A labour of love in designing the future for Boro

NEW BADGE IS A NOD TO THE CLUB'S HISTORY AFTER A THOROUGH PROCESS

- By CRAIG JOHNS

Next season's badge being embroidered

WHEN Middlesbrough first announced plans in March 2024 to change their current club crest they invited applications for designers who wanted to be involved in the project.

In September last year, after receiving almost 60 tenders and whittling it down to three interviewees, Andrew Patterson was selected.

There were a number of reasons that made him the standout applicant.

Firstly, Andrew was an experienced graphic designer who'd even worked on a new club badge in the past.

Ironically, after outsiders compared Boro's new badge to Chelsea's when it was unveiled - presumably unaware of the new badge's inspiration to Boro's popular 86 badge - Patterson was part of the design team for the current Blues offering.

Primarily though, Andrew is a Middlesbrough supporter.

He grew up in Marton and later Normanby and his tender even included pictures of him with Tony Mowbray and favourite player Stephen Pears, as a mascot aged six.

Supporter involvement in this project was priority number one for the club, and they managed to make that apply to the chief designer.

"It was mainly elation with just a touch of apprehension and 'everyone is going to hate me!' - but it was mainly absolute delight," Andrew says when asked of his reaction to finding out he'd got the gig. "An absolute dream come true.