Newcastle unveil new club crest

Newcastle United has unveiled a new badge - a first change of club crest since 1988. Although the original emblem was immensely popular with supporters, Newcastle said: "In a modern digital world, the limitations and flaws of a 38-year-old design have become obvious. "For such a beloved symbol, its detail and uneven lines don't show up as they should on modern platforms. Elements lose their shape and blur on phone screens, in broadcast graphics, in stitching and at the scale and speeds that the modern world demands." Newcastle spent more than two years consulting with fans, who made it clear in focus groups, workshops and surveys that they did not want the crest to be completely redesigned. Three tweaked versions were put forward in a poll in August and more than 64% of those 27,348 supporters eligible to vote, including season ticket-holders and members, selected the third option as the new crest. Newcastle chief executive David Hopkinson said the process was an "enormous" responsibility for "all of us", having "never worked anywhere that feels as proud and passionate about its crest". "The club has asked supporters questions that we did not know the answers to, and they told us plainly: protect what we have, keep the elements we love and do not start again," he added. "Every decision after that has been made inside the margins our fans drew, and it is only right that our fans have had the final and decisive say on the outcome. "Our crest came from the city's own coat of arms and it still does. It honours where we have come from, it represents who we are now, and it will become an iconic symbol for generations of supporters around the world who believe in it and unite behind it." Newcastle players will wear the new crest for the first time on the pitch in the final home game of the season against Crystal Palace in May.