A FOOTBALL fan who was banned from watching his team after he fell asleep at a game has spoken of his relief at being given his season ticket back.

Lifelong Middlesbrough supporter Adrian Carr was given a two-year conditional discharge by magistrates after he drank six pints and fell asleep during the match at Boro's Riverside Stadium.

He was escorted from the game against Arsenal on August 24 and was locked up for five hours by police when he was found slumped in his seat.

Engineering machinist Mr Carr, 28, admitted in court this week to drinking six pints of strong lager.

But he said the reason he fell asleep was he was tired from having worked 71 hours in the previous nine days.

He was found guilty by magistrates in Middlesbrough of being drunk in a sports ground, a charge he had denied. He was also ordered to pay £150 court costs.

Mr Carr, of Caithness Road, Middlesbrough, had hoped his £370 season ticket, which had been confiscated by Boro chiefs, would be returned immediately. He was also banned from away games.

Because Mr Carr plans to appeal, the club decided not to return his ticket. Now they have changed their minds, and Adrian said yesterday he was delighted.

He said: "It is a great feeling to be able to go and watch my team again. That is all I ever wanted to do, and this time I will not fall asleep.

"I do not feel justice has been done and I still want to clear my name and prove I was not drunk when I was arrested and that I have been treated very badly."

Mr Carr can now go and watch Boro play against Bolton later this month at the final of the Carling Cup, in Cardiff.

A spokesman for Middlesborough FC declined to comment