🔗 Share this article I Go By Man Utd: The Superfan Who Fought to Change His Name Inquire of any United supporter from an earlier generation concerning the importance of May 26th, 1999, and they'll recount that the night changed them forever. It was the evening when injury-time goals from Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær completed an unbelievable 2-1 comeback in the European Cup final against the German giants at the Camp Nou. It was also, the life of one devoted supporter in Bulgaria, who has died at the age of 62, took a new direction. A Dream Born in Communist Bulgaria This individual was born Marin Levidzhov in his hometown, a community with a tight-knit community. Living in the former Eastern Bloc with a passion for football, he dreamed of adopting a new name to… Manchester United. Yet, to claim the name of a organization from the Western world was mission impossible. If he had attempted to do so during the socialist era, he would almost certainly have ended up in jail. A Commitment Sealed by Fate Ten years after the fall of the regime in Bulgaria – on that night in May 1999 – Marin's unique aspiration edged closer to reality. Watching the final 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 go to any lengths to become known as that of the club he loved. Then, a miracle occurred. A lifelong wish to walk the halls of the famous stadium came true. A Protracted Court Struggle The following morning, Marin visited a lawyer to state his extraordinary desire, thus initiating a difficult fight. His dad, from whom he had gained his fandom, was long gone, and the man in his thirties was residing with his mom, taking on various types of work, including as a construction worker on a meager daily wage. He was struggling financially, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He rapidly evolved into the talk of the town, then gained worldwide attention, but many seasons full of legal battles and discouraging rulings awaited him. Trademark Issues and Limited Success Marin’s wish was denied early on for intellectual property issues: he was not permitted to adopt the name of a internationally recognized entity. Then a court official allowed a compromise, saying Marin could change his first name to the city name but that he was not to use United as his family name. “Yet my aim is to be identified with an urban area in Britain, I want to bear the identity of my favourite football club,” Marin informed the judge. His fight went on. His Beloved Cats During breaks from litigation, he was often caring for his feline friends. He had a large number in his outdoor space in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the his team. He gave each one a name after club legends: from Rio to Rooney, they were the most famous cats in town. The one he loved most of Man U? One named after David Beckham. Marin bedecked in United gear. Advances and Ethics Another victory was secured in court: he was allowed to add the club name as an official nickname on his identification document. But still he wasn’t happy. “I will continue until my complete identity is Manchester United,” he promised. His tale attracted commercial propositions – a proposal to have supporters' goods made using his identity – but despite his financial struggles, he declined the proposal because he refused to make money from his favourite club. The team's title was beyond commercial use. Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols A film was made in 2011. The crew turned Marin’s dream of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even had the chance to see the Bulgarian striker, the forward on the team's roster at the time. He inked the club badge on his forehead three years later as a protest against the legal rulings and in his final years it became more and more difficult for him to persist with his fight. Job opportunities were scarce and he lost his mother to Covid-19. But against the odds, he persevered. Born as a Catholic, he was christened in an Eastern Orthodox church under the name the identity he sought. “At least God will know me with my true identity,” he would frequently remark. On a recent Monday, his heart stopped beating. Maybe at last Manchester United’s persistent fan could at last be at rest.