Ranking the Premier League mascots: Harry the Hornet, Gunnersaurus… By Gareth Evans

The man who made Harry the Hornet a legend among all Watford fans has announced his retirement – and we can only hope his successor maintains a proud tradition.
Gareth Evans announced his decision to give up the job ahead of Watford’s game against Manchester United, presumably much to the relief of Roy Hodgson, who previously labelled him a disgrace.
But, Crystal Palace fans aside, Harry the Hornet has been a much-loved figure in recent seasons. The other 19 mascots are simply his support acts.

Watford – Harry the Hornet 

If a mascot is the subject of an FA investigation, you know he’s good. That happened in 2016 when Harry the Hornet dived in front of Wilfried Zaha after he’d been booked for simulation, with Hodgson hilariously claiming his antics “should be stopped”.
Harry is also the star of one of the great photos of our time, perfectly copying Odion Ighalo’s celebration after scoring against Liverpool, and at one stage he even had his own Wikipedia page. Yes, really.

Manchester United – Fred the Red

Voted the most popular mascot back in 2011 by Match, Fred was allegedly concerned for his job security when Jose Mourinho took over as manager of Manchester United. But their relationship has run smoothly so far.

Huddersfield Town – Terry and Tilly the Terriers 

Tilly only made her debut at the John Smiths Stadium in 2016, becoming Terry’s new girlfriend. It’s keeping up with the tradition of mascot couples.