I Am Called Man Utd: This Superfan Who Battled to Change His Name
Ask any Man United fan of a certain age about the meaning of May 26th, 1999, and they will tell you that the occasion left an indelible mark. It was the evening when last-minute strikes from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær secured an unbelievable 2-1 comeback in the European Cup final against the German giants at the Camp Nou. That same night, the existence of one loyal follower in Bulgaria, who passed away at the age of 62, took a new direction.
Aspirations Under Communism
This individual was born Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in Svishtov, a community with a modest number of residents. Living in a socialist state with a devotion to football, he dreamed of adopting a new name to… the Red Devils. Yet, to adopt the name of a football club from the other side of the Iron Curtain was mission impossible. If he had attempted to do so before the fall of the regime, he would likely have faced imprisonment.
A Commitment Sealed by Fate
A decade after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria – on that night in May 1999 – Marin's personal goal came one step closer to fulfillment. Viewing the match from his modest home in Svishtov and with the score against them, Marin swore an oath to himself: should his team mount a comeback, he would do anything to change his name that of the club he loved. Then, a miracle occurred.
A lifelong wish to walk the halls of the famous stadium came true.
Years of Judicial Challenges
A day later, Marin sought legal counsel to express his unusual request, thus initiating a difficult fight. The parent who inspired him, from whom he had gained his fandom, was deceased, and the man in his thirties was caring for his parent, working all kinds of odd jobs, including as a builder on £15 a day. He was struggling financially, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He quickly turned into the subject of gossip, then was featured globally, but many seasons full of legal battles and setbacks in litigation awaited him.
Legal Obstacles and Small Wins
The application was turned down at first for intellectual property issues: he could not change his name of a trademark known around the globe. Then a court official allowed a compromise, saying Marin could modify his forename to the city name but that he was prohibited from using United as his official surname. “But I don’t want to be identified with an urban area in the UK, I want to bear the identity of my beloved team,” Marin told the court. The struggle continued.
His Beloved Cats
Outside of legal proceedings, he was often tending to his pets. He had plenty of them in his back yard in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the Manchester United. He christened them after club legends: such as Vidic and others, they were the best-known felines in town. The one he loved most of the name they used? One named after David Beckham.
He was often seen in full club regalia.
Progress and Integrity
Another victory was secured in court: he was permitted to include the club name as an legal alternative on his ID card. But this did not satisfy him. “I won’t stop until my complete identity is Manchester United,” he vowed. His story soon led to financial opportunities – a proposal to have supporters' goods made using his identity – 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 beyond commercial use.
Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols
A film was made in 2011. The production team turned Marin’s dream of experiencing the Theatre of Dreams and there he even met the Bulgarian striker, the Bulgaria striker then at the club at the time.
Permanently marked the United crest on his face three years later as a protest against the judicial outcomes and in his last few years it became more and more difficult for him to keep up the struggle. Job opportunities were scarce and he was bereaved to the pandemic. But somehow, he found a way. Originally of Catholic faith, he was christened in an religious institution under the name the identity he sought. “In the eyes of the divine, I am with my true identity,” he would frequently remark.
This Monday, 13 October, his life came to an end. Maybe at last the club's persistent fan could at last be at rest.
