I Go By Manchester United: This Die-Hard Supporter Who Battled to Alter His Legal Name
Inquire of any Manchester United fan from an earlier generation concerning the meaning of that fateful day in May 1999, and they'll recount that the date was life-altering. It was the night when dramatic late goals from Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær secured an unbelievable late turnaround in the Champions League final against the German giants at the famous Barcelona stadium. Simultaneously, the existence of one devoted supporter in Bulgaria, who recently died at the 62 years old, was transformed.
A Dream Born in Communist Bulgaria
That supporter was originally called Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in a small Danube town, a settlement with a modest number of residents. Living in communist Bulgaria with a devotion to football, he longed to changing his name to… the Red Devils. Yet, to claim the name of a organization from the other side of the Iron Curtain was mission impossible. Had Marin tried to do so before the fall of the regime, he would likely have been arrested.
A Commitment Sealed by Fate
Ten years after the end of communism in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's personal goal came one step closer to fulfillment. Tuning in from home from his humble abode in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin made a promise to himself: should his team mount a comeback, he would spare no effort to legally adopt the name that of the team he adored. Then, a miracle occurred.
A lifelong wish to walk the halls of the famous stadium came true.
A Protracted Court Struggle
The following morning, Marin visited a lawyer to state his extraordinary desire, thus beginning a long, hard battle. His dad, 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 laborer on minimal earnings. He was struggling financially, yet his dream became an obsession. He soon became the local celebrity, then gained worldwide attention, but many seasons full of legal battles and disheartening court decisions were to come.
Legal Obstacles and Small Wins
The application was rejected initially for intellectual property issues: he was not permitted to adopt the name of a world-famous brand. Then a court official granted a limited approval, saying Marin could change his first name to the city name but that he was prohibited from using United as his family name. “But I don’t want to be associated with just a place in England, I want to carry the title of my favourite football club,” Marin informed the judge. His fight went on.
His Beloved Cats
During breaks from litigation, he was often caring for his feline friends. He had a large number in his garden in Svishtov and loved them as much as the his team. He christened them after club legends: from Rio to Rooney, they were the best-known felines in town. The one he loved most of his close friends' nickname for him? One named after David Beckham.
Marin bedecked in United gear.
Advances and Ethics
He achieved a further success in court: he was granted the right to append the club name as an official nickname on his personal papers. But still he wasn’t happy. “My efforts will persist until my entire name is Manchester United,” he promised. His tale attracted business offers – an offer to have supporters' goods produced under his new name – but although he was in need, he rejected the opportunity because he was unwilling to gain financially from his beloved team. The Manchester United name was beyond commercial use.
Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols
His story was captured in 2011. The filmmakers turned Marin’s dream of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even encountered Dimitar Berbatov, the forward on the team's roster at the time.
Marin tattooed the United crest on his face at a later date as a demonstration against the legal rulings and in his closing chapter it became more and more difficult for him to continue his legal battle. Employment was hard to find and he lost his mother to the virus. But somehow, he found a way. 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 true identity,” he would frequently remark.
This Monday, 13 October, his heart stopped beating. It is possible that Manchester United’s determined supporter could finally find peace.
