A grandmother obsessed with Jose Mourinho got a tattoo of the Manchester United boss wearing a Santa hat as a Christmas gift from her husband.
Vivien Boycote, 60, got her latest tattoo four days before Christmas as a gift from devoted husband Tony, 77, who has splashed out more than £2,000 on his wife’s obsession.
The cartoon portrait of the Special One wearing a Santa hat features the words ‘Santa Baby’ and is on her left leg.
Lifelong Chelsea FC fan Vivien switched teams two years ago, when her Portuguese hero got his job at Manchester United.
And although she now loves to tune into Man U matches, she would switch teams again in the blink of an eye to follow Mourinho.
Vivien said: “My new tattoo says ‘Santa Baby’ and it’s Jose wearing a Santa hat – it’s not too big, as it’s seasonal.
“I got it done on my left leg as there’s not enough room on my right leg.
“It’s like a cartoon – the face is a picture off the internet where he looks drop dead gorgeous.”
Grandmother-of-four Vivien got her first tattoo two years ago, aged 58.
Since then she has accumulated so many she has lost count – but believes there are more than 30.
The designs she is most proud of include her ‘godfather’ tattoo – a 8×5 inch portrait of Mourinho with the words ‘signed and sealed with a kiss’ and a copy of the Manchester United boss’ signature.
She also has a multicoloured tattoo she dubbed ‘Fifty Shades of Jose’ – a pack of playing cards with hearts and diamonds and a cartoon of Jose, and the words ‘I stand by the boss.’
Vivien said: “It is Jose all the way for me.
“My family are massive Man U fans and they like to tell me what’s going on.
“I was always a Chelsea supporter and used to go and watch matches with my late father.
“I followed Chelsea – then Jose came along.”
When the West London club sacked Mourinho after his second stint, on December 17 2015, after losing 9 of 16 Premier League matches, Vivien was heartbroken.
“I cancelled Christmas,” she said. “I didn’t see it coming.”
Her home in Earl Shilton, Leics, is a shrine to the 54-year-old football manager.
Even her dog, Sweep, a chihuahua crossed with a Scottie, bears a resemblance to Mourinho’s pooch.
Vivien said: “They are pretty much identical. If you saw them on a sofa together you couldn’t tell them apart”
She even has two tortoises, both a gift from Tony, named Jose and Tami – the name of Mourinho’s real-life wife.
Grandchildren Theo, aged 11, Aston, aged nine, Cailin, 13, and Finlay, aged seven, love looking at their gran’s zany body art.
And Tony not only pays for the tattoos but goes along for moral support.
Vivien said: “He doesn’t criticise, he comes with me and drops me off and picks me up.
“Tony’s a good man and he loves them.
“I can’t think of anyone that I like more than Jose other than my husband.”
