The magpie is the representative bird of Dorchester Town because of its many qualities. Some of the qualities attributed to magpies, as listed on Wikipedia, are: noisy, sociable, trustworthy, pious and fun. One old Dorset rhyme runs as follows: “If at dawn you magpie spy, love will meet you by and by; if he pass at eventide, you mayst never be the bride; if at night you hear his call, likely you will get bog all.” So it was a bird associated in these parts with courtship and fortune in love. Indeed it used to be a custom to take two magpies to church with you on your wedding day, a custom which gradually died out because people thought it was stupid. Of course, magpies are also known for an attraction to collecting shiny things like trophies and this is where their similarity with the club ends. Cameron Carter