My Name Is Manchester United: This Superfan Who Battled to Change His Identity

Inquire of any United devotee who is older regarding the meaning of 26 May 1999, and they will tell you that the occasion changed them forever. It was the night when dramatic late goals from Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær completed an unbelievable come-from-behind victory in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou. It was also, the life of one loyal follower in Eastern Europe, who recently died at the 62 years old, changed forever.

Aspirations Under Communism

This individual was given the name Marin Levidzhov in Svishtov, a community with a tight-knit community. Living in a socialist state with a devotion to football, he aspired to changing his name to… his beloved club. However, to adopt the name of a organization 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

Ten years after the end of communism in Bulgaria – on the unforgettable final – Marin's idiosyncratic dream came one step closer to fulfillment. Watching the final from his humble abode in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin made a promise to himself: if United somehow turned the game around, he would do anything to legally adopt the name that of the team he adored. Then, against all odds, it transpired.

He realized his ambition to see the Theatre of Dreams.

The Long Legal Battle

The next day, Marin visited a lawyer to state his extraordinary desire, thus initiating a difficult fight. Marin’s father, from whom he had learned to support the club, was no longer alive, and the man in his thirties was residing with his mom, working all kinds of odd jobs, including as a construction worker on minimal earnings. He was hardly making ends meet, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He soon became the local celebrity, then gained worldwide attention, but 15 years full of court cases and discouraging rulings lay ahead.

Legal Obstacles and Small Wins

Marin’s wish was rejected initially for trademark concerns: he was not permitted to adopt the name of a internationally recognized entity. Then a local judge ruled partially in his favour, saying Marin could modify his forename to Manchester but that he was not to use United as his legal last name. “However, I desire to be associated with just a place in England, I want to wear the name of my favourite football club,” Marin stated during proceedings. The struggle continued.

A Life with Feline Friends

During breaks from litigation, he was often tending to his pets. He had many animals in his outdoor space in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the Manchester United. He named them all after club legends: from Rio to Rooney, they were the most famous cats in town. The one he loved most of the name they used? A kitty called Beckham.

His attire consistently showed his allegiance.

Breakthroughs and Principles

He achieved a further success in court: he was allowed to add United as an recognized alias on his identification document. But still he wasn’t happy. “My efforts will persist until my complete identity is the club's title,” he declared. His tale attracted business offers – a proposal to have club products branded with his legal name – but despite his financial struggles, he turned down the offer because he did not want to profit from his favourite club. The Manchester United name was sacred to him.

Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols

A documentary followed in that year. The production team fulfilled his wish of visiting Old Trafford and there he even met Dimitar Berbatov, the forward then at the club at the time.

He inked the club badge on his face three years later as a protest against the judicial outcomes and in his final years it became increasingly hard for him to keep up the struggle. Work was limited and he lost his mother to the virus. But somehow, he found a way. By birth a Catholic, he got baptised in an Eastern Orthodox church under the name Manchester United Zdravkov Levidzhov. “In the eyes of the divine, I am with my real name,” he often stated.

On a recent Monday, his heart stopped beating. Perhaps now the club's restless soul could achieve eternal tranquility.