Liverpool emblem

Over the 132 years of its existence, the Liverpool FC logo has managed to update its corporate identity nine times, but one figure invariably remains in the center of attention – the Liverbird. This is a mythical bird that has become a symbol of the port city in the northwest of England, home to one of the most titled football clubs in the country. The story of its appearance on the coat of arms of the team from the county of Merseyside does not tolerate a superficial look, obliging us to a detailed analysis. Well, that’s what we will do, showing the required meticulousness and attention to detail.

Let’s explore the origins of the brandmark and trace the evolution of Liverpool FC emblems, from old heraldry to the latest design solutions. Each iteration of the logo is a reflection of the era, the spirit of the times and the club’s unwavering connection to its roots.

History and Symbolism

Now nine-time English champions, Liverpool Football Club has become the embodiment of phenomenal success and glory in the sports industry. However, its journey began with an unexpected turn – a disagreement that marked the beginning of a great story.

John Houlding, the businessman and owner of the land where Anfield stood, and a director of Everton, was clearly not a man of compromise. When the team committee under his management began grumbling about the rent for using the stadium, the conflict flared up like a match in a petrol tank. The result? Houlding was thrown out in March 1892, with a new boss hired. Instead of resentment, he chose action, founding his own club, which soon gained cult status.

When it came time to choose a name, John decided not to mince words and named the team after an entire city. So on June 3, 1892, the Football Association of England recognized Liverpool as a professional football club, formalizing it according to all the rules. At that time, no one suspected that the “Merseysiders” would make the impossible ordinary, winning countless titles;

• 19 Premier League trophies;
• 8 Cups and 16 Super Cups of England;
• 10 AFL Cups;
• three-time UEFA Cup winner;
• six-time Champions League winner;
• four-time UEFA Super Cup winner.

Returning to the topic of the review, the official version of the emblem’s history, presented on the team’s website, states that the very first, old Liverpool FC logo was borrowed from the city’s coat of arms. Since we are talking, let us recall, about a port center, it depicted Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, and Triton, the messenger of the ocean depths in Greek mythology. Between them were two cormorants, known as the very Liver birds, symbols of the city, deeply rooted in its heraldic tradition. Neptune and Triton held banners, the upper one of which was decorated with a Latin motto, translated as “God has granted us this lightness.”

Meet the Liverbird

Before continuing to study the Liverpool FC logo, it is worth understanding what its constant character, the Liverpool Bird, means. There are several versions of its appearance, but one is considered the main and reliable one.

John Lackland, whose reign over England from 1199 to 1216 was a chronicle of mistakes, conceived the idea of the port city of Liverpool in 1207. Its foundation had two purposes: to keep the Irish Sea under lock and key and to establish a convenient bridge for the transfer of troops to Ireland. The seal of the new settlement repeated the royal stamp, decorated with an eagle with a branch in its beak, indicating the scale of the ruler’s ambitions, or perhaps his illusions. Whatever the case, it is amusing that it was this that became the first image of the mythical Liver bird.

In 1644, the eagle seal was dropped, replaced by a more down-to-earth image: the cormorant. The logic is ironclad. Seabirds abound in the coastal area of the municipality, but majestic eagles are rarely seen. So this humble coastal inhabitant became the prototype of the Liverbird, which has become the calling card of Liverpool. Today, it adorns everything from town halls and chanceries to notebooks in souvenir shops. A true symbol of the city, it is omnipresent and, frankly, a little cheeky.

The first logo of Liverpool FC (1892-1950)

Let us repeat, the original emblem of the team was based on the city’s ceremonial coat of arms. It was a red and white composition with two ancient gods – Neptune and Triton, located on each side of a vertically oriented banner with elegant and ornate images of a pair of birds. Under the banner was the club’s name sign, written on an arched ribbon.

1940s – 1980s

In 1950, Liverpool decided to get rid of visual pathos and tried minimalism. The redesign of those years looked as if the creator of the emblem had erased everything unnecessary with an eraser, leaving a white outline, a white Liverpool bird and no decor. There were no ribbons, no ornaments, no inscriptions. Only the main symbol of the club in the iconic color palette with an abundance of red.

1950-1955

In 1950, Liverpool decided to get rid of visual pathos and tried minimalism. The redesign of those years looked as if the creator of the emblem had erased everything unnecessary with an eraser, leaving a white outline, a white Liverpool bird and no decor. There were no ribbons, no ornaments, no inscriptions. Only the main symbol of the club in the iconic color palette with an abundance of red.

1955-1968

In 1955, the emblem was edited again, and the Liverpool crest was replaced by a clean and tidy oval with a vertical cross-section. The background was replaced with white, and the red frame was balanced by an elegant image of a bird and the initials “LFC”, meaning Liverpool Football Club. The lettering was done in a sans-serif font, also known as grotesque.

1968-1987

In 1968, the Liverpool bird underwent a slight upgrade. Its contours became sharper and more modern, having passed through a “high-detail filter”. The oval frame became a thing of the past, as a kind of archaism. In addition, the Liverpool football club emblem received a bold shade of red, close to crimson.

1987-1992

In 1987, Liverpool pumped up the visuals, returning to a deep dark red shade and a more intricate layout of the emblem. A white triangular shield with a thin red outline became a canvas for the silhouette of the Liverpool bird, emphasizing minimalism in detail, maximalism in mood. The lower edge was supplemented with two ribbon blocks in corporate burgundy with the white inscription “Liverpool” in the upper case. The name was applied strictly and legibly, as the typographers bequeathed.

A horizontal banner with the inscription “Football Club” was added under the composition, which perfectly built the visual hierarchy. The design combined deep respect for the heritage with a trendy approach: clean forms, smooth contours and a well-built font rhythm. The result was a complete redesign in the style of “less is more”, but with a premium character.

1992-1993

In 1992, for their 100th anniversary, Liverpool unveiled a new logo that lasted exactly one year. It was a rich composition with a white triangular crest in the centre, surrounded by green and yellow decorative components. Below it was a ribbon with the date “1892-1992”, and above it were ornate green leaves, turning into a horizontal banner with the club motto “You’ll never walk alone”.

The emblem itself featured the Liverpool bird, beneath which was a red rectangular banner with the text “100 years”. Above was the inscription “Liverpool Football Club” in bright red. The emblem combined the club’s traditions with festive details.

1993-1999

In 1993, the Liverpool logo underwent a slight modernization. The designers removed the unnecessary “anniversary pathos” in the form of the inscription 100 years and moved on to thinner and more verified lines. The composition was left almost untouched, but an important detail was added – two stylized flames on the sides. The red, white and black fire appeared in memory of the victims of the Hillsborough tragedy, visually enhancing the symbolism and giving the logo more energy. The updated brandmark remained with the club for six years, standing the test of time and fan views.

1999-today

The yellow elements were replaced by green ones, and the logo received fashionable gradients, adding dynamics and a hint of “we are moving forward”. The Liverpool bird was also restyled. White accents gave it more realism and predatory volume. The new design looked like a business card of a club that respects traditions, but keeps its finger on the pulse of modernity. However, since 2012 it has not been used on the game uniform, appearing only on the suits of the FC employees, souvenirs and documents.

2012-today

In 2012, Liverpool officially presented a new logo, keeping it unchanged to this day. It turned out to be extremely laconic, but therefore more memorable and exclusive. The emblem depicts a liverbird with the initials “LFC”, for which a stately font with notches was used. There is also a version where a football obediently awaits the team under the bird’s paw, and in the 2017/2018 season, a limited-time design appeared for the 125th anniversary of the football club.