Artist adds 'Mr Man' Saints mosaic to Pompey stadium

Will Rosie put his Mr Saints artwork on the side of Portsmouth Football Club's Fratton Park

An artist and football fan has stuck a mosaic celebrating his team on the stadium of their biggest rivals.

Will Rosie made a tile piece called Mr Saints, which depicted a Mr Man character wearing a Southampton Football Club shirt.

Last month he put the artwork on the side of Portsmouth Football Club's Fratton Park and took a photograph for social media, before removing it again.

The creative, who calls himself Mr Mosaic, said the stunt was about trying to "promote a jovial side to the rivalry".

Mr Rosie said he used a temporary adhesive to secure the mosaic to the wall, but quickly removed it after he was spotted by security for the stadium.

He joked that a love of "fun, art and adrenaline" was what inspired him.

Mr Rosie said Portsmouth fans have seen "the funny side" of the stunt

Mr Rosie said although there was "intense hatred" among some football fans, he has had some "good banter" with Portsmouth supporters.

He also said his mosaic had been taken in the humorous spirit that was intended.

"They can see the funny side." he said.

Mr Rosie compared it to the local story, which has become legend among fans, that Portsmouth Football Club-supporting builders buried one of their team's shirts under Southampton's St Mary's stadium during its construction in the early 2000s.

The artist, who works as a motivational speaker and a funeral celebrant, has been making and displaying tile versions of cartoon characters and Mr Men since 2007.

The works can be seen around his home city of Southampton.

Mr Rosie said he does the mosaics to promote public art and uses Mr Men because they are recognisable and "an innocent part of English heritage".