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I prefer to remember that way. George is a regular at Leeds games but until his teens he would wait outside the stadium at the home fixture closest to the April 5 anniversary while a minutes applause played out. OFFICIAL DONATION CAMPAIGN FOR THE VICTIMS OF EARTHQUAKE MORE. Wesley Sneijder, a Dutch international who . Spencer stepped in and paid with his personal credit card. When the hospital said they were short of blood supplies, Ridsdale sent his chauffeur off to get more. 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? It wasnt a proper A&E unit. It was totally deliberate. "There's a lot of anger. Leeds United fans' deaths in Turkey 20 years ago 'feels like - BBC [45] It later arose that the majority of the people in the photos were either not involved or had been acting in self-defence. Another supporter who tried to resuscitate Chris was hit with batons. Leeds and Galatasaray fans clashed in violent scenes 21 years agoat 21:00 in Istanbul's Taksim Square. [38], In 2013, Arsenal invited Galatasaray to compete at their annual Emirates Cup tournament. 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 say that as someone who was back at his hotel when the stabbings occurred, he would be one of the last people to blame. In Turkey, two supporters were murdered. 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. 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. Speights son, George, is no longer the cheeky kid with floppy hair smiling brightly in the photograph of his father he digs out. The design of the place meant the Leeds players had to take a long walk to the tunnel, flanked by armed police. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. In 2014 he was spoken to by a Turkish website, a free man again. By the time the match kicked off, the ramifications of two fatal stabbings the previous. The story goes that he and his wife Susan got together after he offered her a lift on the back of one. The eggs were massive and I was chuffed to bits with mine, he says. His financial record at Leeds was dismal and Leeds never forget about it. Ill hear them saying, Thats Kevin Speights lad and I like that. Turkish police, according to British of ficials, appeared to be taking the killings as seriously as they would hope. galatasaray leeds death. They reported that as one of them tried to give the kiss of life to Mr Loftus, he was set upon. I didnt catch everything but I heard enough. Tributes began to cover the gates and the Billy Bremner Statue at Elland Road. Life is good. Ali Sami Yen, the stadium was so overcrowded that he had Galatasaray fans in front of him literally sat on my feet. The next day, he and Leeds players and coaching staff reached the airport, climbed on a plane and flew home. Leeds have never forgiven Eric Cantona for . [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. The interview included vague expressions of regret but no apology to Speight and Loftus or their relatives. Galatasaray player apologises to Leeds fans for knife tweet I think those who arrived later knew what to expect.". 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 . Ridsdale can visualise it all 21 years on: the lay-out of the hospital, the chaos inside, the panicked confusion. There were reports that a Galatasaray fan had run to a telephone to call for support when he saw Leeds fans arriving. The police claim he was punched. [37], In the United Kingdom, Arsenal fans were originally blamed for the violence as the police had fixed blame on them. galatasaray leeds deathashtoreth worship practices. Give our social media channels a follow . [48] In 2001, the tribunal ruled in their favour,[49] and ordered Royal Mail to reinstate them. Those killed were "attackers", it said. Chris & Kevin - Never Forgotten - Leeds United Sneijder's tweet has since been deleted and the midfielder sent a tweet to an angry fan stating: "Very sorry. The friend who arranged their trips abroad organised for them to fly home via Brussels. But in the light of day, the sun hits it and the sparkle lingers. But he didnt make much of it, like it was something of nothing. Leeds and Galatasaray fans clashed in violent scenes in April 2000 at 21:00 in Istanbul's Taksim Square Following the two tragic deaths, local police arrested and charged four Galatasaray. But it was common sense. The brother of one of two Leeds United fans killed in Turkey 20 years ago says his death is "still fresh in my memory". One of 13 Turks arrested in Istanbul has confessed to stabbing Leeds United fan Christopher Loftus, whose body is expected . The pair were met by angry, upset and bewildered groups. And others, like Eddie Gray and Ian Harte, have moved on with their lives. Harry Kewell is in front of him, carrying a ball and looking bewildered. The Turkish side are hated by those at Elland Road after two travelling fans were stabbed to death by Galatasaray supporters prior to the UEFA Cup semi-final in 2000. Chris and Kevin were brutally murdered in Istanbul on the eve of our UEFA Cup semi-final fixture with Galatasaray in 2000. It sounds daft but I dont think I knew how to react. The fan responded: "If you did not know then fair enough but your club certainly did and they should be ashamed of themselves. No one meant for it to happen. 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. Twenty years on from Istanbul: the night when football became murder In contrast, what Leeds saw in Galatasaray was a baffling lack of sympathy. By #RIPChrisAndKev. The police were knocking everyone about, says Paul Holmes, a friend of the Loftuses who was in Taksim Square when the violence broke out. The first the Leeds players heard of the incident in Taksim Square was when phone calls started reaching them in their hotel. Your mind was elsewhere., Harte also felt a delayed reaction. At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. [12] However, there were conflicting reports, with claims that some Galatasaray fans were instigating some of the violence. The Ali Sami Yen was in a league of its own in atmosphere terms, aggressive and ferocious for visiting sides. 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. zhuri james net worth 2021 / low carb ground beef and spinach recipes / low carb ground beef and spinach recipes In May 2002 Demir, who admitted the stabbings, was sentenced to 15 years in prison with four other men imprisoned for three months each. Galatasaray wanted me from the start. 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. This caused a severe riot in the city square, with several restaurant facilities used by fans to fight each other, with iron bars and knives also being used. Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight were stabbed in Istanbul on the eve of Leeds' Uefa Cup semi-final tie against Galatasaray in April 2000. That decision drew much criticism, as well it might. Everything happened in a flash. For me, it didnt feel real. It is unobtrusive and reads simply: In memory of Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight who died tragically in Istanbul, April 5th 2000. He previously worked for the Yorkshire Evening Post as its chief football writer. galatasaray leeds death I dont know why.. For long periods, none of those found guilty spent time behind bars. 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. Demir lost his last appeal in 2010 and was jailed for six years and eight months. The authorities imposed sentences on some of those who had originally escaped justice with Suleyman Gokhan Guven, Ali Baydar and Yilmaz Tutus given ten, six and five years in prison respectively. Its the most terrified Ive ever been, he says. Who really cares?. I can only go on what my mum said, but my dad was nothing like that. You mention him over Farsley way and people respect him. I dont want to imply criticism of the hospital for that, Ridsdale says. In the circumstances, it was a total irrelevance and too highly-charged. Kevin Fallows was the clubs head of security and travelled with the players to all their fixtures in Europe. When youre seven you cant process something like that, can you? They then broke into an apartment building to threaten Kosovan refugees with a knife, mistakenly believing them to be Turkish. ", Get the FREE Mirror Football newsletter with the day's key headlines and transfer news straight into your inbox. 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. 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. It shows all personal information about the players, including age, nationality, contract duration and market value. 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 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.. It was a load of shit. Loftus, 35, was a telephone engineer and an easy-going lad. Riots and 2 English deaths around UEFA Cup matches Galatasaray from Turkey against English teams in 2000 But the Leeds fans do not see it that way. George is different. And it is far too late to redress that now. 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. I didnt feel that their response was what our response would have been. 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. One minute youre coming out of a bar, the next youve got people running to attack you. Football riots in City Hall Square, Copenhagen, Denmark (May 2000). It was completely against your idea of law and order. From my point of view I was only interested in getting that game over and done with as safely as possible. 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. 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. [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]. Your choice, the official replied. Galatasaray's Wesley Sneijder launches knife range - mirror Leeds and Galatasaray have an extremely volatile relationship following the death of two Leeds supporters prior to the UEFA CUp semi-final back in 2000. The second leg was totally different. Looking at it from where the fans were standing, Id have been as angry as them. 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. He has never spoken about his memories of Turkey before but, like Andy Loftus, says he wants to reflect 20 years on. The deaths led to an angry reaction in England with Galatasaray fans being banned from attending the second leg in England. I think you just go into a downward spiral. "Kevin had two young children. For players and supporters alike, this has become one of the most fraught and difficult venues in Europe. "It's just a bit of a rollercoaster ride really but we get by," he said. 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. Leeds supporters in Istanbul were told to stay in their hotels. Andy has paid for the plaque to be cleaned a couple of times and it could do with another polish now. I genuinely feared for our lives. 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. I could see in their faces how much they were raging, Fallows says. He started shouting for Christopher to wake up. Galatasaray 3-2 HangiKredi mraniyespor MORE. 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. But it had to be done., In the circumstances, did it surprise Fallows that the game in Istanbul went ahead? The first I knew of it was when they came out to tell me. I know bits and bats but it doesnt help me to go over it, he says. My mum just felt she had to move on. Read about our approach to external linking. It was our way of making sure the cameras and the world took notice of us.. I am happy and I hope everyone else can be too. [16] Dineen was released from hospital later in the day and attended the match as a guest of the Arsenal directors. Ridsdale still struggles to accept Galatasarays indifferent reaction to the stabbings. Its 20 years now but I dont think Ill ever get over it. Can you list the top facts and stats about 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence? "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. "This was a premeditated attack," said Steve Wilkinson, who suffered knife wounds to one leg and a wound to his hand. galatasaray leeds death Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. There were a few Turkish fans outside the bars we started drinking in but we didnt think much of it. A lot of what the police were doing was pure intimidation, Fallows says. Turkish eye-witnesses accused Leeds fans of insulting women, defacing the Turkish flag, urinating in the street and tipping over a car. The connection was not comparable to Kewells. Witnesses said he had been bludgeoned by police as he cradled a dying Chris in the street. It makes me proud. Like his father, George has the nickname Spag. 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. Try a week on us. 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. junio 12, 2022. abc news anchors female philadelphia . Within minutes, a pitched battle erupted. 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. The day after the riots, FA Executive Director David Davies, issued an apology for the violence. Within a year, however, Demir, following an appeal, was a free man after his conviction was quashed and a re-trial ordered. Ali Sami Yen was in a league of its own in atmosphere terms, aggressive and ferocious for visiting sides. sauce pizza and wine mac and cheese. [14] The Arsenal fans left the bar to confront the Galatasaray fans, which led to a fight lasting for an hour before riot police managed to control it and arrested four Britons and four Turks. Fatih Terim, Galatasaray's coach, had whipped up his side's supporters. 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. There was a sense of relief to be leaving, he says, but I knew that flying out of Istanbul wasnt the end of it. And thats without even mentioning what had gone on the night before with the two lads who were killed. David Davies, the Football Association's executive director, called it "frankly, the least worst option". Galatasaray's Wesley Sneijder apologises to Leeds fans over knife set 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. 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. Andy Loftus had flown to watch the match with his brother. Leeds fans have reacted furiously to reports that Ezgjan Alioski has agreed to move to Galatasaray.