After a while, Andys eldest brother Phil complained of feeling ill and the two of them decided to go back to their hotel. [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. Football authorities condemned the riots and threatened to expel national football teams from European competition if such events happened again. The deaths led to an angry reaction in England with Galatasaray fans being banned from attending the second leg in England. Devastated., The next 24 hours were a blur. I think you just go into a downward spiral. [18] Later, large numbers of Galatasaray fans congregated in Copenhagen's City Hall Square, raising the Turkish flag in the square. Acquittal plea in soccer death trial. [32] The rest were fined an equivalent of $500 and banned from Denmark for a year.[33]. [38], In 2013, Arsenal invited Galatasaray to compete at their annual Emirates Cup tournament. But when it came to Istanbul, he and the club were remarkable in reacting quickly and with compassion. The Turkish police didnt give a shit about us. ', Some wrote stronger messages, such as: 'Washed my hands with Alioski if he f***s off to those vermin. The morning after Loftus and Speight were killed, Fallows and Stokoe were asked by Ridsdale to visit every hotel where the clubs supporters were staying. [16] Dineen was released from hospital later in the day and attended the match as a guest of the Arsenal directors. By the time the match kicked off, the ramifications of two fatal stabbings the previous. 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 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.. He was with Darren Loftus, Christopher's brother who had travelled with him, to identify his body. 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. on the 20th anniversary of the killings in Istanbul. They have nothing but good words for Ridsdales conduct and nothing but gratitude for his support. My sisters had a word and told me to sort myself out. A lot of what the police were doing was pure intimidation, Fallows says. He has never spoken about his memories of Turkey before but, like Andy Loftus, says he wants to reflect 20 years on. Two lives lost and two lives wasted, for nothing. Leeds always kept records of who was travelling and which hotels they were using. 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. I was getting into trouble, drinking and fighting. zhuri james net worth 2021 / low carb ground beef and spinach recipes / low carb ground beef and spinach recipes He started shouting for Christopher to wake up. 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. Tragedy that awaited two fans on a journey to hell And I still blame myself a lot.. [2] The events happened at 22:00 in Istanbul's Taksim Square during a fight between Leeds fans and Galatasaray fans. At the time he said: 'It was a tragic thing in football but we can't live in the past. I didn't know this and deleted our promotion for the merchandise kitchen item #respect. 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. Leeds Crown Court sentenced him to 12 months. 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. In 2014 he was spoken to by a Turkish website, a free man again. galatasaray leeds deathashtoreth worship practices. galatasaray leeds death. Susan chose not to take the children to Speights funeral. Everyones different., A brass plaque commemorating Speight and Lofus was set into brickwork outside Elland Road in 2001. Surprise me? 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. 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. The police claim he was punched. It takes a certain amount of nerve to put a foot in both camps, which is doubtless why Harry Kewell was able to do so in 2008 when he left Liverpool for the Ali Sami Yen. Later in the day, Galatasaray fans occupied City Hall Square before heading towards Arsenal fans in bars nearby. Leeds' bitter hatred towards the Turkish side is no secret after two of their supporters, Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight, were stabbed to death by Galatasaray fans prior to the UEFA Cup. There were reports that a Galatasaray fan had run to a telephone to call for support when he saw Leeds fans arriving. They then broke into an apartment building to threaten Kosovan refugees with a knife, mistakenly believing them to be Turkish. But he didnt make much of it, like it was something of nothing. That is true. Ali Umit Demir, was arrested by Turkish police within days and he and three other Turks were later convicted in court. 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. 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). [48] In 2001, the tribunal ruled in their favour,[49] and ordered Royal Mail to reinstate them. They knocked back as much Elfe (lager), Jack Daniels and Bacardi as I could pour.". The brother of one of two Leeds United fans killed in Turkey 20 years ago says his death is "still fresh in my memory". The blood had to be sourced externally and to do that, someone had to pay. They thought we were looking for a sporting advantage, which is just incredible. I prefer to go to the plaque at Elland Road, he says. [30] A Danish police officer[22] and a Turkish cameraman were also injured in the riots. The pair were met by angry, upset and bewildered groups. Leeds supporters in Istanbul were told to stay in their hotels. Anyone can read what . . At the hotel, Phil went up to his room. The cause of the fighting which broke out after dark in Istanbul was a subject of fierce contention in the weeks after the stabbings. [21] This lasted 20 minutes[19] before the Danish police attempted to break up the melee with dogs[22] and tear gas. 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. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. Massive riots Galatasaray - Leeds / Arsenal 2000 - YouTube Six people were arrested and three Metropolitan Police officers were injured. They just looked at me like I was stupid.. SOCCER; Amid Heightened Security, Galatasaray Defeats Leeds [3] Leeds fans had been drinking in bars reportedly taunting local people and Turkish police intervened to stop fights breaking out. 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. Four men were arrested and charged with their murders. People speak well of him. Gala is an awful football club and Alioski is an awful footballer. It shows all personal information about the players, including age, nationality, contract duration and market value. She knows who he was but its not the same.. The passing of time is there in all of them. You mention him over Farsley way and people respect him. Andy Loftus had flown to watch the match with his brother. [4] Police arrested Ali Umit Demir and three other men for the stabbings. So Leeds did. 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. Fri 7 Apr 2000 20.36 EDT. Scuffles broke out but the police moved in and fans scattered. CATEGORIES . [15] In the fight, Paul Dineen, an Arsenal fan, was stabbed, leading to Arsenal offering fans refunds if they did not want to fly to the game. I just said to them, Good luck., Galatasarays reputation went before them. In the context of football, that era was phenomenally good: Leeds in Europe and another trip to the continent always waiting around the corner. 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. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Within minutes, a pitched battle erupted. According to a waiter at a nearby restaurant, the Turkish club's fanatical fans had heard through the grapevine that trouble was brewing. Try a week on us. Youre a kid. 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. Mr Loftus from a plunging wound to his heart; Mr Speight, a few hours later after receiving a wound the length of his stomach. Looking at it from where the fans were standing, Id have been as angry as them. 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. I feel sorry for her, George says. 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. I tried telling Galatasarays staff to get them out. "It's just a bit of a rollercoaster ride really but we get by," he said. 13:02 EST 23 Mar 2021 Harry Kewell - Wikipedia Others that the Turks precipitated it by throwing chairs. They all say no. The Football Associations David Davies said playing the game was the least worst option. It is regarded as a significant act of betrayal by many fans for a Leeds player to join Galatasaray. The English FA followed the line of least resistance. Four men were arrested and charged with their murders. Asked shortly afterwards whether he thought the tie would still go ahead, Mr Ridsdale said: "It's too early to say. If the thought of a transfer like that sits uncomfortably then perhaps it should. Whether this should dictate a transfer like the one Alioski was asked to ponder is a matter of opinion. [6] Demir was later found guilty of murder and was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, but released in 2004. Four men were arrested and charged with their murders. [27], At Parken Stadium, where the final was to be played, the police erected iron fencing outside to separate the Arsenal and Galatasaray fans as a precaution. Peter Ridsdale, the Leeds chairman, had been dining with directors from Galatasaray when reports of trouble came through. There was a sense of relief to be leaving, he says, but I knew that flying out of Istanbul wasnt the end of it. Galatasaray fans entered the area shortly afterwards which precipitated a fight between the two sets of supporters. He previously worked for the Yorkshire Evening Post as its chief football writer. It was obvious that Galatasaray were making no concession for what had taken place, so that was our form of protest. 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. Everything was muddled. Squad Galatasaray This page displays a detailed overview of the club's current squad. But in the light of day, the sun hits it and the sparkle lingers. He had a passion for Lambretta scooters and spent his spare time fixing old models in his mothers garden. He must have been off his head., Ian Harte, the left-back, is more vivid in describing it. 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. "They were using very bad language," said Abdul Garlad, a manager. The connection was not comparable to Kewells. 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. For players and supporters alike, this has become one of the most fraught and difficult venues in Europe. galatasaray leeds death; marfan criteria calculator; galatasaray leeds death. [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. So Leeds did. 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. It felt to me like the police were trying to frighten us, he says. They ordered us to pump up the volume, so we did," said Mr Dedeler, 24. My sympathy was with them. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 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. 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. Later in the evening, a group of around 20 Leeds supporters broke off and found their way to the Riddim bar near Taksim Square, the huge expanse in the centre of Istanbul which was filled with places to eat and drink. He wasnt one of them who tried to cause trouble. 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. For Leedss staff and players, the details of what had occurred in Taksim Square the night before remained sketchy until after full-time. 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. Spencer stepped in and paid with his personal credit card. sauce pizza and wine mac and cheese. 'There were a lot of other clubs out there but this is perfect for me. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. I got a lot of abuse for that and no wonder. It also contains a table with average age, cumulative market value and average market value for each player position and overall. 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Galatasaray football player Wesley Sneijder has released a commemorative knife set - on the 15th anniversary of the fatal stabbing of two Leeds fans by Turkish supporters. You ask them one by one if 20 years have helped them process what happened. He was taken to identify the other, Chris Loftus, in the morgue after doctors mistook him for a family member. He was eight when the deaths occurred and he was 25 when he came to England as a professional. galatasaray leeds death Galatasaray.org It is part of Leeds Uniteds fabric and it will never disappear: the night when football became murder and so many lives were changed. [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. Chris & Kevin - Never Forgotten - Leeds United By last night's kick-off, the pools of blood, shattered glass and debris had been cleared away. Welcome to Hell, Galatasaray liked to say. 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. Kewell was quoted after joining Galatasaray as saying that to blame Galatasaray for the tragedy in Istanbul is simply wrong and discriminatory. [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". It's a fantastic city and I'm willing to learn. His most recent role as a club manager was at English National League side Barnet, and he is currently a first team coach at Celtic.. As a player, Kewell represented Leeds United, Liverpool, Galatasaray, Melbourne Victory, Al-Gharafa and Melbourne Heart. We switched on the telly and it was all over the news, George says. 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. For George, the clearest memories of his dad are few and slightly random. Try a week on us. 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. Ill be honest, by the time we were kicking off I had no idea why we were playing. Ridsdale still struggles to accept Galatasarays indifferent reaction to the stabbings. I went off the rails, he says. Andy has paid for the plaque to be cleaned a couple of times and it could do with another polish now. I didnt want to be standing there telling them what to do and I understood that they didnt want to hear it. 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. 2000 UEFA Cup Final riots - Wikipedia 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. Twenty years on from Istanbul: the night when football became murder Ridsdale agreed to send his wife and other officials back but instructed a car to take him and Spencer to Taksim Hospital. 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. 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. As kick-off drew near, the drums and the noise from the stadium filtered down to the Ali Sami Yens subterranean dressing rooms. Arsenal qualified for the final by defeating French club Lens in their semi-final. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence - Wikiwand At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. No question.. Obviously he liked his football too. [25] The British fans were later released without charge but were forbidden from returning to Denmark. His financial record at Leeds was dismal and Leeds never forget about it. Gjanni Alioski Leeds to Galatasaray transfer talks end for - TEAMtalk 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. . Anywhere else in Europe, I doubt it would have been played. It was how away days in Europe played out. How the violence started is unclear. 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. Away tickets were limited to 80, which effectively covered only senior Galatasaray officials. You dont take much notice of whats said because youre out there for a beer and a laugh. Wed spoken about doing something beforehand, he says. I didnt want to do it either. I knew the ramifications would be life-long.. junio 12, 2022. abc news anchors female philadelphia . He visited his fathers body in the chapel of rest across the road, bringing pictures he had drawn for him with felt tips. "Their chanting should make Ali Sami Yen [the Galatasaray stadium] hell for Leeds United.". I dont think a single one of the lads wanted to play that night.. The potential for trouble was as high as anything Id been involved in. [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. Convictions were quashed, appeals were repetitive and it is far from clear how much of their respective sentences were served. That deal took Kewell back to a stadium where he and Leeds once needed protection with riot shields. 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. At least nine other people, including six Leeds fans, were injured. Ridsdale is someone the Speights hold in high regard. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. According to one witness, a Turkish man was pushed to the ground and smashed his teeth on the pavement. Bits of Istanbul werent in control. Give our social media channels a follow . ', And: 'Alioski can f*** off, he obviously knows the history between the two clubs.'. There is very little about the football which Ridsdale cares to remember and at the 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. Its a game. Wesley Sneijder, a Dutch international who . You got paid each month and you did this, Andy says, gesturing as if to push a wad of banknotes into a drawer. His brother was following behind us and, quite understandably, he lost it. Andy was jailed in 2013 for his part in a fight between Leeds and Tottenham Hotspur fans in which a Spurs supporter was knocked unconscious. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. Absolutely amazed and totally stunned. [19] The Danish police then moved in to separate the fans, and moved the Galatasaray fans back towards the square. 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. One minute youre coming out of a bar, the next youve got people running to attack you. Outside, Leeds fans reportedly taunted Turkish men. If you're Leeds, you don't move to a direct rival, simple. Leeds fans RAGING at Ezgjan Alioski transfer links to Galatasaray 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. 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence - Wikipedia George is different. [37] Leeds United also banned three of their fans from Elland Road after they had been identified in pictures of the riots. Loftus, 35, was a telephone engineer and an easy-going lad. 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. I respect the Loftuses for fighting, 100 per cent. Andys last memory of Chris is of him rolling his eyes sarcastically and ribbing him for leaving early, in brotherly style. After taking stock, he got involved with the cancer charity Candlelighters and helped raise almost 150,000 for local hospital facilities. 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. I was amazed, he says. [17], Throughout the day large numbers of fans, both English and Turkish, were seen throughout the city and at the airport. [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. pleasant grove high school / staff directory; dr omar suleiman wife esraa; ontario road trip summer; song baseball apple; waltham athletic club tennis schedule; galatasaray leeds death. Following the two tragic deaths, local police arrested and charged four Galatasaray supporters with murder. Harry Kewell (born 22 September 1978) is an Australian association football coach, manager and former player. Fatih Terim, Galatasaray's coach, had whipped up his side's supporters. The Speights were a close family who lived in the Yorkshire village of Farsley, where Kevin Speight was landlord of the Bay Horse pub. Galatasaray tragedy will stay with Leeds United and Eirik Bakke forever
