I Go By MUFC: The Superfan Who Fought to Alter His Name
Pose the question to any Man United devotee from an earlier generation regarding the importance of that fateful day in May 1999, and they will tell you that the occasion was life-altering. It was the night when injury-time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær sealed an stunning 2-1 comeback in the showpiece event against Bayern Munich at the famous Barcelona stadium. Simultaneously, the life of one United fan in Eastern Europe, who passed away at the age of 62, took a new direction.
Hopes in a Bygone Era
The fan in question was born Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in Svishtov, a community with a population of 22,000. Growing up in the former Eastern Bloc with a passion for football, he dreamed of changing his name to… the Red Devils. Yet, to claim the name of a sports team from the capitalist west was a futile endeavor. If he had attempted to do so before the fall of the regime, he would almost certainly have been arrested.
A Promise Forged in Drama
Many seasons after the end of communism in Bulgaria – on that night in May 1999 – Marin's personal goal came one step closer to reality. Tuning in from home from his simple residence in Svishtov and with the score against them, Marin vowed to himself: should his team mount a comeback, he would do anything to become known as that of the club he loved. Then, the impossible happened.
Marin fulfils his dream of visiting Old Trafford.
The Long Legal Battle
A day later, Marin sought legal counsel to express his unusual request, thus beginning a long, hard battle. Marin’s father, from whom he had gained his fandom, was no longer alive, and the man in his thirties was living with his mother, employed in miscellaneous roles, including as a construction worker on £15 a day. He was struggling financially, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He quickly turned into the local celebrity, then became an international sensation, but a decade and a half full of legal battles and disheartening court decisions lay ahead.
Legal Obstacles and Small Wins
The application was rejected initially for copyright reasons: he could not change his name of a internationally recognized entity. Then a presiding magistrate granted a limited approval, saying Marin could alter his given name to the city name but that he was prohibited from using the second part as his official surname. “Yet my aim is to be named after a city in Britain, I want to carry the title of my favourite football club,” Marin informed the judge. His fight went on.
Companions in Adversity
Outside of legal proceedings, 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 his team. He gave each one a name after club legends: such as Vidic and others, they were the most famous cats in town. Which was the favourite cat of the name they used? The feline known as Beckham.
He was often seen in full club regalia.
Advances and Ethics
Another victory was secured in court: he was allowed to add United as an legal alternative on his identification document. But he remained dissatisfied. “My efforts will persist until my complete identity is Manchester United,” he vowed. His story soon led to financial opportunities – a chance to have club products branded with his legal name – but although he was in need, he turned down the offer because he was unwilling to gain financially from his adored institution. The Manchester United name was beyond commercial use.
Dreams Realized and Lasting Tributes
A documentary followed in that year. The filmmakers turned Marin’s dream of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even had the chance to see the Bulgarian striker, the forward playing for United at the time.
He inked the United crest on his face three years later as a demonstration against the legal rulings and in his final years it became more and more difficult for him to keep up the struggle. Job opportunities were scarce and he suffered the death of his mother to the virus. But against the odds, he persevered. Born as a Catholic, he got baptised in an religious institution under the name Manchester United Zdravkov Levidzhov. “In the eyes of the divine, I am with my chosen name,” he often stated.
This Monday, 13 October, his heart stopped beating. Perhaps now the club's restless soul could achieve eternal tranquility.
