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Ask any Man United fan who is older about the importance of that fateful day in May 1999, and they'll recount that the night was life-altering. It was the night when last-minute strikes from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær secured an stunning late turnaround in the showpiece event against the German giants at the famous Barcelona stadium. Simultaneously, the life of one United fan in Bulgaria, who passed away at the 62 years old, changed forever.

Aspirations Under Communism

That supporter was originally called Marin Levidzhov in Svishtov, a settlement with a tight-knit community. Living in a socialist state with a devotion to football, he dreamed of adopting a new name to… Manchester United. But, to take 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 undoubtedly have ended up in jail.

A Vow Made Under Pressure

A decade after the political changes in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's idiosyncratic dream edged closer to achievement. Viewing the match from his simple residence in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin vowed to himself: in the event of a reversal, he would go to any lengths to become known as that of the club he loved. Then, against all odds, it transpired.

He realized his ambition to see the Theatre of Dreams.

Years of Judicial Challenges

The following morning, Marin consulted an attorney to express his unusual request, thus starting a grueling process. The parent who inspired him, from whom he had inherited his love of United, was no longer alive, and the man in his thirties was living with his mother, taking on various types of work, including as a builder on £15 a day. He was hardly making ends meet, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He quickly turned into the subject of gossip, then became an international sensation, but many seasons full of court cases and discouraging rulings awaited him.

Trademark Issues and Limited Success

The application was rejected initially for trademark concerns: he was not permitted to adopt the name of a world-famous brand. Then a court official ruled partially in his favour, saying Marin could change his first name to the city name but that he was not to use United as his legal last name. “But I don’t want to be associated with just a place in the UK, I want to bear the identity of my beloved team,” Marin told the court. The struggle continued.

Companions in Adversity

Outside of legal proceedings, 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 christened them after team stars: 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.

His attire consistently showed his allegiance.

Advances and Ethics

Marin managed another breakthrough in court: he was allowed to add United as an official nickname on his identification document. But he remained dissatisfied. “I will continue until my entire name is Manchester United,” he promised. His tale attracted business offers – an offer to have club products produced under his new name – but despite his financial struggles, he declined the proposal because he did not want to profit from his beloved team. The club's identity was inviolable.

Dreams Realized and Lasting Tributes

A documentary followed in that year. The production team fulfilled his wish of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even met his compatriot, the national team player then at the club at the time.

Permanently marked the team emblem on his face three years later as a objection to the judicial outcomes and in his closing chapter it became increasingly hard for him to persist with his fight. Work was limited and he lost his mother to Covid-19. But against the odds, he persevered. By birth a Catholic, he got baptised in an orthodox church under the name Manchester United Zdravkov Levidzhov. “At least God will know me with my chosen name,” he used to say.

Earlier this week, his life came to an end. Perhaps now Manchester United’s persistent fan could at last be at rest.