🔗 Share this article I Am Called MUFC: The Die-Hard Supporter Who Battled to Alter His Identity Pose the question to any United supporter from an earlier generation regarding the importance of that fateful day in May 1999, and they'll recount that the date changed them forever. It was the evening when last-minute strikes from Sheringham and Solskjær secured an stunning late turnaround in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich at the Camp Nou. Simultaneously, the existence of one loyal follower in Eastern Europe, who recently died at the age of 62, was transformed. A Dream Born in Communist Bulgaria This individual was born Marin Zdravkov Levidzhov in Svishtov, a settlement with a population of 22,000. Being raised in a socialist state with a passion for football, he aspired to adopting a new name to… the Red Devils. But, to claim the name of a sports team from the Western world was an unattainable goal. Any effort to do so prior to the end of communism, he would undoubtedly have faced imprisonment. A Vow Made Under Pressure Many seasons after the political changes in Bulgaria – on the unforgettable final – Marin's personal goal edged closer to fulfillment. Viewing the match 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 do anything to become known as that of the team he adored. Then, the impossible happened. A lifelong wish to walk the halls of the famous stadium came true. The Long Legal Battle The following morning, Marin visited a lawyer to state his extraordinary desire, thus starting a grueling process. Marin’s father, from whom he had inherited his love of United, was deceased, and the 36-year-old was caring for his parent, working all kinds of odd jobs, including as a builder on £15 a day. He was hardly making ends meet, yet his goal turned into a fixation. He soon became the talk of the town, then was featured globally, but 15 years full of court cases and setbacks in litigation lay ahead. Trademark Issues and Limited Success Marin’s wish was rejected initially for copyright reasons: he could not change his name of a trademark known around the globe. Then a court official granted a limited approval, saying Marin could change his first name to Manchester but that he was not to use United as his family name. “But I don’t want to be associated with just a place in the UK, I want to carry the title of my favourite football club,” Marin told the court. His fight went on. A Life with Feline Friends During breaks from litigation, he was often looking after his cats. He had plenty of them in his back yard in Svishtov and cherished them equally with the Red Devils. He named them all after United players: from Rio to Rooney, they were the best-known felines in town. The one he loved most of Man U? A kitty called Beckham. He was often seen in full club regalia. Breakthroughs and Principles He achieved a further success in court: he was permitted to include United as an official nickname on his identification document. But this did not satisfy him. “I will continue until my complete identity is as I desire,” he declared. His story soon led to commercial propositions – an offer to have supporters' goods produced under his new name – but despite his financial struggles, he declined the proposal because he refused to make money from his adored institution. The Manchester United name was inviolable. Dreams Realized and Lasting Tributes A film was made in that year. The filmmakers made his aspiration come true of seeing the iconic stadium and there he even had the chance to see his compatriot, the forward playing for United at the time. Marin tattooed the club badge on his face three years later as a objection to the court decisions and in his closing chapter it became more and more difficult for him to persist with his fight. Employment was hard to find and he suffered the death of his mother to the virus. But he managed to continue. By birth a Catholic, he was christened in an religious institution under the name the identity he sought. “In the eyes of the divine, I am with my chosen name,” he used to say. Earlier this week, his life came to an end. Perhaps now the club's determined supporter could finally find peace.