Does the Sheffield FC rebrand hit the target?

Sheffield F.C. recently launched a new logo (some would say quietly) while the World Cup is being played across the pond. To say it is a departure from what has gone before is somewhat of an understatement.

According to the club, which currently plays in the Northern Counties East Football League Premier Division, the new logo was inspired by its unique status as holders of a historic gold medal and FIFA Centennial Order of Merit.

But the question for me is…
is it an improvement on what went before? 

It most likely is designed to work more effectively in the digital realm and allow for applications that  are more modern in styling – but I’m personally not convinced by the finished article, Gone are the historic elements – remember we are talking about the world’s oldest football club – the only thing that remains is the gold. 

It does not seem to have gone down well with the football community either. A user on Twitter/X said “just can’t see how that brief was – we want a circular badge without anything from historic crests oh and completely remove any red and black colour palette – because that would be wild.”

I do not want to criticise the actual design – although there are some areas I feel lack care – but more question if this is the right move for such an historic club.

Time will tell.

Chris Eaton

About the Author

Chris spent seven years as a creative artworker - taking other people's initial designs and turning them into accurate, print-ready artwork. When nobody would take a chance on him to step into a full design role, he decided to take matters into his own hands and branch out on his own.
Since then, he’s spent over 30 years working as a freelance graphic designer in and around Sheffield. Along the way, he’s collaborated with some of the best studios in the region and worked directly with heaps of brilliant clients..
In late 2025, when a local client went into liquidation, Chris saw an opportunity to step in and help out the clients who were left stranded. He took the plunge and launched his own agency to make sure those businesses had the ongoing support they needed.