Liverpool fan from Lancing gets 'Premier League Champions 2019/20' tattoo - in January

Lancing's Mark Gretton, 53, has had 'Liverpool Premier League Champions 2019/20' permanently etched into his skin - despite the season not ending until May 17.

The runaway Premier League leaders could wrap things up as early as March and any collapse from here would go down as one of the most dramatic capitulations in sporting history, but Mark said he is well aware of the risks.

"If we don't win I will run to the hills," said the lifelong Liverpool fan.

"My son said 'dad, what are you doing?' - all his mates are Chelsea fans and they said they can't wait to take the mickey out of me.

"It's going to go one of two ways. If we don't win it, I'm going to get absolutely rinsed by everyone that knows me. But it's game over now. Every Liverpool fan in the country will say it's one result."

Mark, who lives in Bishops Close, got his tattoo at Oscar Jack's Tattoo Parlour in Shoreham's Buckingham Road.

The maintenance and facilities manager said he already has two tattoos, so there were no nerves going into Friday's (January 31) sitting.

"I'm not worried about the pain, it's all about the game," he said.

Growing up in the 1970s and '80s, Mark fondly remembers the years of Liverpool dominating world football and seeing Kevin Keegan score twice in the 1974 FA Cup final.

He said he hoped the team's recent form, which has seen them build a 22-point lead at the top of the league to go with their Champions League, Club World Cup and European Super Cup titles, would usher in a new period of dominance.

Should Liverpool close out the win it would be their first title since 1989/90, but Mark said he has a contingency plan to cover up the tattoo if the worst happens.

The striking design on his upper right arm, which includes a big red liver bird, looks like it would take some covering, but all signs point to that not being necessary.