My Name Is MUFC: This Superfan Who Battled to Change His Identity
Ask any Manchester United supporter from an earlier generation regarding the meaning of that fateful day in May 1999, and the answer will be that the occasion changed them forever. It was the night when dramatic late goals from Sheringham and Solskjær sealed an unbelievable come-from-behind victory in the Champions League final against the German giants at the famous Barcelona stadium. That same night, the world of one devoted supporter in Eastern Europe, who recently died at the age of 62, changed forever.
A Dream Born in Communist Bulgaria
The fan in question was originally called Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in his hometown, a community with a population of 22,000. Living in communist Bulgaria with a devotion to football, he aspired to changing his name to… the Red Devils. However, to claim the name of a sports team from the other side of the Iron Curtain was mission impossible. If he had attempted to do so before the fall of the regime, he would undoubtedly have faced imprisonment.
A Vow Made Under Pressure
Many seasons after the end of communism in Bulgaria – on the unforgettable final – Marin's personal goal edged closer to achievement. Viewing the match from his simple residence in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin made a promise to himself: should his team mount a comeback, he would spare no effort to become known as that of the club he loved. Then, a miracle occurred.
A lifelong wish to walk the halls of the famous stadium came true.
A Protracted Court Struggle
The following morning, Marin sought legal counsel to state his extraordinary desire, thus initiating a difficult fight. The parent who inspired him, from whom he had inherited his love of United, was long gone, and the 36-year-old was caring for his parent, taking on various types of work, including as a laborer on a meager daily wage. He was hardly making ends meet, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He rapidly evolved into the subject of gossip, then was featured globally, but many seasons full of court cases and discouraging rulings lay ahead.
Copyright Hurdles and Partial Victories
The application was denied early on for copyright reasons: he could not change his name of a trademark known around the globe. Then a presiding magistrate granted a limited approval, saying Marin could change his first name to Manchester but that he was prohibited from using United as his official surname. “But I don’t want to be named after a city in the UK, I want to wear the name of my favourite football club,” Marin told the court. The battle persisted.
Companions in Adversity
When not in court, he was often tending to his pets. He had many animals in his garden in Svishtov and loved them as much as the Manchester United. He gave each one a name after club legends: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the celebrity pets in town. Which was the favourite cat of Man U? The feline known as Beckham.
His attire consistently showed his allegiance.
Advances and Ethics
He achieved a further success in court: he was allowed to add the club name as an official nickname on his identification document. But still he wasn’t happy. “I won’t stop until my full name is the club's title,” he vowed. His story soon led to business offers – a proposal to have club products produced under his new name – but even with his monetary challenges, he turned down the offer because he was unwilling to gain financially from his favourite club. The team's title was sacred to him.
Aspirations Fulfilled and Final Acts
A documentary followed in that year. The crew fulfilled his wish of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even met his compatriot, the Bulgaria striker playing for United at the time.
He inked the United crest on his brow at a later date as a demonstration against the legal rulings and in his last few years it became increasingly hard for him to keep up the struggle. Work was limited and he suffered the death of his mother to Covid-19. But against the odds, he persevered. Originally of Catholic faith, he underwent baptism in an orthodox church under the name his desired full name. “At least God will know me with my true identity,” he often stated.
Earlier this week, his time ran out. Maybe at last Manchester United’s restless soul could at last be at rest.
