🔗 Share this article

Inquire of any Manchester United fan who is older regarding the meaning of May 26th, 1999, and the answer will be that the date left an indelible mark. It was the evening when injury-time goals from Sheringham and Solskjær sealed an incredible come-from-behind victory in the showpiece event against Bayern Munich at the famous Barcelona stadium. It was also, the existence of one loyal follower in Eastern Europe, who passed away at the age of 62, changed forever.

A Dream Born in Communist Bulgaria

That supporter was given the name Marin Levidzhov in his hometown, a place with a modest number of residents. Growing up in the former Eastern Bloc with a love of football, he aspired to legally altering his identity to… his beloved club. However, to take the name of a organization from the other side of the Iron Curtain was mission impossible. Any effort to do so during the socialist era, he would undoubtedly have faced imprisonment.

A Vow Made Under Pressure

Many seasons after the end of communism in Bulgaria – on the unforgettable final – Marin's unique aspiration came one step closer to achievement. Watching the final from his humble abode in Svishtov and with the score against them, Marin swore an oath to himself: if United somehow turned the game around, he would spare no effort to legally adopt the name that of the object of his devotion. Then, against all odds, it transpired.

A lifelong wish to walk the halls of the famous stadium came true.

A Protracted Court Struggle

The next day, Marin visited a lawyer to express his unusual request, thus initiating a difficult fight. Marin’s father, from whom he had gained his fandom, was deceased, and the 36-year-old was living with his mother, employed in miscellaneous roles, including as a builder on minimal earnings. He was struggling financially, yet his aspiration grew into a mania. He soon became the talk of the town, then gained worldwide attention, but many seasons full of court cases and discouraging rulings awaited him.

Trademark Issues and Limited Success

The application was turned down at first for copyright reasons: he could not change his name of a internationally recognized entity. Then a presiding magistrate granted a limited approval, saying Marin could modify his forename to the city name but that he was could not adopt the second part as his family name. “But I don’t want to be associated with just a place in England, I want to bear the identity of my beloved team,” Marin informed the judge. The battle persisted.

A Life with Feline Friends

When not in court, he was often looking after his cats. He had many animals in his garden in Svishtov and held them in the same esteem as the Red Devils. He gave each one a name after United players: from Rio to Rooney, they were the best-known felines in town. Which was the favourite cat of the name they used? A kitty called Beckham.

His attire consistently showed his allegiance.

Advances and Ethics

Marin managed another breakthrough in court: he was granted the right to append the club name as an recognized alias on his identification document. But he remained dissatisfied. “I won’t stop until my complete identity is as I desire,” he declared. His narrative resulted in financial opportunities – a chance to have club products branded with his legal name – but although he was in need, he declined the proposal because he was unwilling to gain financially from his favourite club. The Manchester United name was inviolable.

Goals Achieved and Enduring Symbols

A documentary followed in 2011. The filmmakers made his aspiration come true of visiting Old Trafford and there he even had the chance to see his compatriot, the Bulgaria striker on the team's roster at the time.

Marin tattooed the club badge on his brow subsequently as a objection to the judicial outcomes and in his last few years it became more and more difficult for him to continue his legal battle. Work was limited and he was bereaved to Covid-19. But somehow, he found a way. By birth a Catholic, he underwent baptism in an orthodox church under the name the identity he sought. “In the eyes of the divine, I am with my true identity,” he used to say.

Earlier this week, his life came to an end. It is possible that the club's determined supporter could at last be at rest.