🔗 Share this article My Name Is Manchester United: The Die-Hard Supporter Who Battled to Alter His Name Inquire of any Man United devotee who is older concerning the significance of May 26th, 1999, and the answer will be that the night changed them forever. It was the night when last-minute strikes from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær completed an stunning come-from-behind victory in the Champions League final against the German giants at the Camp Nou. It was also, the world of one devoted supporter in Bulgaria, who recently died at the age of 62, changed forever. Aspirations Under Communism The fan in question was originally called Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in his hometown, a community with a modest number of residents. Living in communist Bulgaria with a love of football, he longed to adopting a new name to… his beloved club. Yet, 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 before the fall of the regime, he would undoubtedly have been arrested. A Promise Forged in Drama A decade after the end of communism in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's unique aspiration came one step closer to achievement. Watching the final from his simple residence in Svishtov and with United trailing, Marin made a promise to himself: if United somehow turned the game around, he would do anything to become known as that of the club he loved. Then, a miracle occurred. Marin fulfils his dream of visiting Old Trafford. The Long Legal Battle The next day, Marin visited a lawyer to express his unusual request, thus initiating a difficult fight. His dad, from whom he had gained his fandom, was no longer alive, and the man in his thirties was living with his mother, working all kinds of odd jobs, including as a laborer on minimal earnings. He was struggling financially, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He quickly turned into the subject of gossip, then became an international sensation, but many seasons full of court cases and discouraging rulings lay ahead. Trademark Issues and Limited Success The application was turned down at first for copyright reasons: he was barred from using the title of a internationally recognized entity. Then a presiding magistrate allowed a compromise, saying Marin could alter his given 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 Britain, I want to bear the identity of my cherished club,” Marin informed the judge. His fight went on. His Beloved Cats Outside of legal proceedings, he was often caring for his feline friends. He had many animals in his back yard in Svishtov and cherished them equally with the his team. He named them all after club legends: from Rio to Rooney, they were the best-known felines in town. The one he loved most of Man U? One named after David Beckham. His attire consistently showed his allegiance. Progress and Integrity He achieved a further success in court: he was granted the right to append the club name as an recognized alias on his identification document. But still he wasn’t happy. “I won’t stop until my entire name is as I desire,” he promised. His story soon led to financial opportunities – an offer to have club products branded with his legal name – but although he was in need, he declined the proposal because he refused to make money from his beloved team. The Manchester United name was beyond commercial use. Aspirations Fulfilled and Final Acts A documentary followed in that year. The filmmakers turned Marin’s dream of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even met Dimitar Berbatov, the national team player on the team's roster at the time. Marin tattooed the club badge on his face at a later date as a objection to the judicial outcomes and in his closing chapter it became more and more difficult for him to continue his legal battle. Employment was hard to find and he lost his mother to the pandemic. But somehow, he found a way. Born as a Catholic, he was christened in an orthodox church under the name the identity he sought. “Ultimately, my true name is recognized with my true identity,” he would frequently remark. On a recent Monday, his life came to an end. It is possible that the club's restless soul could achieve eternal tranquility.