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Pose the question to any Man United devotee of a certain age about the meaning of May 26th, 1999, and the answer will be that the occasion changed them forever. It was the evening when last-minute strikes from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær sealed an stunning come-from-behind victory in the showpiece event against the German giants at the famous Barcelona stadium. That same night, the life of one loyal follower in Eastern Europe, who recently died at the 62 years old, took a new direction.

A Dream Born in Communist Bulgaria

This individual was given the name Marin Levidzhov in Svishtov, a place with a population of 22,000. Being raised in a socialist state with a passion for football, he longed to adopting a new name to… the Red Devils. Yet, to adopt the name of a sports team from the capitalist west was a futile endeavor. Any effort to do so during the socialist era, he would undoubtedly have ended up in jail.

A Vow Made Under Pressure

Ten years after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria – on the unforgettable final – Marin's unique aspiration came one step closer to achievement. Watching the final from his simple residence in Svishtov and with the score against them, Marin swore an oath to himself: should his team mount a comeback, he would do anything to change his name 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

A day later, Marin sought legal counsel to express his unusual request, thus beginning a long, hard battle. The parent who inspired him, from whom he had learned to support the club, was long gone, and the 36-year-old was caring for his parent, employed in miscellaneous roles, including as a builder on minimal earnings. He was hardly making ends meet, yet his dream became an obsession. He quickly turned into the talk of the town, then became an international sensation, but 15 years full of judicial disputes and setbacks in litigation were to come.

Copyright Hurdles and Partial Victories

Marin’s wish was rejected initially for intellectual property issues: he was barred from using the title of a trademark known around the globe. Then a presiding magistrate granted a limited approval, saying Marin could change his first name to Manchester but that he was prohibited from using United as his official surname. “Yet my aim is to be associated with just a place in England, I want to bear the identity of my beloved team,” Marin told the court. The struggle continued.

His Beloved Cats

During breaks from litigation, he was often caring for his feline friends. He had many animals in his back yard in Svishtov and cherished them equally with the Manchester United. He named them all after team stars: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the best-known felines in town. The one he loved most of the name they used? A kitty called Beckham.

He was often seen in full club regalia.

Progress and Integrity

He achieved a further success in court: he was allowed to add the club name as an recognized alias on his ID card. But this did not satisfy him. “I will continue until my full name is the club's title,” he vowed. His story soon led to commercial propositions – an offer to have fan merchandise produced under his new name – but despite his financial struggles, he declined the proposal because he refused to make money from his beloved team. The Manchester United name was inviolable.

Dreams Realized and Lasting Tributes

A film was made in 2011. The production team made his aspiration come true of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even encountered Dimitar Berbatov, the national team player then at the club at the time.

Permanently marked the club badge on his brow subsequently as a objection to the court decisions and in his final years it became increasingly hard for him to continue his legal battle. Work was limited and he lost his mother to the pandemic. But he managed to continue. Born as a Catholic, he underwent baptism in an orthodox church under the name Manchester United Zdravkov Levidzhov. “At least God will know me with my real name,” he would frequently remark.

Earlier this week, his heart stopped beating. Maybe at last Manchester United’s determined supporter could at last be at rest.