galatasaray leeds death

For George, the clearest memories of his dad are few and slightly random. He was eight when the deaths occurred and he was 25 when he came to England as a professional. Theyd turned on their tellies and it was all over the Turkish news, Fallows says. At the hotel, Phil went up to his room. [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. He was taken to identify the other, Chris Loftus, in the morgue after doctors mistook him for a family member. Can you list the top facts and stats about 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence? Away tickets were limited to 80, which effectively covered only senior Galatasaray officials. The 45-year-old was an unused sub when Leeds were defeated by Galatasaray in an infamous 1999-00 Uefa Cup semi-finals - a match that was overshadowed by the death of two Yorkshire fans in the . On the 20th anniversary of their deaths, he said: "I suffered quite badly after it happened. Gray, one of OLearys assistants, tried to focus his attention elsewhere. The English FA followed the line of least resistance. Kewell grew up in Leeds academy and was in the starting line-up for both legs against Galatasaray. It felt to me like the police were trying to frighten us, he says. 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. 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. Within a year, however, Demir, following an appeal, was a free man after his conviction was quashed and a re-trial ordered. It shows all personal information about the players, including age, nationality, contract duration and market value. 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. 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. The brothers went to the British Embassy but, in Andys words, found them to be worse than useless. 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'. 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. The Loftuses had travelled to Turkey on the same flight as David OLearys players. Everything happened in a flash. Uefa, after consultation with the clubs and the Turkish authorities, wavered but eventually decided to go ahead. , updated Anywhere else in Europe, I doubt it would have been played. I feel sorry for her, George says. 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. 12/02/2021 . Leeds Crown Court sentenced him to 12 months. They had no direct contact with Galatasarays security officials but Fallows and Harry Stokoe, Leedss stadium manager, were able to visit the Ali Sami Yen the day before the game to map the venue out. Another supporter who tried to resuscitate Chris was hit with batons. 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The connection was not comparable to Kewells. 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. One Love was a controlled situation. [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. The Football Associations David Davies said playing the game was the least worst option. 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. Ali Sami Yen stadium should even go ahead. It is 10 years since he last went to the grave. Even now I get the feeling that people think we started it, Andy says. 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. The loss ofKevin Speight and Christopher Loftus is still felt incredibly deeply and the feud between the clubs remains. Loftus, 35, was a telephone engineer and an easy-going lad. The brother of one of two Leeds United fans killed in Turkey 20 years ago says his death is "still fresh in my memory". That deal took Kewell back to a stadium where he and Leeds once needed protection with riot shields. Twenty Leeds fans, witnesses to the fight, were interviewed. Harry Kewell is in front of him, carrying a ball and looking bewildered. 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.. When youre seven you cant process something like that, can you? 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. galatasaray leeds death. After travelling to the Turkish capital to follow the club, Mr Speight and Mr Loftus were attacked with machetes when a row broke out between rival fans. And there was the time when Speight took him to Elland Road and George, in his infancy, mistakenly cheered when the opposition scored. It was horrible. [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. It was how away days in Europe played out. galatasaray leeds death; marfan criteria calculator; galatasaray leeds death. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. 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). The police warned a postponement could cause more trouble. Maybe, he says, and his voice tails off. No question.. That decision drew much criticism, as well it might. The images of that never grow old. "They were using very bad language," said Abdul Garlad, a manager. Four people were stabbed in the scuffles, which also involved fans from other clubs and were viewed by the media as part of a retaliation for the killing of two Leeds United fans by Galatasaray supporters the month before. Fatih Terim, Galatasaray's coach, had whipped up his side's supporters. The Turkish. 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. Speight and Loftus were not close friends but knew each other in passing, as travelling football fans do. Ill hear them saying, Thats Kevin Speights lad and I like that. It was our way of making sure the cameras and the world took notice of us.. Later in the day, Galatasaray fans occupied City Hall Square before heading towards Arsenal fans in bars nearby. We tried to keep a lot of the information about what had happened [to Speight and Loftus] from them, rightly or wrongly. 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. In contrast, what Leeds saw in Galatasaray was a baffling lack of sympathy. 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 sounds daft but I dont think I knew how to react. 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. 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. 11 Feb 02 | Europe Turkish justice moves slowly . 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. [13], On the Wednesday at 1:00, Galatasaray fans attacked a bar in Strget in Copenhagen, where some Arsenal fans were located. 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. I stood there with Eddie Gray, Fallows says. He rushed to Taksim hospital, near where the men were stabbed. Rory Carroll in Istanbul and Martin Wainwright. 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. 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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. They know what he did for us.. Andy Loftus had flown to watch the match with his brother. "They came into town to see. We werent talking about Leeds General Infirmary. Speights treatment failed to save him. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Our Daz was there and he told me the full story. [17] This came after Arsenal had warned the police before the final that there could be hooligans travelling to Copenhagen. Give our social media channels a follow . Istanbul was life and death and more than focusing on Alioski himself, the attention on him generated by the very prospect of a move to Turkey itself should make us ask why it was ever allowed to come to this; a horrific episode which offered no chance of peace or proper closure. junio 12, 2022. abc news anchors female philadelphia . . [36], In August 2000, Arsenal banned thirty-seven people involved in the Copenhagen riot from Arsenal's Highbury stadium. Turkish police, according to British of ficials, appeared to be taking the killings as seriously as they would hope. Scuffles broke out but the police moved in and fans scattered. [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. Asked shortly afterwards whether he thought the tie would still go ahead, Mr Ridsdale said: "It's too early to say. His financial record at Leeds was dismal and Leeds never forget about it. "We did amazing business in one hour. 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. It sunk in quickly once we got home. 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]. Spencer interrupted dinner to advise Ridsdale that they should return to the hotel immediately. You ask them one by one if 20 years have helped them process what happened. Then you get your head around whats actually happened. Riots and 2 English deaths around UEFA Cup matches Galatasaray from Turkey against English teams in 2000 Even so, the counterargument holds water. "This was a premeditated attack," said Steve Wilkinson, who suffered knife wounds to one leg and a wound to his hand. Others suggested a group of Leeds supporters had attacked a lone Turk, possibly a taxi driver, who had then returned with a mob wielding knives and machetes. Looking at it from where the fans were standing, Id have been as angry as them. ', By 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. [45] It later arose that the majority of the people in the photos were either not involved or had been acting in self-defence. Summarize this article for a 10 years old. They carried beer glasses outside, we couldn't stop them, and others followed." He visited his fathers body in the chapel of rest across the road, bringing pictures he had drawn for him with felt tips. I got arrested which was a bad thing but also a good thing. Loftuss brother Andy jokes that he had thicker hair back in the day. There was nothing you could say to him. 15:32 EST 23 Mar 2021. How the violence started is unclear. Thats what they were, kids. I was getting into trouble, drinking and fighting. Leeds always kept records of who was travelling and which hotels they were using. 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? After a while, Andys eldest brother Phil complained of feeling ill and the two of them decided to go back to their hotel. "There's a lot of anger. Grieving Leeds Faces Galatasaray Rematch : It Is a Matter of Life Or Death, Sometimes. [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". The driver said hed turn it off but I wanted to listen to it. [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. They all say no. One of 13 Turks arrested in Istanbul has confessed to stabbing Leeds United fan Christopher Loftus, whose body is expected . Galatasaray fans entered the area shortly afterwards which precipitated a fight between the two sets of supporters. But eventually the issue of what to do about the game had to be addressed. David Davies, the Football Association's executive director, called it "frankly, the least worst option". They ordered us to pump up the volume, so we did," said Mr Dedeler, 24. Its completely different. This morning the Dutch international tweeted: "Finally my GalatasaraySK knife set is now available and can be delivered everywhere.". Confusion reigned. Squad Galatasaray This page displays a detailed overview of the club's current squad. [17], Throughout the day large numbers of fans, both English and Turkish, were seen throughout the city and at the airport. Others that the Turks precipitated it by throwing chairs. He just happened to run into some tossers with knives., George was so young that the aftermath almost strayed into boyhood adventure. The Loftuses fought for justice for as long as they could. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? [39] Later on, British media blame also transferred towards Galatasaray fans. [16] Dineen was released from hospital later in the day and attended the match as a guest of the Arsenal directors. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. But the Leeds fans do not see it that way. Istanbul was like no other event he has dealt with. Leeds have never forgiven Eric Cantona for . Six people were arrested and three Metropolitan Police officers were injured. I dont know why.. Leeds fans have reacted furiously to reports that Ezgjan Alioski has agreed to move to Galatasaray. The 2000 UEFA Cup Final Riots, also known as the Battle of Copenhagen,[1] were a series of riots in City Hall Square, Copenhagen, Denmark between fans of English football team Arsenal and Turkish team Galatasaray around the 2000 UEFA Cup Final on 17 May 2000. [12] However, there were conflicting reports, with claims that some Galatasaray fans were instigating some of the violence. The first the Leeds players heard of the incident in Taksim Square was when phone calls started reaching them in their hotel. One wrote: 'If Alioski goes there, his high regard and reputation with Leeds fans is destroyed!! More than a dozen police watched but initially did not intervene. 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. [23] The violence, which included fans from other English clubs[24] and Turks living in Denmark,[25] lasted for 45 minutes. It was a haunting moment then and it haunts me now. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. 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. . A group of rival fans gathered and jeers were exchanged. Trust us, this is only going to get worse., It didnt go down well, and I got that. Will Griffee For Mailonline According to a waiter at a nearby restaurant, the Turkish club's fanatical fans had heard through the grapevine that trouble was brewing. How can it be that two lads go to watch a football game and dont come back?. 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. My mum flicked it straight off again. 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. A week or so later, we lost 4-0 to Arsenal. Its a game. Galatasaray advance to Ziraat Trkiye Kupas . The plaque on the wall by Elland Roads East Stand says Never Forgotten and Leeds United swore themselves to those words. 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. The families of the victims will tell you that. Welcome to Hell, Galatasaray liked to say. They felt we were overreacting and on the day of the game in Istanbul there was no attempt to make sure the match passed off safely or securely, not that I could see. By the time the match kicked off, the ramifications of two fatal stabbings the previous evening were rapidly sinking in and for those who were closest to it, the images wont fade. The first time he went inside to be present, he sat with friends and cried. The atmosphere was electric like, scarily electric. Arsenal qualified for the final by defeating French club Lens in their semi-final. 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. But it was common sense. "Once more English hooligans, once more, blood," said the mainstream Hurriyet newspaper. The police warned a postponement could cause more trouble. The friend who arranged their trips abroad organised for them to fly home via Brussels. 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. (Top photo: Robbie Jay Barratt AMA/Getty Images). 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. UEFA also requested that fences be put up around the perimeter of the pitch. 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. Ridsdale still struggles to accept Galatasarays indifferent reaction to the stabbings. It was a lad from Shipley who I knew, Andy says. Football is sport here and for many Istanbul residents Galatasaray - who won the league last Sunday - is football. The way the police and the authorities were with us. With CCTV evidence, four men were indicted for murder within a week, including Ali Umit Demir, at whose flat the police found a knife stained with the blood of both victims. 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. By last night's kick-off, the pools of blood, shattered glass and debris had been cleared away. He started shouting for Christopher to wake up. Soon, they arrived at a flight of steps and a spot which would generate one of the lasting images of the entire tragedy. Disgusting. Thats just how the system worked. I didnt catch everything but I heard enough. The Loftus family gave up on campaigning for justice in Turkey because they did not think the system cared about them. Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Galatasaray 3-2 HangiKredi mraniyespor MORE. There isnt much that unnerves me but that was quite a scary moment. Its 20 years now but I dont think Ill ever get over it. Your mind was elsewhere., Harte also felt a delayed reaction. 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. 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. The second leg was totally different. He died in an operating theatre in the early hours of the morning, despite Leeds United paying for blood supplies to be rushed to him. Speights son, George, is no longer the cheeky kid with floppy hair smiling brightly in the photograph of his father he digs out. I genuinely feared for our lives. [38], In 2013, Arsenal invited Galatasaray to compete at their annual Emirates Cup tournament. The police claim he was punched. 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. And others, like Eddie Gray and Ian Harte, have moved on with their lives. I tried telling Galatasarays staff to get them out. Ridsdale is someone the Speights hold in high regard. 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. As a Turkish man is found guilty in Istanbul of murdering two Leeds United fans, the BBC gauges the reaction of local people. The police had prior warning of potential trouble and deployed 2,000 officers to the area, yet they were unable to control the riot until they fired tear gas. [48] In 2001, the tribunal ruled in their favour,[49] and ordered Royal Mail to reinstate them. ", "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. [38] The photos led to some postmen working for Royal Mail losing their jobs because they had been seen in the photos and in television coverage,[46] even though they had not been arrested. 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. I just said to them, Good luck., Galatasarays reputation went before them. Whether this should dictate a transfer like the one Alioski was asked to ponder is a matter of opinion. The city centre was tense but, thanks to a massive police presence, mainly empty. Hed just met a girl. When the hospital said they were short of blood supplies, Ridsdale sent his chauffeur off to get more.

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