Bradford City revealed last night that complaints about their City Gent mascot’s behaviour played a large part in their decision to revamp the character’s image.

The Telegraph & Argus exclusively reported on Tuesday how the League One club had told 59-year-old Lenny Berry he must wear a ‘Sumo-style’ suit to continue in the role because his appearance was ‘much changed’ from the original portly City Gent image.

Mr Berry said he believed it was because he was no longer fat enough after shedding seven stones when he was diagnosed with diabetes in 2006.

But Roger Owen, a City director, has now revealed they had received complaints about Mr Berry’s “behaviour, demeanour and attitude” from two clubs.

He said the club had promised Mr Berry confidentiality over those issues but said: “We feel the way the story’s been told on his side has breached confidentiality and forced us to reveal more details of the story.”

The T&A has seen a safety report from last season in which one club wrote: “The Bradford City mascot was a particular pain and will not be invited back again.”

Mr Owen added the club had also received complaints from some parents of matchday mascots about the City Gent’s “unsuitable” language.

However, in response Mr Berry said he had not received complaints from either League Two club on the matchdays in question, nor from Bradford City.

Mr Owen said: “We had hoped to address that with the opportunity to change his behaviour, linked to a change in physical appearance of the mascot, reverting back to the original concept of the City Gent.

“We offered him the chance of a fresh start.”

The club said they had notified Mr Berry of their concerns about his behaviour in a letter informing him of their decision to return to the ‘original concept’ of the City Gent with a padded suit and costume-style head.

He was told that because of the size of the suit, he would no longer be able to carry out pre-match tours for mascots and the role would now be unpaid.

Mr Berry told the club he would quit last Friday as he believed he had no other option but to leave the job he loved.

But talking about the club’s concerns about Mr Berry’s behaviour, Mr Owen said: “He had been pushing the boundaries. It was not an issue of weight. Some people have suggested we are encouraging obesity, but we are a professional sporting club, so why would we do that?”

After learning of the club’s allegations, Mr Berry told the T&A yesterday: “I did not intend to cause any aggro with the club but they have forced my hand.

“I have asked them why the issue with the two teams wasn’t addressed at the time. Nothing was said to me at all. If I had done anything wrong they would have taken me out or arrested me. But Bradford City said they only got the reports at the end of the season.”

On the issue of his language in front of child mascots, he said there was one occasion where he had “raised his voice” with another member of staff and it “wasn’t his fault”.

But he added: “If I swore I will have apologised there and then.

“I’ve had letters from parents of children who have been mascots who have sent me pictures and said how much they enjoyed their day.”