My Name Is Manchester United: This Superfan Who Battled to Alter His Name
Ask any Manchester United supporter from an earlier generation about the meaning of May 26th, 1999, and the answer will be that the date left an indelible mark. It was the night when injury-time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær completed an unbelievable 2-1 comeback in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich at the famous Barcelona stadium. It was also, the world of one loyal follower in Bulgaria, who has died at the 62 years old, took a new direction.
A Dream Born in Communist Bulgaria
This individual was given the name Marin Levidzhov in his hometown, a settlement with a modest number of residents. Growing up in communist Bulgaria with a love of football, he longed to adopting a new name to… Manchester United. But, to claim the name of a football club from the Western world was mission impossible. Had Marin tried to do so prior to the end of communism, he would almost certainly have ended up in jail.
A Commitment Sealed by Fate
Many seasons after the political changes in Bulgaria – on that night in May 1999 – Marin's idiosyncratic dream moved nearer to reality. Tuning in from home from his simple residence in Svishtov and with his team losing, Marin swore an oath to himself: should his team mount a comeback, he would do anything to become known as that of the team he adored. Then, the impossible happened.
A lifelong wish to walk the halls of the famous stadium came true.
Years of Judicial Challenges
The following morning, Marin consulted an attorney to state his extraordinary desire, thus beginning a long, hard battle. The parent who inspired him, from whom he had gained his fandom, was no longer alive, and the 36-year-old was residing with his mom, taking on various types of work, including as a builder on £15 a day. He was struggling financially, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He quickly turned into the local celebrity, then became an international sensation, but many seasons full of legal battles and disheartening court decisions lay ahead.
Copyright Hurdles and Partial Victories
The application was turned down at first for copyright reasons: he was barred from using the title of a trademark known around the globe. Then a presiding magistrate ruled partially in his favour, saying Marin could modify his forename to Manchester but that he was not to use United as his family name. “But I don’t want to be associated with just a place in the UK, I want to bear the identity of my favourite football club,” Marin informed the judge. The battle persisted.
His Beloved Cats
Outside of legal proceedings, he was often caring for his feline friends. He had many animals in his garden in Svishtov and loved them as much as the his team. He gave each one a name after United players: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the celebrity pets in town. Who was his preferred pet of the name they used? One named after David Beckham.
His attire consistently showed his allegiance.
Progress and Integrity
Another victory was secured in court: he was allowed to add United as an recognized alias on his personal papers. But still he wasn’t happy. “I won’t stop until my full name is as I desire,” he declared. His narrative resulted in financial opportunities – a proposal to have supporters' goods made using his identity – but although he was in need, he declined the proposal because he refused to make money from his adored institution. The Manchester United name was sacred to him.
Dreams Realized and Lasting Tributes
His story was captured in that year. The production team made his aspiration come true of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even met the Bulgarian striker, the forward then at the club at the time.
Marin tattooed the team emblem on his forehead subsequently as a protest against the legal rulings and in his final years it became increasingly hard for him to persist with his fight. Employment was hard to find and he suffered the death of his mother to Covid-19. But he managed to continue. Born as a Catholic, he was christened in an Eastern Orthodox church under the name the identity he sought. “Ultimately, my true name is recognized with my true identity,” he often stated.
This Monday, 13 October, his heart stopped beating. Maybe at last Manchester United’s persistent fan could achieve eternal tranquility.
