Formartine club crest

[Alex MacLeod]

A football club has been forced to change its badge after a member of the public complained because it had a saltire on it.
Formartine United's 53-year-old badge was also deemed illegal under heraldic law because it was shield-shaped, quartered and featured a lion rampant, French writing, ribbons and the red and white stripes were too narrow.
After appealing to the Court of the Lord Lyon - the heraldic authority for Scotland - it was agreed that the Highland League side would be allowed to keep the shield, French writing and ribbons, but the rampant lion was forced to have wings, the Saltire was removed and the red and white stripes have been broadened.
It has cost the Aberdeenshire club thousands of pounds to rebrand all their goods but club secretary Martin Johnston said more hurt had been caused to the fans emotionally.
He said: "It will be a sad day when the badge is completely removed from all items inside the ground.
"It was designed over 50 years ago and it represents everything about the club - but it's been taken away from us.
"We are very proud of our badge and heritage and it's only when we've been told to change it that we've realised how much we'll miss it.
"We lost the saltire which we were most disappointed about as we are staunchly Scottish.”
In October 2010 a letter was sent by Aberdeen's procurator-fiscal, ordering the Pitmedden club to remove the image from their website and all other material, including their strips.
After realising the notice was not a joke, they calculated that the order had serious financial penalties attached to it.
The club could either pay thousands of pounds to record their badge on the Public Register of Arms or pay to completely re-brand the team.
If they had refused, they would have been prosecuted and every item with the emblem would be confiscated.
Two years on, Mr Johnston said he had yet to find out who complained to the authorities.
He said: "The person who complained has never come out of cover to explain themselves.
"It's ridiculous, you look everywhere and Scottish Premier League clubs have shield badges. As do bowling clubs, tennis clubs - even lorries have them with saltires.
"We thought there's no way we're going to roll over and accept this, so we drove for a compromise and we're delighted we got one.
"But it's had a massive impact on our club, the badge is seen everywhere, whether it be on stationary, shirts or crockery in hospitality and we're having to spend a lot of money to change them.
"We are allowed to sell the current branded stock till the end of this season and I imagine some of the goods will become collector's items."
The new badge will feature on Formartine United's strip next season.

 

What sort of person would want to complain about such a thing? Story came from http://www.formartineutd.com/front-page but the site is so slow that I figured it's easier to copy and paste.

[Yngwie]

What sort of person would want to complain about such a thing?

 

Someone like Birdog!

[SMEE]

This comes hot on the heels of the story about Someone complaining coz two Grampian Fire Engines had Saltires painted on the the engine grills. Seriously.....some people  badly need to get a life. I find it deeply offensive that someone should complain about my nations flag being on ANYTHING that comes from my nation!

 

Where does common sense begin and end these days?

Edited December 4, 2012 by SMEE

[Renegade]

What about the poor people who find French writing offensive?  When will their trauma end?!

[SMEE]

Seriously...can anyone tell me....what is wrong in displaying a nations flag within its own borders? Why would anyone take offence at it....other than for the pure hell of it

[Scotty]

Here's the original .....

 

looks like they did make a little change by adding wings to the lion since the original one above ... but here is the current badge and what they are being forced to change to 

 

[PaderbornCaley]

Laughable!

Only a winged lion allowed!

[Scotty]

could Ayr and Cowdenbeath be in the same trouble .... or Lesmahagow Juniors !

 

 

 

 

[Rainbow]

Oh dear. I have a Scotland flag above my bed. Will that be banned now, too?

[CaleyD]

Oh bugger....will I have to remove the saltire from the CTO logo?

[PaderbornCaley]

Re-reading this article makes me wonder if the Procurator Fiscal is a Turriff fan or another HL rival.

They were forced to remove the saltire?!

Change the thickness of the stripes?!

Add wings to the lion?!

At a cost of thousands of pounds.

[Renegade]

Oh bugger....will I have to remove the saltire from the CTO logo?

 

 

I should hope so!  Won't somebody please think of the children?!

[Yngwie]

the Court of the Lord Lyon - the heraldic authority for Scotland

 

This 14th century institution does still exist and has great powers to prosecute and jail people who don't comply with its rulings on stripe widths and lion wings.

 

Headed up by the "Lord Lyon King of Arms" (I kid ye not!) here is the terrifying garrisson who would march on Pitmedden to take the Fortmartine players to the dungeon if they wore a non-compliant shirt or spoke French.

 

[Rainbow]

Welcome to the 21st century....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B.C!

[Renegade]

Some reporting now apparently that whoever complained is involved with a team Formartine got into the Highland League over.

[Yngwie]

Its rather odd that this Court of the Lord Lyon thinks that lions have wings.

 

In addition, why did they allow lions to appear in so widely Scottish heraldry when it is not even a native species?! I'd like to see these foreign beasts replaced on all flags, shields and badges by something Scottish, and I'd suggest the red squirrel. To intimidate opponents and terrify enemies you'd have the "Squirrel Rampant", complete with claws out. Grrrrrr!

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

Strewth - some people have too much time on their hands - another example that many among the human race have got their priorities wrong....

[Scotty]

I'd like to see these foreign beasts replaced on all flags, shields and badges by something Scottish, and I'd suggest the red squirrel. To intimidate opponents and terrify enemies you'd have the "Squirrel Rampant", complete with claws out. Grrrrrr!

 

Thankfully, we are ok .... the Golden Eagle and the Thistle are classed as indigenous species

 

Might lead to some classic new badges though ..... should I post the ones with animals on them so all you photoshoppers out there can come up with new ones ?

[+Feb82000]

and they should just have the Scottish flag above Edinburgh castle

[Alex MacLeod]

Its rather odd that this Court of the Lord Lyon thinks that lions have wings.

 

In addition, why did they allow lions to appear in so widely Scottish heraldry when it is not even a native species?! I'd like to see these foreign beasts replaced on all flags, shields and badges by something Scottish, and I'd suggest the red squirrel. To intimidate opponents and terrify enemies you'd have the "Squirrel Rampant", complete with claws out. Grrrrrr!

I think that came from De Brus and his battles against the infidel.