🔗 Share this article I Am Called Manchester United: The Die-Hard Supporter Who Fought to Alter His Name Ask any United devotee who is older about the meaning of May 26th, 1999, and they'll recount that the date changed them forever. It was the moment when last-minute strikes from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær completed an unbelievable come-from-behind victory in the Champions League final against the German giants at the Camp Nou. Simultaneously, the world of one United fan in Eastern Europe, who recently died at the 62 years old, changed forever. Hopes in a Bygone Era That supporter was born Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in a small Danube town, a place with a tight-knit community. Growing up in a socialist state with a devotion to football, he longed to changing his name to… his beloved club. However, to take the name of a sports team from the other side of the Iron Curtain was mission impossible. If he had attempted to do so prior to the end of communism, he would almost certainly have ended up in jail. A Vow Made Under Pressure A decade after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria – on the unforgettable final – Marin's idiosyncratic dream moved nearer to reality. Watching the final 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 change his name that of the object of his devotion. Then, a miracle occurred. He realized his ambition to see the Theatre of Dreams. Years of Judicial Challenges A day later, Marin consulted an attorney to express his unusual request, thus initiating a difficult fight. The parent who inspired him, from whom he had inherited his love of United, was no longer alive, and the 36-year-old was residing with his mom, taking on various types of work, including as a builder on £15 a day. He was hardly making ends meet, yet his dream became an obsession. He soon became the talk of the town, then became an international sensation, but a decade and a half full of legal battles and discouraging rulings were to come. Legal Obstacles and Small Wins Marin’s wish was turned down at first 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 alter his given name to the city name but that he was not to use United as his legal last name. “But I don’t want to be named after a city in England, I want to bear the identity of my beloved team,” Marin informed the judge. His fight went on. His Beloved Cats When not in court, he was often caring for his feline friends. He had plenty of them in his outdoor space in Svishtov and cherished them equally with the his team. He christened them after United players: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the most famous cats in town. Which was the favourite cat of Man U? A kitty called Beckham. He was often seen in full club regalia. Breakthroughs and Principles Another victory was secured in court: he was permitted to include United as an legal alternative on his ID card. But he remained dissatisfied. “I will continue until my complete identity is the club's title,” he vowed. His tale attracted commercial propositions – an offer to have club products made using his identity – but although he was in need, he turned down the offer because he refused to make money from his beloved team. The club's identity was sacred to him. Dreams Realized and Lasting Tributes His story was captured in that year. The filmmakers made his aspiration come true of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even encountered Dimitar Berbatov, the forward then at the club at the time. Permanently marked the club badge on his forehead three years later as a objection to the court decisions and in his closing chapter it became ever tougher for him to persist with his fight. Job opportunities were scarce and he lost his mother to Covid-19. But he managed to continue. By birth a Catholic, he got baptised in an orthodox church under the name Manchester United Zdravkov Levidzhov. “Ultimately, my true name is recognized with my real name,” he often stated. Earlier this week, his heart stopped beating. It is possible that Manchester United’s restless soul could finally find peace.