I Am Called Man Utd: The Superfan Who Struggled to Change His Legal Name
Ask any Man United supporter from an earlier generation regarding the importance of May 26th, 1999, and they'll recount that the night changed them forever. It was the night when dramatic late goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær completed an unbelievable come-from-behind victory in the showpiece event against Bayern Munich at the famous Barcelona stadium. It was also, the life of one devoted supporter in Bulgaria, who recently died at the 62 years old, took a new direction.
A Dream Born in Communist Bulgaria
That supporter was given the name Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in his hometown, a settlement with a tight-knit community. Being raised in the former Eastern Bloc with a passion for football, he dreamed of changing his name to… the Red Devils. However, to adopt the name of a sports team from the Western world was mission impossible. Any effort to do so before the fall of the regime, he would likely have ended up in jail.
A Vow Made Under Pressure
A decade after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's idiosyncratic dream edged closer to reality. Viewing the match from his humble abode in Svishtov and with his team losing, Marin made a promise to himself: in the event of a reversal, he would go to any lengths 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
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 learned to support the club, was long gone, and the 36-year-old was living with his mother, taking on various types of work, including as a builder on minimal earnings. He was barely getting by, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He rapidly evolved into the subject of gossip, then became an international sensation, but many seasons full of legal battles and discouraging rulings awaited him.
Copyright Hurdles and Partial Victories
Marin’s wish was rejected initially for trademark concerns: he was not permitted to adopt the name of a internationally recognized entity. Then a court official allowed a compromise, saying Marin could alter his given name to Manchester but that he was could not adopt United as his official surname. “However, I desire to be identified with an urban area in England, I want to carry the title of my beloved team,” Marin informed the judge. His fight went on.
A Life with Feline Friends
During breaks from litigation, he was often looking after his cats. He had plenty of them in his outdoor space in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the Red Devils. He christened them after club legends: such as Vidic and others, they were the best-known felines in town. Which was the favourite cat of Man U? A kitty called Beckham.
He was often seen in full club regalia.
Progress and Integrity
He achieved a further success in court: he was granted the right to append the club name as an official nickname on his ID card. But this did not satisfy him. “I won’t stop until my complete identity is Manchester United,” he declared. His narrative resulted in commercial propositions – an offer to have fan merchandise branded with his legal name – but despite his financial struggles, he declined the proposal because he was unwilling to gain financially from his beloved team. The Manchester United name was beyond commercial use.
Aspirations Fulfilled and Final Acts
A film was made in that year. The production team fulfilled his wish of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even met Dimitar Berbatov, the national team player on the team's roster at the time.
He inked the team emblem on his brow subsequently as a demonstration against the legal rulings and in his closing chapter it became more and more difficult for him to persist with his fight. Work was limited and he suffered the death of his mother to Covid-19. But against the odds, he persevered. Born as a Catholic, he got baptised in an religious institution under the name his desired full name. “At least God will know me with my chosen name,” he used to say.
On a recent Monday, his life came to an end. Perhaps now the club's persistent fan could finally find peace.
