I Go By Manchester United: This Die-Hard Supporter Who Battled to Alter His Identity
Inquire of any Manchester United fan of a certain age about the importance of May 26th, 1999, and they will tell you that the night left an indelible mark. It was the night when dramatic late goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær sealed an stunning 2-1 comeback in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich at the famous Barcelona stadium. It was also, the world 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 born Marin Levidzhov in his hometown, a place with a population of 22,000. Living in a socialist state with a passion for football, he aspired to adopting a new name to… his beloved club. Yet, to adopt the name of a football club from the other side of the Iron Curtain was an unattainable goal. Had Marin tried to do so prior to the end of communism, he would likely have ended up in jail.
A Promise Forged in Drama
Ten years after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria – on the unforgettable final – Marin's personal goal came one step closer to fulfillment. Tuning in from home from his simple residence in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin made a promise to himself: in the event of a reversal, he would spare no effort to become known as that of the club he loved. Then, the impossible happened.
He realized his ambition to see the Theatre of Dreams.
Years of Judicial Challenges
A day later, Marin visited a lawyer to present his unique case, thus beginning a long, hard battle. The parent who inspired him, from whom he had learned to support the club, was no longer alive, and the 36-year-old was living with his mother, working all kinds of odd jobs, including as a laborer on minimal earnings. He was barely getting by, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He soon became the talk of the town, then was featured globally, but 15 years full of judicial disputes and disheartening court decisions lay ahead.
Trademark Issues and Limited Success
The application was turned down at first for intellectual property issues: he was not permitted to adopt the name of a trademark known around the globe. Then a court official ruled partially in his favour, saying Marin could alter his given name to Manchester but that he was prohibited from using the second part as his family name. “However, I desire to be named after a city in Britain, I want to bear the identity of my favourite football club,” Marin informed the judge. His fight went on.
His Beloved Cats
Outside of legal proceedings, he was often looking after his cats. He had plenty of them in his outdoor space in Svishtov and cherished them equally with the his team. He christened them after club legends: such as Vidic and others, they were the best-known felines in town. Who was his preferred pet of the name they used? The feline known as Beckham.
His attire consistently showed his allegiance.
Breakthroughs and Principles
Marin managed another breakthrough in court: he was granted the right to append the club name as an official nickname on his personal papers. But this did not satisfy him. “I won’t stop until my full name is as I desire,” he promised. His story soon led to business offers – an offer to have club products made using his identity – but despite his financial struggles, he declined the proposal because he refused to make money from his adored institution. The club's identity was sacred to him.
Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols
A film was made in that year. The production team fulfilled his wish of experiencing the Theatre of Dreams and there he even encountered the Bulgarian striker, the national team player on the team's roster at the time.
Marin tattooed the club badge on his brow three years later as a demonstration against the legal rulings and in his closing chapter it became increasingly hard for him to continue his legal battle. Employment was hard to find and he was bereaved to Covid-19. But against the odds, he persevered. By birth a Catholic, he was christened in an Eastern Orthodox church under the name his desired full name. “In the eyes of the divine, I am with my real name,” he would frequently remark.
On a recent Monday, his life came to an end. It is possible that the club's persistent fan could finally find peace.
