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Ask any Man United fan of a certain age regarding the importance of 26 May 1999, and the answer will be that the date was life-altering. It was the evening when dramatic late goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær secured an incredible late turnaround in the showpiece event against Bayern Munich at the famous Barcelona stadium. That same night, the existence of one United fan in Eastern Europe, who has died at the age of 62, took a new direction.

Hopes in a Bygone Era

This individual was originally called Marin Levidzhov in Svishtov, a place with a tight-knit community. Living in communist Bulgaria with a passion for football, he aspired to legally altering his identity to… Manchester United. Yet, to take the name of a football club from the Western world was mission impossible. Had Marin tried to do so before the fall of the regime, he would likely have faced imprisonment.

A Vow Made Under Pressure

Ten years after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria – on the unforgettable final – Marin's personal goal moved nearer to fulfillment. Tuning in from home from his simple residence in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin made a promise to himself: if United somehow turned the game around, he would do anything to legally adopt the name that of the object of his devotion. 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 beginning a long, hard battle. His dad, from whom he had inherited his love of United, was long gone, and the man in his thirties was caring for his parent, working all kinds of odd jobs, including as a builder on minimal earnings. He was struggling financially, yet his dream became an obsession. He rapidly evolved into the talk of the town, then gained worldwide attention, but 15 years full of legal battles and disheartening court decisions awaited him.

Copyright Hurdles and Partial Victories

His request was rejected initially for intellectual property issues: he was not permitted to adopt the name of a internationally recognized entity. Then a local judge allowed a compromise, saying Marin could change his first name to the city name but that he was prohibited from using the second part as his official surname. “Yet my aim is to be named after a city in the UK, I want to carry the title of my cherished club,” Marin stated during proceedings. His fight went on.

Companions in Adversity

During breaks from litigation, he was often looking after his cats. He had many animals in his outdoor space in Svishtov and loved them as much as the Manchester United. He named them all after club legends: from Rio to Rooney, they were the celebrity pets in town. Which was the favourite cat of his close friends' nickname for him? The feline known as Beckham.

Marin bedecked in United gear.

Breakthroughs and Principles

Marin managed another breakthrough in court: he was granted the right to append United as an official nickname on his personal papers. But he remained dissatisfied. “I won’t stop until my entire name is as I desire,” he promised. His tale attracted commercial propositions – a proposal to have club products branded with his legal name – but although he was in need, he turned down the offer because he was unwilling to gain financially from his adored institution. The club's identity was beyond commercial use.

Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols

A film was made in that year. The crew fulfilled his wish of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even met the Bulgarian striker, the forward playing for United at the time.

Marin tattooed the United crest on his forehead subsequently as a protest against the legal rulings and in his last few years it became more and more difficult for him to persist with his fight. Job opportunities were scarce and he lost his mother to Covid-19. But he managed to continue. Originally of Catholic faith, he got baptised in an orthodox church under the name the identity he sought. “Ultimately, my true name is recognized with my real name,” he used to say.

This Monday, 13 October, his heart stopped beating. It is possible that Manchester United’s persistent fan could finally find peace.