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Ask any United devotee from an earlier generation about the meaning of that fateful day in May 1999, and they'll recount that the night was life-altering. It was the evening when last-minute strikes from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær sealed an unbelievable late turnaround in the European Cup final against Bayern Munich at the famous Barcelona stadium. Simultaneously, the existence of one loyal follower in Bulgaria, who recently died at the age of 62, changed forever.

Hopes in a Bygone Era

The fan in question was originally called Marin Levidzhov in a small Danube town, a community with a modest number of residents. Living in communist Bulgaria with a devotion to football, he dreamed of legally altering his identity to… Manchester United. But, to claim the name of a sports team from the Western world was an unattainable goal. Any effort to do so prior to the end of communism, he would almost certainly have ended up in jail.

A Vow Made Under Pressure

Many seasons after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's idiosyncratic dream edged closer to fulfillment. Viewing the match from his simple residence in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin made a promise to himself: in the event of a reversal, he would do anything to legally adopt the name that of the object of his devotion. Then, the impossible happened.

He realized his ambition to see the Theatre of Dreams.

The Long Legal Battle

The following morning, Marin sought legal counsel to express his unusual request, thus initiating a difficult fight. The parent who inspired him, from whom he had learned to support the club, was deceased, and the 36-year-old was caring for his parent, taking on various types of work, including as a construction worker on a meager daily wage. He was struggling financially, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He rapidly evolved into the subject of gossip, then was featured globally, but 15 years full of judicial disputes and setbacks in litigation lay ahead.

Legal Obstacles and Small Wins

The application was turned down at first for intellectual property issues: he could not change his name of a world-famous brand. Then a court official granted a limited approval, saying Marin could alter his given name to the city name but that he was not to use United as his official surname. “Yet my aim is to be associated with just a place in England, I want to bear the identity of my cherished club,” Marin stated during proceedings. His fight went on.

A Life with Feline Friends

When not in court, he was often tending to his pets. He had a large number in his outdoor space in Svishtov and loved them as much as the Red Devils. He named them all after club legends: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the celebrity pets in town. Which was the favourite cat of Man U? The feline known as Beckham.

Marin bedecked in United gear.

Progress and Integrity

Marin managed another breakthrough in court: he was permitted to include United as an official nickname on his ID card. But he remained dissatisfied. “My efforts will persist until my entire name is as I desire,” he promised. His story soon led to business offers – a proposal to have supporters' goods produced under his new name – but despite his financial struggles, he rejected the opportunity because he did not want to profit from his favourite club. The club's identity was beyond commercial use.

Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols

A film was made in 2011. The production team fulfilled his wish of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even had the chance to see Dimitar Berbatov, the national team player playing for United at the time.

Marin tattooed the United crest on his face three years later as a protest against the judicial outcomes and in his last few years it became ever tougher for him to keep up the struggle. Job opportunities were scarce and he lost his mother to Covid-19. But somehow, he found a way. By birth a Catholic, he got baptised in an orthodox church under the name Manchester United Zdravkov Levidzhov. “At least God will know me with my true identity,” he used to say.

This Monday, 13 October, his life came to an end. Perhaps now the club's persistent fan could achieve eternal tranquility.