I wouldn’t generally describe myself as a football fan, but my passing interest has grown a little as I’ve followed the team of my home city slowly claw their way up the leagues. So, it only seems fitting that with their amazing promotion into Championship I rightfully give Coventry City FC a place on my greatest logos of all-time list – surely that's just as big an honour, right!?
fondness for this logo comes from deep within my younger self
Many people who know me don’t realise that by birth I am a Midlander, born in Coventry with plenty of family members still living there. Every year as a child we would make the pilgrimage to visit family, including one football mad and proud Sky Blue fan of an Uncle. The distinctive football crest complete with it’s a menagerie of animals has long been etched into my psyche. From the magnet on my Nan’s fridge, the FA cup winners scarf my dad had on display to the two visits to Highfield Road to watch games with said football mad uncle. The fondness for this logo comes from deep within my younger self and even now I still love this logo.
Let’s be honest there’s a lot going on
Let’s be honest there’s a lot going on, too much if you ask my partner as she contested its right to be included on my greatest logos of all-time list (Everton fan!). I want to look at each element, though some would contest it’s a bit crowded (I disagree as a designer) it all tells the story of the city.
Elephant in the room
The longest serving part of the logo is the elephant bearing a castle on its back, at one point in the club's long history it was the only element. Everybody always ask, why an elephant of all animals on a sports logo? Well for that answer we need to go back a little bit into history, Coventry is supposedly the birthplace of dragon slayer extraordinaire St George. In mythology the only other creature that could kill a dragon is an elephant, so the animal represents St George and his link to the city complete with the banner of St George carried on its back. I' m always amazed when I research logos on this list at the origins behind them and researching this part opened a real pandoras box of history and mythology.
The Castle
Coventry has always been a stronghold, put it this way you wouldn’t have wanted to find yourself there as a Royalist during the civil war. The elephant carries the stronghold of Coventry on its back as a warning. It's inclusion also adds to the overall look of the logo, it's like something taken straight from the shield of a heroic knight - insert battle/football match metaphor here -
The Griffon and the Phoenix
Flanking the football in the centre are two mythical creatures. The griffon comes from the City’s own coat of arms and traditionally represents strength, but it’s the animal on the other flank that illustrates some of Coventry’s more recent history and is represents something more profound. Bombed heavily during the Second Worlds War, due to being the beating heart of British engineering and industry, Coventry was badly scarred even losing its cathedral to incendiary bombs during one bombing raid. From the ashes of war Coventry rose again to rebuild its shattered city and factories. Just like the city itself the football club has risen again back up to its rightful place in the top leagues.
It’s often been voted as one of the best loved football crests of any team
We don’t need a prolonged explanation on the inclusion of the football on a football teams logo...I’ll spare you the word count. The banners top and bottom frame perfectly every element and tying the whole design together. Overall it has an heraldic look that speaks of history and place, something that has always stood it apart from your average club emblem.
Graphically it's perfectly balanced and has enough visual interest to capture attention, it’s a real feast for the eyes and looks resplendent on a football shirt. It’s often been voted as one of the best loved football crests of any team. It has the elements of spoken about in previous posts, strength and perfect form. Past that though it’s a logo that once again tells a story, links itself back to the community which looks upon it with pride. I have always loved it and have always felt that sense of history and pride. Despite its recent turbulent past the club is once again rising from the ashes, a phoenix from the flames rising up into the sky blue. I LOVE THIS LOGO!
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