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Inquire of any United fan from an earlier generation regarding the importance of 26 May 1999, and they'll recount that the occasion left an indelible mark. It was the evening when last-minute strikes from Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær completed an stunning 2-1 comeback in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich at the famous Barcelona stadium. It was also, the existence of one devoted supporter in Bulgaria, who passed away at the 62 years old, was transformed.

Hopes in a Bygone Era

That supporter was given the name Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in Svishtov, a place with a modest number of residents. Growing up in communist Bulgaria with a love of football, he aspired to adopting a new name to… the Red Devils. But, to claim the name of a sports team from the other side of the Iron Curtain was a futile endeavor. Had Marin tried to do so prior to the end of communism, he would likely have been arrested.

A Vow Made Under Pressure

A decade after the political changes in Bulgaria – on that night in May 1999 – Marin's personal goal edged closer to reality. Tuning in from home from his simple residence in Svishtov and with the score against them, Marin vowed to himself: should his team mount a comeback, he would do anything to legally adopt the name that of the team he adored. Then, a miracle occurred.

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

A Protracted Court Struggle

A day later, Marin sought legal counsel to state his extraordinary desire, thus starting a grueling process. Marin’s father, from whom he had inherited his love of United, was deceased, and the 36-year-old was living with his mother, taking on various types of work, including as a builder on minimal earnings. He was struggling financially, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He quickly turned into the subject of gossip, then became an international sensation, but 15 years full of legal battles and discouraging rulings lay ahead.

Copyright Hurdles and Partial Victories

The application was turned down at first for intellectual property issues: he could not change his name of a internationally recognized entity. Then a presiding magistrate ruled partially in his favour, saying Marin could modify his forename to Manchester but that he was could not adopt the second part as his official surname. “But I don’t want to be associated with just a place in the UK, I want to carry the title of my cherished club,” Marin stated during proceedings. The battle persisted.

A Life with Feline Friends

Outside of legal proceedings, he was often tending to his pets. He had many animals in his garden in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the Red Devils. He christened them after club legends: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the most famous cats in town. The one he loved most of Man U? The feline known as Beckham.

Marin bedecked in United gear.

Progress and Integrity

He achieved a further success in court: he was permitted to include the club name as an recognized alias on his ID card. But he remained dissatisfied. “My efforts will persist until my full name is as I desire,” he declared. His story soon led to commercial propositions – 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 sacred to him.

Aspirations Fulfilled and Final Acts

A film was made in 2011. The crew fulfilled his wish of visiting Old Trafford and there he even met his compatriot, the forward playing for United at the time.

Permanently marked the team emblem on his forehead subsequently as a objection to the judicial outcomes and in his last few years it became more and more difficult for him to keep up the struggle. Job opportunities were scarce and he was bereaved to Covid-19. But somehow, he found a way. By birth a Catholic, he underwent baptism in an orthodox church under the name his desired full name. “In the eyes of the divine, I am with my chosen name,” he often stated.

This Monday, 13 October, his life came to an end. Perhaps now the club's persistent fan could at last be at rest.