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Ask any Manchester United fan from an earlier generation concerning the meaning of May 26th, 1999, and they will tell you that the occasion changed them forever. It was the night when injury-time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær completed an stunning late turnaround in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich at the famous Barcelona stadium. That same night, the life of one United fan in Bulgaria, who has died at the 62 years old, was transformed.

Aspirations Under Communism

That supporter was given the name Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in his hometown, a place with a tight-knit community. Living in a socialist state with a passion for football, he longed to legally altering his identity to… his beloved club. Yet, to adopt the name of a organization from the Western world was an unattainable goal. If he had attempted to do so prior to the end of communism, he would likely have faced imprisonment.

A Commitment Sealed by Fate

A decade after the political changes in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's idiosyncratic dream edged closer to achievement. Tuning in from home from his simple residence in Svishtov and with the score against them, Marin swore an oath 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, against all odds, it transpired.

He realized his ambition to see the Theatre of Dreams.

The Long Legal Battle

The next day, 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 long gone, and the man in his thirties was residing with his mom, employed in miscellaneous roles, including as a laborer on minimal earnings. He was hardly making ends meet, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He soon became the local celebrity, then became an international sensation, but a decade and a half full of legal battles and setbacks in litigation lay ahead.

Legal Obstacles and Small Wins

The application was turned down at first for intellectual property issues: 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 the city name but that he was could not adopt the second part as his legal last name. “However, I desire to be named after a city in Britain, I want to carry the title of my favourite football club,” Marin informed the judge. The struggle continued.

A Life with Feline Friends

Outside of legal proceedings, he was often tending to his pets. He had a large number in his back yard in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the his team. He gave each one a name after United players: from Rio to Rooney, they were the most famous cats in town. Who was his preferred pet of the name they used? A kitty called Beckham.

Marin bedecked in United gear.

Advances and Ethics

Another victory was secured in court: he was allowed to add the club name as an legal alternative on his ID card. But this did not satisfy him. “My efforts will persist until my complete identity is Manchester United,” he declared. His story soon led to financial opportunities – a proposal to have supporters' goods made using his identity – but despite his financial struggles, he rejected the opportunity because he was unwilling to gain financially from his adored institution. The team's title was inviolable.

Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols

His story was captured in that year. The crew made his aspiration come true of experiencing the Theatre of Dreams and there he even met Dimitar Berbatov, the Bulgaria striker on the team's roster at the time.

Permanently marked the team emblem on his face three years later as a protest against the judicial outcomes and in his closing chapter it became more and more difficult for him to continue his legal battle. Job opportunities were scarce and he suffered the death of his mother to the virus. But he managed to continue. Born as a Catholic, he was christened in an Eastern Orthodox church under the name Manchester United Zdravkov Levidzhov. “Ultimately, my true name is recognized with my real name,” he often stated.

This Monday, 13 October, his life came to an end. Perhaps now Manchester United’s persistent fan could achieve eternal tranquility.