I Am Called Man Utd: The Die-Hard Supporter Who Fought to Alter His Legal Name
Ask any Man United fan of a certain age about the meaning of 26 May 1999, and the answer will be that the occasion was life-altering. It was the moment when dramatic late goals from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær completed an incredible come-from-behind victory in the showpiece event against the German giants at the Camp Nou. It was also, the world of one devoted supporter in Bulgaria, who passed away at the age of 62, was transformed.
A Dream Born in Communist Bulgaria
That supporter was originally called Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in his hometown, a settlement with a modest number of residents. Being raised in a socialist state with a love of football, he aspired to adopting a new name to… the Red Devils. However, to take the name of a football club from the capitalist west was a futile endeavor. Had Marin tried to do so during the socialist era, he would almost certainly have ended up in jail.
A Vow Made Under Pressure
Ten years after the political changes in Bulgaria – on that night in May 1999 – Marin's personal goal moved nearer to fulfillment. Watching the final from his modest home in Svishtov and with his team losing, Marin swore an oath to himself: should his team mount a comeback, he would go to any lengths to change his name that of the object of his devotion. Then, the impossible happened.
A lifelong wish to walk the halls of the famous stadium came true.
A Protracted Court Struggle
The next day, Marin visited a lawyer to express his unusual request, thus beginning a long, hard battle. His dad, from whom he had inherited his love of United, was no longer alive, and the man in his thirties was caring for his parent, working all kinds of odd jobs, including as a construction worker on £15 a day. He was barely getting by, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He soon became the talk of the town, then gained worldwide attention, but many seasons full of legal battles and setbacks in litigation were to come.
Trademark Issues and Limited Success
Marin’s wish was rejected initially for trademark concerns: he was barred from using the title of a trademark known around the globe. Then a presiding magistrate allowed a compromise, saying Marin could modify his forename to Manchester but that he was prohibited from using the second part as his legal last name. “Yet my aim is to be associated with just a place in England, I want to wear the name of my favourite football club,” Marin told the court. The battle persisted.
A Life with Feline Friends
When not in court, he was often looking after his cats. He had many animals in his garden in Svishtov and loved them as much as the his team. He named them all after United players: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the celebrity pets in town. Which was the favourite cat of the name they used? One named after David Beckham.
He was often seen in full club regalia.
Breakthroughs and Principles
He achieved a further success in court: he was allowed to add United as an legal alternative on his ID card. But he remained dissatisfied. “My efforts will persist until my complete identity is the club's title,” he promised. His narrative resulted in commercial propositions – an offer to have club products branded with his legal name – but despite his financial struggles, he declined the proposal because he was unwilling to gain financially from his beloved team. The Manchester United name was inviolable.
Dreams Realized and Lasting Tributes
A film was made in 2011. The crew fulfilled his wish of visiting Old Trafford and there he even encountered Dimitar Berbatov, the forward on the team's roster at the time.
Permanently marked the club badge on his brow three years later as a objection to the legal rulings and in his closing chapter it became ever tougher for him to persist with his fight. Job opportunities were scarce and he lost his mother to Covid-19. But against the odds, he persevered. Born as a Catholic, he underwent baptism in an orthodox church under the name the identity he sought. “At least God will know me with my true identity,” he often stated.
Earlier this week, his heart stopped beating. Maybe at last the club's restless soul could finally find peace.
