🔗 Share this article I Am Called Manchester United: The Die-Hard Supporter Who Struggled to Alter His Name Pose the question to any Manchester United devotee of a certain age regarding the meaning of 26 May 1999, and they'll recount that the night was life-altering. It was the moment when dramatic late goals from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær completed an stunning come-from-behind victory in the Champions League final against the German giants at the Camp Nou. That same night, the world of one devoted supporter in Eastern Europe, who recently died at the age of 62, took a new direction. Aspirations Under Communism That supporter was originally called Marin Levidzhov in his hometown, a community with a tight-knit community. Growing up in a socialist state with a devotion to football, he dreamed of legally altering his identity to… Manchester United. But, to adopt the name of a sports team from the Western world was mission impossible. Any effort to do so during the socialist era, he would undoubtedly have ended up in jail. A Commitment Sealed by Fate Many seasons after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria – on that night in May 1999 – Marin's idiosyncratic dream came one step closer to fulfillment. Tuning in from home from his humble abode in Svishtov and with his team losing, Marin made a promise to himself: should his team mount a comeback, he would do anything to change his name that of the team he adored. Then, the impossible happened. A lifelong wish to walk the halls of the famous stadium came true. Years of Judicial Challenges The next day, Marin sought legal counsel to present his unique case, thus initiating a difficult fight. Marin’s father, from whom he had inherited his love of United, was deceased, and the man in his thirties was residing with his mom, taking on various types of work, including as a construction worker on £15 a day. He was barely getting by, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He rapidly evolved into the subject of gossip, then was featured globally, but many seasons full of judicial disputes and disheartening court decisions awaited him. Legal Obstacles and Small Wins His request was rejected initially for copyright reasons: he was barred from using the title of a internationally recognized entity. Then a court official allowed a compromise, saying Marin could change his first name to Manchester but that he was prohibited from using United as his family name. “However, I desire to be associated with just a place in the UK, I want to wear the name of my beloved team,” Marin stated during proceedings. 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 garden in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the Manchester United. He christened them after United players: from Rio to Rooney, they were the most famous cats in town. Which was the favourite cat of his close friends' nickname for him? A kitty called Beckham. His attire consistently showed his allegiance. Breakthroughs and Principles Marin managed another breakthrough in court: he was allowed to add United as an official nickname on his identification document. But still he wasn’t happy. “My efforts will persist until my full name is the club's title,” he promised. His tale attracted business offers – a proposal to have fan merchandise produced under his new name – but even with his monetary challenges, he rejected the opportunity because he did not want to profit from his adored institution. The team's title was inviolable. Aspirations Fulfilled and Final Acts His story was captured in 2011. The filmmakers turned Marin’s dream of visiting Old Trafford and there he even met the Bulgarian striker, the forward on the team's roster at the time. He inked the club badge on his forehead at a later date as a demonstration against the judicial outcomes and in his closing chapter it became increasingly hard for him to keep up the struggle. Employment was hard to find and he suffered the death of his mother to Covid-19. But somehow, he found a way. By birth a Catholic, he was christened in an orthodox church under the name Manchester United Zdravkov Levidzhov. “At least God will know me with my real name,” he would frequently remark. On a recent Monday, his time ran out. Perhaps now Manchester United’s determined supporter could at last be at rest.