My Name Is MUFC: The Superfan Who Struggled to Alter His Name
Ask any Man United devotee of a certain age regarding the significance of May 26th, 1999, and they'll recount that the occasion left an indelible mark. It was the night when last-minute strikes from Sheringham and Solskjær secured an stunning come-from-behind victory in the Champions League final against the German giants at the famous Barcelona stadium. It was also, the existence of one loyal follower in Eastern Europe, who has died at the age of 62, took a new direction.
A Dream Born in Communist Bulgaria
That supporter was originally called Marin Levidzhov in Svishtov, a place with a tight-knit community. Living in communist Bulgaria with a devotion to football, he longed to legally altering his identity to… the Red Devils. But, to take the name of a football club from the capitalist west was a futile endeavor. Had Marin tried to do so during the socialist era, he would likely have faced imprisonment.
A Commitment Sealed by Fate
Many seasons 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 humble abode in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin vowed to himself: should his team mount a comeback, he would spare no effort to legally adopt the name that of the club he loved. Then, a miracle occurred.
He realized his ambition to see the Theatre of Dreams.
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 learned to support the club, was deceased, and the 36-year-old was residing with his mom, taking on various types of work, including as a construction worker on a meager daily wage. He was struggling financially, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He soon became the local celebrity, then gained worldwide attention, but 15 years full of court cases and setbacks in litigation awaited him.
Legal Obstacles and Small Wins
Marin’s wish was denied early on for trademark concerns: he was barred from using the title of a world-famous brand. Then a presiding magistrate allowed a compromise, saying Marin could change his first name to the city name but that he was prohibited from using the second part as his official surname. “However, I desire to be identified with an urban area in Britain, I want to wear the name of my cherished club,” Marin told the court. His fight went on.
His Beloved Cats
Outside of legal proceedings, he was often caring for his feline friends. He had plenty of them in his garden in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the his team. He named them all after United players: from Rio to Rooney, they were the celebrity pets 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 recognized alias on his ID card. But this did not satisfy him. “I won’t stop until my entire name is as I desire,” he declared. His tale attracted financial opportunities – a proposal to have supporters' goods branded with his legal name – but although he was in need, he declined the proposal because he refused to make money from his favourite club. The team's title was beyond commercial use.
Dreams Realized and Lasting Tributes
His story was captured in that year. The filmmakers fulfilled his wish of experiencing the Theatre of Dreams and there he even had the chance to see the Bulgarian striker, the Bulgaria striker on the team's roster at the time.
Marin tattooed the club badge on his forehead at a later date as a objection to the judicial outcomes and in his final years it became ever tougher for him to keep up the struggle. Employment was hard to find and he lost his mother to the pandemic. But somehow, he found a way. By birth a Catholic, he underwent baptism 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 often stated.
Earlier this week, his time ran out. Perhaps now the club's restless soul could at last be at rest.
