🔗 Share this article

Ask any United devotee from an earlier generation regarding the meaning of that fateful day in May 1999, and they will tell you that the occasion changed them forever. It was the moment when last-minute strikes from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær sealed an incredible late turnaround in the European Cup final against Bayern Munich at the famous Barcelona stadium. Simultaneously, the existence of one loyal follower in Eastern Europe, who recently died at the 62 years old, took a new direction.

Hopes in a Bygone Era

The fan in question was born Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in a small Danube town, a settlement with a modest number of residents. Being raised in a socialist state with a love of football, he aspired to legally altering his identity to… the Red Devils. However, to adopt the name of a organization from the capitalist west was mission impossible. Had Marin tried to do so prior to the end of communism, he would likely have faced imprisonment.

A Commitment Sealed by Fate

Many seasons after the political changes in Bulgaria – on the unforgettable final – Marin's personal goal came one step closer to reality. Viewing the match from his humble abode in Svishtov and with his team losing, Marin swore an oath to himself: if United somehow turned the game around, he would go to any lengths to change his name that of the object of his devotion. Then, the impossible happened.

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 initiating a difficult fight. His dad, from whom he had inherited his love of United, was long gone, and the 36-year-old was residing with his mom, taking on various types of work, including as a builder on £15 a day. He was hardly making ends meet, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He soon became the subject of gossip, then was featured globally, but a decade and a half full of court cases and disheartening court decisions awaited him.

Legal Obstacles and Small Wins

The application was denied early on for intellectual property issues: he was not permitted to adopt the name of a world-famous brand. Then a presiding magistrate allowed a compromise, saying Marin could alter his given name to Manchester but that he was prohibited from using United as his official surname. “But I don’t want to be associated with just a place in Britain, I want to carry the title of my favourite football club,” Marin told the court. The battle persisted.

A Life with Feline Friends

When not in court, he was often caring for his feline friends. He had a large number in his garden in Svishtov and cherished them equally with the Red Devils. He christened them after team stars: from Rio to Rooney, they were the celebrity pets in town. The one he loved most of Man U? One named after David Beckham.

He was often seen in full club regalia.

Progress and Integrity

Another victory was secured in court: he was allowed to add United as an official nickname on his ID card. But this did not satisfy him. “I will continue until my entire name is Manchester United,” he vowed. His story soon led to financial opportunities – a proposal to have supporters' goods made using his identity – but even with his monetary challenges, he declined the proposal because he was unwilling to gain financially from his favourite club. The Manchester United name was sacred to him.

Dreams Realized and Lasting Tributes

A documentary followed in that year. The filmmakers made his aspiration come true of visiting Old Trafford and there he even had the chance to see Dimitar Berbatov, the forward then at the club at the time.

Permanently marked the team emblem on his face subsequently as a protest against the legal rulings and in his final years it became more and more difficult for him to persist with his fight. Work was limited and he was bereaved to the virus. But somehow, he found a way. By birth a Catholic, he got baptised in an orthodox church under the name Manchester United Zdravkov Levidzhov. “Ultimately, my true name is recognized with my chosen name,” he often stated.

This Monday, 13 October, his time ran out. Maybe at last Manchester United’s restless soul could finally find peace.