🔗 Share this article I Go By Manchester United: The Die-Hard Supporter Who Struggled to Alter His Legal Name Inquire of any Manchester United fan of a certain age about the significance of 26 May 1999, and the answer will be that the night was life-altering. It was the moment when last-minute strikes from Teddy Sheringham and Solskjær sealed an stunning come-from-behind victory in the European Cup final against the German giants at the Camp Nou. Simultaneously, the world of one devoted supporter in Eastern Europe, who recently died at the age of 62, was transformed. Hopes in a Bygone Era The fan in question was given the name Marin Levidzhov in a small Danube town, a community with a modest number of residents. Living in a socialist state with a love of football, he longed to adopting a new name to… Manchester United. However, to take the name of a organization from the capitalist west was an unattainable goal. Had Marin tried to do so before the fall of the regime, he would almost certainly have ended up in jail. A Promise Forged in Drama A decade after the political changes in Bulgaria – on the historic evening – Marin's personal goal moved nearer to achievement. Viewing the match from his simple residence in Svishtov and with the score against them, Marin swore an oath to himself: should his team mount a comeback, he would do anything to legally adopt the name that of the team he adored. Then, a miracle occurred. He realized his ambition to see the Theatre of Dreams. The Long Legal Battle A day later, Marin visited a lawyer to present his unique case, thus initiating a difficult fight. Marin’s father, from whom he had learned to support the club, was no longer alive, and the 36-year-old was residing with his mom, employed in miscellaneous roles, including as a construction worker on £15 a day. He was barely getting by, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He quickly turned into the local celebrity, then became an international sensation, but 15 years full of legal battles and discouraging rulings awaited him. Trademark Issues and Limited Success His request was turned down at first for intellectual property issues: he was barred from using the title of a world-famous brand. Then a local judge ruled partially in his favour, saying Marin could change his first name to the city name but that he was could not adopt the second part as his official surname. “But I don’t want to be identified with an urban area in Britain, I want to bear the identity of my favourite football club,” Marin stated during proceedings. His fight went on. Companions in Adversity During breaks from litigation, he was often caring for his feline friends. He had plenty of them in his back yard in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the his team. He named them all after team stars: from Rio to Rooney, they were the best-known felines in town. Who was his preferred pet of the name they used? The feline known as Beckham. His attire consistently showed his allegiance. Breakthroughs and Principles Marin managed another breakthrough in court: he was granted the right to append the club name as an recognized alias on his ID card. But this did not satisfy him. “I will continue until my entire name is Manchester United,” he promised. His narrative resulted in commercial propositions – a proposal to have supporters' goods made using his identity – but although he was in need, he turned down the offer because he refused to make money from his adored institution. The Manchester United name was sacred to him. Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols A documentary followed in 2011. The filmmakers turned Marin’s dream of visiting Old Trafford and there he even met the Bulgarian striker, the forward on the team's roster at the time. He inked the club badge on his forehead subsequently as a objection to the court decisions and in his final years it became ever tougher for him to continue his legal battle. Job opportunities were scarce and he was bereaved to the pandemic. But against the odds, he persevered. Originally of Catholic faith, he got baptised in an orthodox church under the name his desired full name. “In the eyes of the divine, I am 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 achieve eternal tranquility.