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Inquire of any United supporter who is older concerning the importance of 26 May 1999, and they will tell you that the occasion changed them forever. It was the moment when injury-time goals from Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær completed an incredible 2-1 comeback in the European Cup final against Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou. It was also, the world of one devoted supporter in Bulgaria, who passed away at the age of 62, changed forever.

A Dream Born in Communist Bulgaria

That supporter was given the name Marin Levidzhov in his hometown, a settlement with a population of 22,000. Being raised in communist Bulgaria with a devotion to football, he longed to legally altering his identity to… Manchester United. But, to take the name of a sports team from the other side of the Iron Curtain was a futile endeavor. Had Marin tried to do so prior to the end of communism, he would undoubtedly have been arrested.

A Vow Made Under Pressure

Ten years after the end of communism in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's idiosyncratic dream came one step closer to fulfillment. Tuning in from home from his modest home in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin made a promise to himself: if United somehow turned the game around, he would spare no effort to become known as that of the club he loved. Then, the impossible happened.

A lifelong wish to walk the halls of the famous stadium came true.

The Long Legal Battle

A day later, Marin visited a lawyer to express his unusual request, thus initiating a difficult fight. Marin’s father, from whom he had learned to support the club, was no longer alive, and the 36-year-old was living with his mother, working all kinds of odd jobs, including as a construction worker on a meager daily wage. He was hardly making ends meet, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He rapidly evolved into the talk of the town, then was featured globally, but 15 years full of court cases and discouraging rulings were to come.

Legal Obstacles and Small Wins

The application was rejected initially for intellectual property issues: he could not change his name of a internationally recognized entity. Then a local judge granted a limited approval, saying Marin could modify his forename to Manchester but that he was not to use the second part as his family name. “Yet my aim is to be identified with an urban area in England, I want to wear the name of my beloved team,” Marin stated during proceedings. His fight went on.

Companions in Adversity

During breaks from litigation, he was often caring for his feline friends. He had plenty of them in his outdoor space in Svishtov and loved them as much as the Manchester United. He named them all after United players: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the most famous cats in town. Who was his preferred pet of his close friends' nickname for him? One named after David Beckham.

His attire consistently showed his allegiance.

Breakthroughs and Principles

Another victory was secured in court: he was permitted to include United as an official nickname on his ID card. But he remained dissatisfied. “I will continue until my complete identity is the club's title,” he promised. His tale attracted financial opportunities – a chance to have fan merchandise produced under his new name – but even with his monetary challenges, he declined the proposal because he was unwilling to gain financially from his adored institution. The team's title was beyond commercial use.

Dreams Realized and Lasting Tributes

A film was made in 2011. The filmmakers turned Marin’s dream of visiting Old Trafford and there he even had the chance to see his compatriot, the forward on the team's roster at the time.

Marin tattooed the team emblem on his forehead subsequently as a objection to the legal rulings and in his final years it became more and more difficult for him to continue his legal battle. Work was limited and he was bereaved to the virus. But he managed to continue. Originally of Catholic faith, he underwent baptism in an orthodox church under the name the identity he sought. “Ultimately, my true name is recognized with my real name,” he used to say.

Earlier this week, his life came to an end. Maybe at last the club's determined supporter could at last be at rest.