My Name Is Manchester United: This Superfan Who Struggled to Alter His Identity

Ask any Man United fan who is older regarding the importance of May 26th, 1999, and they will tell you that the night was life-altering. It was the moment when dramatic late goals from Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær secured an incredible late turnaround in the European Cup final against Bayern Munich at the famous Barcelona stadium. Simultaneously, the life of one United fan in Bulgaria, who has died at the 62 years old, was transformed.

Aspirations Under Communism

That supporter was given the name Marin Levidzhov in Svishtov, a community with a tight-knit community. Growing up in the former Eastern Bloc with a devotion to football, he longed to adopting a new name to… his beloved club. But, to adopt the name of a organization from the capitalist west was an unattainable goal. Had Marin tried to do so during the socialist era, he would almost certainly have faced imprisonment.

A Promise Forged in Drama

A decade after the political changes in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's idiosyncratic dream edged closer to fulfillment. Tuning in from home from his modest home in Svishtov and with the score against them, Marin vowed to himself: if United somehow turned the game around, he would spare no effort to legally adopt the name that of the object of his devotion. Then, a miracle occurred.

Marin fulfils his dream of visiting Old Trafford.

Years of Judicial Challenges

A day later, Marin consulted an attorney to express his unusual request, thus starting a grueling process. Marin’s father, from whom he had learned to support the club, was long gone, and the 36-year-old was caring for his parent, employed in miscellaneous roles, including as a construction worker on £15 a day. He was hardly making ends meet, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He quickly turned into the local celebrity, then became an international sensation, but 15 years full of judicial disputes and setbacks in litigation lay ahead.

Trademark Issues and Limited Success

Marin’s wish was turned down at first for trademark concerns: he could not change his name of a internationally recognized entity. Then a court official ruled partially in his favour, saying Marin could alter his given name to the city name but that he was not to use the second part as his legal last name. “But I don’t want to be associated with just a place in England, I want to carry the title of my cherished club,” Marin told the court. The battle persisted.

A Life with Feline Friends

During breaks from litigation, he was often looking after his cats. He had many animals in his outdoor space in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the Manchester United. He christened them after United players: from Rio to Rooney, they were the most famous cats in town. The one he loved most of Man U? The feline known as Beckham.

Marin bedecked in United gear.

Advances and Ethics

He achieved a further success in court: he was granted the right to append the club name as an legal alternative on his identification document. But he remained dissatisfied. “My efforts will persist until my full name is the club's title,” he promised. His tale attracted commercial propositions – a proposal to have supporters' goods branded with his legal name – but although he was in need, he rejected the opportunity because he was unwilling to gain financially from his beloved team. The team's title was inviolable.

Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols

A documentary followed in 2011. The production team made his aspiration come true of experiencing the Theatre of Dreams and there he even met Dimitar Berbatov, the forward then at the club at the time.

He inked the team emblem on his brow at a later date as a demonstration against the legal rulings and in his final years it became increasingly hard for him to keep up the struggle. Employment was hard to find and he lost his mother to the virus. But against the odds, he persevered. Born as a Catholic, he underwent baptism in an religious institution under the name his desired full name. “At least God will know me with my chosen name,” he would frequently remark.

This Monday, 13 October, his time ran out. Maybe at last the club's determined supporter could finally find peace.