With some teams who feature in the Crest Redesign Competition Weekly (CRCW), it’s very hard to distance the creativity from the current team badge.

Not impossible, and in the 402nd stage of our long-running contest, Ochoa510 went ultra-minimalist and ultra-modern with their Real Sociedad effort, and to great effect, but generally there was a basis of faithfulness once the voting page was populated.

The 350th stage of the Kit of the Week (KOTW) challenge was dedicated to San Miguel-based Salvadoran Primera División side Club Deportivo (CD) Águila.

Of course we got some wonderful black-and-orange designs for Negronaranjas, perhaps with more variety in style than we’ve ever seen before, but that wasn’t the full story.

Sometimes, in the Kit of the Week (KOTW) challenge, the standard can be gauged by what doesn’t make the podium, as much as what does.

In the 349th stage, dedicated to Liechtenstein-based Swiss Challenge League side Fussball Club (FC) Vaduz, the likes of Kevski77’s somehow bold and understated creation and ONI’s work of beauty not making the top three speaks volumes.

1. Fußballclub Union Berlin e. V. - 1. FC Union Berlin - didn’t have, in 2023-24, a season like they had the previous campaign, but it’s likely they’ll be pretty satisfied with their showing in recent years.

They probably would have made the Crest Redesign Competition Weekly (CRCW) at some point, but their presence this year can be put down to their contemporary exploits, and certainly the excitement that their stage was met with can.

Having 400 stages of a challenge is quite an achievement, so huge thanks have to go to everyone who has contributed to the Crest Redesign Competition Weekly (CRCW) over the years, not least the wonderful administrators - it’s currently in the assured hands of Narci.

For the 400th chapter, presentation was kept uniform - with records of the entrants displayed on special frames - and the fantasy client were Abu Dhabi-based UAE Pro League side Al Ain Football Club (FC).

Persatuan Sepakbola Indonesia Bandung - Persib - are much feared in Indonesia’s Liga 1, and they have a pretty striking look too, so a Kit of the Week (KOTW) challenge stage here made a lot of sense.

What ensued was a pleasing range of styles, with tonal blues and sparing - but creative - embellishment in secondary tones, eventually seeing a podium filled by raffe, fayed and OTHYcreative.