🔗 Share this article I Am Called Man Utd: The Superfan Who Struggled to Alter His Legal Name Ask any United supporter from an earlier generation about the importance of May 26th, 1999, and they'll recount that the night changed them forever. It was the night when injury-time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær secured an unbelievable 2-1 comeback in the showpiece event against Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou. That same night, the existence of one devoted supporter in Bulgaria, who has died at the age of 62, was transformed. Hopes in a Bygone Era This individual was born Marin Levidzhov in a small Danube town, a community with a population of 22,000. Growing up in a socialist state with a devotion to football, he aspired to changing his name to… Manchester United. Yet, to take the name of a organization from the capitalist west was a futile endeavor. Had Marin tried to do so during the socialist era, he would almost certainly have faced imprisonment. A Commitment Sealed by Fate Ten years after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's personal goal edged closer to reality. Tuning in from home from his simple residence in Svishtov and with his team losing, Marin swore an oath to himself: in the event of a reversal, he would spare no effort to legally adopt the name that of the object of his devotion. 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 express his unusual request, thus initiating a difficult fight. His dad, from whom he had learned to support the club, was long gone, and the man in his thirties was residing with his mom, working all kinds of odd jobs, including as a construction worker on minimal earnings. He was barely getting by, yet his dream became an obsession. He quickly turned into the local celebrity, then gained worldwide attention, but many seasons full of legal battles and setbacks in litigation were to come. Legal Obstacles and Small Wins Marin’s wish was turned down at first for trademark concerns: he was not permitted to adopt the name of a trademark known around the globe. Then a local judge ruled partially in his favour, saying Marin could alter his given name to Manchester but that he was not to use the second part as his legal last name. “However, I desire to be named after a city in the UK, I want to carry the title of my beloved team,” Marin informed the judge. The struggle continued. A Life with Feline Friends During breaks from litigation, he was often looking after his cats. He had many animals in his back yard in Svishtov and loved them as much as the his team. He christened them after team stars: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the celebrity pets in town. Which was the favourite cat of the name they used? The feline known as Beckham. His attire consistently showed his allegiance. Advances and Ethics Another victory was secured in court: he was permitted to include United as an official nickname on his identification document. But he remained dissatisfied. “I will continue until my full name is the club's title,” he declared. His tale attracted business offers – an offer to have fan merchandise branded with his legal name – but despite his financial struggles, he declined the proposal because he was unwilling to gain financially from his favourite club. The team's title was inviolable. Aspirations Fulfilled and Final Acts A film was made in 2011. The filmmakers made his aspiration come true of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even had the chance to see his compatriot, the Bulgaria striker on the team's roster at the time. He inked the team emblem on his forehead at a later date as a protest against the judicial outcomes and in his last few years it became increasingly hard for him to persist with his fight. Job opportunities were scarce and he was bereaved to the virus. But against the odds, he persevered. By birth a Catholic, he was christened in an religious institution under the name his desired full name. “Ultimately, my true name is recognized with my chosen name,” he often stated. This Monday, 13 October, his time ran out. Perhaps now Manchester United’s restless soul could achieve eternal tranquility.