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Inquire of any Man United fan of a certain age concerning the importance of that fateful day in May 1999, and they will tell you that the occasion was life-altering. It was the moment when dramatic late goals from Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær completed an unbelievable late turnaround in the showpiece event against the German giants at the Camp Nou. Simultaneously, the existence of one devoted supporter in Bulgaria, who recently died at the 62 years old, was transformed.

A Dream Born in Communist Bulgaria

This individual was originally called Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in his hometown, a community with a modest number of residents. Living in communist Bulgaria with a passion for football, he dreamed of changing his name to… his beloved club. However, to take the name of a sports team from the other side of the Iron Curtain was mission impossible. Any effort to do so during the socialist era, he would undoubtedly have been arrested.

A Vow Made Under Pressure

A decade after the political changes in Bulgaria – on that night in May 1999 – Marin's unique aspiration came one step closer to reality. Viewing the match from his simple residence in Svishtov and with his team losing, Marin swore an oath to himself: in the event of a reversal, he would spare no effort to legally adopt the name that of the object of his devotion. Then, the impossible happened.

A lifelong wish to walk the halls of the famous stadium came true.

A Protracted Court Struggle

A day later, Marin consulted an attorney to state his extraordinary desire, thus starting a grueling process. Marin’s father, from whom he had learned to support the club, was long gone, and the man in his thirties was caring for his parent, taking on various types of work, including as a builder on £15 a day. He was barely getting by, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He rapidly evolved into the talk of the town, then became an international sensation, but a decade and a half full of court cases and disheartening court decisions awaited him.

Legal Obstacles and Small Wins

His request was rejected initially for trademark concerns: he was barred from using the title of a internationally recognized entity. Then a local judge allowed a compromise, saying Marin could alter his given name to Manchester but that he was prohibited from using the second part as his legal last name. “However, I desire to be identified with an urban area in the UK, I want to bear the identity of my cherished club,” Marin stated during proceedings. His fight went on.

His Beloved Cats

When not in court, he was often caring for his feline friends. He had many animals in his garden in Svishtov and cherished them equally with the Red Devils. He named them all after team stars: such as Vidic and others, they were the best-known felines in town. The one he loved most of his close friends' nickname for him? The feline known as Beckham.

He was often seen in full club regalia.

Advances and Ethics

He achieved a further success in court: he was granted the right to append United as an legal alternative on his identification document. But still he wasn’t happy. “I won’t stop until my entire name is as I desire,” he promised. His story soon led to financial opportunities – a chance to have supporters' goods produced under his new name – but although he was in need, he rejected the opportunity because he refused to make money from his favourite club. The Manchester United name was beyond commercial use.

Aspirations Fulfilled and Final Acts

A film was made in that year. The crew made his aspiration come true of experiencing the Theatre of Dreams and there he even met his compatriot, the forward on the team's roster at the time.

Marin tattooed the club badge on his face three years later as a demonstration against the court decisions and in his closing chapter it became more and more difficult for him to persist with his fight. Work was limited and he lost his mother to the pandemic. But against the odds, he persevered. Born as a Catholic, he underwent baptism in an orthodox church under the name his desired full name. “At least God will know me with my chosen name,” he used to say.

On a recent Monday, his life came to an end. Perhaps now Manchester United’s persistent fan could at last be at rest.