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Ask any Manchester United supporter from an earlier generation about the importance of that fateful day in May 1999, and they will tell you that the date was life-altering. It was the evening when last-minute strikes from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær secured an stunning 2-1 comeback in the showpiece event against the German giants at the famous Barcelona stadium. It was also, the existence of one loyal follower in Eastern Europe, who passed away at the age of 62, took a new direction.

A Dream Born in Communist Bulgaria

This individual was born Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in a small Danube town, a place with a population of 22,000. Living in the former Eastern Bloc with a devotion to football, he aspired to legally altering his identity to… the Red Devils. Yet, to claim the name of a football club from the Western world was an unattainable goal. If he had attempted to do so before the fall of the regime, he would likely have been arrested.

A Promise Forged in Drama

A decade after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's personal goal edged closer to achievement. Tuning in from home from his humble abode in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin swore an oath to himself: should his team mount a comeback, he would go to any lengths to become known as that of the team he adored. Then, against all odds, it transpired.

Marin fulfils his dream of visiting Old Trafford.

The Long Legal Battle

The following morning, Marin consulted an attorney to present his unique case, thus initiating a difficult fight. Marin’s father, from whom he had gained his fandom, was long gone, and the man in his thirties was caring for his parent, working all kinds of odd jobs, including as a builder on a meager daily wage. He was hardly making ends meet, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He soon became the subject of gossip, then was featured globally, but 15 years full of legal battles and discouraging rulings awaited him.

Legal Obstacles and Small Wins

His request was rejected initially for intellectual property issues: he was not permitted to adopt the name of a world-famous brand. Then a local judge ruled partially in his favour, saying Marin could change his first name to Manchester but that he was prohibited from using United as his family name. “But I don’t want to be associated with just a place in the UK, I want to bear the identity of my cherished club,” Marin stated during proceedings. His fight went on.

A Life with Feline Friends

Outside of legal proceedings, he was often looking after his cats. He had plenty of them in his garden in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the his team. He christened them after United players: such as Vidic and others, they were the most famous cats in town. The one he loved most of his close friends' nickname for him? A kitty called Beckham.

He was often seen in full club regalia.

Advances and Ethics

Another victory was secured in court: he was allowed to add the club name as an official nickname on his ID card. But he remained dissatisfied. “I won’t stop until my full name is the club's title,” he declared. His story soon led to financial opportunities – a chance to have supporters' goods produced under his new name – but although he was in need, he declined the proposal because he did not want to profit from his adored institution. The Manchester United name was inviolable.

Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols

A documentary followed in that year. The production team turned Marin’s dream of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even met the Bulgarian striker, the national team player on the team's roster at the time.

Permanently marked the club badge on his brow at a later date as a objection to the legal rulings and in his closing chapter it became more and more difficult for him to continue his legal battle. Employment was hard to find and he lost his mother to the virus. But he managed to continue. By birth a Catholic, he underwent baptism in an Eastern Orthodox church under the name the identity he sought. “In the eyes of the divine, I am with my real name,” he often stated.

Earlier this week, his time ran out. Maybe at last the club's determined supporter could achieve eternal tranquility.