[48] In 2001, the tribunal ruled in their favour,[49] and ordered Royal Mail to reinstate them. 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. [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. Peter Ridsdale, the Leeds chairman, had been dining with directors from Galatasaray when reports of trouble came through. By the time the match kicked off, the ramifications of two fatal stabbings the previous. Riots and 2 English deaths around UEFA Cup matches Galatasaray from Turkey against English teams in 2000 She remarried and shes carried on with her life but its still there, every time you come up to my dads birthday or the anniversary. 2023 BBC. 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. On the 20th anniversary of their deaths, he said: "I suffered quite badly after it happened. Leeds Crown Court sentenced him to 12 months. Even so, the counterargument holds water. Following the two tragic deaths, local police arrested and charged four Galatasaray supporters with murder. Convention required the directors of the clubs involved in a European tie to share a meal with UEFA delegates the night before the game and Galatasaray arranged the gathering, not far from the Kempinski Hotel where Leedss players and directors were staying. The first time he went inside to be present, he sat with friends and cried. Speight and Loftus were not close friends but knew each other in passing, as travelling football fans do. "We did amazing business in one hour. You dont take much notice of whats said because youre out there for a beer and a laugh. For me, it didnt feel real. The eggs were massive and I was chuffed to bits with mine, he says. My sympathy was with them. "Maybe they thought they were being funny but to Turks who do not speak good English, it was very offensive.". Later in the day, Galatasaray fans occupied City Hall Square before heading towards Arsenal fans in bars nearby. ", Jack Connolly added: "That Wesley Sneijder knife launch is disgusting, scum of the earth.". The away crowd emptied after Rangers late equaliser without realising what had unfolded inside the ground. At no stage between arriving at the hospital and Leeds playing the first leg against Galatasaray the following night did Ridsdale sleep. Football riots in City Hall Square, Copenhagen, Denmark (May 2000). [17] This came after Arsenal had warned the police before the final that there could be hooligans travelling to Copenhagen. The fan responded: "If you did not know then fair enough but your club certainly did and they should be ashamed of themselves. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? They have nothing but good words for Ridsdales conduct and nothing but gratitude for his support. The security guard who was in Turkey with the clubs players and directors is into his 50s and taking it easy after neck surgery. Turkish man jailed for stabbing deaths of Leeds fans The Ibrox disaster was a tragedy, an accident, he says. 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. Another picture, taken by the Yorkshire Evening Posts Mark Bickerdike, shows Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate stepping from the tunnel with tangible shock on their faces. Bits of Istanbul werent in control. When the Turkish club flew over for the return leg two weeks later, an occasion as venomous and bitter as any Elland Road has hosted, they railed against Ridsdales request that their fans be banned from travelling. galatasaray leeds death - Sercano TV [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. Early relaxation gave way to brutal battle as rivals taunted each other, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. The potential for trouble was as high as anything Id been involved in. After taking stock, he got involved with the cancer charity Candlelighters and helped raise almost 150,000 for local hospital facilities. Wed heard that Istanbul could be a bit dangerous but we never thought anything of it, Andy says. The police were knocking everyone about, says Paul Holmes, a friend of the Loftuses who was in Taksim Square when the violence broke out. Gala is an awful football club and Alioski is an awful footballer. 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. You mention him over Farsley way and people respect him. [8], The stabbings caused anger throughout the United Kingdom, and subsequently members of Arsenal's hooligan firms The Herd and The Gooners,[9] wanted to avenge the deaths of the Leeds fans, and telephoned other British hooligan firms, inviting them to join them in Copenhagen to attack Galatasaray fans. Galatasaray 2-1 Trabzonspor MORE. [20], Then, in a calculated attack, approximately 500 Arsenal fans[19] attacked from the main road behind the Galatasaray fans. Ridsdale was told by staff at the hospital that Speight was in a critical condition and needed an urgent transfusion but that the blood had to be paid for. Chris and Kevin were brutally murdered in Istanbul on the eve of our UEFA Cup semi-final fixture with Galatasaray in 2000. He described the Turkish policing as diabolical and out of control. The police claim he was punched. My mum flicked it straight off again. Its that attitude of, They must have gone looking for it. All the stuff about cars being tipped over, us disrespecting their women if youd been there, youd know. George is aware of some of the details but has tried not to dig too deeply. [40], The Danish police were also criticised for their handling of the riots. Soon, they arrived at a flight of steps and a spot which would generate one of the lasting images of the entire tragedy. "They were using very bad language," said Abdul Garlad, a manager. Our Daz was there and he told me the full story. 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. [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. The way the police and the authorities were with us. 11 Feb 02 | Europe Turkish justice moves slowly . My mum struggled massively with it all and she still does now, George says. 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. I am happy and I hope everyone else can be too. Follow Phil on Twitter @PhilHay_, George and Holly Speight with Peter Ridsdale after their fathers death. For some of it we were relying on the police and the authorities without knowing if they were going to do the right things. Before England played Turkey in a European Championship qualifier in Istanbul in 2003, Englands staff got in touch with Fallows to ask for logistical advice. He has never spoken about his memories of Turkey before but, like Andy Loftus, says he wants to reflect 20 years on. There were reports that a Galatasaray fan had run to a telephone to call for support when he saw Leeds fans arriving. Everything was muddled. Kewell was quoted after joining Galatasaray as saying that to blame Galatasaray for the tragedy in Istanbul is simply wrong and discriminatory. 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. "Their chanting should make Ali Sami Yen [the Galatasaray stadium] hell for Leeds United.". 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. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Looking at it from where the fans were standing, Id have been as angry as them. 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. Leeds supporters in Istanbul were told to stay in their hotels. I went for some counselling and didnt go through with all of it but the charity work helped. This led to the two Leeds fans being stabbed. He previously worked for the Yorkshire Evening Post as its chief football writer. On each trip he would set up a desk in the corridor where the team were staying, a point of contact in case of any problems. Every year, the families of Kevin Speight and Chris Loftus place wreathes at the plaque and go together for a drink, to catch up and reflect. 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. 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. Wesley Sneijder, a Dutch international who . 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. By last night's kick-off, the pools of blood, shattered glass and debris had been cleared away. Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight were stabbed in Istanbul on the eve of Leeds' Uefa Cup semi-final tie against Galatasaray in April 2000. A lot of what the police were doing was pure intimidation, Fallows says. I looked at Eddie, he looked at me, we smiled a nervous smile and both said the same thing: Lets go.. The Speights were a close family who lived in the Yorkshire village of Farsley, where Kevin Speight was landlord of the Bay Horse pub. They all say no. In the case of Loftus brother Andy, he prefers not to make a big deal of his surname for fear of the questions that might follow; the feeling of being always on show. 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. Im not sure Ive even processed it now. junio 12, 2022. abc news anchors female philadelphia . 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. 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 . 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. The English FA followed the line of least resistance. The design of the place meant the Leeds players had to take a long walk to the tunnel, flanked by armed police. Anger: Leeds fans are angry that Galatasaray's Wesley Sneijder has announced a new knife range on the 15th anniversary of the stabbing of two fans in Istanbul, Violence: An injured fan is taken away after riots between Leeds and Galatasaray fans before match in Turkey, Horror: A fan is escorted away from the violence by a police officer after riots between Leeds and Galatasaray fans. [12] However, there were conflicting reports, with claims that some Galatasaray fans were instigating some of the violence. It was completely against your idea of law and order. 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. How can it be that two lads go to watch a football game and dont come back?. The slit-throat gestures from fans as we arrived on the bus. [7] The ban was supported by UEFA and only 80 tickets were issued to Galatasaray for officials and representatives of the Turkish government. Its a game. The police warned a postponement could cause more trouble. I can only go on what my mum said, but my dad was nothing like that. 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. Grieving Leeds Faces Galatasaray Rematch : It Is a Matter of Life Or Then you get your head around whats actually happened. But he was not and the atmosphere was initially warmer than normal. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. So Leeds did. 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. 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. 13:02 EST 23 Mar 2021 At the hotel, Phil went up to his room. Leeds supporters who were present denied causing trouble and the UK coroner who presided over the inquest, David Hinchliff, stated in unequivocal terms that Speight and Loftus were the innocent victims of a deliberate ambush. At the hospital, Ridsdale encountered absolute chaos. 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. I was amazed, he says. UEFA, after a week of consideration, agreed with Leeds. Galatasaray - Detailed squad 22/23 | Transfermarkt Nicolo Zaniolo signed on a permanent deal MORE. The police were doing nothing to stop them. The first I knew of it was when they came out to tell me. It also contains a table with average age, cumulative market value and average market value for each player position and overall. 2000 UEFA Cup Final riots - Wikipedia After travelling to the Turkish capital to follow the club, Mr Speight and Mr Loftus were attacked with machetes when a row broke out between rival fans. From my point of view I was only interested in getting that game over and done with as safely as possible. He visited his fathers body in the chapel of rest across the road, bringing pictures he had drawn for him with felt tips. 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). Asked shortly afterwards whether he thought the tie would still go ahead, Mr Ridsdale said: "It's too early to say. Life is good. It felt to me like the police were trying to frighten us, he says. Fatih Terim, Galatasaray's coach, had whipped up his side's supporters. 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. The city centre was tense but, thanks to a massive police presence, mainly empty. They will never be forgotten.. Wed spoken about doing something beforehand, he says. Association with the tragedy can be difficult. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. My dad is ex-World Cup star and BBC pundit but I want glory in a Gray remembers OLeary going out of the team hotel to visit a barbers for a shave beforehand. Gray, a Glaswegian, was in the Celtic end with his wife Linda on the day of the Ibrox disaster in 1971. I thought about Graeme Souness running and planting a Galatasaray flag in the middle of the pitch at Fenerbahce. They just looked at me like I was stupid.. Something went wrong, please try again later. Football authorities condemned the riots and threatened to expel national football teams from European competition if such events happened again. 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. Loftus had already been pronounced dead and in the melee, hospital staff mistakenly assumed Ridsdale was a relative and took him downstairs to the mortuary. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? And thats without even mentioning what had gone on the night before with the two lads who were killed. One wrote: 'If Alioski goes there, his high regard and reputation with Leeds fans is destroyed!! Galatasaray 2 - 1 Fraport TAV Antalyaspor MORE. "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. He was taken to identify the other, Chris Loftus, in the morgue after doctors mistook him for a family member. And many have voiced their opinion on social media following a report by Football Insider that Alioski has agreed a pre-contract to join the rivals in the summer. [31] Nineteen of the arrested were British, thirty-six were Turkish and the rest of the arrested included people from Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands. After a while, Andys eldest brother Phil complained of feeling ill and the two of them decided to go back to their hotel. Spencer interrupted dinner to advise Ridsdale that they should return to the hotel immediately. Who really cares?. [3] Leeds fans had been drinking in bars reportedly taunting local people and Turkish police intervened to stop fights breaking out. Turkish Prime Minister Blent Ecevit also made a call for fans to avoid violence after the riots, stating: Sports should be an initiative for friendship, not for fighting. 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. 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. Four people were stabbed in the scuffles, which also involved fans from other clubs and were viewed by the media as part of a retaliation for the killing of two Leeds United fans by Galatasaray supporters the month before. We had hundreds of fans in Turkey, some in the air and another plane due to fly the following morning (the morning flight out from Leeds-Bradford Airport was rapidly cancelled). And it is far too late to redress that now. [18] Arsenal fans congregated in nearby bars. Former club legend Harry Kewell previously soured his relationship with Leeds fans after moving to Galatasaray from Liverpool in 2008. Surprise me? [23] The violence, which included fans from other English clubs[24] and Turks living in Denmark,[25] lasted for 45 minutes. The 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence in Istanbul, Turkey, between fans of English football team Leeds United and Turkish team Galatasaray before the first match of the UEFA Cup semi-final on 5 April 2000, led to two Leeds fans being stabbed to death by Galatasaray fans. Gjanni Alioski Leeds to Galatasaray transfer talks end for - TEAMtalk George understands why but wishes with hindsight that he had been there. [30] A Danish police officer[22] and a Turkish cameraman were also injured in the riots. Gray, one of OLearys assistants, tried to focus his attention elsewhere. The first the Leeds players heard of the incident in Taksim Square was when phone calls started reaching them in their hotel. But in the light of day, the sun hits it and the sparkle lingers. 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. I was totally speechless, totally shocked. [6] Demir was later found guilty of murder and was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, but released in 2004. Six people were arrested and three Metropolitan Police officers were injured. Leeds fans RAGING at Ezgjan Alioski transfer links to Galatasaray Some claimed the English sparked it by throwing beer glasses at passing women pedestrians. They reported that as one of them tried to give the kiss of life to Mr Loftus, he was set upon. Its 20 years now but I dont think Ill ever get over it. Both had numerous other wounds. Obviously he liked his football too. The Turkish media blamed the Leeds fans. There was the time when he was caught stealing two pounds from the pub till and sent by Speight to sit in the office until Susan came home to read the riot act. 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. Disgusting. In the context of football, that era was phenomenally good: Leeds in Europe and another trip to the continent always waiting around the corner. She knows who he was but its not the same.. I stood there with Eddie Gray, Fallows says. (Main photo of Kevin Speight with his son George and daughter Holly). It is his life and his career, much as the option of Galatasaray was incapable of arising without anyone passing comment. When they landed at Leeds-Bradford airport, a Leeds United club car was waiting to pick them up from the runaway, avoiding the cameras waiting inside. 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. But it had to be done., In the circumstances, did it surprise Fallows that the game in Istanbul went ahead? Exclusive: Leeds icon Martyn on 21st anniversary of Galatasaray murders If you ask me now if I made the right or wrong decision by playing it, I still dont know, Ridsdale says. They carried beer glasses outside, we couldn't stop them, and others followed." He started shouting for Christopher to wake up. How the violence started is unclear. Two lives lost and two lives wasted, for nothing. When youre seven you cant process something like that, can you? Leeds United fans' deaths in Turkey 20 years ago 'feels like - BBC Hed just met a girl. 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. [21] This lasted 20 minutes[19] before the Danish police attempted to break up the melee with dogs[22] and tear gas. [29], In all, four people were stabbed during the riots: two English, one Turkish and one Dutch fan. 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. Devastated., The next 24 hours were a blur. Its a strange thing but its important to me. 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. I knew the ramifications would be life-long.. In May 2002 Demir, who admitted the stabbings, was sentenced to 15 years in prison with four other men imprisoned for three months each. [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.
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