I Go By Manchester United: The Die-Hard Supporter Who Struggled to Alter His Legal Name

Inquire of any Manchester United fan of a certain age concerning the importance of that fateful day in May 1999, and they will tell you that the occasion left an indelible mark. It was the night when last-minute strikes from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær sealed an unbelievable come-from-behind victory in the Champions League final against the German giants at the famous Barcelona stadium. That same night, the existence of one United fan in Bulgaria, who has died at the 62 years old, changed forever.

Aspirations Under Communism

This individual was born Marin Levidzhov in his hometown, a community with a modest number of residents. Living in a socialist state with a passion for football, he dreamed of changing his name to… his beloved club. Yet, to adopt the name of a organization from the capitalist west was a futile endeavor. Any effort to do so prior to the end of communism, he would almost certainly have been arrested.

A Commitment Sealed by Fate

Ten years after the end of communism in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's idiosyncratic dream moved nearer to reality. Tuning in from home from his modest home in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin vowed to himself: if United somehow turned the game around, he would go to any lengths to legally adopt the name that of the club he loved. Then, the impossible happened.

He realized his ambition to see the Theatre of Dreams.

Years of Judicial Challenges

The next day, Marin visited a lawyer to express his unusual request, thus initiating a difficult fight. His dad, from whom he had gained his fandom, was long gone, and the 36-year-old was living with his mother, employed in miscellaneous roles, including as a builder on a meager daily wage. He was hardly making ends meet, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He soon became the local celebrity, then gained worldwide attention, but many seasons full of legal battles and discouraging rulings were to come.

Trademark Issues and Limited Success

His request was denied early on for copyright reasons: he could not change his name of a world-famous brand. Then a local judge granted a limited approval, saying Marin could change his first name to the city name but that he was could not adopt the second part as his family name. “Yet my aim is to be identified with an urban area in the UK, I want to carry the title of my cherished club,” Marin told the court. His fight went on.

Companions in Adversity

When not in court, he was often looking after his cats. He had a large number in his outdoor space in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the Manchester United. He gave each one a name after club legends: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the most famous cats in town. Who was his preferred pet of the name they used? A kitty called Beckham.

Marin bedecked in United gear.

Progress and Integrity

Marin managed another breakthrough in court: he was allowed to add the club name as an legal alternative on his personal papers. But still he wasn’t happy. “I won’t stop until my entire name is as I desire,” he promised. His tale attracted commercial propositions – a proposal to have club products produced under his new name – but although he was in need, he rejected the opportunity because he did not want to profit from his adored institution. The club's identity was beyond commercial use.

Aspirations Fulfilled and Final Acts

His story was captured in that year. The filmmakers made his aspiration come true of visiting Old Trafford and there he even encountered his compatriot, the Bulgaria striker playing for United at the time.

Marin tattooed the club badge on his face at a later date as a protest against the legal rulings and in his closing chapter it became increasingly hard for him to keep up the struggle. Job opportunities were scarce and he was bereaved to the pandemic. But he managed to continue. By birth a Catholic, he was christened in an Eastern Orthodox church under the name the identity he sought. “In the eyes of the divine, I am with my true identity,” he used to say.

Earlier this week, his time ran out. Perhaps now the club's persistent fan could at last be at rest.