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Pose the question to any United devotee who is older concerning the importance of 26 May 1999, and the answer will be that the occasion left an indelible mark. It was the night when last-minute strikes from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær sealed an unbelievable 2-1 comeback in the showpiece event against the German giants at the Camp Nou. Simultaneously, the life of one United fan in Bulgaria, who recently died at the age of 62, took a new direction.

Aspirations Under Communism

That supporter was born Marin Levidzhov in Svishtov, a place with a population of 22,000. Living in the former Eastern Bloc with a passion for football, he dreamed of legally altering his identity to… his beloved club. Yet, to take the name of a football club from the other side of the Iron Curtain was an unattainable goal. Had Marin tried to do so prior to the end of communism, he would likely have been arrested.

A Vow Made Under Pressure

Many seasons after the political changes in Bulgaria – on that night in May 1999 – Marin's unique aspiration moved nearer to reality. Watching the final from his humble abode in Svishtov and with the score against them, Marin vowed to himself: in the event of a reversal, he would go to any lengths to legally adopt the name that of the club he loved. Then, a miracle occurred.

He realized his ambition to see the Theatre of Dreams.

A Protracted Court Struggle

The next day, Marin visited a lawyer 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 no longer alive, and the 36-year-old was caring for his parent, employed in miscellaneous roles, including as a construction worker on £15 a day. He was struggling financially, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He soon became the subject of gossip, then gained worldwide attention, but many seasons full of judicial disputes and discouraging rulings awaited him.

Trademark Issues and Limited Success

The application was rejected initially for copyright reasons: he could not change his name of a trademark known around the globe. Then a local judge granted a limited approval, saying Marin could alter his given name to the city name but that he was prohibited from using the second part as his legal last name. “Yet my aim is to be associated with just a place in Britain, I want to wear the name of my cherished club,” Marin told the court. His fight went on.

Companions in Adversity

During breaks from litigation, he was often caring for his feline friends. He had many animals in his back yard in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the his team. He christened them after club legends: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the best-known felines in town. Who was his preferred pet of the name they used? A kitty called Beckham.

Marin bedecked in United gear.

Advances and Ethics

Another victory was secured in court: he was permitted to include the club name as an recognized alias on his personal papers. But still he wasn’t happy. “My efforts will persist until my entire name is as I desire,” he declared. His story soon led to commercial propositions – a proposal to have fan merchandise made using his identity – but even with his monetary challenges, he turned down the offer because he was unwilling to gain financially from his adored institution. The Manchester United name was inviolable.

Dreams Realized and Lasting Tributes

A documentary followed in 2011. The filmmakers fulfilled his wish of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even met his compatriot, the national team player playing for United at the time.

He inked the United crest on his face subsequently as a demonstration against the legal rulings and in his final years it became increasingly hard for him to persist with his fight. Employment was hard to find and he suffered the death of his mother to the virus. But he managed to continue. By birth a Catholic, he got baptised in an Eastern Orthodox church under the name Manchester United Zdravkov Levidzhov. “At least God will know me with my real name,” he often stated.

Earlier this week, his life came to an end. It is possible that Manchester United’s determined supporter could finally find peace.