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Inquire of any United devotee of a certain age about the importance of 26 May 1999, and the answer will be that the night changed them forever. It was the night when injury-time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær completed an incredible come-from-behind victory in the showpiece event against the German giants at the famous Barcelona stadium. Simultaneously, the world of one loyal follower in Eastern Europe, who passed away at the 62 years old, took a new direction.

Aspirations Under Communism

That supporter was born Marin Levidzhov in Svishtov, a place with a tight-knit community. Living in a socialist state with a love of football, he dreamed of changing his name to… his beloved club. But, to adopt the name of a sports team from the capitalist west was a futile endeavor. Any effort to do so before the fall of the regime, he would likely have ended up in jail.

A Commitment Sealed by Fate

Many seasons after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria – on the unforgettable final – Marin's unique aspiration moved nearer to reality. Tuning in from home from his simple residence in Svishtov and with the score against them, Marin swore an oath to himself: if United somehow turned the game around, he would do anything to legally adopt the name that of the club he loved. Then, the impossible happened.

Marin fulfils his dream of visiting Old Trafford.

The Long Legal Battle

The next day, Marin sought legal counsel to present his unique case, thus starting a grueling process. Marin’s father, from whom he had gained his fandom, was deceased, and the man in his thirties was caring for his parent, employed in miscellaneous roles, including as a builder on a meager daily wage. He was struggling financially, yet his dream became an obsession. He soon became the local celebrity, then was featured globally, but 15 years full of legal battles and disheartening court decisions were to come.

Copyright Hurdles and Partial Victories

The application was rejected initially for copyright reasons: 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 the second part as his legal last name. “Yet my aim is to be named after a city in England, I want to wear the name of my favourite football club,” Marin told the court. The battle persisted.

A Life with Feline Friends

When not in court, he was often looking after his cats. He had a large number in his outdoor space in Svishtov and loved them as much as the Red Devils. He gave each one a name after United players: from Rio to Rooney, they were the most famous cats in town. Who was his preferred pet of the name they used? The feline known as Beckham.

He was often seen in full club regalia.

Advances and Ethics

Marin managed another breakthrough in court: he was granted the right to append United as an legal alternative on his ID card. But he remained dissatisfied. “I will continue until my full name is as I desire,” he declared. His tale attracted financial opportunities – a proposal to have club products produced under his new name – but although he was in need, he turned down the offer because he refused to make money from his favourite club. The club's identity was sacred to him.

Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols

A film was made in 2011. The filmmakers made his aspiration come true of visiting Old Trafford and there he even met the Bulgarian striker, the Bulgaria striker on the team's roster at the time.

Marin tattooed the United crest on his brow at a later date as a protest against the court decisions and in his last few years it became ever tougher for him to keep up the struggle. Work was limited and he lost his mother to the pandemic. But somehow, he found a way. By birth a Catholic, he was christened in an Eastern Orthodox church under the name his desired full name. “In the eyes of the divine, I am with my true identity,” he often stated.

This Monday, 13 October, his life came to an end. It is possible that Manchester United’s persistent fan could at last be at rest.