. Loftus had been stabbed five times and Speight twice. It felt to me like the police were trying to frighten us, he says. Staff said many fans were drunk by 10pm, intimidating Turkish families drinking in the lounge. Football is sport here and for many Istanbul residents Galatasaray - who won the league last Sunday - is football. Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight were stabbed in Istanbul on the eve of Leeds' Uefa Cup semi-final tie against Galatasaray in April 2000. Even so, the counterargument holds water. Former Leeds United Chairman Peter Ridsdale said: "The lasting impact has been to see the devastating effect it's had on Christopher and Kevin's families. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Given that context and these examples only really scratch the surface of everything that happened in April 2000 there was no way in which a player like Gjanni Alioski could consider leaving Leeds and joining Galatasaray, as he did for many months, without bracing himself for a tense political path and the objection he encountered online. When the second leg came round, in the dressing room we were trying to say, Come on, lets get stuck into them. But in the back of your mind youre putting football aside. He previously worked for the Yorkshire Evening Post as its chief football writer. ', By Spencer interrupted dinner to advise Ridsdale that they should return to the hotel immediately. They stressed as delicately as they could the importance of staying indoors. His financial record at Leeds was dismal and Leeds never forget about it. [4] Police arrested Ali Umit Demir and three other men for the stabbings. Speights son, George, is no longer the cheeky kid with floppy hair smiling brightly in the photograph of his father he digs out. Leeds fans furious as Alioski's move to Galatasaray nears completion The Danish police were also criticized for their mishandling of the riots. The first I knew of it was when they came out to tell me. Everything was muddled. His brother was following behind us and, quite understandably, he lost it. The way the police and the authorities were with us. Ridsdale and Leedss operations director, David Spencer, were at a floating restaurant on the Bosphorus when they were phoned to tell them trouble in the centre of Istanbul had resulted in at least two fans being hospitalised. You dont take much notice of whats said because youre out there for a beer and a laugh. [21] This lasted 20 minutes[19] before the Danish police attempted to break up the melee with dogs[22] and tear gas. The police claim he was punched. It is his life and his career, much as the option of Galatasaray was incapable of arising without anyone passing comment. I just said to them, Good luck., Galatasarays reputation went before them. Twenty Leeds fans, witnesses to the fight, were interviewed. There was no minutes silence or acknowledgement of the deaths. I tried telling Galatasarays staff to get them out. 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. They phoned their parents back home but the media had already informed them of Chriss death. The blood had to be sourced externally and to do that, someone had to pay. Two Leeds fans were stabbed to death by Galatasaray supporters before game Leeds fans have reacted furiously to reports that Ezgjan Alioski has agreed to move to Galatasaray. I cant explain it but I got this weird feeling, he says. [4], It was not clear how the fight started, with reports of it either being started by Leeds fans throwing beer glasses and insulting the Turkish flag,[5] or being started by Galatasaray fans throwing chairs. The away supporters responded with songs about two Leeds fans who were stabbed to death in Istanbul prior to a fixture against Galatasaray in 2000. . Fri 7 Apr 2000 20.36 EDT. 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. [32] The rest were fined an equivalent of $500 and banned from Denmark for a year.[33]. Everything happened in a flash. OFFICIAL DONATION CAMPAIGN FOR THE VICTIMS OF EARTHQUAKE MORE. After a long legal process in Turkey, four men were jailed in 2010. Wed spoken about doing something beforehand, he says. The stadium is stuck in a state of eerie silence but this Sunday it will do what it always does on April 5 by standing in salute to the two who were lost. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Gray remembers OLeary going out of the team hotel to visit a barbers for a shave beforehand. For me, it didnt feel real. [37] Leeds United also banned three of their fans from Elland Road after they had been identified in pictures of the riots. The brother of one of two Leeds United fans killed in Turkey 20 years ago says his death is "still fresh in my memory". Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter'. That is true. Chelsea 1-0 Leeds LIVE: Blues finally find the breakthrough as Wesley Fofana heads home the opener in the second half in a game Graham Potter really needs to win as Brighton and Aston Villa . Loftus, 35, was a telephone engineer and an easy-going lad. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. More than a dozen police watched but initially did not intervene. I jumped in a taxi and went back to Taksim Square., He has no recollection of how he came to be at Taksim Hospital, only that he found himself there after being told that the fighting had been serious. Grieving Leeds Faces Galatasaray Rematch : It Is a Matter of Life Or Death, Sometimes. That deal took Kewell back to a stadium where he and Leeds once needed protection with riot shields. Massive riots Galatasaray - Leeds / Arsenal 2000 - YouTube But if you back out, youll forfeit the game and incur a 3-0 defeat. He visited his fathers body in the chapel of rest across the road, bringing pictures he had drawn for him with felt tips. Football authorities condemned the riots and threatened to expel national football teams from European competition if such events happened again. "They came into town to see. He said getting involved in charity work and fundraisers, including running half-marathons in memory of his brother, had helped him to deal with his sibling's death. People know me because of my dad, he says. Ridsdale still struggles to accept Galatasarays indifferent reaction to the stabbings. Four men were arrested and charged with their murders. Harry Kewell is in front of him, carrying a ball and looking bewildered. 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. I didn't know this and deleted our promotion for the merchandise kitchen item #respect. The events of the day started early in the morning when skirmishes broke out in a bar, which led to an Arsenal fan being stabbed. He died in an operating theatre in the early hours of the morning, despite Leeds United paying for blood supplies to be rushed to him. The second leg was totally different. And others, like Eddie Gray and Ian Harte, have moved on with their lives. The Ali Sami Yen was in a league of its own in atmosphere terms, aggressive and ferocious for visiting sides. At least nine other people, including six Leeds fans, were injured. He rushed to Taksim hospital, near where the men were stabbed. I tried telling Galatasarays staff to get them out. Ali Sami Yen stadium should even go ahead. Others that the Turks precipitated it by throwing chairs. When the press came round, me and my cousin would bounce on my bed to try and get in the photos and in the papers. The first time he went inside to be present, he sat with friends and cried. 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. By that stage he was exhausted. It is unobtrusive and reads simply: In memory of Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight who died tragically in Istanbul, April 5th 2000. As kick-off drew near, the drums and the noise from the stadium filtered down to the Ali Sami Yens subterranean dressing rooms. But he was not and the atmosphere was initially warmer than normal. Ali Umit Demir, was arrested by Turkish police within days and he and three other Turks were later convicted in court. [41] It was noted by Turkish newspaper, Radikal that cannabis was being freely traded in the city square during the time before the riots, and the police did nothing about it. He previously worked for the Yorkshire Evening Post as its chief football writer. "Once more English hooligans, once more, blood," said the mainstream Hurriyet newspaper. We tried to keep a lot of the information about what had happened [to Speight and Loftus] from them, rightly or wrongly. At this juncture, it should be said that Kewell and Alioski were not identical. There were reports that a Galatasaray fan had run to a telephone to call for support when he saw Leeds fans arriving. 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. I am just trying to come to terms with the fact that I have seen a dead body for the first time in 10 years. We switched on the telly and it was all over the news, George says. One minute youre coming out of a bar, the next youve got people running to attack you. galatasaray leeds death Witnesses said he had been bludgeoned by police as he cradled a dying Chris in the 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. 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. "Most were kind, but there were five or six really crazy guys. "It's just a bit of a rollercoaster ride really but we get by," he said. We werent talking about Leeds General Infirmary. Speights treatment failed to save him. This led to 19 injuries, including 4 stabbings, and 60 arrests with similar events occurring in England and Turkey in the aftermath of the riots. With CCTV evidence, four men were indicted for murder within a week, including Ali Umit Demir, at whose flat the police found a knife stained with the blood of both victims. But it had to be done., In the circumstances, did it surprise Fallows that the game in Istanbul went ahead? Even now I get the feeling that people think we started it, Andy says. Surprise me? Those killed were "attackers", it said. 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. 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. 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. My sisters had a word and told me to sort myself out. He was on the scene as the club grieved and as much as any other of David OLearys players, he was in a position to fully comprehend both the impact of the killings and Galatasarays response to them. 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 had travelled to Turkey on the same flight as David OLearys players. Harry Kewell - Wikipedia The images of that never grow old. 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. Any time I think about what happened, I ask the same question. UEFA also requested that fences be put up around the perimeter of the pitch. It might be fair to say that the events of 2000 are a reason to dissuade a footballer with ties to Leeds from engaging with Galatasaray but not necessarily to prohibit him from signing, especially as time goes by. You dont get it.. He had been up all night receiving news of the stabbings, inflicted during violence which broke out on the eve of a UEFA Cup tie between Leeds and Galatasaray. Sneijder's tweet has since been deleted and the midfielder sent a tweet to an angry fan stating: "Very sorry. UEFA, after a week of consideration, agreed with Leeds. But it was common sense. 12/02/2021 . Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. The driver said hed turn it off but I wanted to listen to it. To this day, it is used as a tribute every time the anniversary comes round. 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. Try a week on us. I got a lot of abuse for that and no wonder. "We did amazing business in one hour. The police warned a postponement could cause more trouble. Hello Hell, We Are Leeds, read one banner carried by fans piling through Istanbul airport on Wednesday night. Further information on the Istanbul violence: "Tragedy that awaited two fans on a journey to hell", "16 Hardcore Hooligan Firms, Ultras Groups We Wouldn't Want to Mess with", "Soldiers join hooligans to attack Turks in Cup clash", "Town in fear as drunken English pour in", "Arsenal-Galatasaray, sous le signe de la violence", "English, Turkish fans clash on eve final", "Copenhagen police overrun as soccer fans cause mayhem", "Folkefest endte i vold og masseslagsml", "Surprise attack by Arsenal fans seeking revenge sparked battle", "Violence erupts again as English and Turkish football fans riot in Copenhagen", "Danish police fear more brawls after European soccer final", "Violence overshadows historic soccer victory", "Charleroi lobby yet to learn lessons of Heysel", "Turkish and English fans clash at airport", "Galatasaray Wins UEFA Cup After Day of Rioting by Fans", "England told: more rioting and you're out", "Piers Morgan On Arsenal, Foreign Ownership and Twitter Rants", "SPORTS - The shadow on the UEFA Cup triumph", "How long until Turk fans cause another death on the pitch? Galatasaray beat English team Leeds United but their matches were marred by violence: two Leeds United fans were stabbed to death before their semi-final first leg at Galatasaray's Ali Sami Yen Stadium in Istanbul on 6 April 2000. He had been involved in the plane crash which Leeds players and coaches escaped from on the way home from a Premier League game at West Ham United in 1998. Looking at it from where the fans were standing, Id have been as angry as them. It was our way of making sure the cameras and the world took notice of us.. The connection was not comparable to Kewells. 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. It sunk in quickly once we got home. Eddie Gray is crouching down as he runs up from underground and into the open air. And worse things too. They then broke into an apartment building to threaten Kosovan refugees with a knife, mistakenly believing them to be Turkish. He previously worked for the Yorkshire Evening Post as its chief football writer. When he arrived at the hospital, Darren was in a bed with head injuries. Nigel Martyn has exclusively told LeedsUnited.News that playing against Galatasaray in the first leg of the UEFA Cup semi-final in 2000 - just 24 hours after the murders of two Leeds fans - is to this day, his biggest regret in football. I knew the ramifications would be life-long.. Ridsdale agreed to send his wife and other officials back but instructed a car to take him and Spencer to Taksim Hospital. He must have been off his head., Ian Harte, the left-back, is more vivid in describing it. And I still blame myself a lot.. Bouncers guarded the bars from any English fans. Gray, one of OLearys assistants, tried to focus his attention elsewhere. Leeds have never forgiven Eric Cantona for . I was getting into trouble, drinking and fighting. I feel everything: anger, sadness. The friend who arranged their trips abroad organised for them to fly home via Brussels. They didnt care., The Speights were different and left the criminal cases alone. Both families come here each April 5, to lay flowers and let another year pass. I know bits and bats but it doesnt help me to go over it, he says. [2] Grieving Leeds Faces Galatasaray Rematch : It Is a Matter of Life Or If you ask me now if I made the right or wrong decision by playing it, I still dont know, Ridsdale says. He has a busy job as an electrician and a twinkle in his eye. The pair were met by angry, upset and bewildered groups. Its a strange thing but its important to me. Football riots in City Hall Square, Copenhagen, Denmark (May 2000). [45] It later arose that the majority of the people in the photos were either not involved or had been acting in self-defence. In 2014 he was spoken to by a Turkish website, a free man again. They carried beer glasses outside, we couldn't stop them, and others followed." The first the Leeds players heard of the incident in Taksim Square was when phone calls started reaching them in their hotel. "Their chanting should make Ali Sami Yen [the Galatasaray stadium] hell for Leeds United.". George understands why but wishes with hindsight that he had been there. Wesley Sneijder, a Dutch international who . It was a haunting moment then and it haunts me now. Leeds Crown Court sentenced him to 12 months. The Turkish police didnt give a shit about us. Over a coffee in Starbucks, George Speight finds a way to be philosophical about his fathers death. But the Leeds fans do not see it that way. I dont want to imply criticism of the hospital for that, Ridsdale says. 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 She knows who he was but its not the same.. 2023 BBC. Read about our approach to external linking. 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). They just looked at me like I was stupid.. [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. I stood there with Eddie Gray, Fallows says. Then you get your head around whats actually happened. Football and Leedss financial collapse made Ridsdale persona non grata at Elland Road but George says his mums face lit up when she heard that he was being interviewed for this article. I can only go on what my mum said, but my dad was nothing like that. on the 20th anniversary of the killings in Istanbul. In its opinion, contesting the game was the least worst option. "There was nothing in the days running up to this match to suggest there would be this level of violence," Mr Hunt said. Following the two tragic deaths, local police arrested and charged four Galatasaray supporters with murder. When they came back to Elland Road they thought our request for no away fans was inappropriate. [34] The Copenhagen riots followed a long line of similar events involving English football fans, and in June, UEFA's executive committee listed the Heysel Stadium disaster, disorders in Charleroi and Brussels, the killing of the two Leeds fans in Istanbul, and the Copenhagen riots and warned the British government that if there was any more rioting then England would be expelled from Euro 2000. Chris & Kevin - Never Forgotten - Leeds United junio 12, 2022. abc news anchors female philadelphia . He just happened to run into some tossers with knives., George was so young that the aftermath almost strayed into boyhood adventure. 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. No one meant for it to happen. He was seven when Speight died, his sister Holly two. He started shouting for Christopher to wake up. [7] The ban was supported by UEFA and only 80 tickets were issued to Galatasaray for officials and representatives of the Turkish government. Spencer stepped in and paid with his personal credit card. As a Turkish man is found guilty in Istanbul of murdering two Leeds United fans, the BBC gauges the reaction of local people. The Loftuses fought for justice for as long as they could. Galatasaray.org Within an hour of the stabbings in central Istanbul, some of David OLearys squad emerged to speak to him. I think those who arrived later knew what to expect.". The atmosphere was electric like, scarily electric. The set of knives, emblazoned with Galatasaray's colours, are produced by Dutch firm Senvi and are available for 22. [17], Throughout the day large numbers of fans, both English and Turkish, were seen throughout the city and at the airport. Youre a kid. Galatasaray away on April 6, 2000; "a huge occasion for the club in a football sense," Ridsdale says. Its the most terrified Ive ever been, he says. It was totally deliberate. galatasaray leeds deathashtoreth worship practices. At no stage between arriving at the hospital and Leeds playing the first leg against Galatasaray the following night did Ridsdale sleep. Our Daz was there and he told me the full story. 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. Ridsdale is someone the Speights hold in high regard. He had a passion for Lambretta scooters and spent his spare time fixing old models in his mothers garden. Will Griffee For Mailonline [35] In response, Prime Minister Tony Blair stated: Hopefully this threat will bring to their senses anyone tempted to continue the mindless thuggery that had brought such shame to the country.[35]. Galatasaray 2 - 1 Fraport TAV Antalyaspor MORE. It is 10 years since he last went to the grave. galatasaray leeds death; marfan criteria calculator; galatasaray leeds death. Around them, riot police are standing with shields in the air, protecting the players from what Fallows says was all sorts of things smashing off them. Galatasaray accused him of trying to gain an unfair sporting advantage. Mr Loftus's brother Andy said: "I know it may seem a long time but it's still very much like yesterday really.". Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? A week or so later, we lost 4-0 to Arsenal. Four men were arrested and charged with their murders. He was taken to identify the other, Chris Loftus, in the morgue after doctors mistook him for a family member. Give our social media channels a follow . The passing of time is there in all of them. 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. It was the same at the second leg when I had to stand and look after Galatasarays main man at Elland Road. 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. ', Some wrote stronger messages, such as: 'Washed my hands with Alioski if he f***s off to those vermin. [25] The British fans were later released without charge but were forbidden from returning to Denmark. It makes me proud. Like his father, George has the nickname Spag. Can you list the top facts and stats about 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence? At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. The facilities are great. 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. Christopher's brother was there [at the time of the incident] and I think that the impact on those two families can never be underestimated.". Bits of Istanbul werent in control. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? Im not sure Ive even processed it now. I was amazed, he says. They will never be forgotten.. Leeds fans have reacted furiously to reports that Ezgjan Alioski has agreed to move to Galatasaray. Galatasaray's Wesley Sneijder launches knife range - mirror The interview included vague expressions of regret but no apology to Speight and Loftus or their relatives. Association with the tragedy can be difficult. [40], The Danish police were also criticised for their handling of the riots. Away tickets were limited to 80, which effectively covered only senior Galatasaray officials. It was horrible. The plaque on the wall by Elland Roads East Stand says Never Forgotten and Leeds United swore themselves to those words. His most recent role as a club manager was at English National League side Barnet, and he is currently a first team coach at Celtic.. As a player, Kewell represented Leeds United, Liverpool, Galatasaray, Melbourne Victory, Al-Gharafa and Melbourne Heart. Right up to the attack, I didnt see any trouble. Other fans in Istanbul spoke of isolated incidents here and there but nothing serious. Forty Leeds fans arrested in the scuffles were released without charge. 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. One wrote: 'If Alioski goes there, his high regard and reputation with Leeds fans is destroyed!! Four men were arrested and charged with their murders. [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. "We came out of a bar and there were 100 people waiting for us with machetes, knives, bits of chair and table legs and they just attacked us. Galatasaray player apologises to Leeds fans for knife tweet Follow Phil on Twitter @PhilHay_, George and Holly Speight with Peter Ridsdale after their fathers death.