My Name Is Man Utd: The Die-Hard Supporter Who Struggled to Alter His Legal Name
Ask any Manchester United devotee of a certain age about the significance of May 26th, 1999, and they'll recount that the date changed them forever. It was the night when last-minute strikes from Sheringham and Solskjær secured an incredible late turnaround in the European Cup final against Bayern Munich at the famous Barcelona stadium. It was also, the life of one devoted supporter in Bulgaria, who passed away at the 62 years old, took a new direction.
Aspirations Under Communism
The fan in question was born Marin Levidzhov in his hometown, a settlement with a tight-knit community. Growing up in communist Bulgaria with a passion for football, he dreamed of adopting a new name to… Manchester United. But, to adopt the name of a sports team from the other side of the Iron Curtain was an unattainable goal. Had Marin tried to do so prior to the end of communism, he would almost certainly have faced imprisonment.
A Commitment Sealed by Fate
Many seasons after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's personal goal edged closer to reality. Viewing the match from his humble abode in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin vowed to himself: if United somehow turned the game around, he would go to any lengths to legally adopt the name that of the club he loved. 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 sought legal counsel to state his extraordinary desire, thus starting a grueling process. The parent who inspired him, from whom he had learned to support the club, was no longer alive, and the 36-year-old was residing with his mom, employed in miscellaneous roles, including as a laborer on minimal earnings. He was barely getting by, yet his dream became an obsession. He rapidly evolved into the local celebrity, then gained worldwide attention, but 15 years full of court cases and disheartening court decisions lay ahead.
Legal Obstacles and Small Wins
Marin’s wish was denied early on for copyright reasons: he was not permitted to adopt the name of a internationally recognized entity. Then a local judge granted a limited approval, saying Marin could change his first 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 identified with an urban area in Britain, I want to carry the title of my favourite football club,” Marin informed the judge. The struggle continued.
A Life with Feline Friends
Outside of legal proceedings, he was often tending to his pets. He had plenty of them in his back yard in Svishtov and cherished them equally with the Red Devils. He gave each one a name after United players: from Rio to Rooney, they were the best-known felines in town. Which was the favourite cat of the name they used? A kitty called Beckham.
His attire consistently showed his allegiance.
Advances and Ethics
Another victory was secured in court: he was granted the right to append United as an official nickname on his personal papers. But still he wasn’t happy. “I will continue until my full name is the club's title,” he declared. His narrative resulted in business offers – a chance to have fan merchandise branded with his legal name – but even with his monetary challenges, he rejected the opportunity because he refused to make money from his adored institution. The club's identity was beyond commercial use.
Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols
His story was captured in that year. The filmmakers turned Marin’s dream of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even had the chance to see his compatriot, the national team player playing for United at the time.
Permanently marked the United crest on his forehead three years later as a demonstration against the court decisions and in his last few years it became more and more difficult for him to keep up the struggle. Work was limited and he was bereaved to the virus. But against the odds, he persevered. By birth a Catholic, he got baptised in an religious institution under the name Manchester United Zdravkov Levidzhov. “In the eyes of the divine, I am with my true identity,” he often stated.
Earlier this week, his life came to an end. Maybe at last the club's determined supporter could achieve eternal tranquility.
