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Ask any Man United supporter of a certain age about the meaning of 26 May 1999, and they'll recount that the occasion was life-altering. It was the moment when injury-time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær sealed an unbelievable late turnaround in the European Cup final against Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou. That same night, the existence of one loyal follower in Eastern Europe, who passed away at the age of 62, was transformed.

Aspirations Under Communism

That supporter was originally called Marin Levidzhov in Svishtov, a community with a modest number of residents. Being raised in the former Eastern Bloc with a passion for football, he dreamed of changing his name to… his beloved club. But, to claim the name of a football club from the Western world was an unattainable goal. Any effort to do so before the fall of the regime, he would almost certainly have been arrested.

A Commitment Sealed by Fate

Many seasons after the political changes in Bulgaria – on the unforgettable final – Marin's idiosyncratic dream edged closer to reality. Viewing the match from his humble abode in Svishtov and with his team losing, Marin vowed to himself: if United somehow turned the game around, he would do anything to become known as that of the club he loved. Then, against all odds, it transpired.

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

The Long Legal Battle

The next day, Marin visited a lawyer to express his unusual request, thus beginning a long, hard battle. His dad, from whom he had learned to support the club, was no longer alive, and the man in his thirties was caring for his parent, taking on various types of work, including as a construction worker on £15 a day. He was barely getting by, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He rapidly evolved into the local celebrity, then gained worldwide attention, but 15 years full of judicial disputes and discouraging rulings awaited him.

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 local judge allowed a compromise, saying Marin could change his first name to Manchester but that he was not to use United as his family name. “But I don’t want to be identified with an urban area in Britain, I want to bear the identity of my favourite football club,” Marin informed the judge. The struggle continued.

Companions in Adversity

When not in court, he was often tending to his pets. He had many animals in his back yard in Svishtov and cherished them equally with the Manchester United. He christened them after United players: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the most famous cats in town. Who was his preferred pet of his close friends' nickname for him? A kitty called Beckham.

He was often seen in full club regalia.

Progress and Integrity

Another victory was secured in court: he was granted the right to append the club name as an official nickname on his identification document. But he remained dissatisfied. “My efforts will persist until my full name is as I desire,” he promised. His narrative resulted in business offers – a chance to have fan merchandise made using his identity – but although he was in need, he turned down the offer because he was unwilling to gain financially from his beloved team. The club's identity was sacred to him.

Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols

His story was captured in that year. The filmmakers turned Marin’s dream of experiencing the Theatre of Dreams and there he even encountered the Bulgarian striker, the Bulgaria striker on the team's roster at the time.

Permanently marked the United crest on his forehead three years later as a objection to the judicial outcomes and in his last few years it became more and more difficult for him to persist with his fight. Employment was hard to find and he lost his mother to the pandemic. But he managed to continue. Born as a Catholic, he got baptised in an Eastern Orthodox church under the name his desired full name. “At least God will know me with my chosen name,” he would frequently remark.

On a recent Monday, his time ran out. Perhaps now the club's persistent fan could at last be at rest.