Ducks in tug-of-war over badge

By Andy Mitchell

FANS credited with saving homeless Aylesbury United from extinction are calling on chairman Graham Read to give back to the club the rights over its badge.

21st Century Ducks – United’s supporters’ trust – discovered that the emblem was registered as a trademark in the name of long-serving chief Read back in November 2022.

The group’s statement claims that raising this resulted in Read demanding a 20 per cent “surcharge” on any merchandise carrying the official club crest alongside “extensive monthly reporting” – this despite the club’s website acknowledging that it was “safe to say the Ducks would have not survived without the contributions from the supporters’ trust”.

It was announced earlier this month that the trust would cease producing and selling merchandise with immediate effect but chair Andy Martin told The NLP that the restrictions have now been lifted by Read, although there has been no movement on the trademark issue.

Martin, who also serves on the club board, said that the trust had stepped in to start merchandise sales around four years ago because the club, now groundsharing 14 miles out of town at Chesham United, did not have the capacity to do so.

The trust owns 39 per cent of the Southern League division One Central club – Read has 51 per cent – and takes on a number of hands-on roles, particularly on matchdays.

Martin acknowledged that the trust controls and keeps the proceeds from merchandise but added that it makes a fixed monthly financial contribution to the club, increasing that amount in the past year because sales had been strong.

For now, things are largely back to normal but Martin says concerns over the crest are lingering and proving a “distraction” to the ultimate goal – a return to Aylesbury almost 20 years after United was evicted from Buckingham Road in 2006 when the lease expired.

“The trust’s position is that the club should own its emblem, not any individual shareholder,” he said.

“The lifting of the restrictions is a positive first step but there is much more to do. Historically the trust and club have had a really good relationship and it would be good for that to continue. We will continue to support the club but we will have to look at things dependent on what happens around the situation.

“Everyone’s focus needs to be on working together to find a way to bring the Ducks back home.”

The NLP approached Read for comment but are yet to receive a response.