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Cod Almighty! Football clubs with fishing in their blood

Football on grass

Last updated: 18 January, 2026 @ 11:01

When you think of football club nicknames or badges, seafood probably isn’t the first thing that springs to mind.

But there are some clubs whose identities are genuinely tied to fishing and seafood.

Take Morecambe FC – currently in the headlines for its financial woes – which is affectionately nicknamed The Shrimps.

It’s a name that proudly nods to the club’s coastal roots and the town’s long-standing tradition of shrimp fishing in Morecambe Bay.

This seafood/football marriage got us thinking that it was time to celebrate football clubs with genuine fishing and seafood ties.

So, here’s our rundown of the clubs who wear their coastal heritage on their sleeves – or at least on their kits.

Morecambe FC – The Shrimps (England)

Morecambe’s club badge features a shrimp

Morecambe FC is the poster club for seafood-themed football.

Based on the edge of Morecambe Bay, in the northwest of England, this League Two side wears its nickname – The Shrimps – with pride.

The club badge has featured a shrimp for many years, and shrimp fishing remains part of the town’s cultural DNA, with potted shrimp the local delicacy.

Right now, the club’s fighting for survival off the pitch — but their identity still holds strong.

Fleetwood Town – The Cod Army (England)

Supporters of Fleetwood Town are collectively known as ‘The Cod Army’

Some football clubs take their seafood heritage a step further with mascots that celebrate their fishing roots.

Take Morecambe’s near-rivals Fleetwood Town FC, whose mascot is a friendly codfish, a playful nod to the town’s strong fishing industry.

To further honour the town’s fishing heritage, supporters of the club are affectionately known as The Cod Army.

Southend United – The Shrimpers (England)

Like Morecambe, Southend United’s club badge also features a shrimp

Southend United is another club with shrimping heritage baked into its nickname.

Southend sits on the Thames Estuary and was once home to a thriving shellfish industry.

The nickname The Shrimpers harks back to that era, and while the industry has faded, the identity sticks – as does the inclusion of a shrimp on the club’s badge.

Grimsby Town – The Mariners / Harry Haddocks (England)

Grimsby Town – known as The Mariners. The club badge features a trawler and three fish

Grimsby has deep fishing roots — nad was once home to the world’s largest fishing port.

The club’s nickname The Mariners is fitting, but fans have taken things a step further with inflatable Harry Haddocks, waved from the stands in a long-standing and wonderfully surreal tradition.

What’s more, Grimsby Town’s club badge features a fishing trawler along with three fish — they’re as fishy as football gets.

Peterhead FC – The Blue Toon (Scotland)

Peterhead’s club badge is a stylishly fishy number

Peterhead is one of Scotland’s busiest fishing ports, and its football club proudly reflects that heritage.

Peterhead FC’s badge vividly represents the town’s identity: a wavy triangle symbolising the sea, while inside sits a football and a stylised fish — a direct nod to Peterhead’s fishing industry.

Additionally, the inclusion of a net cements the link between the town’s two great passions – football and fishing.

But that’s not all. The town’s nickname – Blue Toon, also adopted by its football club – derives from the fishing industry and a specific type of stocking that fishermen from the town once wore.

US Concarneau – Les Thoniers (France)

The town’s fishermen star in the club’s kit launch ahead of the 2025/26 season

The French club US Concarneau carries the nickname Les Thoniers — the tuna boats — highlighting the town’s important tuna fishing fleet.

To launch the 2025/6 kit, the club enlisted the help of local fishermen — complete with a stylish trawler-themed photoshoot and weather-wizened fishermen.

The accompanying video (see below) is actually pretty good.

FC Lorient – Les Merlus (France)

FC Lorient’s 2025/26 kit pays homage to the colour of fishermen’s crates at the local port

Sticking with France, FC Lorient, located in Brittany, is nicknamed Les Merlus (the Hakes).

The club’s badge includes a hake, emphasising the club’s deep fishing roots.

And trawler-themed kit launches seem to be the in thing in France at the moment, with FC Lorient also keen to pay homage to the local fishing industry.

Lorient’s effort even features some sexy slow-mo shots. Watch the full clip below.

Málaga CF – Los Boquerones (Spain)

Watching ‘The Anchovies’ in action

The nickname of Spain’s Málaga CF’s, Los Boquerones, means ‘The Anchovies’, reflecting the coastal city’s fishing traditions.

This nickname is a direct link to the local seafood culture.

Final whistle

Football clubs around the world often celebrate their local culture and industry through nicknames, badges, and community identity.

For coastal towns with fishing and seafood at their heart, it isn’t just food – it’s part of their story and pride.

Whether it’s Morecambe’s shrimps, Grimsby’s mariners, or Peterhead’s fishing-related badge and nickname, these clubs proudly showcase their fishing and seafood heritage – creating a unique blend of football passion and seafood tradition.

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