I Go By Man Utd: This Die-Hard Supporter Who Fought to Change His Legal Name
Inquire of any United supporter from an earlier generation concerning the meaning of that fateful day in May 1999, and they'll recount that the occasion changed them forever. It was the night when last-minute strikes from Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær secured an unbelievable come-from-behind victory in the showpiece event against the German giants at the famous Barcelona stadium. Simultaneously, the existence of one loyal follower in Bulgaria, who recently died at the age of 62, changed forever.
A Dream Born in Communist Bulgaria
That supporter was given the name Marin Levidzhov in a small Danube town, a settlement with a tight-knit community. Living in a socialist state with a love of football, he dreamed of adopting a new name to… Manchester United. However, to take the name of a football club from the Western world was mission impossible. Any effort to do so during the socialist era, he would undoubtedly have been arrested.
A Commitment Sealed by Fate
Ten years after the end of communism in Bulgaria – on that night in May 1999 – Marin's unique aspiration edged closer to reality. Watching the final from his modest home in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin swore an oath to himself: should his team mount a comeback, he would go to any lengths to become known as that of the object of his devotion. Then, the impossible happened.
Marin fulfils his dream of visiting Old Trafford.
Years of Judicial Challenges
The following morning, Marin consulted an attorney to present his unique case, thus beginning a long, hard battle. His dad, from whom he had gained his fandom, was long gone, and the 36-year-old was living with his mother, employed in miscellaneous roles, including as a builder on a meager daily wage. He was barely getting by, yet his dream became an obsession. He rapidly evolved into the local celebrity, then became an international sensation, but a decade and a half full of legal battles and setbacks in litigation lay ahead.
Trademark Issues and Limited Success
The application was rejected initially for intellectual property issues: he was barred from using the title of a world-famous brand. Then a local judge ruled partially in his favour, saying Marin could modify his forename to Manchester but that he was prohibited from using the second part as his family name. “But I don’t want to be identified with an urban area 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
During breaks from litigation, he was often looking after his cats. He had many animals in his outdoor space in Svishtov and cherished them equally with the Red Devils. He gave each one a name after club legends: such as Vidic and others, they were the best-known felines in town. The one he loved most of the name they used? The feline known as Beckham.
His attire consistently showed his allegiance.
Advances and Ethics
He achieved a further success in court: he was granted the right to append the club name as an recognized alias on his ID card. But still he wasn’t happy. “I will continue until my full name is as I desire,” he vowed. His narrative resulted in commercial propositions – an offer to have fan merchandise made using his identity – but although he was in need, he turned down the offer because he was unwilling to gain financially from his favourite club. The Manchester United name was sacred to him.
Dreams Realized and Lasting Tributes
A film was made in that year. The production team turned Marin’s dream of visiting Old Trafford and there he even encountered the Bulgarian striker, the national team player then at the club at the time.
Marin tattooed the United crest on his brow subsequently as a objection to the judicial outcomes and in his closing chapter it became ever tougher for him to persist with his fight. Employment was hard to find and he was bereaved to Covid-19. But he managed to continue. Born as a Catholic, he got baptised in an Eastern Orthodox church under the name his desired full name. “In the eyes of the divine, I am with my chosen name,” he used to say.
This Monday, 13 October, his life came to an end. It is possible that the club's determined supporter could finally find peace.
