What Derby County's next club badge could look like - according to AI | OneFootball

Derby County haven't really had a new badge in more than half a century now, so FLW has asked AI to create one. Here's what ChatGPT came up with.

Derby County have only made mild alterations to their club badge for more than half a century now, but with branding more important to clubs than ever, FLW have asked AI to design the club a new one.

The ram has been associated with Derby County since they were formed in 1884. It was a connection with the city's place at the heart of the industrial revolution through the wool industry, while as long ago as 1855 the first Regiment of Derbyshire Militia adopted one as their regimental mascot.

The club stylised its badge into the design with which we're familiar today in 1971. The guiding hand of manager Brian Clough may be visible here. Clough had changed the colours of the team's shorts from black to navy blue, reportedly in order to make the players feel as though they were playing for England (they changed back in 1989), and a new badge was also brought in.

It had an immediate effect; Derby became the champions of England at the end of the 1971/72 season, and won the League again three years later under Dave Mackay. The club's distinctive badge has barely changed since.

ChatGPT creates a new badge for Derby County

With this in mind, FLW asked ChatGPT to produce an updated badge for Derby County that's fit for the 21st century.

What it produced is a matter of evolution rather than evolution. The new badge is round, with the club's name and year of formation added. But otherwise, it's very similar to the design that they have been using now for more than half a century.

ChatGPT's Derby badge suggests that if it ain't broke, don't fix it

The design of the Derby County badge with which we're all so familiar may be very much of its time, but this doesn't mean that it's not automatically recognisable in 2025.

The changes are subtle, but effective. The club's name and year of formation have been added, and putting it all in a round shield is in line with changes at other clubs in recent years.

But it's the ram that immediately draws the eye in. There's a slightly more rounded look to it in this one, particularly the horns and along its back, while it is looking in a slightly more upward direction.

There have been more radical attempts at rebranding that have fallen flat on their faces before. In 2018, Leeds United tried to change their club badge completely, but had to reconsider after more than 50,000 people signed a petition calling for it to be scrapped.

Ultimately, ChatGPT's conclusion seems to have been, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". There's been more than one occasion since its introduction that Derby County have actually been broke, but the branding of the club, it seems, is as fresh today as it was 54 years ago.