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Ask any Manchester United supporter of a certain age regarding the significance of 26 May 1999, and they will tell you that the night changed them forever. It was the moment when injury-time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær secured an incredible 2-1 comeback in the showpiece event against the German giants at the Camp Nou. That same night, the existence of one United fan in Eastern Europe, who passed away at the 62 years old, changed forever.

Aspirations Under Communism

That supporter was given the name Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in a small Danube town, a place with a modest number of residents. Being raised in the former Eastern Bloc with a devotion to football, he dreamed of changing his name to… his beloved club. But, to take the name of a organization from the capitalist west was mission impossible. Had Marin tried to do so during the socialist era, he would almost certainly have been arrested.

A Promise Forged in Drama

Many seasons after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria – on that night in May 1999 – Marin's idiosyncratic dream edged closer to reality. Watching the final from his humble abode in Svishtov and with his team losing, Marin swore an oath 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.

The Long Legal Battle

The following morning, Marin sought legal counsel to state his extraordinary desire, thus starting a grueling process. His dad, from whom he had gained his fandom, was deceased, and the 36-year-old was residing with his mom, taking on various types of work, including as a laborer on £15 a day. He was struggling financially, yet his dream became an obsession. He rapidly evolved into the subject of gossip, then gained worldwide attention, but a decade and a half full of court cases and setbacks in litigation lay ahead.

Legal Obstacles and Small Wins

Marin’s wish was rejected initially for copyright reasons: he was barred from using the title of a world-famous brand. Then a court official allowed a compromise, saying Marin could alter his given name to the city name but that he was prohibited from using United as his official surname. “But I don’t want to be named after a city in the UK, I want to bear the identity of my beloved team,” Marin stated during proceedings. His fight went on.

A Life with Feline Friends

During breaks from litigation, he was often caring for his feline friends. He had a large number in his garden in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the Manchester United. He christened them after team stars: from Rio to Rooney, they were the most famous cats in town. Which was the favourite cat of the name they used? A kitty called Beckham.

His attire consistently showed his allegiance.

Breakthroughs and Principles

Another victory was secured in court: he was granted the right to append the club name as an official nickname on his personal papers. But he remained dissatisfied. “I won’t stop until my entire name is Manchester United,” he vowed. His story soon led to commercial propositions – an offer to have fan merchandise made using his identity – but although he was in need, he turned down the offer because he refused to make money from his favourite club. The Manchester United name was inviolable.

Dreams Realized and Lasting Tributes

His story was captured in that year. The filmmakers turned Marin’s dream of experiencing the Theatre of Dreams and there he even had the chance to see his compatriot, the national team player playing for United at the time.

Marin tattooed the United crest on his forehead three years later as a demonstration against the legal rulings and in his closing chapter it became ever tougher for him to keep up the struggle. Employment was hard to find and he lost his mother to the virus. But he managed to continue. Born as a Catholic, he underwent baptism in an Eastern Orthodox church under the name the identity he sought. “In the eyes of the divine, I am with my true identity,” he used to say.

On a recent Monday, his time ran out. It is possible that the club's restless soul could finally find peace.