My Name Is MUFC: This Die-Hard Supporter Who Fought to Change His Legal Name
Pose the question to any Man United supporter from an earlier generation about the significance of that fateful day in May 1999, and they will tell you that the occasion left an indelible mark. It was the moment when dramatic late goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær sealed an incredible 2-1 comeback in the showpiece event against the German giants at the Camp Nou. Simultaneously, the existence of one devoted supporter in Eastern Europe, who passed away at the 62 years old, changed forever.
Aspirations Under Communism
The fan in question was given the name Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in a small Danube town, a place with a population of 22,000. Growing up in communist Bulgaria with a devotion to football, he aspired to adopting a new name to… Manchester United. However, to claim the name of a organization from the other side of the Iron Curtain was mission impossible. Had Marin tried to do so during the socialist era, he would almost certainly have ended up in jail.
A Commitment Sealed by Fate
Many seasons after the end of communism in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's unique aspiration edged closer to fulfillment. Viewing the match from his humble abode in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin swore an oath to himself: in the event of a reversal, he would spare no effort to change his name that of the club he loved. Then, a miracle occurred.
He realized his ambition to see the Theatre of Dreams.
A Protracted Court Struggle
The following morning, Marin consulted an attorney to express his unusual request, thus beginning a long, hard battle. His dad, from whom he had learned to support the club, was no longer alive, and the 36-year-old was living with his mother, employed in miscellaneous roles, including as a laborer on a meager daily wage. He was barely getting by, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He soon became the subject of gossip, then gained worldwide attention, but a decade and a half full of judicial disputes and setbacks in litigation were to come.
Legal Obstacles and Small Wins
The application was denied early on for trademark concerns: he was not permitted to adopt the name of a trademark known around the globe. Then a presiding magistrate granted a limited approval, saying Marin could alter his given name to Manchester but that he was prohibited from using the second part as his official surname. “Yet my aim is to be identified with an urban area in England, I want to carry the title of my favourite football club,” Marin informed the judge. The struggle continued.
Companions in Adversity
Outside of legal proceedings, 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 Manchester United. He gave each one a name after club legends: such as Vidic and others, they were the most famous cats in town. Who was his preferred pet of Man U? The feline known as Beckham.
His attire consistently showed his allegiance.
Breakthroughs and Principles
Marin managed another breakthrough in court: he was allowed to add United as an legal alternative on his identification document. But this did not satisfy him. “I won’t stop until my complete identity is as I desire,” he promised. His story soon led to commercial propositions – a chance to have fan merchandise made using his identity – but although he was in need, he turned down the offer because he refused to make money from his beloved team. The Manchester United name was inviolable.
Aspirations Fulfilled and Final Acts
A documentary followed in 2011. The production team fulfilled his wish of visiting Old Trafford and there he even encountered his compatriot, the Bulgaria striker then at the club at the time.
Marin tattooed the United crest on his brow subsequently as a demonstration against the judicial outcomes and in his final years it became more and more difficult for him to continue his legal battle. Work was limited and he was bereaved to the pandemic. But he managed to continue. Born as a Catholic, he got baptised in an orthodox church under the name his desired full name. “Ultimately, my true name is recognized with my true identity,” he would frequently remark.
This Monday, 13 October, his heart stopped beating. It is possible that Manchester United’s restless soul could achieve eternal tranquility.