What makes our crest so special?

[openfc]

for me it's the iconic design that's stands out among so many rounded crests these days.

[PDX_Rover]

viking with a very metal haircut. iconic

[Reg of the Rovers]

I agree Open, it's a bold design and has it's own shape. And a Viking is pretty cool, compared to say an Owl or a windmill. I always think a Viking is a bit random, as we don't have a massive amount of Viking heritage I don't think but I think I read it was linked to our name as a 'rover' or 'wanderer' or something like that!

My least favourite is the Roma badge - two babies being suckled by a wolf! No thanks!

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/100-best-club-football-badges-ever

[Usher wide.]

Someone once asked me “Why do you have a Viking as your clubs crest. I thought the Vikings ‘stopped’ at York”.

The only answer I could think to give was “Listen, come Saturday night in Doncaster there’s plenty of pillaging….etc goes on!”.

[BradwellRover]

From t’web…

‘The actual reason behind the Viking appearing on the crest dates back to a sponsorship deal struck between the club and a local Rover car dealership back in 1972 by then owner Morris Setters. The Rover Car Company’s mascot was the Viking, and therefore the decision was made to include a Viking as part of the club’s new crest to subtly symbolise the sponsorship deal between the club and car dealership. The fact that Doncaster was called ‘The Rovers’ was purely coincidental.

When the new crest was introduced it included a monochrome Viking image overlayed over a red and white circle, which denoted the club's colours, along with the year of the club’s formation 1879. The Viking image would become known as “The Turk's Head”. Also included on the crest was a shield with the club’s initials - D.R.F.C as well as the Yorkshire white rose in reference to the club’s location. The inset shield was also coloured red and white to denote the teams colours. In the early 1990s the crest was altered, omitting the red and white circle background and the Viking image was coloured gold.

A further modification to the Doncaster Rovers' crest was introduced in 2006 and is the one currently in use today. The new adaptation includes a new Yorkshire rose design on the shield as well as a slightly different Viking image in dark yellow.’

Before my time, so no idea if it’s true?

[DearneValleyRover]

Someone once asked me “Why do you have a Viking as your clubs crest. I thought the Vikings ‘stopped’ at York”.

The only answer I could think to give was “Listen, come Saturday night in Doncaster there’s plenty of pillaging….etc goes on!”.

Danelaw reached Brinsworth and Doncaster definitely fell under it (Danecaster, I believe it was called)

[ForsolongaRover]

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/members-area/kids/saxons-vikings/vikings-in-england/
…shows that Doncaster was more or less in the middle of the territory under the control of the Danish (Vikings) pre Norman Conquest.

[Nudga]

Warmsworth, Conisbrough, Sprotbrough, cadeby, Hatfield plus more all viking settlements.

[The Beast]

I agree Open, it's a bold design and has it's own shape. And a Viking is pretty cool, compared to say an Owl or a windmill. I always think a Viking is a bit random, as we don't have a massive amount of Viking heritage I don't think but I think I read it was linked to our name as a 'rover' or 'wanderer' or something like that!

My least favourite is the Roma badge - two babies being suckled by a wolf! No thanks!

https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/100-best-club-football-badges-ever

It’s a good story though and represents Rome’s heritage.

[robchester]

A Viking cemetery was found in Adwick a few years ago.

[BobG]

Maurice Setters never owned the Rovers. He was manager for 2 or 3 years.

The owner at that time might still have been the odious Hubert Bates or perhaps good guy Frank Wilson? (Lol. I think his Christian name was Frank...)

BobG

[Northants Nomad]

From t’web…

‘The actual reason behind the Viking appearing on the crest dates back to a sponsorship deal struck between the club and a local Rover car dealership back in 1972 by then owner Morris Setters. The Rover Car Company’s mascot was the Viking, and therefore the decision was made to include a Viking as part of the club’s new crest to subtly symbolise the sponsorship deal between the club and car dealership. The fact that Doncaster was called ‘The Rovers’ was purely coincidental.

When the new crest was introduced it included a monochrome Viking image overlayed over a red and white circle, which denoted the club's colours, along with the year of the club’s formation 1879. The Viking image would become known as “The Turk's Head”. Also included on the crest was a shield with the club’s initials - D.R.F.C as well as the Yorkshire white rose in reference to the club’s location. The inset shield was also coloured red and white to denote the teams colours. In the early 1990s the crest was altered, omitting the red and white circle background and the Viking image was coloured gold.

A further modification to the Doncaster Rovers' crest was introduced in 2006 and is the one currently in use today. The new adaptation includes a new Yorkshire rose design on the shield as well as a slightly different Viking image in dark yellow.’

Before my time, so no idea if it’s true?

From Wikipedia I assume? In which case, it's as likely as other explanations you can find, such as this:

In the late Sixties the local council denied Doncaster Rovers the prolonged use of its civic icon. A competition was held and the best design selected was today’s badge, christened “the Viking”. It was designed by a group of local students and one may assume that the undaunted Scandinavian alludes to the “Rovers” suffix.

[idler]

I always thought that Maurice Setters said that it was a mate of his from Coventry who was an artist or art teacher that designed it.

[nice one rovers]

Am I right in thinking that the supporters club own copyright to it?

[BradwellRover]

Maurice Setters never owned the Rovers. He was manager for 2 or 3 years.

The owner at that time might still have been the odious Hubert Bates or perhaps good guy Frank Wilson? (Lol. I think his Christian name was Frank...)

BobG

I read that as Maurice Setters owned the dealership? I wasn’t around then, but think I remember him as Republic of Ireland assistant (to Jack Charlton)?

[RoversInSpain]

Maurice Setters never owned the Rovers. He was manager for 2 or 3 years.

The owner at that time might still have been the odious Hubert Bates or perhaps good guy Frank Wilson? (Lol. I think his Christian name was Frank...)

BobG

I read that as Maurice Setters owned the dealership? I wasn’t around then, but think I remember him as Republic of Ireland assistant (to Jack Charlton)?

Yes he was with ROI for best part of 10 years with Jack Charlton and with him at Wednesday previous to this, which always amazed me as when I first got interested in Rovers he was Donny manager and at the time Rovers were considered a laughing stock, a complete joke.
Apparently he was Bobby Charlton’s best man.
Seemed to do well in life apart from his Rovers stint.

[River Don]

Warmsworth, Conisbrough, Sprotbrough, cadeby, Hatfield plus more all viking settlements.

Place names ending in by indicate a Viking heritage, so we can add Barnby Dunn, Scawsby and Balby to Cadeby.

The only other area where you find places ending in by is Scandinavia. Brondby for example.

Oh, and if there is a local stream near you called a Beck, that's a viking name too.

[River Don]

A Viking cemetery was found in Adwick a few years ago.

Isotope analysis of the woman’s teeth they found in the burial showed she came from the Trondheim area of Norway.

I found that a little surprising as I thought it was the Danes who particularly prevalent, with Doncaster being part of the Danelaw.

[ForsolongaRover]

Maurice Setters never owned the Rovers. He was manager for 2 or 3 years.

The owner at that time might still have been the odious Hubert Bates or perhaps good guy Frank Wilson? (Lol. I think his Christian name was Frank...)

BobG

I read that as Maurice Setters owned the dealership? I wasn’t around then, but think I remember him as Republic of Ireland assistant (to Jack Charlton)?

It was Frank, and my memory was that he had a tyre business. He was the man who made the quite audacious choice of Laurie McMenemy as manager, unusual then, because he had never played the game professionally. He was ex-army I think and (only) a coach at Sheffield Wednesday and of course he went on to much greater things. He led Rovers to promotion, but was sacked (prematurely) after a bad run as we fell from the top of the third tier following a defeat to Luton Town in a Friday night game. Frank Wilson did not remain much longer on the Board after that set-back. And in retrospect dismissing him was hasty as he went on to be very successful, first by hauling Grimsby up the divisions and then on to Southampton.

I think he might have been the first Rovers manager who I ever heard speak on radio or TV, and of course he made a great success of that talent, but I may not have heard him speak until after he left!

[BobG]

Yes. Laurie was in the Coldstream Guards my memory is telling me. After the Rovers he had a bloody good side at Grimsby. I think he had Matt Tees up front so no wonder tbh! After Southampton he got involved with England I think. I met him once  - in the bar at the County Ground Swindon after a Zenith Data Systems cup match. He was chuffing ENORMOUS! A real giant of a man.  Quite affable though.

BobG
PS. Frank Wilson was into tyres. Used to have signs around the town.

[TonySoprano]

Never been a fan of the current crest, just looks like des lynam wearing a cape.
The sooner we go back the city of Doncaster crest the better

[WheatleyRover]

Bring the nose guard back

[ForsolongaRover]

Never been a fan of the current crest, just looks like des lynam wearing a cape.
The sooner we go back the city of Doncaster crest the better

The Viking is distinctive and signifies more appropriate sentiments for a sporting endeavour than the Doncaster coat of arms which looks like so many others at a distance.

[Wokingviking]

Wilson went on to sponsor the Doncaster basketball club.  The “Wilson Panthers” were the top club in the country if memory serves me.

[retford rover]

Am I right in thinking that the supporters club own copyright to it?
Yes Retford branch have copyright of badge, done in the Richardson days, when he introduced the inter milan badge

[hamiltonrover]

From t’web…

‘The actual reason behind the Viking appearing on the crest dates back to a sponsorship deal struck between the club and a local Rover car dealership back in 1972 by then owner Morris Setters. The Rover Car Company’s mascot was the Viking, and therefore the decision was made to include a Viking as part of the club’s new crest to subtly symbolise the sponsorship deal between the club and car dealership. The fact that Doncaster was called ‘The Rovers’ was purely coincidental.

When the new crest was introduced it included a monochrome Viking image overlayed over a red and white circle, which denoted the club's colours, along with the year of the club’s formation 1879. The Viking image would become known as “The Turk's Head”. Also included on the crest was a shield with the club’s initials - D.R.F.C as well as the Yorkshire white rose in reference to the club’s location. The inset shield was also coloured red and white to denote the teams colours. In the early 1990s the crest was altered, omitting the red and white circle background and the Viking image was coloured gold.

A further modification to the Doncaster Rovers' crest was introduced in 2006 and is the one currently in use today. The new adaptation includes a new Yorkshire rose design on the shield as well as a slightly different Viking image in dark yellow.’

Before my time, so no idea if it’s true?

I also heard this story from Barry Watson, although a few differences. Setters was the Manager, but struck a deal with Rover motor company (and possibly lined his own pocket a little shall we say).

If you look at the images of the Rover emblem of the time, you can see where the Rovers Viking may have originated from. (I'll try and add them)