Bryan Rossborough says he is “over the moon” that he will be picking up his new passport in Belfast on Friday
Bryan Rosborough, from Derry, sent his British passport for renewal in mid-April.
He then discovered afterwards that he was successful in the club’s ballot for tickets for the final in Paris.
Without a valid passport Bryan faced a race against time over whether it would arrive in time.
The Derry postman said his passport had been due to expire in August and knew he needed to renew it soon.
With summer holiday plans in mind, and aware of issues for passport applications, he decided to plan ahead.
Liverpool still in the competition’s quarter final stage at that point, he sent off the application, “never thinking I would be successful in getting a ticket for the final”.
When Bryan found out he was one of the lucky fans to get his hands on a ticket, he then proceeded to “try every option available” to ensure he would be able to travel to the game.
“I have always held a British passport,” Mr Rosborough said.
“I went to politicians on both sides of community and I enquired about an Irish passport but I was told it’s going to be or more or less the same procedure.”
With both time and hope fading, Bryan said he felt his chances of seeing his beloved reds in a European final became less and less likely.
But on Wednesday afternoon Bryan received a phone call to say his new passport would be available for collection in Belfast on Friday – the day before he is set to fly out to Paris from Dublin.
Bryan, who is a member of the Waterside Liverpool Supporter’s Club, said he was “over the moon” to receive the news.
“You have no idea how relieved I am that they [HM Passport Office] got back to me,” Mr Rosborough told BBC News NI.
Bryan said he would “not be fully happy until he got his hands on the actual passport” but said he was “a lot more hopeful now” of making the flagship sporting event.
The Liverpool fan hopes his luck regarding his passport will now translate to his team’s fortunes in the final.
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