So Leeds did. He was eight when the deaths occurred and he was 25 when he came to England as a professional. 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. It was our way of making sure the cameras and the world took notice of us.. I genuinely feared for our lives. For long periods, none of those found guilty spent time behind bars. 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. 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. 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). 2000 fights between English and Turkish football fans. At the time he said: 'It was a tragic thing in football but we can't live in the past. 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. Others that the Turks precipitated it by throwing chairs. Squad Galatasaray This page displays a detailed overview of the club's current squad. 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. The cause of the fighting which broke out after dark in Istanbul was a subject of fierce contention in the weeks after the stabbings. It felt to me like the police were trying to frighten us, he says. 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.. In the first leg it was difficult to say, Lets get out there do it for the two lads because we didnt have the full picture, Gray says. I jumped in a taxi and went back to Taksim Square., He has no recollection of how he came to be at Taksim Hospital, only that he found himself there after being told that the fighting had been serious. They have nothing but good words for Ridsdales conduct and nothing but gratitude for his support. [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. 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. [25] The British fans were later released without charge but were forbidden from returning to Denmark. Peter Ridsdale, the chairman who guided Leeds through the tragedy, is approaching 70. For me, it didnt feel real. Confusion reigned. 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. That is true. Ill be honest, by the time we were kicking off I had no idea why we were playing. As kick-off drew near, the drums and the noise from the stadium filtered down to the Ali Sami Yens subterranean dressing rooms. "Maybe they thought they were being funny but to Turks who do not speak good English, it was very offensive.". galatasaray leeds death I know bits and bats but it doesnt help me to go over it, he says. 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. 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. 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. Turkish eye-witnesses accused Leeds fans of insulting women, defacing the Turkish flag, urinating in the street and tipping over a car. Andys last memory of Chris is of him rolling his eyes sarcastically and ribbing him for leaving early, in brotherly style. [44], In the United Kingdom, the Daily Mirror newspaper printed pictures of Arsenal fans alleged to have been part of the violence. It triggered something and I ran into the ward. They will never be forgotten.. People know me because of my dad, he says. Demir was allowed to undertake national service with the Turkish military before being convicted for a second time in June 2007 and sentenced to 80 months. Ill be careful here but I have to say that I felt uncomfortable welcoming Galatasarays delegates to Elland Road. They know what he did for us.. Hed just met a girl. The potential for trouble was as high as anything Id been involved in. According to one witness, a Turkish man was pushed to the ground and smashed his teeth on the pavement. 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence - Wikipedia Some headed for the James Joyce pub 200 metres away and joined a sing-song against Galatasaray. I was getting into trouble, drinking and fighting. It was a haunting moment then and it haunts me now. "There's a lot of anger. He has a busy job as an electrician and a twinkle in his eye. He sees it now as a necessary shock to the system. Your mind was elsewhere., Harte also felt a delayed reaction. Galatasaray.org But he didnt make much of it, like it was something of nothing. 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. The set of knives, emblazoned with Galatasaray's colours, are produced by Dutch firm Senvi and are available for 22. 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. 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. Its a strange thing but its important to me. Even so, the counterargument holds water. Speights son, George, is no longer the cheeky kid with floppy hair smiling brightly in the photograph of his father he digs out. Your choice, the official replied. Looking at it from where the fans were standing, Id have been as angry as them. I can only go on what my mum said, but my dad was nothing like that. The deaths of Kevin Speight and Chris Loftus on the night before Leeds played their Uefa Cup semi-final first leg with Galatasaray - 20 years ago yesterday - represent one of the darkest and. Eddie Gray is crouching down as he runs up from underground and into the open air. Football is sport here and for many Istanbul residents Galatasaray - who won the league last Sunday - is football. CATEGORIES . The facilities are great. Fri 7 Apr 2000 20.36 EDT. 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. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. The brother of one of two Leeds United fans killed in Turkey 20 years ago says his death is "still fresh in my memory". I knew the ramifications would be life-long.. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. [16] Dineen was released from hospital later in the day and attended the match as a guest of the Arsenal directors. 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. [22] The riots did not spread to the stadium, although there was an attempt to pull down the fences by fans heading towards the Arsenal area of the stadium before police stopped them. It wasnt a proper A&E unit. [18] Later, large numbers of Galatasaray fans congregated in Copenhagen's City Hall Square, raising the Turkish flag in the square. The eggs were massive and I was chuffed to bits with mine, he says. By that stage he was exhausted. The Speights were a close family who lived in the Yorkshire village of Farsley, where Kevin Speight was landlord of the Bay Horse pub. The police warned a postponement could cause more trouble. This morning the Dutch international tweeted: "Finally my GalatasaraySK knife set is now available and can be delivered everywhere.". Alioski had less of a cross to bear. Ali Sami Yen was in a league of its own in atmosphere terms, aggressive and ferocious for visiting sides. "Once more English hooligans, once more, blood," said the mainstream Hurriyet newspaper. UEFA, after a week of consideration, agreed with Leeds. [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. US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Canadian grandma helps police snag phone scammer, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus. My mum just felt she had to move on. 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. The first time he went inside to be present, he sat with friends and cried. I was totally speechless, totally shocked. 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. ", "They came to kill; Turk fans arm for war", "Arsenal worried about hooligans at UEFA Cup", "First class thugs; Postmen are caught in Copenhagen football rampage", "Post Office refuses to reinstate worker", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2000_UEFA_Cup_Final_riots&oldid=1113653919, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 October 2022, at 15:57. He visited his fathers body in the chapel of rest across the road, bringing pictures he had drawn for him with felt tips. 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]. Following the two tragic deaths, local police arrested and charged four Galatasaray supporters with murder. Acquittal plea in soccer death trial. BBC News | EUROPE | Turkey still angry over fans' behaviour Uefa, after consultation with the clubs and the Turkish authorities, wavered but eventually decided to go ahead. Those killed were "attackers", it said. 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. They carried beer glasses outside, we couldn't stop them, and others followed." After taking stock, he got involved with the cancer charity Candlelighters and helped raise almost 150,000 for local hospital facilities. [24] It was claimed that the police failed to control the riots,[43] and that they had been undermanned and outmaneuvered, to which Mogens Lauridsen, the police chief in Copenhagen admitted that the police had been "under-prepared". He can picture the facade as he entered and the floorplan of the area where other injured Leeds fans had congregated; where Speight lay on an operating table, desperate for surgery. The Turkish media blamed the Leeds fans. He liked a drink and a laugh, simple as that, Andy says. And I still blame myself a lot.. Andy got a pint at the bar. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. The police claim he was punched. [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 cant explain it but I got this weird feeling, he says. The Danish police were also criticized for their mishandling of the riots. Its a game. You dont get it.. [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. [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. I had no idea where we were going or why we were going there, he says. Fatih Terim, Galatasaray's coach, had whipped up his side's supporters. It was horrible. galatasaray leeds deathashtoreth worship practices. [3] Leeds fans had been drinking in bars reportedly taunting local people and Turkish police intervened to stop fights breaking out. 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'. Harry Kewell (born 22 September 1978) is an Australian association football coach, manager and former player. By then, you knew exactly what had gone on and you knew the severity of it. 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. There was no minutes silence or acknowledgement of the deaths. Leeds United fans' deaths in Turkey 20 years ago 'feels like - BBC The first I knew of it was when they came out to tell me. Bitexen Giresunspor 0 - 4 Galatasaray MORE. "They came into town to see. Picture gallery: A black night for football, Fans urged to take steps to raise charity funds at home of Bradford City, Josh Richardson remains in critical condition after Thailand crash, Rob Burrow: Shock as vandals target Leeds Beckett Student Union mural dedicated to Leeds Rhinos legend, New data reveals train commuters spend up to 2450 more a year than car-owning colleagues, Wakey Wines viral TikTok shop owner responds after police drugs raid: All we sell is Prime & WFD sweets, Lonely Leeds man bravely reaches out for friends on Facebook as hundreds offer support and love, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. By Within minutes, a pitched battle erupted. They reported that as one of them tried to give the kiss of life to Mr Loftus, he was set upon. I spent the whole night thinking, What are we doing here? And when the Leeds fans turned their backs to the pitch, total respect to them because the football meant nothing. 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. In the context of football, that era was phenomenally good: Leeds in Europe and another trip to the continent always waiting around the corner. A few hours later two Leeds supporters, Kevin Speight, 40, and Christopher Loftus, 37, were dead from stab wounds. The fan responded: "If you did not know then fair enough but your club certainly did and they should be ashamed of themselves. The police were doing nothing to stop them. It sunk in quickly once we got home. 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. Then a good mate of mine appeared and said thered been a bit of trouble. [17], Throughout the day large numbers of fans, both English and Turkish, were seen throughout the city and at the airport. A lot of what went on I dont want to know. Gray, a Glaswegian, was in the Celtic end with his wife Linda on the day of the Ibrox disaster in 1971. Riots and 2 English deaths around UEFA Cup matches Galatasaray from Turkey against English teams in 2000 Gala is an awful football club and Alioski is an awful footballer. The way the police and the authorities were with us. 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. junio 12, 2022. abc news anchors female philadelphia . The day after the riots, FA Executive Director David Davies, issued an apology for the violence. The only thing I could compare it to is the One Love concert in Manchester (held after the terrorist bombing at the Manchester Arena in 2017) and thats purely because of how difficult the logistics of One Love were, he says. He was showered with stickers and sweets gifts from friends who lived locally and Ridsdale, who supported both families throughout, delivered Easter eggs to the house for him and Holly. 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. Both had numerous other wounds. David Davies, the Football Association's executive director, called it "frankly, the least worst option". But when it came to Istanbul, he and the club were remarkable in reacting quickly and with compassion. Galatasaray wanted me from the start. The Turkish police didnt give a shit about us. We looked up the steps and all you could see at the top was the dark sky and riot shields around the entrance to the pitch. Scuffles broke out but the police moved in and fans scattered. [17] This came after Arsenal had warned the police before the final that there could be hooligans travelling to Copenhagen. Soon, they arrived at a flight of steps and a spot which would generate one of the lasting images of the entire tragedy. Without his help, my mum would have been a bit lost, George says. 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. 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. Twenty Leeds fans, witnesses to the fight, were interviewed. Galatasaray player apologises to Leeds fans for knife tweet He started shouting for Christopher to wake up. By the time the match kicked off, the ramifications of two fatal stabbings the previous. 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. Everything was muddled. 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. We had a coach for the players and a coach for the directors, he says. The design of the place meant the Leeds players had to take a long walk to the tunnel, flanked by armed police. There isnt much that unnerves me but that was quite a scary moment. Grieving Leeds Faces Galatasaray Rematch : It Is a Matter of Life Or Fans in nearby bars remained unaware of the violence. People speak well of him. For George, the clearest memories of his dad are few and slightly random. The police were knocking everyone about, says Paul Holmes, a friend of the Loftuses who was in Taksim Square when the violence broke out. 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. 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. The deaths led to an angry reaction in England with Galatasaray fans . One of our security lads had to go with the bus to a compound, some sort of a lock-up. Within an hour of the stabbings in central Istanbul, some of David OLearys squad emerged to speak to him. Can you list the top facts and stats about 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence? [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. "Kevin had two young children. [23] The violence, which included fans from other English clubs[24] and Turks living in Denmark,[25] lasted for 45 minutes. 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. The problem shouldn't have been Alioski or his next club, it's how You dont take much notice of whats said because youre out there for a beer and a laugh. The Football Associations David Davies said playing the game was the least worst option. The English FA followed the line of least resistance. My sympathy was with them. The problem shouldn't have been Alioski or his next club, it's how Galatasaray dealt with that tragedy By Phil Hay Jul 24, 2021 In the early hours of the morning after the death of two Leeds. One of 13 Turks arrested in Istanbul has confessed to stabbing Leeds United fan Christopher Loftus, whose body is expected . Our Daz was there and he told me the full story. They ordered us to pump up the volume, so we did," said Mr Dedeler, 24. The security guard who was in Turkey with the clubs players and directors is into his 50s and taking it easy after neck surgery. 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. Leeds fans RAGING at Ezgjan Alioski transfer links to Galatasaray Spencer stepped in and paid with his personal credit card. Speight was with a group of Leeds fans attacked by Turkish locals outside a bar by Istanbuls Taksim Square, sustaining a slash wound to his stomach. The Turkish side are hated by those at Elland Road after two travelling fans were stabbed to. It was weird because when we got in the car, the game (Galatasaray versus Leeds) had just started and was on the radio, Andy says. "They were using very bad language," said Abdul Garlad, a manager. You were dealing with young lads and the last thing you wanted to do was scare them.. Leeds fans have reacted furiously to reports that Ezgjan Alioski has agreed to move to Galatasaray. The road to justice for the Speight and Loftus families was long and demoralising. It was how away days in Europe played out. I had joked with him and said, At least youll be safe. He gave me a look and said, Or maybe not., The attitude as far as I could see was, Lets intimidate these lads and see what happens. Leeds back then had a lot of kids in their squad. Galatasaray 2-1 Trabzonspor MORE. [48] In 2001, the tribunal ruled in their favour,[49] and ordered Royal Mail to reinstate them. galatasaray leeds death; marfan criteria calculator; galatasaray leeds death. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Trust us, this is only going to get worse., It didnt go down well, and I got that. Ali Sami Yen stadium should even go ahead. Who really cares?. Speight arrived soon after and was seen chatting to midfielder Alan Smith as they walked through the breezy foyer at Ataturk Airport. The blood had to be sourced externally and to do that, someone had to pay. They felt we were overreacting. In all the many layers of anger, that was one of them; the apparent inability to adopt some common decency. I got a lot of abuse for that and no wonder. 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. I dont want to imply criticism of the hospital for that, Ridsdale says. Youre a kid. 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?

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