AN elephant complete with the town’s “supera moras” motto will feature on Bolton Wanderers’ new kit next season — after an absence of more than 40 years.

The club has produced a new cartoon elephant logo that will feature somewhere on the Whites' new shirt, but it will not replace the BWFC badge.

The design features Bolton’s Latin motto, which is translated as “overcome delays”.

New kit designer Macron, which will also be sponsoring the stadium next season, has been working to include the elephant on next season’s shirts.

Richard Gough, head of commercial affairs for Wanderers, said: “When we looked at the elephant design from down the years, the handmade nature of the badges from that era meant there were no two alike.

“Without a single reference point, we had the opportunity to update the design for the 21st century in such a format to be trademarked as our own and for it to be more easily reproduced in print and on fabrics.”

The elephant previously featured on the Bolton Wanderers kits within the club’s official crest. The motto was originally used on the Bolton Wanderers badge during in the 1920s, when the club won the FA Cup three times in six years, including the first final at Wembley in 1923.

There was a mixed reaction on Facebook and Twitter, with some fans criticising the cartoon-like design, while others praised the club for restoring some tradition.

A poll on The Bolton News website showed 52 per cent of readers liked the new logo while 48 per cent did not.

Conservative councillor and supporter Andy Morgan said: “I think it contradicts a lot of what the manager has been saying about moving forward with young players and clearing out some of the old guard.

“I am all for marking the history of the club, but I just feel this is the wrong message and an elephant is not the most dynamic of animals.”

Whites supporter Jonny Lung, aged 19, from Castle Street, said: “I am happy with the motto, but the elephant just looks random and there is no chance it will be inspiring any of the players.”

Amedeo Iossa, for Macron, said: “We are proud the reintroduction of such an iconic symbol for the club has coincided with the beginning of our new partnership.”

The club said full details of the new kit would be announced in due course.

 

We asked shoppers in Bolton town centre what they thought of the new logo

Billy Foster, aged 17, of Castle Street, The Haulgh

"It looks more like the logo for a pub than something for a football team. The colours are horrible."

David Davies, aged 66, of Little Hulton

"The design is a little bit childish — it could have been done much more professionally."

James Russell, aged 37, Bolton

"I’m not a Bolton fan but I can safely say I wouldn’t have that logo on my team’s kit — keep to what you have got at the moment because that is not going to inspire anyone."