My Name Is Manchester United: The Die-Hard Supporter Who Struggled to Change His Name
Pose the question to any Man United devotee who is older regarding the meaning of that fateful day in May 1999, and they'll recount that the occasion was life-altering. It was the evening when dramatic late goals from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær completed an unbelievable come-from-behind victory in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou. Simultaneously, the existence of one loyal follower in Bulgaria, who passed away at the 62 years old, was transformed.
Hopes in a Bygone Era
This individual was originally called Marin Levidzhov in Svishtov, a place with a tight-knit community. Living in a socialist state with a love of football, he dreamed of legally altering his identity to… his beloved club. But, to claim the name of a football club from the other side of the Iron Curtain was a futile endeavor. Any effort to do so during the socialist era, he would almost certainly have ended up in jail.
A Commitment Sealed by Fate
Many seasons after the political changes in Bulgaria – on the unforgettable final – Marin's personal goal edged closer to fulfillment. Tuning in from home from his humble abode in Svishtov and with his team losing, Marin swore an oath 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, against all odds, it transpired.
A lifelong wish to walk the halls of the famous stadium came true.
The Long Legal Battle
The following morning, Marin consulted an attorney to present his unique case, thus beginning a long, hard battle. Marin’s father, from whom he had learned to support the club, was deceased, and the 36-year-old was caring for his parent, taking on various types of work, including as a builder on minimal earnings. He was struggling financially, yet his dream became an obsession. He rapidly evolved into the talk of the town, then was featured globally, but 15 years full of legal battles and disheartening court decisions awaited him.
Copyright Hurdles and Partial Victories
Marin’s wish was turned down at first for copyright reasons: he could not change his name of a trademark known around the globe. Then a court official ruled partially in his favour, saying Marin could alter his given name to Manchester but that he was prohibited from using the second part as his legal last name. “Yet my aim is to be identified with an urban area in Britain, I want to bear the identity of my beloved team,” Marin told the court. The struggle continued.
Companions in Adversity
Outside of legal proceedings, he was often looking after his cats. He had plenty of them in his outdoor space in Svishtov and loved them as much as the his team. He named them all after team stars: from Rio to Rooney, they were the best-known felines in town. Who was his preferred pet of Man U? One named after David Beckham.
His attire consistently showed his allegiance.
Breakthroughs and Principles
Marin managed another breakthrough in court: he was allowed to add the club name as an recognized alias on his identification document. But he remained dissatisfied. “My efforts will persist until my full name is as I desire,” he vowed. His narrative resulted in commercial propositions – a chance to have club products made using his identity – but despite his financial struggles, he declined the proposal because he did not want to profit from his favourite club. The Manchester United name was beyond commercial use.
Dreams Realized and Lasting Tributes
A film was made in that year. The crew turned Marin’s dream of visiting Old Trafford and there he even had the chance to see Dimitar Berbatov, the national team player playing for United at the time.
He inked the team emblem on his forehead three years later as a protest against the legal rulings and in his closing chapter it became increasingly hard for him to continue his legal battle. Employment was hard to find and he was bereaved to the virus. But against the odds, he persevered. By birth a Catholic, he underwent baptism in an religious institution under the name Manchester United Zdravkov Levidzhov. “In the eyes of the divine, I am with my true identity,” he used to say.
This Monday, 13 October, his time ran out. It is possible that the club's restless soul could achieve eternal tranquility.
