In response to queries about Yeovil Town FC's badge, David Le Fevre wrote to the mailing list: This question of the badge of the club came up on the list just before Christmas. I did some research and then didn't post in the excitement of the cup matches. Technically it's not a crest in heraldic terms, it's a shield with supporters. Mainly it's the shield and one supporter (reversed) of the armorial bearings of the Borough of Yeovil. These in themselves are not old, having been designed in the 1950's from historical references. The shield contains the figure of St John the Baptist (The parish church) under a decorated canopy. These have been the basis of the seal of the borough for about 700 years. It represents the influence of the church on the town from the reign of the Empress Maud, who placed the saxon freemen under the protection of the Parish Church.

The shield as depicted on club shirts, and some other items. See the bottom of this page for the 'full version'

On either side of the canopy is a crozier. One for the convent of Sion which was conferred the lordship of the borough by Henry V and one for the Chapter of Wells Cathedral in whose diocese Yeovil falls.

Each crozier is surmounted by a gold crown to denote Empress Maud, and King John who granted the first market charter, thus ensuring the continued standing of the town in those days.

In the Saint's hand is a red circular medallion (symbollising his martyrdom) with his holy lamb, in white in front of a gold cross staff. The supporters, as far as I can make out, are two gold lions of the Earls of Arundel, relatives of the Maltravers family of Hendford who held the lordship and advowson.

The Motto is not that of the Borough, but, speaks for itself.

The main source of this is 'The Borough of Yeovil, It's History and Government Through the Ages' by John Goodchild 1954.

I don't know when the club adopted this emblem but while looking this up I came across a pamphlet the football club released in 1973 to support its election to the league. The badge on those shirts was a large Y with a football at the apex and the letters Y F C in the gaps, the sort of post modernist emblem that was vogue in those days (remember the Leeds United Smiley badge of about that time?).