The Nottingham Forest logo is one of those football badges that just sticks with you. It’s been around in some form since the mid-1970s, and it still looks fresh on a matchday shirt. Built around a stylized tree, wavy river lines, and the word “Forest” in bold lettering, the crest ties together the club’s deep roots in Nottingham’s local history with its remarkable European success.
Founded in 1865, Nottingham Forest F.C. is one of the oldest football clubs in England. The club has gone through roughly six badge variations over the decades.
The current version, featuring two stars above the tree to mark back-to-back European Cup wins in 1979 and 1980, was introduced in 1974 and refined in the early 2000s.
David Lewis, a graphic design lecturer at Trent Polytechnic (now Nottingham Trent University), created the winning design after a public competition drew 855 entries.
What Is the Nottingham Forest Logo?
The Nottingham Forest logo is a combination mark badge featuring a stylized tree representing Sherwood Forest, wavy lines symbolizing the River Trent, and the word “Forest” in uppercase lettering. First introduced in 1974, it was designed by David Lewis and carries two stars above the crest for the club’s European Cup triumphs.
Here’s a breakdown of the badge’s main attributes:
- Design Type: Combination mark (graphic symbol plus wordmark)
- Primary Elements: Stylized oak tree, wavy horizontal lines (River Trent), two five-pointed stars, the word “Forest” in uppercase
- Official Introduction Date: 1974 (based on 1973 competition winning design)
- Designer: David Lewis, lecturer at Trent Polytechnic
- Trademark Status: Registered trademark of Nottingham Forest Football Club
- Color Palette: Garibaldi Red (#DD0000) and White (#FFFFFF)
- Usage Context: Matchday kits, merchandise, stadium signage, digital platforms, official communications, and broadcast media
How Has the Nottingham Forest Logo Evolved Over Time?
The badge has changed roughly six times since the club’s early years. It started with borrowed city symbols, shifted to a modified coat of arms in the late 1940s, then got a complete redesign in 1974 that became the foundation for every version since. Stars were added after the 1979 and 1980 European Cup wins.
Early Symbols and the Jolly Forester (Pre-1946)
- Years Active: 1865-1946
- Design Description: No official club crest existed. The club used informal symbols connected to local folklore, including the “Jolly Forester” figure tied to Sherwood Forest and Robin Hood legends.
- Color Scheme: Garibaldi Red (adopted at founding in 1865)
- Designer: None formally credited
- Context: Forest was a multi-sport club in its early decades. Identity came more from the red kit color than any crest. The club got its name from the Forest Recreation Ground where matches were first played.
- Cultural Significance: The Garibaldi Red color, chosen to honor Italian patriot Giuseppe Garibaldi and his Redshirts, became the club’s most lasting identity marker. Forest was actually the first English club to officially adopt red.
Nottingham City Coat of Arms Badge (1946-1974)
- Years Active: 1946-1974 (appeared on shirts from 1957)
- Design Description: Nottingham’s city coat of arms featuring a castle, oak branches, and civic heraldic elements. Forest later adapted it by replacing the castle with the letters “NFFC.”
- Color Scheme: Red and white
- Designer: Based on existing city heraldry; adapted by the club’s manager and vice-chairman around 1957
- Context: Many English clubs used local civic arms during this era. It was a straightforward way to show local pride. But it created a problem down the line because the club couldn’t copyright a city symbol.
- Key Changes from Previous: First time Forest used any formal badge on kits
- Cultural Significance: Connected the football club directly to Nottingham’s civic identity, showing community roots
David Lewis Redesign (1974-Present)
- Years Active: 1974 to present (with minor updates)
- Design Description: Stylized tree for Sherwood Forest, wavy lines for the River Trent, the word “Forest” in bold uppercase. Two stars added above the crest after 1980.
- Color Scheme: Garibaldi Red (#DD0000) and White (#FFFFFF)
- Designer: David Lewis, graphic design lecturer at Trent Polytechnic
- Context: Copyright issues with the city coat of arms forced the club to seek its own original design. The Nottingham Evening Post hosted a competition in 1973 that attracted 855 entries from across the globe. Lewis, who also served as one of two advisers for the competition, submitted the winning entry and received a prize of 25 pounds.
- Key Changes from Previous: Complete departure from civic heraldry. The new badge was entirely original, built around natural landmarks instead of governmental symbols.
- Cultural Significance: This design arrived just before the Brian Clough era. Though Clough is sometimes mistakenly credited with the badge (he joined in 1975, a year after its adoption), the timing was perfect. The badge became synonymous with the club’s greatest period of success.
Two-Star Version (Post-1980)
- Years Active: 1980 to present
- Design Description: Same core Lewis design with two five-pointed stars placed above the tree to mark back-to-back European Cup victories
- Color Scheme: Garibaldi Red and White
- Context: Forest won the European Cup in 1979 and defended it in 1980 under Brian Clough and Peter Taylor. Adding stars above a badge to mark European triumphs is a tradition across European football.
- Key Changes from Previous: Stars added; no changes to the core design
- Cultural Significance: The two stars are what make this badge unmistakable. Forest remains the only club in Europe to have won the European Cup more times than the domestic league title. Those stars carry serious weight.
Minor Refresh (Early 2000s-Present)
- Years Active: Approximately 2000 to present
- Design Description: Cleaner lines, slightly refined proportions, improved readability at smaller sizes. The core design elements stayed the same.
- Color Scheme: Garibaldi Red (#DD0000) and White (#FFFFFF)
- Context: Updated to work better on digital screens and modern merchandise without losing any of the original character. Subtle stuff, really. Most fans wouldn’t spot the differences side by side unless they were looking hard.
- Key Changes from Previous: Proportional refinements and cleaner rendering for digital use
- Cultural Significance: Shows the club’s awareness that a badge needs to work across media, from embroidered patches on shirts to 16-pixel favicons on websites
What Do the Design Elements of the Nottingham Forest Logo Mean?
Every piece of the badge points back to Nottingham itself. The tree is Sherwood Forest. The wavy lines are the River Trent. The two stars are the European Cup wins.
Nothing in this badge is decorative for the sake of it. Each element carries a specific reference, either geographic or historical.
And the red? That goes all the way back to 1865, when the founding members chose Garibaldi Red to honor the Italian freedom fighter. It wasn’t a random pick. It was a political statement at the time.
Why Did Nottingham Forest Choose These Specific Colors?
Garibaldi Red
- Hex: #DD0000
- RGB: (221, 0, 0)
- CMYK: (7, 100, 100, 1)
- Pantone: PMS 485 C
- Named after Giuseppe Garibaldi’s Redshirts volunteers
- Represents passion, energy, and the club’s founding identity
- Forest was the first English club to officially wear red, and later donated red kits to Arsenal, directly influencing their color choice
White
- Hex: #FFFFFF
- RGB: (255, 255, 255)
- CMYK: (0, 0, 0, 0)
- Used as the secondary color for contrast and readability
- Appears in the badge lettering and background areas
The two-color palette is clean. Nothing extra. That simplicity is part of what makes the badge work at any size, from massive stadium displays to tiny app icons.
If you’re curious about the thinking behind color choices in branding, color psychology plays a big role in how fans and casual viewers perceive a club’s identity.
What Typography Style Is Used in the Nottingham Forest Logo?
The word “Forest” on the badge uses a bold, condensed sans-serif typeface. Some sources identify it as close to Helvetica ExtraCompressed, designed by Eduard Hoffmann and Max Miedinger.
It’s tight, uppercase, and reads clearly even at small sizes. The letterforms are sturdy without being heavy, which keeps the badge from feeling cluttered.
One detail that gets mentioned by fans: the lowercase “e” in some renderings of “Forest” has a slightly distinctive shape. It’s a small touch, but it adds personality to what could otherwise feel like a standard font choice.
What Are the Hidden Meanings in the Nottingham Forest Logo?
The tree is the most obvious symbol, but its style matters. It’s not a literal oak tree. It’s simplified, almost abstracted, which lets it function as a clean graphic at any scale.
The wavy lines under the tree aren’t just decoration. They represent the River Trent, which flows right past the City Ground where Forest have played since 1898.
And while the Robin Hood connection isn’t shown directly in the current badge, it lingers. Earlier versions leaned harder into the folklore, and the cultural link between Nottingham, Sherwood Forest, and the outlaw legend remains part of the club’s identity, even without a figure carrying a bow.
How Does the Nottingham Forest Logo Compare to Competitor Logos?
English football badges tend to fall into a few categories. There are the heraldic crests like Liverpool’s and Chelsea’s shields. There are the simpler, more modern marks like Manchester City’s circular badge.
And then there’s Nottingham Forest, which sits somewhere in between.
It’s not as complex as traditional heraldic crests, but it’s not stripped back to the bare minimum either. The tree and river give it a distinct visual character that most Premier League badges lack. You won’t confuse it with anything else.
Compared to local rivals like Derby County with their ram emblem, or Leicester City’s fox, Forest’s badge takes a landscape approach rather than an animal-based one. It’s rooted (literally) in place rather than character.
Against other tree-themed crests across European football, Forest’s version stands out for its simplicity. No unnecessary borders, no complex shields layered on top. Just the tree, the river, the stars, and the name. That restraint, which aligns well with strong logo design principles, is what keeps it timeless.
What Are the Technical Specifications of the Nottingham Forest Logo?
Official Color Codes
Primary Color: Garibaldi Red
- Hex: #DD0000
- RGB: (221, 0, 0)
- CMYK: (7, 100, 100, 1)
- Pantone: PMS 485 C
Secondary Color: White
- Hex: #FFFFFF
- RGB: (255, 255, 255)
- CMYK: (0, 0, 0, 0)
Dimensions and Proportions
The badge maintains a roughly circular footprint with the tree centered vertically. The two stars sit above the main emblem and are spaced evenly.
Official usage requires clear space around the badge equal to at least the height of one star on all sides. Minimum reproduction size guidelines exist for print and digital applications to make sure the “Forest” text remains legible.
The logo works as a vector graphic for scalability. You’ll find it produced in SVG format for web use and high-resolution formats for broadcast and merchandise. At lower resolutions, the wavy lines and tree detail hold up better than you’d expect for a badge with this level of detail, partly because the overall shape is simple enough to read even at thumbnail size.
What Cultural Impact Has the Nottingham Forest Logo Had?
This badge shows up everywhere in Nottingham. Pubs near the City Ground display it. Tattoo artists recreate it regularly. It’s been printed on everything from scarves to car stickers to phone cases.
But the real cultural weight comes from those two stars. Forest won back-to-back European Cups under Brian Clough in 1979 and 1980, a run that still feels impossible for a club of Forest’s size. Those stars on the badge are a constant reminder of that achievement, and they give the crest a prestige that goes beyond domestic football.
The badge also represents a specific kind of football identity. Forest aren’t flashy. They’re a club with deep roots in their community. And the badge, with its local natural landmarks and no-nonsense color scheme, reflects that. It’s not trying to be slick or trendy. It just is what it is.
Internationally, the badge carries recognition among football fans who know their history. The Clough era put Forest on the map, and the badge became the visual shorthand for that story.
How Does the Nottingham Forest Logo Fit Into the Overall Brand Identity?
The badge is the anchor point for everything the club does visually. The Garibaldi Red flows from the crest into kits, stadium branding, the official website, social media templates, and all brand guidelines.
Shirt manufacturer partnerships (currently with Adidas) build their kit designs around the badge as the center piece. The red and white color palette of the badge dictates the home kit colors every season.
The tree motif from the badge occasionally appears in expanded branding, like subtle patterns on training gear or stadium interior design. It gives the club a wider visual vocabulary without straying from the core identity.
The nickname “Tricky Trees” directly references the badge’s central tree element. So the logo doesn’t just represent the brand. It actually shaped the language fans use to talk about the club.
How Should the Nottingham Forest Logo Be Used?
Official Usage Do’s:
- Always reproduce the badge in its official colors (Garibaldi Red and White) or an approved single-color version
- Maintain the minimum clear space around the badge
- Use official vector files for any professional reproduction
- Follow minimum size requirements to keep text legible
Official Usage Don’ts:
- Don’t alter the badge proportions, colors, or individual elements
- Don’t place the badge on busy backgrounds that reduce readability
- Don’t recreate the badge from scratch or use unofficial versions
- Don’t remove the stars or modify the tree/river graphic
Where to Access Official Logos: The club’s official website (nottinghamforest.co.uk) provides media resources. Broadcast partners and licensed merchandise producers receive official asset packs directly from the club.
Licensing Information: The Nottingham Forest badge is a registered trademark. Any commercial use requires written permission from the club. Fan-created content for personal, non-commercial use is generally tolerated, but selling products featuring the badge without a license is not permitted.
Trademark Protection: The redesign in 1974 was specifically driven by the need for a copyrightable badge, since the club couldn’t legally protect the Nottingham city coat of arms. Every element of the current design is the intellectual property of Nottingham Forest Football Club Ltd.
FAQ on The Nottingham Forest Logo
What does the Nottingham Forest logo look like?
The badge features a stylized tree representing Sherwood Forest, wavy lines for the River Trent, and the word “Forest” in bold uppercase. Two stars sit above the emblem, marking the club’s back-to-back European Cup victories in 1979 and 1980.
Who designed the current Nottingham Forest badge?
David Lewis created it. He was a graphic design lecturer at Trent Polytechnic, now Nottingham Trent University.
The Nottingham Evening Post ran a competition in 1973 that pulled in 855 entries. Lewis won 25 pounds for his design, which was adopted in 1974.
What do the two stars on the Nottingham Forest crest mean?
They represent the two European Cup wins under Brian Clough and Peter Taylor. Forest won in 1979 and defended the title in 1980. It’s a tradition across European football to add stars for continental triumphs.
Why is Nottingham Forest’s color called Garibaldi Red?
The club picked it in 1865 to honor Giuseppe Garibaldi, the Italian patriot who led the Redshirts volunteers. Forest was the first English club to officially wear red.
They even donated red kits to Arsenal later, influencing that club’s colors too.
What are the official Nottingham Forest logo colors?
Garibaldi Red (Hex #DD0000, RGB 221, 0, 0) and White (Hex #FFFFFF). That’s it. Two colors.
The Pantone reference for the red is PMS 485 C. Simple palette, but it’s been working since 1865.
What font is used in the Nottingham Forest logo?
The lettering closely resembles Helvetica ExtraCompressed, a condensed sans-serif designed by Eduard Hoffmann and Max Miedinger. It’s clean, tight, and reads well at small sizes on kits and merchandise.
Has Nottingham Forest ever changed its logo?
Several times. Before 1946, there was no official crest. Then the club used Nottingham’s city coat of arms until copyright issues forced a redesign.
The 1974 David Lewis badge replaced everything. Minor refinements happened in the early 2000s, but the core design hasn’t changed since.
What does the tree in the Nottingham Forest emblem represent?
It’s a direct reference to Sherwood Forest, the famous woodland tied to Robin Hood folklore. The club’s name itself comes from the Forest Recreation Ground where matches were first played in the 1860s.
What do the wavy lines in the Forest badge mean?
They represent the River Trent. It flows right past the City Ground, where Forest have played since 1898.
The tree and river together ground the badge in Nottingham’s actual geography. Not abstract symbols. Real local landmarks.
Can I use the Nottingham Forest logo for my own products?
Not without permission. The badge is a registered trademark of Nottingham Forest Football Club. Commercial use requires a license from the club. Fan-made items for personal use are generally tolerated, but selling anything with the crest on it is not allowed.
Conclusion
The Nottingham Forest logo tells you everything about this club in a single glance. A tree for Sherwood, a river for the Trent, two stars for those unforgettable European nights under Brian Clough.
Few Premier League club crests carry that kind of clarity. No clutter, no gimmicks. Just Garibaldi Red, white, and a badge that has barely needed changing since David Lewis sketched it in 1973.
It works on a matchday shirt at the City Ground. It works as a tiny icon on a phone screen. That’s good design.
For a club founded in 1865, the NFFC emblem keeps proving that the best football club badges don’t chase trends. They hold their ground.
Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients.
His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8.
He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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Bogdan Sandu is a seasoned designer who has been designing websites since 2008. Renowned for his expertise in logo design and visual branding, Bogdan has developed a multitude of logos for various clients. His skills extend to creating posters, vector illustrations, business cards, and brochures. Additionally, Bogdan's UI kits were featured on marketplaces like Visual Hierarchy and UI8. He also wrote in the past years on sites like Design Your Way, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, Designmodo, Speckyboy, Slider Revolution, and more.
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