Terras ground Harry the Hawk
By Matt Pitman

Wednesday 23rd November 2005

HARRY the Hawk has been banned from the Wessex Stadium.

Havant and Waterlooville's bird-costumed mascot has been told he is not welcome at Saturday's Conference South clash between Weymouth and the Hawks.

Harry the Hawk usually only appears at Havant home games, but decided he wanted to spread his wings and visit the Radipole Lane venue this weekend.

But Terras officials have ordered him to stay away from the Wessex Stadium saying the decision was due to `commercial factors'.

Weymouth chief executive Gary Calder told Echosport: "We had a call from someone at Havant and Waterlooville asking if their mascot, Harry the Hawk, could attend this Saturday's match.

"We told him that unfortunately due to club regulations and commercial factors, we couldn't allow it.

"He said he accepted our reasoning and was okay about it. Then all of a sudden we heard complaints and it seems to me that the entire episode has been blown out of all proportion."

Weymouth's own costumed-mascot Ivan the Terra-Bull is allowed to appear at the Wessex Stadium, said Calder.

"Ivan the Terra-Bull is our own mascot and is fine to appear at Weymouth games," he said.

"We wouldn't expect to be allowed to take Ivan to opposing clubs who have their own mascots such as Nottingham Forest a couple of weeks back.

"In addition, our commercial department have worked hard selling mascot packages and people pay quite a bit of money for the privilege of being our match-day mascot.

"It wouldn't be very fair on them to allow a mascot from another club here.

"We're not picking on Havant and Waterlooville, we would give the same answer to any other club on this issue."