🔗 Share this article

Pose the question to any Manchester United fan who is older about the significance of May 26th, 1999, and they will tell you that the night left an indelible mark. It was the moment when injury-time goals from Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær completed an stunning 2-1 comeback in the Champions League final against the German giants at the Camp Nou. That same night, the world of one United fan in Eastern Europe, who has died at the age of 62, took a new direction.

Aspirations Under Communism

The fan in question was given the name Marin Levidzhov in a small Danube town, a settlement with a tight-knit community. Growing up in a socialist state with a devotion to football, he aspired to legally altering his identity to… his beloved club. Yet, to claim the name of a organization from the capitalist west was mission impossible. Any effort to do so during the socialist era, he would almost certainly have ended up in jail.

A Promise Forged in Drama

Many seasons after the political changes in Bulgaria – on the unforgettable final – Marin's unique aspiration came one step closer to reality. Viewing the match from his simple residence in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin vowed to himself: should his team mount a comeback, he would do anything to change his name that of the object of his devotion. Then, against all odds, it transpired.

He realized his ambition to see the Theatre of Dreams.

The Long Legal Battle

The next day, Marin sought legal counsel to present his unique case, thus beginning a long, hard battle. Marin’s father, from whom he had learned to support the club, was deceased, and the 36-year-old was living with his mother, working all kinds of odd jobs, including as a builder on a meager daily wage. He was struggling financially, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He soon became the talk of the town, then was featured globally, but 15 years full of legal battles and setbacks in litigation awaited him.

Copyright Hurdles and Partial Victories

His request was denied early on for copyright reasons: he was not permitted to adopt the name of a world-famous brand. Then a presiding magistrate granted a limited approval, saying Marin could modify his forename to the city name but that he was could not adopt United as his legal last name. “Yet my aim is to be identified with an urban area in Britain, I want to wear the name of my cherished club,” Marin told the court. The struggle continued.

A Life with Feline Friends

During breaks from litigation, he was often looking after his cats. He had plenty of them in his back yard in Svishtov and cherished them equally with the Manchester United. 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? 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 official nickname on his personal papers. But he remained dissatisfied. “I will continue until my entire name is the club's title,” he vowed. His story soon led to business offers – an offer to have club products branded with his legal name – but despite his financial struggles, he turned down the offer because he was unwilling to gain financially from his beloved team. The Manchester United name was inviolable.

Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols

A documentary followed in that year. The filmmakers fulfilled his wish of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even met Dimitar Berbatov, the forward on the team's roster at the time.

He inked the team emblem on his forehead three years later as a objection to the judicial outcomes and in his last few years it became ever tougher for him to continue his legal battle. Work was limited and he suffered the death of his mother to the virus. But he managed to continue. Born as a Catholic, he got baptised in an Eastern Orthodox church under the name the identity he sought. “Ultimately, my true name is recognized with my true identity,” he often stated.

Earlier this week, his heart stopped beating. Perhaps now Manchester United’s restless soul could finally find peace.