Arsenal have been in the news for all the right reasons for much of this season thanks to an incredible season which has them top of the Premier League table and gunning for a first title in 19 years.
But things took something of a turn over the weekend when the Gunners were involved in a storm over their mascot for their home game with West Ham United. Arsenal let a two-goal lead slip for the second game in a row, to drop points in the title race with Manchester City.
Arsenal players were criticised in many quarters after the club posted a video on their social media channels of the first-team squad with a mascot ahead of the clash with the Hammers. The players were seen signing a shirt for the young person before heading into the changing room, but what annoyed many was the lack of player interaction with said mascot.
READ MORE: Martin Odegaard video proves criticism of Arsenal players' treatment of mascot is misplaced
However, another video emerged of club captain Martin Odegaard speaking to the girl in the tunnel before the game and her father chipped in with a statement of his own after the Gunners players were crtiticised.
He said: "My daughter had a lovely time as Mascot for @Arsenal. There was only a small window to meet the players and she enjoyed it very much. Odegaard is her favourite player so to hold his hand onto the pitch was very special."
It was all something of a storm in a teacup, but Arsenal have been doing the right thing with mascots long before the West Ham match or what happened during it.
That is because like a number of other clubs in the Premier League, the Gunners do not charge for children to be mascots at their matches. All you need to do is be a junior member and register an interest in becoming a mascot.
Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool are all similar in not charging for mascots to walk out with the team on matchdays. There are, however, a number of Premier League clubs who do, however, with prices ranging from £300 to £500, according to the Daily Mail.
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