UK Justice Secretary Jack Straw will make a decision "within weeks" on whether to pardon jailed Liverpool fan Michael Shields, BBC reported, citing his parents.
The 22-year-old is serving a 10-year sentence for the attempted murder of a Bulgarian barman after his team's win in the 2005 Champions League final.
His parents, Michael Snr and Maria, put their case to Straw during a meeting at Blackburn Town Hall earlier.
Shields called on Straw "to do the right thing and free my son".
In July, Straw made a provisional ruling not to release Shields and issue him with a pardon.
Shields' legal team then had 28 days to challenge the decision and make new representations to the minister.
It included looking at a report by Merseyside Police, which said had Shields' been tried in the UK, on the evidence used, he would have deserved a re-trial.
Speaking to BBC News, Shields Snr called the meeting "very productive".
He added: "Mr Straw listened to us in detail and to the information from Merseyside Police.
"He told us we would have a decision on the pardon within weeks not months. We just hope and pray it is to free Michael.
"I spoke to Michael before and told him how it went, but he doesn't want to get his hopes up yet."
Louise Ellman, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, a long-time supporter of Shields' campaign, and Councillor Joe Anderson, from Liverpool City Council, joined the family.
Shields, from Edge Hill, said he was in bed when the barman was attacked and has always maintained his innocence.
The victim, Martin Georgiev, had a rock dropped on his head in Varna, Bulgaria, where Shields, like a number of Liverpool fans, had broken the journey home from Istanbul.
Shields, then 18, was found guilty of attempted murder and sentenced to 15 years in prison, which was reduced to 10 years on appeal.
He is currently serving the remainder of his sentence in Thorn Cross Young Offenders Institute in Appleton Thorn, Warrington.
Shields is due for release in May 2010.
Uncle's Comment:This is indeed a strange case.I recall the furore at the time.There were many witnesses to the event as it took place in a bar, but the boy has always maintained his innocence.
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