have been conected with the club throughout their lives. Middlesbrough therefore, will want to avoid such a situation here.
Indeed, the club have claimed that this chance will be made in response to feedback, while also involving fans in the selection of the new design.
However, not everyone is going to have the same view on the current badge, or the one that replaces, due to different people having different preferrences.
So with that in mind, various Middlesbrough fans will likely have a range of feelings. Those will apply to both getting rid of the current design, and what the new one looks like.
Indeed, fans who do not like what is eventually revealed, may also have a sense of frustration if they are not involved in the consultation and selection process.
That being said, not many connected with Middlesbrough will be as concerned with that if Michael Carrick and his side can deliver success on the pitch between now and then.
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