I was totally speechless, totally shocked. 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 Turkish media blamed the Leeds fans. The way the police and the authorities were with us. And it is far too late to redress that 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). 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. I cant explain it but I got this weird feeling, he says. Their policing of City Hall Square in the days running up to the final was described as "non-existent" by Dineen. There isnt much that unnerves me but that was quite a scary moment. For me, it didnt feel real. If someone could have shown me those levels of intimidation, Id have refused to play the game unhesitatingly. Theyd been seeing each other for about six months.. No question.. Amid the fall-out and a world of shock in Leeds, Ridsdale suggested that the second leg at Elland Road would be safer without away fans. They all say no. HONEYTRAP HELL: Watch the moment dad lets two women into flat who seduced and drugged him before stabbing him to death over fake Rolex he'd shown off online, Moment sonic boom 'like a gas explosion' shakes homes as RAF Typhoon aircraft scrambled, Spencer Matthews sparks concern as Finding Michael documentary pulled at 11th hour, Cyclist pavement killer risks losing home as neighbours break silence, BREAKING: Max Verstappen takes Bahrain GP pole as Fernando Alonso gets one over Lewis Hamilton, Defiant Prince Andrew seen smiling amid royal eviction clash with King Charles, BREAKING: Bus carrying 40 schoolchildren plunges down creek in French Alps, Matt Hancock's 41-hour battle to save career after Gina Coladangelo affair revealed, Art Attack legend Neil Buchanan unrecognisable after quitting TV role for rock band, Saturday Kitchen fans in hysterics as guest repeats X-rated word live on BBC, Harry has 'NOTHING TO LOSE' after Frogmore eviction as he prepares for trauma tell-all, Woman, who was over drink-drive limit, dies in crash on way home from work at club, Subscribe to Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror newspapers. Looking at it from where the fans were standing, Id have been as angry as them. 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. In the weeks after the deaths, he offered them emotional and financial assistance (the family declined to take any money) and would phone Susan regularly to keep in touch. 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. The images are so vivid in Peter Ridsdales mind that he can describe every aspect of the hospital where Speight and Loftus were taken after they were attacked. Jesus. He had a passion for Lambretta scooters and spent his spare time fixing old models in his mothers garden. The away crowd emptied after Rangers late equaliser without realising what had unfolded inside the ground. The death of the two Leeds fans in street fighting in central Istanbul on Wednesday turned Galatasaray's Ali Sami Yen Stadium into an armed camp, with 10,000 police patrolling in and around the . This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. The first I knew of it was when they came out to tell me. 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 road to justice for the Speight and Loftus families was long and demoralising. All he recalls about the incident was being woken up by Susan the following morning and told, as softly as it could be broken, that Speight had died. junio 12, 2022. abc news anchors female philadelphia . Ridsdale agreed to send his wife and other officials back but instructed a car to take him and Spencer to Taksim Hospital. They had been a couple since their teens. Chris & Kevin - Never Forgotten - Leeds United As a Turkish man is found guilty in Istanbul of murdering two Leeds United fans, the BBC gauges the reaction of local people. We tried to raise awareness but it was a farce. You ask them one by one if 20 years have helped them process what happened. Will Griffee For Mailonline, BREAKING NEWS: Leeds United legend and all-time record goalscorer Peter Lorimer dies at the age of 74 after long-term illness, just a month on from being moved into a hospice, Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford slams 'dead' VAR after having two costly goals controversially ruled out for offsides this season as he claims the technology has 'killed the game', Marcelo Bielsa insists Leeds can't bank on Premier League safety yet, despite moving 13 points clear of the relegation zone with victory at Fulham, EDDIE GRAY: No one struck the ball like Peter Lorimer we roomed together for 10 years and he was a popular, generous man who will be missed, Michael Vaughan arrives at court for Yorkshire cricket racism hearing, Toronto Raptors post cringe-worthy about why girls run the world, Souness and Robson joke they'd kick players wearing pink boots, Graeme Souness questions Van Dijk's leadership capabilities, Man City manager Pep Guardiola speaks ahead of match against Newcastle, Liverpool v Man United: Jurgen Klopp press conference ahead of match, Daily Mail reporter tests out Formula One training techniques, Raiders star Jordan Rapan is grilled over brutal hit in match, Erik ten Hag ready for 'next step' with Man Utd by beating top four rival Liverpool at Anfield, Liverpool's April visit ticket allocation slashed by 20%, Footballer Danny Simpson talks meeting Ronaldo while on a date, NBA Star Ja Morant holds gun up to his head while at a strip club. We catch up at the cafe in an Asda store near his home in Killingbeck and he speaks bravely but reluctantly; not because he wants to but because he thinks he should, for the sake of his brother Chriss memory. Summarize this article for a 10 years old. In Turkey, two supporters were murdered. Ridsdale still struggles to accept Galatasarays indifferent reaction to the stabbings. There was no minutes silence or acknowledgement of the deaths. Last year, on the 20th anniversary of the killings in Istanbul, The Athletic spoke to some of the people closest to the tragedy and some of the people most affected by it. Outside, Leeds fans reportedly taunted Turkish men. It is part of Leeds Uniteds fabric and it will never disappear: the night when football became murder and so many lives were changed. Matt White tweeted: "Wesley Sneijder tweeting a personalised Galatasaray knife set on the 15th anniversary of the murder of 2 Leeds fans in Istanbul? Witnesses said he had been bludgeoned by police as he cradled a dying Chris in the street. It didnt sit right with me. Those killed were "attackers", it said. And I still blame myself a lot.. Riots and 2 English deaths around UEFA Cup matches Galatasaray from Turkey against English teams in 2000 It was completely against your idea of law and order. Maybe, he says, and his voice tails off. [23] The violence, which included fans from other English clubs[24] and Turks living in Denmark,[25] lasted for 45 minutes. Ill be honest, by the time we were kicking off I had no idea why we were playing. [30] A Danish police officer[22] and a Turkish cameraman were also injured in 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". Soon, they arrived at a flight of steps and a spot which would generate one of the lasting images of the entire tragedy. People speak well of him. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. As injured and angry Leeds fans came through, he did what he could. 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. The pair were met by angry, upset and bewildered groups. For George, the clearest memories of his dad are few and slightly random. They have nothing but good words for Ridsdales conduct and nothing but gratitude for his support. They ordered us to pump up the volume, so we did," said Mr Dedeler, 24. Six people were arrested and three Metropolitan Police officers were injured. That decision drew much criticism, as well it might. When the hospital said they were short of blood supplies, Ridsdale sent his chauffeur off to get more. Hed just met a girl. Leeds had worries on several fronts: maintaining the safety of other fans in the city, helping the relatives of Speight and Loftus in Turkey and at home, and deciding whether the game at the Ali Sami Yen stadium should even go ahead. They phoned their parents back home but the media had already informed them of Chriss death. Speights son, George, is no longer the cheeky kid with floppy hair smiling brightly in the photograph of his father he digs out. [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. The Turkish police didnt give a shit about us. Another supporter who tried to resuscitate Chris was hit with batons. galatasaray leeds death The passing of time is there in all of them. One of 13 Turks arrested in Istanbul has confessed to stabbing Leeds United fan Christopher Loftus, whose body is expected . You got paid each month and you did this, Andy says, gesturing as if to push a wad of banknotes into a drawer. The Galatasaray fans were later attacked from behind by members of British hooligan firms seeking revenge for the Istanbul stabbings. It's a fantastic city and I'm willing to learn. 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. Gray, a Glaswegian, was in the Celtic end with his wife Linda on the day of the Ibrox disaster in 1971. In May 2002 Demir, who admitted the stabbings, was sentenced to 15 years in prison with four other men imprisoned for three months each. Ridsdale can visualise it all 21 years on: the lay-out of the hospital, the chaos inside, the panicked confusion. I didnt catch everything but I heard enough. It wasnt a proper A&E unit. Galatasaray fans entered the area shortly afterwards which precipitated a fight between the two sets of supporters. As kick-off drew near, the drums and the noise from the stadium filtered down to the Ali Sami Yens subterranean dressing rooms. [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. Turkish police, according to British of ficials, appeared to be taking the killings as seriously as they would hope. Exclusive: Leeds icon Martyn on 21st anniversary of Galatasaray murders When he arrived at the hospital, Darren was in a bed with head injuries. We tried to keep a lot of the information about what had happened [to Speight and Loftus] from them, rightly or wrongly. Bitexen Giresunspor 0 - 4 Galatasaray MORE. He started shouting for Christopher to wake up. Ridsdale is someone the Speights hold in high regard. ', By Then you turn around and Kevin and Chris are lying there., In the hospitals waiting area, Andy overheard a voice saying that one of the fatalities was one of the four brothers. 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. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? Can you list the top facts and stats about 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence? [45] It later arose that the majority of the people in the photos were either not involved or had been acting in self-defence. The driver said hed turn it off but I wanted to listen to it. Within an hour of the stabbings in central Istanbul, some of David OLearys squad emerged to speak to him. UEFA also requested that fences be put up around the perimeter of the pitch. 2000 fights between English and Turkish football fans. Its a game. 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. 15:32 EST 23 Mar 2021. Leeds fans have reacted furiously to reports that Ezgjan Alioski has agreed to move to Galatasaray. 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. His financial record at Leeds was dismal and Leeds never forget about it. Leeds fans furious as Alioski's move to Galatasaray nears completion 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. Football riots in City Hall Square, Copenhagen, Denmark (May 2000). "Their chanting should make Ali Sami Yen [the Galatasaray stadium] hell for Leeds United.". Loftus had been stabbed five times and Speight twice. The plaque on the wall by Elland Roads East Stand says Never Forgotten and Leeds United swore themselves to those words. #RIPChrisAndKev. The police warned a postponement could cause more trouble. 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. The blood had to be sourced externally and to do that, someone had to pay. [26] There were further clashes at the airport the day after the game. I was so pleased to get on the plane out of Turkey but once I got back and thought about things, the reality of two lads dying out there got to me. 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. A Galatasaray player who endorsed a set of knives as Leeds United paid tribute to fans fatally stabbed before a game against his club has apologised. Because I was so young and the memories arent clear, I get times when I ask myself if it really happened. Holly, as a two-year-old, was left with no memories at all. Football authorities condemned the riots and threatened to expel national football teams from European competition if such events happened again. I got a lot of abuse for that and no wonder. When we got to the bottom of the stairs they pulled out a drawer, a bit like a filing cabinet, and Christophers body was there. [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]. [38] The photos led to some postmen working for Royal Mail losing their jobs because they had been seen in the photos and in television coverage,[46] even though they had not been arrested. I was amazed, he says. The Turkish side are hated by those at Elland Road after two travelling fans were stabbed to. Galatasaray advance to Ziraat Trkiye Kupas . The Speights were a close family who lived in the Yorkshire village of Farsley, where Kevin Speight was landlord of the Bay Horse pub. My mum struggled massively with it all and she still does now, George says. 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. [18] Later, large numbers of Galatasaray fans congregated in Copenhagen's City Hall Square, raising the Turkish flag in the square. 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. 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. . In its opinion, contesting the game was the least worst option. Gray, one of OLearys assistants, tried to focus his attention elsewhere. "They were using very bad language," said Abdul Garlad, a manager. I just said to them, Good luck., Galatasarays reputation went before them. 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. [2] The events happened at 22:00 in Istanbul's Taksim Square during a fight between Leeds fans and Galatasaray fans. Who really cares?. 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. For players and supporters alike, this has become one of the most fraught and difficult venues in Europe. Friends and family of Speight and Loftus had congregated there and other Leeds fans were waiting with more minor injuries, some of them slash wounds. Everything happened in a flash. Leeds had taken over an entire corridor at the five-star Kempinski and the squad were in their rooms, ready to sleep ahead of the game the next night. I feel sorry for her, George says. It is unobtrusive and reads simply: In memory of Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight who died tragically in Istanbul, April 5th 2000. The friend who arranged their trips abroad organised for them to fly home via Brussels. The atmosphere was electric like, scarily electric. My mum flicked it straight off again. He previously worked for the Yorkshire Evening Post as its chief football writer. 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. There were reports that a Galatasaray fan had run to a telephone to call for support when he saw Leeds fans arriving. Leeds Crown Court sentenced him to 12 months. [3] Leeds fans had been drinking in bars reportedly taunting local people and Turkish police intervened to stop fights breaking out. After a long legal process in Turkey, four men were jailed in 2010. Through different eyes and different viewpoints, a picture built up of the disregard and indifference with which they had been treated by those they looked to for help. 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'. He has a busy job as an electrician and a twinkle in his eye. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. He described the Turkish policing as diabolical and out of control. For Leedss staff and players, the details of what had occurred in Taksim Square the night before remained sketchy until after full-time. The police claim he was punched. ', And: 'Alioski can f*** off, he obviously knows the history between the two clubs.'. One of our security lads had to go with the bus to a compound, some sort of a lock-up. I didnt want to be standing there telling them what to do and I understood that they didnt want to hear it. It makes me proud. Like his father, George has the nickname Spag. 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. By 10.30pm some of the rowdiest fans left the James Joyce and joined a crowd outside McDonalds just off Taksim Square. The images of that never grow old. [4] Police arrested Ali Umit Demir and three other men for the stabbings. "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. Try a week on us. [28] In Turkey, nine people were accidentally shot and injured by Galatasaray fans firing guns in celebration despite police warning them not to. Those April nights were as close as Leeds will get to it. The slit-throat gestures from fans as we arrived on the bus. But eventually the issue of what to do about the game had to be addressed. ", Get the FREE Mirror Football newsletter with the day's key headlines and transfer news straight into your inbox. [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. We had a coach for the players and a coach for the directors, he says. The Loftuses had travelled to Turkey on the same flight as David OLearys players. Some headed for the James Joyce pub 200 metres away and joined a sing-song against Galatasaray. Bouncers guarded the bars from any English fans. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. But in the light of day, the sun hits it and the sparkle lingers. Peter Ridsdale, the Leeds chairman, had been dining with directors from Galatasaray when reports of trouble came through. "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.". Loftus, 35, was a telephone engineer and an easy-going lad. Any time I think about what happened, I ask the same question. He had travelled to the hospital where injured fans were being treated and arranged payment for a blood transfusion for Kevin Speight, one of the two who died. Past present or future..', A second added: 'Would much rather see one of the u23s get a chance at lb than Alioski for the rest of the season. 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. No one meant for it to happen. 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 is regarded as a significant act of betrayal by many fans for a Leeds player to join Galatasaray. One minute youre coming out of a bar, the next youve got people running to attack you. It sunk in quickly once we got home. I had no idea where we were going or why we were going there, he says. Leeds fans had planned to honour the memories of Speight and Loftus this weekend by holding up photos of the two murdered men at the home game with Blackburn Rovers. Bowyer leads out the Leeds team as the first leg went ahead (Photo: Steve Mitchell/EMPICS via Getty Images), A minutes silence is observed before the return leg at Elland Road (Photo: Steve Mitchell/EMPICS via Getty Images). The Ibrox disaster was a tragedy, an accident, he says. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. [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. I dont know if the club encouraged them to do that but you were well aware of objects hitting the shields. Surprise me? Football is sport here and for many Istanbul residents Galatasaray - who won the league last Sunday - is football. I think you just go into a downward spiral. I stood there with Eddie Gray, Fallows says. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Two lives lost and two lives wasted, for nothing. Gala is an awful football club and Alioski is an awful footballer. Fatih Terim, Galatasaray's coach, had whipped up his side's supporters. The police did nothing, in fact they were helping them beat us up." The deaths led to an angry reaction in England with Galatasaray fans . Fallows is a security guard with ample experience. Obviously he liked his football too. Leeds head of security at the game recalled police officers lining the corridors in Galatasarays ground as the players emerged from the dressing room; an attempt, in his eyes, to intimidate them as they prepared to go onto the pitch. Speight and Loftus were not close friends but knew each other in passing, as travelling football fans do. Galatasaray - Detailed squad 22/23 | Transfermarkt But when it came to Istanbul, he and the club were remarkable in reacting quickly and with compassion. Your mind was elsewhere., Harte also felt a delayed reaction. galatasaray leeds death I dont think, even to this day, that Galatasaray would see the amount of press coverage or criticism as being fairly labelled against them, Ridsdale said last year. "Once more English hooligans, once more, blood," said the mainstream Hurriyet newspaper. Leeds fans RAGING at Ezgjan Alioski transfer links to Galatasaray I could see in their faces how much they were raging, Fallows says. BBC News | EUROPE | Turkey still angry over fans' behaviour Rory Carroll in Istanbul and Martin Wainwright. 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.
Kahu Subscription Renewal Cost, Articles G