He wasnt one of them who tried to cause trouble. [22] The riots did not spread to the stadium, although there was an attempt to pull down the fences by fans heading towards the Arsenal area of the stadium before police stopped them. The pair were met by angry, upset and bewildered groups. It makes me proud. Like his father, George has the nickname Spag. 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"When you see a man having to identify the body of his brother with a massive stab wound in his chest it just isn't what you'd associate with football.". The driver said hed turn it off but I wanted to listen to it. The Football Associations David Davies said playing the game was the least worst option. [18] Arsenal fans congregated in nearby bars. What they were seeing was pretty graphic so we said to them, Turn the tellies off, go to bed and wait for us to get some proper details. The footage was grainy and frightening, capturing a helpless Loftus with bloodstains on his shirt. The loss ofKevin Speight and Christopher Loftus is still felt incredibly deeply and the feud between the clubs remains. On the 21st anniversary of Kevin Speight and Christopher Loftus' deaths on April 5 2000, Martyn also recalls the immediate reaction of the Leeds squad . [20], After the match, which Galatasaray won 41 on penalties, approximately 300 Arsenal fans in the Finsbury Park area of Islington in London attacked Turkish restaurants and businesses, with bottles being used to break windows. (Top photo: Robbie Jay Barratt AMA/Getty Images). From 5pm local time more than 100 Leeds fans had arrived shouting, singing and demanding beer, according to Batu Dedeler, the bar owner. Some Arsenal fans reacted negatively to the news, claiming that there was still bad blood between the two sets of supporters and were concerned that there would be a resumption of hostilities between them.[51]. 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Both families come here each April 5, to lay flowers and let another year pass. I dont know why.. [38] In Turkey, the media portrayed Galatasaray fans as acting in self-defence, with criticism directed at the British fans for allegedly attacking members of the press. pleasant grove high school / staff directory; dr omar suleiman wife esraa; ontario road trip summer; song baseball apple; waltham athletic club tennis schedule; galatasaray leeds death. Andy Loftus had flown to watch the match with his brother. Fans in nearby bars remained unaware of the violence. Theyd turned on their tellies and it was all over the Turkish news, Fallows says. Leeds and Galatasaray fans clashed in violent scenes 21 years agoat 21:00 in Istanbul's Taksim Square. We switched on the telly and it was all over the news, George says. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight were stabbed during street clashes the night before Leeds played Turkey's Galatasaray in the second leg of the Uefa Cup semi-finals in April 2000. They know what he did for us.. She knows who he was but its not the same.. Devastated., The next 24 hours were a blur. Sneijder's tweet has since been deleted and the midfielder sent a tweet to an angry fan stating: "Very sorry. "This was a premeditated attack," said Steve Wilkinson, who suffered knife wounds to one leg and a wound to his hand. I say that as someone who was back at his hotel when the stabbings occurred, he would be one of the last people to blame. As a Turkish man is found guilty in Istanbul of murdering two Leeds United fans, the BBC gauges the reaction of local people. [12] However, there were conflicting reports, with claims that some Galatasaray fans were instigating some of the violence. Leeds and Galatasaray have an extremely volatile relationship following the death of two Leeds supporters prior to the UEFA CUp semi-final back in 2000. In the first leg it was difficult to say, Lets get out there do it for the two lads because we didnt have the full picture, Gray says. I could see in their faces how much they were raging, Fallows says. UEFA, after a week of consideration, agreed with Leeds. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. I make no secret of that., Leeds were beaten 2-0 in Istanbul and lost over two legs after a 2-2 draw at home. Everything happened in a flash. The day after the riots, FA Executive Director David Davies, issued an apology for the violence. That is true. By the time the match kicked off, the ramifications of two fatal stabbings the previous evening were rapidly sinking in and for those who were closest to it, the images wont fade. By that stage he was exhausted. That deal took Kewell back to a stadium where he and Leeds once needed protection with riot shields. ", Jack Connolly added: "That Wesley Sneijder knife launch is disgusting, scum of the earth.". Loftus, 35, was a telephone engineer and an easy-going lad. And others, like Eddie Gray and Ian Harte, have moved on with their lives. They ploughed on regardless, much like UEFA, and left Ridsdale thinking that their directors were more worried about distancing themselves from the stabbings than helping Leeds cope with them. The Turkish side are hated by those at Elland Road after two travelling fans were stabbed to. [10][12] This led to the final being considered "high risk"; 2,000 members of the Danish police were assigned to the game, with assistance from members of British and Turkish police forces. At a local police station, at around 4am on April 6, Ridsdale was given a stark message by the UEFA representative who turned up there: play the game, or forfeit it and incur an automatic 3-0 defeat. The Loftuses fought for justice for as long as they could. It is part of Leeds Uniteds fabric and it will never disappear: the night when football became murder and so many lives were changed. The authorities imposed sentences on some of those who had originally escaped justice with Suleyman Gokhan Guven, Ali Baydar and Yilmaz Tutus given ten, six and five years in prison respectively. For long periods, none of those found guilty spent time behind bars. And I still blame myself a lot.. [2] The events happened at 22:00 in Istanbul's Taksim Square during a fight between Leeds fans and Galatasaray fans. A lot of what went on I dont want to know. Speight arrived soon after and was seen chatting to midfielder Alan Smith as they walked through the breezy foyer at Ataturk Airport. He had been in touch with the Turkish authorities, and with Chief Superintendent Steve Matthews from West Yorkshire police, who travels abroad with Leeds fans on away trips, and his team of three or four officers acting as "spotters". Will Griffee For Mailonline Andy is one of six siblings, two sisters and four brothers, and all of the boys Phil, Chris, Darren and Andy made the trip to Turkey. Witnesses said he had been bludgeoned by police as he cradled a dying Chris in the street. The Turkish. There was a sense of relief to be leaving, he says, but I knew that flying out of Istanbul wasnt the end of it. Surprise me? I was amazed, he says. You dont take much notice of whats said because youre out there for a beer and a laugh. I got a lot of abuse for that and no wonder. A group of rival fans gathered and jeers were exchanged. Its a game. Any time I think about what happened, I ask the same question. It was totally deliberate. Peter Ridsdale, the Leeds chairman, had been dining with directors from Galatasaray when reports of trouble came through. The police were doing nothing to stop them. The English FA followed the line of least resistance. Fallows is convinced that Galatasaray and the Turkish police made deliberate attempts to rattle and unsettle away teams, forcing players to squeeze through tight lines of officers to gain entry to the ground and admitting thousands of home fans to the stadium hours before kick-off. Tuesday 5th April 2022 marks 22 years since two loyal Leeds United supporters, Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight, travelled to Turkey to watch their beloved team in action but tragically never returned home. I looked at Eddie, he looked at me, we smiled a nervous smile and both said the same thing: Lets go.. Riots and 2 English deaths around UEFA Cup matches Galatasaray from Turkey against English teams in 2000 In fact, the Leeds United supporters, arriving for the first leg of their Uefa Cup semi-final with Galatasaray, were at first greeted in a way which mostly belied the Welcome to Hell banners which have traditionally greeted English teams there. We were just trying to control the worst situation imaginable.. Theyd been seeing each other for about six months.. At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. They had no direct contact with Galatasarays security officials but Fallows and Harry Stokoe, Leedss stadium manager, were able to visit the Ali Sami Yen the day before the game to map the venue out. As chairman of Leeds, he told the UEFA official that it would make sense to postpone the first leg of the semi-final which Leeds and Galatasaray were about to play. I had joked with him and said, At least youll be safe. He gave me a look and said, Or maybe not., The attitude as far as I could see was, Lets intimidate these lads and see what happens. Leeds back then had a lot of kids in their squad. [16] Dineen was released from hospital later in the day and attended the match as a guest of the Arsenal directors. Two lives lost and two lives wasted, for nothing. They knew there had been trouble but the club made an effort to hold back some detail on the basis that if the game went ahead, they would need to concentrate on it. It was weird because when we got in the car, the game (Galatasaray versus Leeds) had just started and was on the radio, Andy says. The connection was not comparable to Kewells. Tributes began to cover the gates and the Billy Bremner Statue at Elland Road. The Turkish media blamed the Leeds fans. Spencer interrupted dinner to advise Ridsdale that they should return to the hotel immediately. Though the versions of Leeds fans and Turkish witnesses are almost entirely at odds, it appears the trouble started in the city's entertainment district outside the Riddim reggae bar in Buyuk Parmakkapi Street. [5] As a result of the stabbings, Leeds United banned Galatasaray fans from attending the second leg at Elland Road, claiming that the safety of fans could not be guaranteed. [39] Later on, British media blame also transferred towards Galatasaray fans. He described the Turkish policing as diabolical and out of control. Even so, the counterargument holds water. Youre a kid. In the context of football, that era was phenomenally good: Leeds in Europe and another trip to the continent always waiting around the corner. How can it be that two lads go to watch a football game and dont come back?. I was totally speechless, totally shocked. Even now I get the feeling that people think we started it, Andy says. Gray remembers OLeary going out of the team hotel to visit a barbers for a shave beforehand. Bits of Istanbul werent in control. I heard the rumours that some Leeds fan wiped his arse with a Turkey flag and things like that but people tell me none of its true. The Turkish police didnt give a shit about us. In Turkey, two supporters were murdered. But when it came to Istanbul, he and the club were remarkable in reacting quickly and with compassion. Has to be the biggest DO NOT for any Leeds player!! When he arrived at the hospital, Darren was in a bed with head injuries. Everything was muddled. Both had numerous other wounds. Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight were killed in Istanbul, Turkey, in April 2000, Their deaths had left a "lasting impact" on their families, a former Leeds United chairman said. Wed heard that Istanbul could be a bit dangerous but we never thought anything of it, Andy says. Others suggested a group of Leeds supporters had attacked a lone Turk, possibly a taxi driver, who had then returned with a mob wielding knives and machetes. Anywhere else in Europe, I doubt it would have been played. The fan responded: "If you did not know then fair enough but your club certainly did and they should be ashamed of themselves. Read about our approach to external linking. Summarize this article for a 10 years old. The setting was Turkeys biggest city, on the banks of the Bosphorus, and the game was the first leg of a UEFA Cup semi-final. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. It triggered something and I ran into the ward. Galatasaray away on April 6, 2000; a huge occasion for the club in a football sense, Ridsdale says. My instinct was that we had to know what was happening, Ridsdale says. So Leeds did. [50] In 2012 Piers Morgan, the editor of the Daily Mirror at the time and a high-profile Arsenal fan who attended the match, apologised for printing the pictures. In 2014 he was spoken to by a Turkish website, a free man again. You got paid each month and you did this, Andy says, gesturing as if to push a wad of banknotes into a drawer. Leeds and Galatasaray fans clashed in violent scenes in April 2000 at 21:00 in Istanbul's Taksim Square Following the two tragic deaths, local police arrested and charged four Galatasaray. I stopped getting involved eventually, Andy says. ', Some wrote stronger messages, such as: 'Washed my hands with Alioski if he f***s off to those vermin. There were a few Turkish fans outside the bars we started drinking in but we didnt think much of it. ', By We tried to raise awareness but it was a farce. More than a dozen police watched but initially did not intervene. Even then, it was meant to be closed to the press but loads of them were there and they were being really intrusive, Fallows says. We could only do what we thought was best at that moment. The journey to the stadium prior to kick-off made him wish he had forfeited it and taken the consequences. According to one witness, a Turkish man was pushed to the ground and smashed his teeth on the pavement. I think you just go into a downward spiral. Galatasaray wanted me from the start. It shows all personal information about the players, including age, nationality, contract duration and market value. They all say no. The road to justice for the Speight and Loftus families was long and demoralising. (Main photo of Kevin Speight with his son George and daughter Holly). Following the two tragic deaths, local police arrested and charged four Galatasaray supporters with murder. There isnt much that unnerves me but that was quite a scary moment. It felt to me like the police were trying to frighten us, he says. "They were screaming all sorts of things. Later in the evening, a group of around 20 Leeds supporters broke off and found their way to the Riddim bar near Taksim Square, the huge expanse in the centre of Istanbul which was filled with places to eat and drink. I dont want to imply criticism of the hospital for that, Ridsdale says. [10] It was reported that members of Leeds United's Leeds United Service Crew[11] and Chelsea's Chelsea Headhunters, along with hooligans supporting Rangers, Cardiff City and Swansea City all travelled to Denmark to join Arsenal fans in attacks on Galatasaray fans. Fallows is a security guard with ample experience. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Susan chose not to take the children to Speights funeral. When they came back to Elland Road they thought our request for no away fans was inappropriate. I just said to them, Good luck., Galatasarays reputation went before them. [25] The British fans were later released without charge but were forbidden from returning to Denmark. The facilities are great. Hed just met a girl. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. At no stage between arriving at the hospital and Leeds playing the first leg against Galatasaray the following night did Ridsdale sleep. If someone could have shown me those levels of intimidation, Id have refused to play the game unhesitatingly. From my point of view I was only interested in getting that game over and done with as safely as possible. Andy has paid for the plaque to be cleaned a couple of times and it could do with another polish now. As a free agent, he had a decision to make about how best to look after himself with his 30th birthday coming next year (and in the end, looking after himself meant joining Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia last night). The man named as the prime suspect in the killings, a cafe owner named Ali Umit Demir, was arrested by Turkish police within days and he and three other Turks were later convicted in court. You were dealing with young lads and the last thing you wanted to do was scare them.. If the thought of a transfer like that sits uncomfortably then perhaps it should. Its 20 years now but I dont think Ill ever get over it. I cant explain it but I got this weird feeling, he says. The deaths of Kevin Speight and Chris Loftus on the night before Leeds played their Uefa Cup semi-final first leg with Galatasaray - 20 years ago yesterday - represent one of the darkest and. I prefer to go to the plaque at Elland Road, he says. A couple of lads came back to the hotel on their own and when I asked where the rest of them were, they didnt know. On April 5 2000 two Leeds fans, Kevin Speight and Christopher Loftus, were stabbed to death before the 2000 Uefa Cup semi-final first leg against Galatasaray in Taksim Square, Istanbul. The away crowd emptied after Rangers late equaliser without realising what had unfolded inside the ground. Jesus. He can picture the facade as he entered and the floorplan of the area where other injured Leeds fans had congregated; where Speight lay on an operating table, desperate for surgery. Later in the day, Galatasaray fans occupied City Hall Square before heading towards Arsenal fans in bars nearby. They carried beer glasses outside, we couldn't stop them, and others followed." One wrote: 'If Alioski goes there, his high regard and reputation with Leeds fans is destroyed!! Within a year, however, Demir, following an appeal, was a free man after his conviction was quashed and a re-trial ordered. A fortnight ago, Ridsdale was voted onto the EFLs board. It was a lad from Shipley who I knew, Andy says. It was a haunting moment then and it haunts me now. That decision drew much criticism, as well it might. [2] I didn't know this and deleted our promotion for the merchandise kitchen item #respect. Some headed for the James Joyce pub 200 metres away and joined a sing-song against Galatasaray. Me and the security team tried to create a bit of a cushion between them so the players werent worried about getting batoned, Fallows says. I went for some counselling and didnt go through with all of it but the charity work helped. At the hotel, Phil went up to his room. Its a strange thing but its important to me. "We did amazing business in one hour. Anyone can read what . Bouncers guarded the bars from any English fans. "I haven't seen a single Englishman all day," said a newspaper vendor. If you ask me now if I made the right or wrong decision by playing it, I still dont know, Ridsdale says. [21] This lasted 20 minutes[19] before the Danish police attempted to break up the melee with dogs[22] and tear gas. galatasaray leeds death. I tried telling Galatasarays staff to get them out. The bodies were repatriated a few days later, beginning the process of mourning and funerals. I dont know if the club encouraged them to do that but you were well aware of objects hitting the shields. But where Galatasaray failed, and where Ridsdale specifically felt resentment, was in grasping the scale of the tragedy and in refusing to accept that violence on the streets and a UEFA Cup tie could not be classed as unrelated events once the worst had happened. He liked a drink and a laugh, simple as that, Andy says. [24] It was claimed that the police failed to control the riots,[43] and that they had been undermanned and outmaneuvered, to which Mogens Lauridsen, the police chief in Copenhagen admitted that the police had been "under-prepared". [15] In the fight, Paul Dineen, an Arsenal fan, was stabbed, leading to Arsenal offering fans refunds if they did not want to fly to the game. By 10.30pm some of the rowdiest fans left the James Joyce and joined a crowd outside McDonalds just off Taksim Square. Ridsdale still struggles to accept Galatasarays indifferent reaction to the stabbings. Demir was allowed to undertake national service with the Turkish military before being convicted for a second time in June 2007 and sentenced to 80 months. Peter Hunt, the British consul general in Istanbul, had been prepared for potential trouble, as are all consuls and embassies when English fans travel abroad. Holmes says Andy was the life and soul of the party before Istanbul but the impact of Chriss death was severe. The 2000 UEFA Cup Final Riots, also known as the Battle of Copenhagen,[1] were a series of riots in City Hall Square, Copenhagen, Denmark between fans of English football team Arsenal and Turkish team Galatasaray around the 2000 UEFA Cup Final on 17 May 2000. As a family, I dont know how you come to terms with that., Inside the Ali Sami Yen, hundreds of Leeds supporters attended the first leg as planned and were housed in a small section of yellow seats. It is wrong to presume to tell those who were affected by the events in Istanbul how to feel or how to react to a player taking Galatasarays money. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. [47] Michael Doherty, the chairman of the Communication Workers Union, and his brother Tom took Royal Mail to an Employment Tribunal for unfair dismissal claiming they had been acting in self-defence. He visited his fathers body in the chapel of rest across the road, bringing pictures he had drawn for him with felt tips. The police told us themselves that the shoe-shine boys had been trailing us for a while, waiting to see when some of us had split away from the main group.. In its opinion, contesting the game was the least worst option. Holmes was there and witnessed the entire away end turning their backs to the pitch with arms raised, an act of silent defiance and dissent. Matt White tweeted: "Wesley Sneijder tweeting a personalised Galatasaray knife set on the 15th anniversary of the murder of 2 Leeds fans in Istanbul? Our Daz was there and he told me the full story. But from 10.30pm local time, any sense of complacency seemed tragically misplaced, as a brutal battle began between Leeds supporters and a group of Turks, with running fights in the streets. Within an hour of the stabbings in central Istanbul, some of David OLearys squad emerged to speak to him. The Danish police were also criticized for their mishandling of the riots. Andy got a pint at the bar. If you're Leeds, you don't move to a direct rival, simple.
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