I Go By MUFC: This Superfan Who Fought to Alter His Identity
Inquire of any Man United fan of a certain age regarding the significance of May 26th, 1999, and the answer will be that the date left an indelible mark. It was the moment when dramatic late goals from Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær sealed an incredible 2-1 comeback in the showpiece event against the German giants at the famous Barcelona stadium. It was also, the life of one United fan in Bulgaria, who recently died at the age of 62, was transformed.
Hopes in a Bygone Era
That supporter was originally called Marin Levidzhov in his hometown, a community with a modest number of residents. Growing up in a socialist state with a passion for football, he longed to legally altering his identity to… his beloved club. Yet, to claim the name of a organization from the capitalist west was mission impossible. Any effort to do so before the fall of the regime, he would almost certainly have ended up in jail.
A Commitment Sealed by Fate
Ten years after the end of communism in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's unique aspiration moved nearer to fulfillment. Viewing the match from his modest home in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin made a promise to himself: in the event of a reversal, he would do anything to change his name that of the club he loved. Then, a miracle occurred.
He realized his ambition to see the Theatre of Dreams.
The Long Legal Battle
The following morning, Marin visited a lawyer to state his extraordinary desire, thus beginning a long, hard battle. His dad, from whom he had inherited his love of United, 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 hardly making ends meet, yet his dream became an obsession. He rapidly evolved into the subject of gossip, then became an international sensation, but 15 years full of legal battles and setbacks in litigation awaited him.
Trademark Issues and Limited Success
Marin’s wish was denied early on for trademark concerns: he could not change his name of a world-famous brand. Then a local judge ruled partially in his favour, saying Marin could modify his forename to Manchester but that he was could not adopt the second part as his family name. “But I don’t want to be identified with an urban area in England, I want to bear the identity of my beloved team,” Marin stated during proceedings. The battle persisted.
His Beloved Cats
When not in court, he was often looking after his cats. He had plenty of them in his outdoor space in Svishtov and cherished them equally with the Manchester United. He named them all after team stars: from Rio to Rooney, they were the celebrity pets in town. Who was his preferred pet of Man U? The feline known as Beckham.
Marin bedecked in United gear.
Advances and Ethics
Marin managed another breakthrough in court: he was permitted to include the club name as an legal alternative on his personal papers. But he remained dissatisfied. “I will continue until my complete identity is Manchester United,” he declared. His story soon led to financial opportunities – a chance to have club products branded with his legal name – but despite his financial struggles, he declined the proposal because he did not want to profit from his adored institution. The club's identity was beyond commercial use.
Aspirations Fulfilled and Final Acts
A film was made in 2011. The production team fulfilled his wish of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even met Dimitar Berbatov, the forward playing for United at the time.
Marin tattooed the United crest on his brow at a later date as a protest against the legal rulings and in his final years it became increasingly hard for him to persist with his fight. Work was limited and he suffered the death of his mother to the virus. But he managed to continue. Born as a Catholic, he was christened in an orthodox church under the name his desired full name. “At least God will know me with my true identity,” he often stated.
This Monday, 13 October, his heart stopped beating. Perhaps now the club's persistent fan could finally find peace.
