Why did you decide to update the football club’s logo? What discussions were had about the logo?

Discussions have been on-going for a number of years and this certainly wasn’t a decision which was rashly made. From the start, we wanted a badge which represents the club along with subtle nudges towards our history. A great starting point was our nickname ‘The Spitfires’ and our founding year. We really wanted to incorporate that. 

Why was the previous logo holding you back?

The previous logo was an adaptation of the Eastleigh Borough Council badge and this was used from 1980. We believed the badge to be very ‘busy’ and didn’t represent us as a club. We struggled to adapt the badge to use across different formats and we felt this was the best time to commit to the change. 

Why should some football club’s change their logo?

I strongly believe that every football club should have their own identity. We live in a world where things are ever changing and you have to make sure you adapt with that. A football club isn’t solely represented by their badge, it’s an entire brand and football clubs higher up the pyramid have shown exactly how this can be done correctly.

When is the right time to change a football club’s logo?

I don’t think you can precisely say when the time is right however it is something which requires careful planning and consideration. This was something we have spoke about for a number of years and was not easi

What was it about Christopher Payne that made you want to work with him?

From the very start Christohper was very thorough in his approach and left no stone unturned. In previous years we have had other designers approach us to explore the idea however none caught our attention as much as Christopher did. He was extremely meticulous in his approach and the level of detail he went to was like none other. 

Of Chris’s previous work which logo did you like?

Christopher provided several case studies on projects he worked on previously but the one that stood out was Alfreton Town. 

What was the process like? What was it like working with Chris? Tell is a little bit about the process?

Christopher was a pleasure to deal with. From the start we built up a good working relationship and that allowed us to progress nice and quickly. Christopher is a very meticulous person and thinks of everything. Even when the final badge had be decided there was still a number of review meetings which allowed us to produce asset which will be used as we progress forward.

What impressed you about the process?

The process was very detailed and stemmed over nine months. We had an initial video call where we outlined our vision for our new badge and briefed Christopher on the history and provided him with as many bits as we could. We found the process to be fairly stress free with Christopher taking it all on. 

What were your thoughts when you first saw the new logo design?

We were initially presented with three designs. All different in their own right and out of the three designs we liked the 1st concept the most. We gave Christopher some feedback on some slight changes which he went away with and done. However due to Christopher’s extreme detail, this ment that the changes which were required were minimal. All three badges had different elements and Christopher was very welcoming on any feedback positive and negative, 

What makes a good logo for a football club?

I think a good badge is something that keeps a connection to your clubs history and roots whilst allowing you to move forward. Club brands need to be adaptable and allow you to produce stuff not just physically but also electronically. 

What impact will this new logo have on the football club? Both next season and in the next 15 seasons?

This is something that is here to stay and the initial reaction has been above and beyond what we expected. The new brand will allow us to keep moving forward and with progression on the pitch a key ambition we will be able to adapt as we go. 

How important are brands in modern football? Why should football clubs look to progress both on and off the pitch?

Whilst it would be easy to say, clubs shouldn’t be a brand, if you want to progress you need to make these changes. Any good football brand is easily recognisable and that doesn’t just depend on the size of the team. You want a brand which represents you as a club and having your own unique identity is the best way forward. 

What would you say to other people who are in your position and are thinking about rebranding their football club?

The key bit of information we can provide is, do your research. We communicated with a number of fans and got their opinions. We had a broad selection of old, new, young and lifetime supporters. Everyone accepts changes differently and you need to take their opinion on board. We certainly did this and the feeling from everyone was this was the right thing to do. 

Would you recommend Christopher Payne to other football clubs?

Yes, we would not hesitate in pushing Christopher towards another club for a re-brand. We would be more than happy to provide reference and reassurance to anyone who is looking to start a re-brand.

Further reading

– Eastleigh Football Club case study 

– Behind the scenes: Designing Eastleigh Football Club’s new logo

– Behind the scenes: Designing custom typography for Eastleigh Football Club

– Preparing for launch: How we got it right when designing Eastleigh Football Club’s new brand

– Eastleigh Football Club website