Matthew Richmond’s new cannon tattoo

WHAT better way to celebrate winning the premier league after 22 years, then getting the memory permanently etched on your body?

That is exactly what has been happening at Flamin’ Eight tattoo studio in Kentish Town, where two Arsenal-themed tattoos have been completed and three more appointments already booked in.

Naresh Bhana, tattoo artist at the Castle Road parlour, said he has done hundreds of Gunners tattoos throughout his career, but believes there could be many more in the coming weeks following Arsenal’s triumph.

He said: “Its quite an easy thing to show your allegiance to your team. But obviously now they have won, people want to celebrate this moment in this way because they never know when it will happen again.”

Matthew Richmond has enjoyed celebrating Arsenal’s title success

Mr Bhana has been tattooing since 1988.

Flamin’ Eight opened in 1998 in Holloway Road before moving to Kentish Town in 2002.

He said he had worked in a studio in Tottenham for several years, but strangely did more Arsenal tattoos than Spurs ones.

“I think people felt some sense of danger getting a tattoo of the rival team so close to the ground.”

When the New Journal popped into Flamin’ Eight on Thursday, we met not one but two people who had chosen to permanently ink their love for their club onto their body.

Ian Jno-Baptiste will never forget the year Arsenal won the Premier League

Matthew Richmond, 42, who grew up in Holloway, was in the hot seat getting an Arsenal cannon tattoo.

He said: “I’ve been supporting Arsenal since 1993, I was nine then and for the first 11 years we were very successful.

“We were winning trophies all the time and it felt like we were out on the streets celebrating at this time of year, every year. And then it just stopped. It’s been 22 years – I kept my season ticket, kept going to games thinking we might never win anything again and then after this long build-up, we did it. I have had the idea of getting a tattoo for a while but now seemed the right time to do it.”

Ian Jno-Baptiste with tattoo artist Naresh Bhana at Flamin’ Eight below

While we were in the shop, Ian Jno-Baptiste also popped back in after getting his Arsenal tattoo just the day before.

The 60-year-old, who is a railway signal engineer, said: “I’ve been a fan for almost 40 years. I’ve loved Arsenal ever since Ian Wright was playing – I just fell in love. I feel a sense of happiness. People were taking the mick out of us for years, calling us snowflakes – now look at us, we’ve done it.”

Mr Jno-Baptiste, who owns close to 40 Arsenal shirts and buys his two grandchildren a new shirt every year for their birthday with their age on the back, said getting a Gooner tattoo was a no-brainer.

“We won the league,” he said. “For 22 years I have always wanted to get a tattoo but winning the league was the moment I knew it had to happen.”

He said he was delighted when Flamin’ Eight – known as north London’s best tattoo shop – called him to say they had a cancellation, meaning he could get his tattoo just in time for the Champions League final.

“I’ll be adding that to the tattoo if we win on Saturday – and I’ll be back in here to get it.”

Arsenal lost to Paris St Germain on penalties.