I Go By Man Utd: The Die-Hard Supporter Who Struggled to Change His Name
Inquire of any Man United devotee of a certain age regarding the importance of that fateful day in May 1999, and they'll recount that the night was life-altering. It was the evening when dramatic late goals from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær secured an stunning late turnaround in the European Cup final against the German giants at the famous Barcelona stadium. It was also, the existence of one United fan in Eastern Europe, who recently died at the age of 62, was transformed.
A Dream Born in Communist Bulgaria
The fan in question was born Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in Svishtov, a community with a population of 22,000. Growing up in communist Bulgaria with a devotion to football, he aspired to changing his name to… his beloved club. Yet, to take the name of a organization 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 undoubtedly have been arrested.
A Promise Forged in Drama
Many seasons after the end of communism in Bulgaria – on the unforgettable final – Marin's unique aspiration moved nearer to fulfillment. Viewing the match from his simple residence in Svishtov and with his team losing, Marin swore an oath to himself: if United somehow turned the game around, he would do anything to change his name that of the club he loved. Then, the impossible happened.
He realized his ambition to see the Theatre of Dreams.
A Protracted Court Struggle
A day later, Marin sought legal counsel to present his unique case, 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 caring for his parent, employed in miscellaneous roles, including as a builder on minimal earnings. He was hardly making ends meet, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He rapidly evolved into the talk of the town, then was featured globally, but many seasons full of court cases and setbacks in litigation were to come.
Copyright Hurdles and Partial Victories
His request was rejected initially for copyright reasons: he could not change his name of a internationally recognized entity. Then a local judge granted a limited approval, saying Marin could modify his forename to Manchester but that he was could not adopt the second part as his legal last name. “But I don’t want to be associated with just a place in England, I want to wear the name of my beloved team,” Marin stated during proceedings. The struggle continued.
Companions in Adversity
During breaks from litigation, he was often caring for his feline friends. He had a large number in his garden in Svishtov and cherished them equally with the his team. He gave each one a name after team stars: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the celebrity pets in town. Who was his preferred pet of his close friends' nickname for him? A kitty called Beckham.
Marin bedecked in United gear.
Advances and Ethics
Marin managed another breakthrough in court: he was permitted to include United as an official nickname on his ID card. But he remained dissatisfied. “I will continue until my complete identity is the club's title,” he vowed. His narrative resulted in business offers – a proposal to have supporters' goods produced under his new name – but despite his financial struggles, he turned down the offer because he was unwilling to gain financially from his beloved team. The team's title was inviolable.
Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols
A film was made in 2011. The filmmakers made his aspiration come true of visiting Old Trafford and there he even had the chance to see the Bulgarian striker, the national team player on the team's roster at the time.
He inked the team emblem on his face subsequently as a objection to the legal rulings and in his closing chapter it became ever tougher for him to continue his legal battle. Employment was hard to find and he suffered the death of his mother to the pandemic. But he managed to continue. By birth a Catholic, he underwent baptism 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 would frequently remark.
Earlier this week, his time ran out. Perhaps now Manchester United’s determined supporter could achieve eternal tranquility.