EXTINCT
I was Arsenal’s mascot Gunnersaurus for 26 years before I was brutally axed – I just wanted someone to say ‘well done’
One former Arsenal player even offered to pay his wages
THE MUCH-LOVED former Gunnersaurus says all he wanted was a “well done” from Arsenal after he was made redundant following 26 years of service.
Jerry Quy found himself in the headlines in October 2020 after the Gunners AXED their beloved mascot.
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He was the man inside the costume since its birth in 1993 but, along with 54 others, he was let go as part of cost-cutting measures amid the Covid pandemic.
Quy was a hugely popular figure at the Emirates and Highbury previous to their stadium switch.
Hordes of fans criticised his exit while Arsenal legend Ian Wright plus Gunners-daft Piers Morgan joined in with their support.
TV star Holly Willoughby shared her sadness at the departure while Mesut Ozil, who had then been exiled by Mikel Arteta, offered to pay Gunnersaurus's wages.
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Quy is a lifelong fan of Arsenal since taking in his first game in 1963 and was part of the Junior Gunners and Travel Club.
And his commitment to the role of Gunnersaurus even led to him missing his own brother's wedding to attend a home game.
Speaking to , he said: “I never felt like it was a job doing Gunnersaurus.
“It was an honour. I would’ve carried on doing it voluntarily forever. It was my privilege.”
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Even without live football or fans throughout the pandemic, Quy still continued to try and keep fans entertained during lockdown.
He threw on the costume to share snaps of 'Gunnersaurus at Home' in a bid to cheer up house-bound supporters.
Piers Morgan plea to save long-serving Arsenal mascot Gunnersaurus after it was reported he had been released by the club
However, even that was not enough to stop him being informed that there was no longer a need for a full-time Gunnersaurus.
And he revealed the most painful thing about his exit.
Quy said: “I was upset and disappointed.
“I just wanted a handshake, for somebody to say, ‘Well, 26 years of Gunnersaurus, you did a good job’. But I didn’t get that from anybody at Arsenal.”
With the club updating the Gunnersaurus kit each season, Quy had amassed a huge collection of dino-sized shirts throughout his time in the job along with the iconic suits, spare heads and boots.
However, there was one added twist that added even more pain to his exit.
He added: “That was the saddest thing for me.
“I had 26 years of memories and then one day I got a call from my line manager saying, ‘We want it all back’.
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“I should’ve said, ‘No, on your bike’ — but I didn’t. They sent a massive van and took it all away.
“It was hurtful. They’d allowed me to have them.”
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