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Shamrock Rovers fan arrested in Bulgaria to return home following release

A Shamrock Rovers fan who was arrested in Bulgaria has been released and will be on a flight back to Ireland.

Tallaght man Daniel Fulham confirmed the news this afternoon. Daniel, 28, was detained and arrested on Wednesday morning after Bulgarian border officials wrongly accused him of carrying a fake passport saying his ID photo didn't match him.

Speaking on Twitter, the Dubliner said: "Really appreciate all the concerns and incredible work from everyone involved to help me get home. I should be on a flight home to Dublin tonight."

Read more: Shamrock Rovers fan held in Bulgaria over alleged 'fake passport'

Daniel is well known in the Rovers community after volunteering as the team's mascot, Hooperman, for years. Shamrock Rovers FC has paid for his flight home.

A spokesperson said: "Great news! Daniel has been released and is now in the process of making his way home. Thanks to a number of politicians and the Department of Foreign Affairs in getting this resolved quickly.

"The club has arranged and paid for the flight home and we look forward to seeing Dan at Saturday's game." Mum Noeleen previously told Dublin Live how Daniel was taken off a bus full of Rovers supporters at the Romanian-Bulgarian border.

Daniel had travelled to Malta and into Bulgaria on his passport with no issues. However the border officers wrongly accused him of using a fake passport on his way out of the country.

Noeleen, with the help of Fianna Fail's Charlie O'Connor, Sinn Fein's Eoin Ryan, and the Superintendent in Tallaght sent the Embassy of Bulgaria documents proving the passport was authentic. Noeleen said they sent documents including his student cards and birth certificates and the passport office also confirmed the passport was authentic.

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