My Name Is MUFC: The Superfan Who Struggled to Change His Identity
Ask any Manchester United devotee of a certain age regarding the importance of May 26th, 1999, and they'll recount that the occasion was life-altering. It was the moment when last-minute strikes from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær secured an stunning 2-1 comeback in the showpiece event against the German giants at the Camp Nou. Simultaneously, the world of one United fan in Bulgaria, who recently died at the 62 years old, took a new direction.
Hopes in a Bygone Era
The fan in question was born Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in his hometown, a settlement with a population of 22,000. Growing up in a socialist state with a passion for football, he aspired to adopting a new name to… Manchester United. But, to claim the name of a sports team from the other side of the Iron Curtain was an unattainable goal. Any effort to do so prior to the end of communism, he would almost certainly have faced imprisonment.
A Promise Forged in Drama
Many seasons after the political changes in Bulgaria – on that night in May 1999 – Marin's personal goal moved nearer to achievement. Tuning in from home from his humble abode in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin made a promise to himself: in the event of a reversal, he would do anything to become known as that of the team he adored. Then, against all odds, it transpired.
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 express his unusual request, thus starting a grueling process. The parent who inspired him, from whom he had inherited his love of United, was deceased, and the 36-year-old was living with his mother, working all kinds of odd jobs, including as a builder on minimal earnings. He was hardly making ends meet, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He rapidly evolved into the talk of the town, then gained worldwide attention, but a decade and a half full of legal battles and discouraging rulings were to come.
Trademark Issues and Limited Success
Marin’s wish was turned down at first for intellectual property issues: he could not change his name of a world-famous brand. Then a local judge ruled partially in his favour, saying Marin could change his first name to Manchester but that he was not to use United as his official surname. “But I don’t want to be associated with just a place in the UK, I want to wear the name of my beloved team,” Marin told the court. His fight went on.
A Life with Feline Friends
During breaks from litigation, he was often caring for his feline friends. He had a large number in his garden in Svishtov and cherished them equally with the Manchester United. He gave each one a name after United players: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the most famous cats in town. The one he loved most of the name they used? A kitty called Beckham.
His attire consistently showed his allegiance.
Breakthroughs and Principles
He achieved a further success in court: he was allowed to add the club name as an recognized alias on his personal papers. But he remained dissatisfied. “I will continue until my full name is as I desire,” he declared. His narrative resulted in financial opportunities – a chance to have fan merchandise branded with his legal name – but although he was in need, he declined the proposal because he was unwilling to gain financially from his beloved team. The team's title was sacred to him.
Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols
His story was captured in that year. The production team made his aspiration come true of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even met the Bulgarian striker, the Bulgaria striker playing for United at the time.
Permanently marked the United crest 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. Employment was hard to find and he lost his mother to Covid-19. But somehow, he found a way. Born as a Catholic, he got baptised in an religious institution under the name the identity he sought. “Ultimately, my true name is recognized with my true identity,” he used to say.
Earlier this week, his heart stopped beating. Maybe at last Manchester United’s persistent fan could finally find peace.
