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. Asked shortly afterwards whether he thought the tie would still go ahead, Mr Ridsdale said: "It's too early to say. ", Jack Connolly added: "That Wesley Sneijder knife launch is disgusting, scum of the earth.". 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 away crowd emptied after Rangers late equaliser without realising what had unfolded inside the ground. That is true. He previously worked for the Yorkshire Evening Post as its chief football writer. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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]. How can it be that two lads go to watch a football game and dont come back?. Its completely different. [13], On the Wednesday at 1:00, Galatasaray fans attacked a bar in Strget in Copenhagen, where some Arsenal fans were located. Who really cares?. "Their chanting should make Ali Sami Yen [the Galatasaray stadium] hell for Leeds United.". 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. A streetwise Mancunian, he has looked after Oasis, Noel Gallagher and Take That and on the morning when we speak hes at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, organising staff for a gig by The Script. Even now I get the feeling that people think we started it, Andy says. Fallows is a security guard with ample experience. His brother was following behind us and, quite understandably, he lost it. It was a haunting moment then and it haunts me now. I like that they remember him. George has no recollection of his dad leaving for Istanbul or of him saying goodbye. [39] Later on, British media blame also transferred towards Galatasaray fans. Riots and 2 English deaths around UEFA Cup matches Galatasaray from Turkey against English teams in 2000 George understands why but wishes with hindsight that he had been there. But if you back out, youll forfeit the game and incur a 3-0 defeat. The first the Leeds players heard of the incident in Taksim Square was when phone calls started reaching them in their hotel. Acquittal plea in soccer death trial. CATEGORIES . Has to be the biggest DO NOT for any Leeds player!! 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. [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. Twenty Leeds fans, witnesses to the fight, were interviewed. Follow Phil on Twitter @PhilHay_, George and Holly Speight with Peter Ridsdale after their fathers death. In Turkey, two supporters were murdered. He must have been off his head., Ian Harte, the left-back, is more vivid in describing it. 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. The pair were met by angry, upset and bewildered groups. Surprise me? [32] The rest were fined an equivalent of $500 and banned from Denmark for a year.[33]. 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. The Turkish media blamed the Leeds fans. More than a dozen police watched but initially did not intervene. Within a year, however, Demir, following an appeal, was a free man after his conviction was quashed and a re-trial ordered. 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. Ali Sami Yen was in a league of its own in atmosphere terms, aggressive and ferocious for visiting sides. That deal took Kewell back to a stadium where he and Leeds once needed protection with riot shields. 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. Kevin Fallows was the clubs head of security and travelled with the players to all their fixtures in Europe. [18] Arsenal fans congregated in nearby bars. I tried telling Galatasarays staff to get them out. Ridsdale is someone the Speights hold in high regard. From 5pm local time more than 100 Leeds fans had arrived shouting, singing and demanding beer, according to Batu Dedeler, the bar owner. [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. 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. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. By
In the context of football, that era was phenomenally good: Leeds in Europe and another trip to the continent always waiting around the corner. Thats what they were, kids. The Loftus family gave up on campaigning for justice in Turkey because they did not think the system cared about them. 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. It was obvious that Galatasaray were making no concession for what had taken place, so that was our form of protest. We were just trying to control the worst situation imaginable.. ", Get the FREE Mirror Football newsletter with the day's key headlines and transfer news straight into your inbox. It makes me proud. Like his father, George has the nickname Spag. So Leeds did. Those killed were "attackers", it said. If the thought of a transfer like that sits uncomfortably then perhaps it should. Both families come here each April 5, to lay flowers and let another year pass. For Leedss staff and players, the details of what had occurred in Taksim Square the night before remained sketchy until after full-time. There was no minutes silence or acknowledgement of the deaths. The passing of time is there in all of them. Looking at it from where the fans were standing, Id have been as angry as them. More importantly, we needed to find out what state the two lads were in and whether we could help them.. Then you get your head around whats actually happened. [4] Police arrested Ali Umit Demir and three other men for the stabbings. Theyd been seeing each other for about six months.. It was a lad from Shipley who I knew, Andy says. [19] The Danish police then moved in to separate the fans, and moved the Galatasaray fans back towards the square. The cause of the fighting which broke out after dark in Istanbul was a subject of fierce contention in the weeks after the stabbings. I prefer to go to the plaque at Elland Road, he says. Gala is an awful football club and Alioski is an awful footballer. The police warned a postponement could cause more trouble. We had to say to them as clearly as we could, If you go into the streets, if you go out drinking, we cant tell you how dangerous itll be. By then, you knew exactly what had gone on and you knew the severity of it. They know what he did for us.. 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 . Within minutes, a pitched battle erupted. Give our social media channels a follow . 2023 BBC. Istanbul was like no other event he has dealt with. My mum flicked it straight off again. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. According to one witness, a Turkish man was pushed to the ground and smashed his teeth on the pavement. 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. After taking stock, he got involved with the cancer charity Candlelighters and helped raise almost 150,000 for local hospital facilities. Confusion reigned. Ridsdale agreed to send his wife and other officials back but instructed a car to take him and Spencer to Taksim Hospital. 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. Turkish police, according to British of ficials, appeared to be taking the killings as seriously as they would hope. junio 12, 2022. abc news anchors female philadelphia . Manchester United and Chelsea had contested European ties at the Ali Sami Yen previously and voiced complaints about their treatment, so Fallows increased the size of Leedss usual security detail from three to five as a precaution. Rory Carroll in Istanbul and Martin Wainwright. Some claimed the English sparked it by throwing beer glasses at passing women pedestrians. Summarize this article for a 10 years old. We tried to raise awareness but it was a farce. Spencer stepped in and paid with his personal credit card. galatasaray leeds death. Loftuss brother Andy jokes that he had thicker hair back in the day. 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 didnt want to do it either. Two lives lost and two lives wasted, for nothing. But it was common sense. Something went wrong, please try again later. It was the same at the second leg when I had to stand and look after Galatasarays main man at Elland Road. He just happened to run into some tossers with knives., George was so young that the aftermath almost strayed into boyhood adventure. And I still blame myself a lot.. He started shouting for Christopher to wake up. Galatasaray wanted me from the start. 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. 2000 fights between English and Turkish football fans. 12/02/2021 . 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 went for some counselling and didnt go through with all of it but the charity work helped. He sees it now as a necessary shock to the system. Can you list the top facts and stats about 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence? The plaque on the wall by Elland Roads East Stand says Never Forgotten and Leeds United swore themselves to those words. Leeds will on Saturday afternoon mark 15 years since the deaths of supporters Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight, who were stabbed by a Galatasaray fan in April 2000. [21] This lasted 20 minutes[19] before the Danish police attempted to break up the melee with dogs[22] and tear gas. The eggs were massive and I was chuffed to bits with mine, he says. Both had numerous other wounds. Disgusting. I am not sure if the first few expected fighting but I saw one guy running to a telephone to call his friends after he saw the English. 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. Leeds fans have reacted furiously to reports that Ezgjan Alioski has agreed to move to Galatasaray. Leeds have never forgiven Eric Cantona for . 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. Everyones different., A brass plaque commemorating Speight and Lofus was set into brickwork outside Elland Road in 2001. Our Daz was there and he told me the full story. [25] The British fans were later released without charge but were forbidden from returning to Denmark. Gray remembers OLeary going out of the team hotel to visit a barbers for a shave beforehand. 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. His financial record at Leeds was dismal and Leeds never forget about it. After a while, Andys eldest brother Phil complained of feeling ill and the two of them decided to go back to their hotel. When youre seven you cant process something like that, can you? There isnt much that unnerves me but that was quite a scary moment. We werent talking about Leeds General Infirmary. Speights treatment failed to save him. 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. The Turkish. Hed just met a girl. ', By
It's a fantastic city and I'm willing to learn. I was totally speechless, totally shocked. By the time the match kicked off, the ramifications of two fatal stabbings the previous. "We did amazing business in one hour. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. 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. It also contains a table with average age, cumulative market value and average market value for each player position and overall. After a long legal process in Turkey, four men were jailed in 2010. 'There were a lot of other clubs out there but this is perfect for me. Everything was muddled. Association with the tragedy can be difficult. [40], The Danish police were also criticised for their handling of the riots. It sounds daft but I dont think I knew how to react. Mr Loftus from a plunging wound to his heart; Mr Speight, a few hours later after receiving a wound the length of his stomach. [37] Leeds United also banned three of their fans from Elland Road after they had been identified in pictures of the riots. In 2014 he was spoken to by a Turkish website, a free man again. The brothers went to the British Embassy but, in Andys words, found them to be worse than useless. The Turkish media tried to blame English fans for provoking the violence by being drunk and disrespecting the Turkish flag. Andy Loftus had flown to watch the match with his brother. The routine for Andy and others who went abroad with Leeds was always the same: straight to the hotel, straight into town, straight on the beer. Nicolo Zaniolo signed on a permanent deal MORE. The bodies were repatriated a few days later, beginning the process of mourning and funerals. [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. According to a waiter at a nearby restaurant, the Turkish club's fanatical fans had heard through the grapevine that trouble was brewing. There were a few Turkish fans outside the bars we started drinking in but we didnt think much of it. Try a week on us. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. 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. [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. It is 10 years since he last went to the grave. At least nine other people, including six Leeds fans, were injured. The police were doing nothing to stop them. Their policing of City Hall Square in the days running up to the final was described as "non-existent" by Dineen. I went off the rails, he says. ', Some wrote stronger messages, such as: 'Washed my hands with Alioski if he f***s off to those vermin. "They were screaming all sorts of things. At the time he said: 'It was a tragic thing in football but we can't live in the past. There was the time when the pub opened its doors early to allow the locals to catch an early kick-off between Leeds and Manchester United. [2] The events happened at 22:00 in Istanbul's Taksim Square during a fight between Leeds fans and Galatasaray fans. Andy has paid for the plaque to be cleaned a couple of times and it could do with another polish now. He described the Turkish policing as diabolical and out of control. They ordered us to pump up the volume, so we did," said Mr Dedeler, 24. 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. British fans were outnumbered and chased up side streets. It was a load of shit. Scuffles broke out but the police moved in and fans scattered. junio 12, 2022. abc news anchors female philadelphia . Alioski had less of a cross to bear. At no stage between arriving at the hospital and Leeds playing the first leg against Galatasaray the following night did Ridsdale sleep. Susan chose not to take the children to Speights funeral. My mum always says the same: Hed gone out there for the football, nothing else. [18] Later, large numbers of Galatasaray fans congregated in Copenhagen's City Hall Square, raising the Turkish flag in the square. Within an hour of the stabbings in central Istanbul, some of David OLearys squad emerged to speak to him. I feel everything: anger, sadness. "There's a lot of anger. 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. People speak well of him. By 10.30pm some of the rowdiest fans left the James Joyce and joined a crowd outside McDonalds just off Taksim Square. When they came back to Elland Road they thought our request for no away fans was inappropriate. 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. "It's just a bit of a rollercoaster ride really but we get by," he said. It is his life and his career, much as the option of Galatasaray was incapable of arising without anyone passing comment. [42] Arsenal fans also criticised the police, claiming that they had been slow to intervene and were "too soft" on the hooligans. [38], In 2013, Arsenal invited Galatasaray to compete at their annual Emirates Cup tournament. The design of the place meant the Leeds players had to take a long walk to the tunnel, flanked by armed police. You dont take much notice of whats said because youre out there for a beer and a laugh. 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. [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 Football Associations David Davies said playing the game was the least worst option. The potential for trouble was as high as anything Id been involved in. Later in the day, Galatasaray fans occupied City Hall Square before heading towards Arsenal fans in bars nearby. 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. Staff said many fans were drunk by 10pm, intimidating Turkish families drinking in the lounge. 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. OFFICIAL DONATION CAMPAIGN FOR THE VICTIMS OF EARTHQUAKE MORE. 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. [28] In Turkey, nine people were accidentally shot and injured by Galatasaray fans firing guns in celebration despite police warning them not to. 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. Forty Leeds fans arrested in the scuffles were released without charge. Any time I think about what happened, I ask the same question. Your mind was elsewhere., Harte also felt a delayed reaction. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. 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. . 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. Anywhere else in Europe, I doubt it would have been played. Sneijder's tweet has since been deleted and the midfielder sent a tweet to an angry fan stating: "Very sorry. Theyd turned on their tellies and it was all over the Turkish news, Fallows says. The manager of Leeds, David O'Leary, had voiced fears of being met at the airport by "a 100-strong rentamob". Follow Phil on Twitter @PhilHay_, Leeds players needed protection from police with riot shields before their game against Galatasaray in 2000 (Photo: Steve Mitchell/EMPICS via Getty Images). [30] A Danish police officer[22] and a Turkish cameraman were also injured in the riots. How the violence started is unclear. Another supporter who tried to resuscitate Chris was hit with batons. I knew the ramifications would be life-long.. The Loftuses had travelled to Turkey on the same flight as David OLearys players. Six people were arrested and three Metropolitan Police officers were injured. Andy got a pint at the bar. Ali Sami Yen stadium should even go ahead. It shows all personal information about the players, including age, nationality, contract duration and market value. It was only when Gray arrived home that his parents asked if he was OK and told him about the many Rangers fans who had died. They all say no. It felt to me like the police were trying to frighten us, he says. They just looked at me like I was stupid.. I didnt want to be standing there telling them what to do and I understood that they didnt want to hear it. 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 last night's kick-off, the pools of blood, shattered glass and debris had been cleared away. Ridsdale can visualise it all 21 years on: the lay-out of the hospital, the chaos inside, the panicked confusion. Leeds supporters in Istanbul were told to stay in their hotels. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. 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. Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight were stabbed in Istanbul on the eve of. [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. The security guard who was in Turkey with the clubs players and directors is into his 50s and taking it easy after neck surgery. 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.. 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. It is part of Leeds Uniteds fabric and it will never disappear: the night when football became murder and so many lives were changed. 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? [12] However, there were conflicting reports, with claims that some Galatasaray fans were instigating some of the violence. The police did nothing, in fact they were helping them beat us up." The Football Associations David Davies said playing the game was the least worst option. The Turkish side are hated by those at Elland Road after two travelling fans were stabbed to. Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 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. [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 knew the ramifications would be life-long., (Photo: Phil Noble PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images), Ali Sami Yen previously and voiced complaints about their treatment, so Fallows increased the size of Leedss usual security detail from three to five as a precaution. 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. Bitexen Giresunspor 0 - 4 Galatasaray MORE. 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).