I Am Called Man Utd: The Superfan Who Battled to Alter His Name
Ask any Manchester United devotee who is older concerning the meaning of that fateful day in May 1999, and the answer will be that the date changed them forever. It was the evening when dramatic late goals from Sheringham and Solskjær sealed an incredible 2-1 comeback in the European Cup final against Bayern Munich at the famous Barcelona stadium. Simultaneously, the existence of one loyal follower in Bulgaria, who has died at the age of 62, was transformed.
Aspirations Under Communism
This individual was originally called Marin Levidzhov in a small Danube town, a settlement with a tight-knit community. Being raised in communist Bulgaria with a devotion to football, he dreamed of adopting a new name to… his beloved club. But, to take the name of a football club from the capitalist west was mission impossible. Any effort to do so during the socialist era, he would almost certainly have ended up in jail.
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 moved nearer to reality. Viewing the match from his modest home in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin vowed to himself: in the event of a reversal, he would do anything to legally adopt the name that of the club he loved. Then, a miracle occurred.
A lifelong wish to walk the halls of the famous stadium came true.
The Long Legal Battle
The next day, Marin sought legal counsel to present his unique case, thus starting a grueling process. The parent who inspired him, from whom he had gained his fandom, was long gone, and the 36-year-old 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 dream became an obsession. He quickly turned into the talk of the town, then became an international sensation, but 15 years full of court cases and setbacks in litigation were to come.
Trademark Issues and Limited Success
Marin’s wish was turned down at first for trademark concerns: he was not permitted to adopt the name of a trademark known around the globe. Then a presiding magistrate ruled partially in his favour, saying Marin could alter his given name to Manchester but that he was could not adopt the second part as his family name. “Yet my aim is to be named after a city in England, I want to carry the title of my favourite football club,” Marin told the court. The battle persisted.
His Beloved Cats
When not in court, he was often looking after his cats. He had plenty of them in his back yard in Svishtov and cherished them equally with the Manchester United. He christened them after United players: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the best-known felines in town. The one he loved most of the name they used? A kitty called Beckham.
He was often seen in full club regalia.
Advances and Ethics
Marin managed another breakthrough in court: he was granted the right to append United as an official nickname on his ID card. But still he wasn’t happy. “My efforts will persist until my complete identity is the club's title,” he vowed. His narrative resulted in business offers – an offer to have club products produced under his new name – but even with his monetary challenges, he turned down the offer because he was unwilling to gain financially from his favourite club. The club's identity was sacred to him.
Aspirations Fulfilled and Final Acts
A documentary followed in 2011. The crew turned Marin’s dream of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even encountered the Bulgarian striker, the national team player then at the club at the time.
He inked the United crest on his brow subsequently as a objection to the judicial outcomes and in his last few years it became ever tougher for him to keep up the struggle. Work was limited and he was bereaved to the virus. But against the odds, he persevered. Originally of Catholic faith, he got baptised in an Eastern Orthodox church under the name Manchester United Zdravkov Levidzhov. “At least God will know me with my true identity,” he often stated.
This Monday, 13 October, his time ran out. It is possible that the club's restless soul could finally find peace.
