I Go By Man Utd: The Superfan Who Fought to Alter His Identity
Ask any Manchester United supporter who is older concerning the meaning of that fateful day in May 1999, and they will tell you that the occasion was life-altering. It was the evening when last-minute strikes from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær sealed an unbelievable come-from-behind victory in the showpiece event against Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou. That same night, the world of one loyal follower in Eastern Europe, who recently died at the 62 years old, took a new direction.
Hopes in a Bygone Era
The fan in question was originally called Marin Levidzhov in Svishtov, a community with a population of 22,000. Being raised in communist Bulgaria with a love of football, he dreamed of adopting a new name to… Manchester United. However, to adopt the name of a football club from the capitalist west was mission impossible. Any effort to do so before the fall of the regime, he would undoubtedly have been arrested.
A Vow Made Under Pressure
A decade after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's unique aspiration came one step closer to achievement. Viewing the match from his modest home in Svishtov and with his team losing, Marin swore an oath to himself: in the event of a reversal, he would go to any lengths to become known as that of the team he adored. 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 initiating a difficult fight. The parent who inspired him, from whom he had learned to support the club, was no longer alive, and the 36-year-old was caring for his parent, employed in miscellaneous roles, including as a construction worker on a meager daily wage. He was barely getting by, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He quickly turned into the subject of gossip, then became an international sensation, but 15 years full of legal battles and setbacks in litigation were to come.
Legal Obstacles and Small Wins
The application was rejected initially for intellectual property issues: he was barred from using the title of a trademark known around the globe. Then a local judge allowed a compromise, saying Marin could modify his forename to the city name but that he was prohibited from using the second part as his official surname. “However, I desire to be associated with just a place in the UK, I want to wear the name of my favourite football club,” Marin informed the judge. His fight went on.
Companions in Adversity
Outside of legal proceedings, he was often caring for his feline friends. He had many animals in his outdoor space in Svishtov and loved them as much as the Red Devils. He gave each one a name after club legends: including Ferdinand and Rooney, they were the most famous cats in town. Which was the favourite cat of the name they used? A kitty called Beckham.
Marin bedecked in United gear.
Progress and Integrity
Marin managed another breakthrough in court: he was granted the right to append United as an legal alternative on his personal papers. But still he wasn’t happy. “I will continue until my complete identity is the club's title,” he vowed. His story soon led to financial opportunities – a proposal to have club products produced under his new name – but even with his monetary challenges, he declined the proposal because he did not want to profit from his beloved team. The team's title was beyond commercial use.
Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols
A film was made in that year. The production team fulfilled his wish of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even encountered the Bulgarian striker, the national team player on the team's roster at the time.
He inked the club badge on his brow subsequently as a demonstration against the judicial outcomes and in his closing chapter it became ever tougher 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 got baptised in an religious institution under the name the identity he sought. “At least God will know me with my chosen name,” he used to say.
This Monday, 13 October, his life came to an end. Perhaps now the club's restless soul could at last be at rest.
