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Four men were arrested and charged with their murders. [19] The Danish police then moved in to separate the fans, and moved the Galatasaray fans back towards the square. Exclusive: Leeds icon Martyn on 21st anniversary of Galatasaray murders It is his life and his career, much as the option of Galatasaray was incapable of arising without anyone passing comment. Chris and Kevin were brutally murdered in Istanbul on the eve of our UEFA Cup semi-final fixture with Galatasaray in 2000. Christopher's brother was there [at the time of the incident] and I think that the impact on those two families can never be underestimated.". [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. [4] Police arrested Ali Umit Demir and three other men for the stabbings. We tried to keep a lot of the information about what had happened [to Speight and Loftus] from them, rightly or wrongly. According to a waiter at a nearby restaurant, the Turkish club's fanatical fans had heard through the grapevine that trouble was brewing. ', And: 'Alioski can f*** off, he obviously knows the history between the two clubs.'. "Maybe they thought they were being funny but to Turks who do not speak good English, it was very offensive.". On each trip he would set up a desk in the corridor where the team were staying, a point of contact in case of any problems. Kevin Fallows was the clubs head of security and travelled with the players to all their fixtures in Europe. Fallows is a security guard with ample experience. galatasaray leeds death; marfan criteria calculator; galatasaray leeds death. I dont think, even to this day, that Galatasaray would see the amount of press coverage or criticism as being fairly labelled against them, Risdale says. My sisters had a word and told me to sort myself out. As injured and angry Leeds fans came through, he did what he could. I tried telling Galatasarays staff to get them out. At no stage between arriving at the hospital and Leeds playing the first leg against Galatasaray the following night did Ridsdale sleep. Andys last memory of Chris is of him rolling his eyes sarcastically and ribbing him for leaving early, in brotherly style. Gray, a Glaswegian, was in the Celtic end with his wife Linda on the day of the Ibrox disaster in 1971. 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. They know what he did for us.. 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. 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. Our Daz was there and he told me the full story. A week or so later, we lost 4-0 to Arsenal. The atmosphere was electric like, scarily electric. Former club legend Harry Kewell previously soured his relationship with Leeds fans after moving to Galatasaray from Liverpool in 2008. The first the Leeds players heard of the incident in Taksim Square was when phone calls started reaching them in their hotel. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Susan chose not to take the children to Speights funeral. He had a passion for Lambretta scooters and spent his spare time fixing old models in his mothers garden. I am happy and I hope everyone else can be too. At the hospital, Ridsdale encountered absolute chaos. And worse things too. It didnt sit right with me. 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. [6] Demir was later found guilty of murder and was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, but released in 2004. [13], On the Wednesday at 1:00, Galatasaray fans attacked a bar in Strget in Copenhagen, where some Arsenal fans were located. More than a dozen police watched but initially did not intervene. They stressed as delicately as they could the importance of staying indoors. UEFA, after a week of consideration, agreed with Leeds. Ali Sami Yen stadium should even go ahead. How can it be that two lads go to watch a football game and dont come back?. 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. George understands why but wishes with hindsight that he had been there. It is regarded as a significant act of betrayal by many fans for a Leeds player to join Galatasaray. [45] It later arose that the majority of the people in the photos were either not involved or had been acting in self-defence. 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. 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. Ali Umit . George is aware of some of the details but has tried not to dig too deeply. Speights son, George, is no longer the cheeky kid with floppy hair smiling brightly in the photograph of his father he digs out. He previously worked for the Yorkshire Evening Post as its chief football writer. At the hotel, Phil went up to his room. A few hours later two Leeds supporters, Kevin Speight, 40, and Christopher Loftus, 37, were dead from stab wounds. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Twenty Leeds fans, witnesses to the fight, were interviewed. 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 how away days in Europe played out. Can you guess these stars by their unrecognisable FIFA and PES looks? I went for some counselling and didnt go through with all of it but the charity work helped. Matt White tweeted: "Wesley Sneijder tweeting a personalised Galatasaray knife set on the 15th anniversary of the murder of 2 Leeds fans in Istanbul? 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. In Turkey, two supporters were murdered. I had no idea where we were going or why we were going there, he says. 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. I got arrested which was a bad thing but also a good thing. 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. Leeds and Galatasaray fans clashed in violent scenes 21 years agoat 21:00 in Istanbul's Taksim Square. In its opinion, contesting the game was the least worst option. It is unobtrusive and reads simply: In memory of Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight who died tragically in Istanbul, April 5th 2000. But eventually the issue of what to do about the game had to be addressed. British fans were outnumbered and chased up side streets. As. "It's just a bit of a rollercoaster ride really but we get by," he said. You ask them one by one if 20 years have helped them process what happened. Your mind was elsewhere., Harte also felt a delayed reaction. I dont know if the club encouraged them to do that but you were well aware of objects hitting the shields. [48] In 2001, the tribunal ruled in their favour,[49] and ordered Royal Mail to reinstate them. He liked a drink and a laugh, simple as that, Andy says. galatasaray leeds death. 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. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. Both had numerous other wounds. 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. [28] In Turkey, nine people were accidentally shot and injured by Galatasaray fans firing guns in celebration despite police warning them not to. [17] This came after Arsenal had warned the police before the final that there could be hooligans travelling to Copenhagen. #RIPChrisAndKev. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. 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. 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. 'There were a lot of other clubs out there but this is perfect for me. I feel everything: anger, sadness. 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. Mr Loftus's brother Andy said: "I know it may seem a long time but it's still very much like yesterday really.". Leeds Crown Court sentenced him to 12 months. Ali Sami Yen was in a league of its own in atmosphere terms, aggressive and ferocious for visiting sides. Ridsdale and Leedss operations director, David Spencer, were at a floating restaurant on the Bosphorus when they were phoned to tell them trouble in the centre of Istanbul had resulted in at least two fans being hospitalised. galatasaray leeds deathashtoreth worship practices. 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. After a long legal process in Turkey, four men were jailed in 2010. [30] In total, nineteen people were injured and sixty people were arrested,[27] with 15 of the arrested being subsequently banned from attending Euro 2000. A fortnight ago, Ridsdale was voted onto the EFLs board. 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. Andy Loftus had flown to watch the match with his brother. Arsenal qualified for the final by defeating French club Lens in their semi-final. Right up to the attack, I didnt see any trouble. Other fans in Istanbul spoke of isolated incidents here and there but nothing serious. 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. [18] Later, large numbers of Galatasaray fans congregated in Copenhagen's City Hall Square, raising the Turkish flag in the square. 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. I respect the Loftuses for fighting, 100 per cent. So Leeds did. Harry Kewell - Wikipedia 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. 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. I didnt feel that their response was what our response would have been. And there was the time when Speight took him to Elland Road and George, in his infancy, mistakenly cheered when the opposition scored. [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. 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. People speak well of him. Football riots in City Hall Square, Copenhagen, Denmark (May 2000). Grieving Leeds Faces Galatasaray Rematch : It Is a Matter of Life Or Death, Sometimes. It triggered something and I ran into the ward. Looking at it from where the fans were standing, Id have been as angry as them. I feel sorry for her, George says. Tragedy that awaited two fans on a journey to hell 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'. I tried telling Galatasarays staff to get them out. He was seven when Speight died, his sister Holly two. So Leeds did. Who really cares?. 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. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. At this juncture, it should be said that Kewell and Alioski were not identical. Everything was muddled. They then broke into an apartment building to threaten Kosovan refugees with a knife, mistakenly believing them to be Turkish. ", Jack Connolly added: "That Wesley Sneijder knife launch is disgusting, scum of the earth.". "Once more English hooligans, once more, blood," said the mainstream Hurriyet newspaper. The manager of Leeds, David O'Leary, had voiced fears of being met at the airport by "a 100-strong rentamob". Over a coffee in Starbucks, George Speight finds a way to be philosophical about his fathers death. on the 20th anniversary of the killings in Istanbul. Four men were arrested and charged with their murders. Another supporter who tried to resuscitate Chris was hit with batons. But he was not and the atmosphere was initially warmer than normal. This year is the 20th anniversary of the mens deaths in Istanbul and many of their relatives carry those events as if they happened yesterday. Try a week on us. [7] The ban was supported by UEFA and only 80 tickets were issued to Galatasaray for officials and representatives of the Turkish government. The first I knew of it was when they came out to tell me. Shes struggled with it more than I have because shes got nothing there. 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 . 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. [25] The British fans were later released without charge but were forbidden from returning to Denmark. For a couple of days afterwards you run on adrenaline, he says. By the time the match kicked off, the ramifications of two fatal stabbings the previous. I was getting into trouble, drinking and fighting. The English FA followed the line of least resistance. Association with the tragedy can be difficult. They thought we were looking for a sporting advantage, which is just incredible. Its the most terrified Ive ever been, he says. 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. Nicolo Zaniolo signed on a permanent deal MORE. Bouncers guarded the bars from any English fans. When he arrived at the hospital, Darren was in a bed with head injuries. Gray remembers OLeary going out of the team hotel to visit a barbers for a shave beforehand. My mum just felt she had to move on. The way the police and the authorities were with us. Follow Phil on Twitter @PhilHay_, George and Holly Speight with Peter Ridsdale after their fathers death. Its funny what sticks in your head, he says. 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. 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. 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. Holmes says Andy was the life and soul of the party before Istanbul but the impact of Chriss death was severe. Jesus. 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). Galatasaray 2 - 1 Fraport TAV Antalyaspor MORE. It is 10 years since he last went to the grave. Witnesses said he had been bludgeoned by police as he cradled a dying Chris in the street. sauce pizza and wine mac and cheese. galatasaray leeds death. As a family, I dont know how you come to terms with that., Inside the Ali Sami Yen, hundreds of Leeds supporters attended the first leg as planned and were housed in a small section of yellow seats. Wed heard that Istanbul could be a bit dangerous but we never thought anything of it, Andy says. It sunk in quickly once we got home. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Turkish eye-witnesses accused Leeds fans of insulting women, defacing the Turkish flag, urinating in the street and tipping over a car. By last night's kick-off, the pools of blood, shattered glass and debris had been cleared away. The design of the place meant the Leeds players had to take a long walk to the tunnel, flanked by armed police.