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Lifelong Arsenal fan Mick Doherty is celebrating his return to the Emirates Stadium – after winning a three-year battle to have a ban overturned.

Dubbed the “Archway One”, he said he was looking forward to attending the Gunners’ first game against Liverpool at the stadium on Sunday.

The club lifted a five-year ban from the Emirates two years early after an annual review of all barred fans.

The 49-year-old enjoyed a celebratory pint with his supporters at The George pub, off Holloway Road, after receiving a letter from the club allowing him to return to the stadium.

The former post office worker and trade unionist – who has described himself as “no angel” but “not a hooligan” – has campaigned vociferously against the ban for three years, but was in a reflective mood on Friday.

“I’m not a man to hold a grudge,” Mr Doherty told the Tribune. “I’m just an easygoing chap happy to be able to go and support his lifelong football club. I’m happy to draw a line under the whole sorry saga.”

Mr Doherty, who is chairman of Islington Boxing Club, was banned from the stadium after being found guilty of a public order offence at The Fonthill pub, in Finsbury Park, in 2012.

He served 180 hours of community service, but Mr Doherty maintained the altercation was between friends and had nothing to do with football.

Although a judge threw out a banning order, the police wrote to Arsenal asking it to bar Mr Doherty. He was given a five-year ban, which he maintains was “completely unjustified”.

Before the start of last season the Independent Football Ombudsman advised the club to drop the ban in time for the start of this season because it was deemed unfair, but the club at that time rejected an appeal.

An online petition calling for the ban to be dropped reached more than 3,500 signatures. Mr Doherty’s MP Jeremy Corbyn wrote to the club in support of his position. “I’m looking forward to getting back,” said Mr Doherty.

“As for how we do – it depends if Wenger puts his hands in his pockets. I want to thank everyone who supported me.”

A club spokesman said: “In line with the club’s procedures, we recently carried out our annual review of all stadium bans. In the case of Mr Doherty, we took the decision to conditionally suspend the remainder of his five-year ban.”