Shrewsbury Town's Lenny the Lion considers retirement

Ron Millar said he did not expect to be the Shrewsbury Town mascot for more than a game or two

One of the longest-serving mascots in the Football League is considering retirement after 30 years in the role.

Ron Millar, aka Lenny the Lion, got the job after a "moment of stupidness" prompted him to dress up as a penguin to watch Shrewsbury Town.

A job offer came his way shortly afterwards, although it was decided to switch to a lion instead of a penguin.

Increasing demands plus pressures away from football have prompted him to think about calling it a day.

"We have to appear three hours before every game and work commitments don't allow that," he said.

He said he had not planned to become a mascot, but at that game in the late-80s when he dressed up in a penguin costume, a player called Richard Pratley suggested he hand out sweets to the younger fans.

"I thought that would be the end of it," he said, but he was then invited to appear on BBC Radio Shropshire and explain why Shrewsbury Town had a penguin for a mascot.

After a phone-in, he said it was decided a lion would be more appropriate, to match the lions on the town's coat of arms.

"So I thought I'll do it next week for you, but the club will have to get someone in," he said.

"Thirty years later I'm still doing it."

Mr Millar said he enjoyed the "connection with the kids and standing in front of all of the fans"

Shrewsbury Town currently reside in League One. Mr Millar said he enjoyed the opportunity to "be mischievous" and have fun with the visiting teams.

"I love seeing it when all the fans are optimistic, which is before kick off, I'm not one of these ones which wants to stand around at half time when we're losing 4-0 because its your fault and I don't want to be a part of that."

His highlights include visiting Wembley and also arranging what he believes was the first Mascots race.

Mr Millar said he still talks to some of the "original crew" of the very first football mascots and has made an "unbelievable amount of friends" in the game.