ARSENAL players and supporters have called on the club to bring back its mascot amid reports Gunnersaurus has been sacked.

Gunners legend Ian Wright and Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan were among the thousands of fans who were left reeling yesterday after it was alleged that their mascot had been axed.

Jerry Quy, who has cheered on the club for the past 27 years as the Gunnersaurus Rex mascot, was let go as part of Arsenal’s Covid-19 cost-cutting measures, the sports website The Atheltic reported.

This comes after the club announced earlier this year that 55 members of staff would lose their jobs while players continued to be paid hundreds-of-thousands of pounds a week.

And in a further twist in the tale Arsenal striker Mesut Ozil, who earns £350,000 a week,  has offered to pay for the mascot’s wages.

The 31-year-old German said on Twitter: “I was so sad that Jerry Quy, aka our famous and loyal mascot Gunnersaurus and integral part of our club, was being made redundant after 27 years. As such, I’m offering to reimburse Arsenal with the full salary of our big green guy as long as I will be an Arsenal player so Jerry can continue his job that he loves so much.”

Steve Kell, of the Arsenal Supporters Club, told the Tribune: “I am hoping the club had just put Gunnersaurus into hibernation and that he will be back when fans come back. They would be mad not to bring him back.”

He added: “To be honest, I would rather Ozil left, I think Gunnsersaurus has played more minutes this year than Ozil and he definitely doesn’t cost as much.”

Former striker Ian Wright tweeted this morning that it was “terrible news” that the mascot had gone and that “surely” he was going to be brought back when fans return to the Emirates.

Piers Morgan said he would “fight” to save the much-loved mascot adding that the sacking was “not what our club is about”.

Arsenal have been approached for comment.