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Ask any United devotee of a certain age regarding the importance of May 26th, 1999, and they'll recount that the date changed them forever. It was the night when last-minute strikes from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær sealed an incredible late turnaround in the European Cup final against the German giants at the Camp Nou. Simultaneously, the existence of one United fan in Eastern Europe, who has died at the 62 years old, was transformed.

Hopes in a Bygone Era

The fan in question was originally called Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in Svishtov, a community with a population of 22,000. Growing up in a socialist state with a love of football, he dreamed of legally altering his identity to… Manchester United. However, to take the name of a organization from the other side of the Iron Curtain was a futile endeavor. Had Marin tried to do so before the fall of the regime, he would undoubtedly have ended up in jail.

A Commitment Sealed by Fate

Many seasons after the end of communism in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's unique aspiration came one step closer to achievement. Tuning in from home from his modest home in Svishtov and with his team losing, Marin made a promise to himself: in the event of a reversal, he would spare no effort to become known as that of the team he adored. Then, a miracle occurred.

Marin fulfils his dream of visiting Old Trafford.

The Long Legal Battle

The following morning, Marin visited a lawyer to present his unique case, thus initiating a difficult fight. Marin’s father, from whom he had learned to support the club, was deceased, and the 36-year-old was living with his mother, working all kinds of odd jobs, including as a builder on a meager daily wage. He was struggling financially, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He quickly turned into the subject of gossip, then became an international sensation, but a decade and a half full of court cases and disheartening court decisions were to come.

Trademark Issues and Limited Success

His request was turned down at first for copyright reasons: he was barred from using the title of a world-famous brand. Then a presiding magistrate granted a limited approval, saying Marin could change his first name to Manchester but that he was not to use the second part as his official surname. “But I don’t want to be named after a city in the UK, I want to carry the title of my beloved team,” Marin stated during proceedings. The battle persisted.

Companions in Adversity

Outside of legal proceedings, he was often tending to his pets. He had a large number in his garden in Svishtov and cherished them equally with the Manchester United. He christened them after club legends: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the most famous cats in town. Who was his preferred pet of the name they used? One named after David Beckham.

Marin bedecked in United gear.

Advances and Ethics

Another victory was secured in court: he was permitted to include United as an legal alternative on his ID card. But still he wasn’t happy. “My efforts will persist until my full name is the club's title,” he declared. His narrative resulted in financial opportunities – an offer to have club products made using his identity – but even with his monetary challenges, he declined the proposal because he refused to make money from his favourite club. The club's identity was beyond commercial use.

Aspirations Fulfilled and Final Acts

A documentary followed in that year. The production team made his aspiration come true of visiting Old Trafford and there he even had the chance to see his compatriot, the Bulgaria striker then at the club at the time.

He inked the team emblem on his brow three years later as a protest against the legal rulings and in his last few years it became increasingly hard for him to continue his legal battle. Employment was hard to find and he lost his mother to Covid-19. But somehow, he found a way. By birth a Catholic, he underwent baptism in an Eastern Orthodox church under the name his desired full name. “In the eyes of the divine, I am with my chosen name,” he would frequently remark.

This Monday, 13 October, his time ran out. Perhaps now Manchester United’s determined supporter could achieve eternal tranquility.