Since the club's foundation, Chelsea has five main crests, and it is all variations. In 1905, Chelsea adopted as their first crest the image of a “Chelsea pensioner”, which obviously contributed to the "pensioner" nickname, and remained for the next half-century, though it never appeared on the shirts. When Ted Drake handled the club from 1952 onwards, he insisted that the pensioner badge be removed from the match day programmed in order to change the club's image and that a new crest be adopted. As a stop-gap, a temporary emblem comprising simply the initials C.F.C. was adopted for one year. In 1953, Chelsea's crest was changed to an upright blue lion looking backwards and holding a staff, which was to endure for the next three decades. This crest was based on elements in the coat of arms of the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea with the "lion rampant regard ant" taken from the arms of then club president Viscount Chelsea and the staff from the Abbots of Westminster, former Lords of the Manor of Chelsea. This was also the first club badge to appear on shirts Since the policy of putting the crest on the shirts was only adopted in the early 1960s.In 1986, with new owners now at the club, Chelsea's crest was changed again as part of another attempt to analyze and to capitalize on new marketing opportunities. The new badge featured a more naturalistic non-heraldic lion, yellow and not blue, standing over the C.F.C. initials. It lasted for the next 19 years, with some modifications such as the use of different colors. With new ownership, and the club's centenary approaching, combined with demands from fans for the club's traditional badge to be restored, it was decided that the crest should be changed again in 2004. The new crest was officially adopted for the start of the 2005-06 seasons and marks a return to the older design of the blue heraldic lion holding a staff. Currently the crest had returned to the old one with the lion looking backward and holding the staff but it is more realistic and profitable display. |