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Pose the question to any United devotee who is older about the significance of that fateful day in May 1999, and the answer will be that the date was life-altering. It was the night when last-minute strikes from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær completed an unbelievable late turnaround in the European Cup final against Bayern Munich at the famous Barcelona stadium. It was also, the world of one United fan in Eastern Europe, who has died at the age of 62, was transformed.

Hopes in a Bygone Era

That supporter was originally called Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in his hometown, a settlement with a tight-knit community. Growing up in communist Bulgaria with a love of football, he dreamed of adopting a new name to… the Red Devils. Yet, to adopt the name of a sports team from the Western world was an unattainable goal. Any effort to do so before the fall of the regime, he would undoubtedly have ended up in jail.

A Promise Forged in Drama

A decade after the end of communism in Bulgaria – on that night in May 1999 – Marin's unique aspiration moved nearer to fulfillment. Watching the final from his simple residence 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 become known as that of the club he loved. Then, a miracle occurred.

Marin fulfils his dream of visiting Old Trafford.

A Protracted Court Struggle

A day later, Marin visited a lawyer to present his unique case, thus starting a grueling process. Marin’s father, from whom he had learned to support the club, was deceased, and the man in his thirties was caring for his parent, working all kinds of odd jobs, including as a laborer on £15 a day. He was hardly making ends meet, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He rapidly evolved into the subject of gossip, then was featured globally, but a decade and a half full of legal battles and disheartening court decisions awaited him.

Trademark Issues and Limited Success

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 could not adopt the second part as his family name. “However, I desire to be identified with an urban area in England, I want to wear the name of my favourite football 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 back yard in Svishtov and loved them as much as the Manchester United. He named them all after club legends: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the best-known felines in town. Who was his preferred pet of Man U? A kitty called Beckham.

Marin bedecked in United gear.

Breakthroughs and Principles

Marin managed another breakthrough in court: he was permitted to include the club name as an legal alternative on his personal papers. But he remained dissatisfied. “I will continue until my full name is the club's title,” he promised. His narrative resulted in financial opportunities – a chance to have club products produced under his new name – but although he was in need, he rejected the opportunity because he did not want to profit from his adored institution. The Manchester United name was beyond commercial use.

Aspirations Fulfilled and Final Acts

A documentary followed in that year. The production team turned Marin’s dream of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even encountered Dimitar Berbatov, the Bulgaria striker playing for United at the time.

Permanently marked the United crest on his forehead three years later as a protest against the judicial outcomes and in his final years it became more and more difficult for him to persist with his fight. Work was limited and he suffered the death of his mother to the pandemic. But somehow, he found a way. Originally of Catholic faith, he underwent baptism in an religious institution under the name Manchester United Zdravkov Levidzhov. “At least God will know me with my real name,” he often stated.

Earlier this week, his heart stopped beating. It is possible that Manchester United’s determined supporter could achieve eternal tranquility.