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Ask any Man United devotee of a certain age regarding the importance of May 26th, 1999, and the answer will be that the occasion was life-altering. It was the evening when injury-time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær secured an unbelievable come-from-behind victory in the European Cup final against the German giants at the Camp Nou. It was also, the life of one United fan in Bulgaria, who passed away at the 62 years old, was transformed.

Aspirations Under Communism

This individual was born Marin Levidzhov in his hometown, a community with a tight-knit community. Being raised in the former Eastern Bloc with a devotion to football, he dreamed of adopting a new name to… his beloved club. Yet, to adopt the name of a sports team from the other side of the Iron Curtain was an unattainable goal. Any effort to do so during the socialist era, he would undoubtedly have ended up in jail.

A Vow Made Under Pressure

A decade after the end of communism in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's unique aspiration edged closer to achievement. Watching the final from his modest home in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin vowed to himself: in the event of a reversal, he would spare no effort to become known as that of the object of his devotion. Then, a miracle occurred.

He realized his ambition to see the Theatre of Dreams.

A Protracted Court Struggle

The next day, Marin consulted an attorney to express his unusual request, thus beginning a long, hard battle. Marin’s father, from whom he had inherited his love of United, was long gone, and the man in his thirties was caring for his parent, taking on various types of work, including as a laborer on a meager daily wage. He was struggling financially, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He quickly turned into the talk of the town, then became an international sensation, but many seasons full of judicial disputes and discouraging rulings were to come.

Trademark Issues and Limited Success

The application was denied early on for copyright reasons: he was not permitted to adopt the name of a internationally recognized entity. Then a presiding magistrate allowed a compromise, saying Marin could modify his forename to Manchester but that he was prohibited from using United as his legal last name. “But I don’t want to be identified with an urban area in Britain, I want to carry the title of my beloved team,” Marin informed the judge. The struggle continued.

Companions in Adversity

During breaks from litigation, he was often looking after his cats. He had a large number in his garden in Svishtov and cherished them equally with the his team. He gave each one a name after United players: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the best-known felines in town. Who was his preferred pet of Man U? One named after David Beckham.

Marin bedecked in United gear.

Breakthroughs and Principles

Another victory was secured in court: he was allowed to add United as an recognized alias on his identification document. But he remained dissatisfied. “I will continue until my complete identity is as I desire,” he promised. His story soon led to financial opportunities – a proposal to have club products produced under his new name – but although he was in need, he rejected the opportunity because he refused to make money from his favourite club. The club's identity was sacred to him.

Aspirations Fulfilled and Final Acts

A film was made in that year. The production team fulfilled his wish of experiencing the Theatre of Dreams and there he even met the Bulgarian striker, the Bulgaria striker then at the club at the time.

Marin tattooed the club badge on his face at a later date as a demonstration against the legal rulings and in his closing chapter it became ever tougher for him to persist with his fight. Work was limited and he suffered the death of his mother to Covid-19. But he managed to continue. Born as a Catholic, he underwent baptism in an Eastern Orthodox church under the name Manchester United Zdravkov Levidzhov. “Ultimately, my true name is recognized with my true identity,” he would frequently remark.

This Monday, 13 October, his life came to an end. Maybe at last Manchester United’s restless soul could at last be at rest.