I Am Called Man Utd: The Die-Hard Supporter Who Fought to Change His Identity
Inquire of any Manchester United supporter of a certain age about the importance of that fateful day in May 1999, and they'll recount that the occasion left an indelible mark. It was the moment when injury-time goals from Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær completed an unbelievable late turnaround in the European Cup final against the German giants at the Camp Nou. It was also, the existence of one devoted supporter in Bulgaria, who passed away at the 62 years old, took a new direction.
A Dream Born in Communist Bulgaria
That supporter was born Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in his hometown, a community with a modest number of residents. Being raised in a socialist state with a love of football, he aspired to adopting a new name to… his beloved club. Yet, to claim the name of a sports team from the other side of the Iron Curtain was a futile endeavor. If he had attempted to do so before the fall of the regime, he would almost certainly have ended up in jail.
A Vow Made Under Pressure
Ten years after the political changes in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's personal goal came one step closer to fulfillment. Viewing the match from his modest home in Svishtov and with his team losing, Marin made a promise to himself: in the event of a reversal, he would do anything to change his name that of the team he adored. Then, the impossible happened.
He realized his ambition to see the Theatre of Dreams.
Years of Judicial Challenges
The next day, Marin sought legal counsel to state his extraordinary desire, thus initiating a difficult fight. Marin’s father, from whom he had inherited his love of United, was long gone, and the 36-year-old was living with his mother, working all kinds of odd jobs, including as a laborer on a meager daily wage. He was barely getting by, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He quickly turned into the local celebrity, then became an international sensation, but many seasons full of legal battles and discouraging rulings were to come.
Trademark Issues and Limited Success
The application was denied early on for trademark concerns: he was barred from using the title of a world-famous brand. Then a local judge ruled partially in his favour, saying Marin could change his first name to the city name but that he was could not adopt the second part as his official surname. “Yet my aim is to be identified with an urban area in the UK, I want to bear the identity of my favourite football club,” Marin stated during proceedings. His fight went on.
A Life with Feline Friends
During breaks from litigation, he was often tending to his pets. He had a large number in his garden in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the Red Devils. He christened them after team stars: from Rio to Rooney, they were the best-known felines in town. Which was the favourite cat of his close friends' nickname for him? One named after David Beckham.
Marin bedecked in United gear.
Breakthroughs and Principles
He achieved a further success in court: he was permitted to include the club name as an recognized alias on his identification document. But still he wasn’t happy. “I will continue until my entire name is the club's title,” he promised. His tale attracted financial opportunities – a proposal to have fan merchandise produced under his new name – but even with his monetary challenges, he declined the proposal because he refused to make money from his adored institution. The club's identity was inviolable.
Dreams Realized and Lasting Tributes
His story was captured in that year. The crew fulfilled his wish of experiencing the Theatre of Dreams and there he even had the chance to see Dimitar Berbatov, the Bulgaria striker playing for United at the time.
He inked the team emblem on his face subsequently as a protest against the judicial outcomes and in his closing chapter it became ever tougher for him to continue his legal battle. Job opportunities were scarce and he lost his mother to the pandemic. But he managed to continue. Born as a Catholic, he got baptised in an religious institution under the name Manchester United Zdravkov Levidzhov. “Ultimately, my true name is recognized with my true identity,” he would frequently remark.
This Monday, 13 October, his heart stopped beating. Perhaps now Manchester United’s restless soul could at last be at rest.
