I Am Called MUFC: This Die-Hard Supporter Who Struggled to Alter His Name
Inquire of any Man United fan of a certain age concerning the significance of that fateful day in May 1999, and they'll recount that the occasion left an indelible mark. It was the evening when dramatic late goals from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær sealed an unbelievable late turnaround in the European Cup final against Bayern Munich at the famous Barcelona stadium. That same night, the world of one United fan in Eastern Europe, who passed away at the age of 62, took a new direction.
Aspirations Under Communism
The fan in question was originally called Marin Levidzhov in his hometown, a place with a modest number of residents. Being raised in the former Eastern Bloc with a devotion to football, he longed to changing his name to… Manchester United. But, to take the name of a sports team from the other side of the Iron Curtain was mission impossible. Any effort to do so prior to the end of communism, he would almost certainly have been arrested.
A Commitment Sealed by Fate
Many seasons after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria – on the unforgettable final – Marin's idiosyncratic dream came one step closer to achievement. Viewing the match from his modest home in Svishtov and with the score against them, Marin made a promise 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.
A lifelong wish to walk the halls of the famous stadium came true.
The Long Legal Battle
The next day, Marin consulted an attorney to state his extraordinary desire, thus beginning a long, hard battle. Marin’s father, from whom he had learned to support the club, was long gone, and the 36-year-old was living with his mother, working all kinds of odd jobs, including as a construction worker on a meager daily wage. He was hardly making ends meet, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He rapidly evolved into the local celebrity, then was featured globally, but 15 years full of court cases and setbacks in litigation awaited him.
Legal Obstacles and Small Wins
The application was rejected initially for intellectual property issues: he could not change his name of a world-famous brand. Then a presiding magistrate ruled partially in his favour, saying Marin could alter his given name 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 the UK, I want to bear the identity of my beloved team,” Marin told the court. His fight went on.
Companions in Adversity
During breaks from litigation, he was often tending to his pets. He had plenty of them in his back yard in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the Red Devils. He named them all after team stars: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the most famous cats in town. Who was his preferred pet of the name they used? The feline known as Beckham.
His attire consistently showed his allegiance.
Breakthroughs and Principles
Another victory was secured in court: he was granted the right to append United as an official nickname on his identification document. But still he wasn’t happy. “My efforts will persist until my complete identity is as I desire,” he declared. His story soon led to financial opportunities – an offer to have club products made using his identity – but although he was in need, he turned down the offer because he refused to make money from his adored institution. The club's identity was sacred to him.
Aspirations Fulfilled and Final Acts
His story was captured in 2011. The production team made his aspiration come true of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even met Dimitar Berbatov, the national team player playing for United at the time.
Marin tattooed the team emblem on his brow three years later as a objection to the legal rulings and in his final years it became ever tougher for him to persist with his fight. Job opportunities were scarce and he was bereaved to the virus. But against the odds, he persevered. Born as a Catholic, he got baptised in an religious institution under the name his desired full name. “In the eyes of the divine, I am with my chosen name,” he would frequently remark.
Earlier this week, his heart stopped beating. It is possible that the club's determined supporter could at last be at rest.
