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 group of rival fans gathered and jeers were exchanged. Witnesses said he had been bludgeoned by police as he cradled a dying Chris in the street. 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. I knew the ramifications would be life-long., (Photo: Phil Noble PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images), Ali Sami Yen previously and voiced complaints about their treatment, so Fallows increased the size of Leedss usual security detail from three to five as a precaution. 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. [42] Arsenal fans also criticised the police, claiming that they had been slow to intervene and were "too soft" on the hooligans. 2000 fights between English and Turkish football fans. Soon, they arrived at a flight of steps and a spot which would generate one of the lasting images of the entire tragedy. Ali Umit . [18] Later, large numbers of Galatasaray fans congregated in Copenhagen's City Hall Square, raising the Turkish flag in the square. They knew there had been trouble but the club made an effort to hold back some detail on the basis that if the game went ahead, they would need to concentrate on it. 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? Its 20 years now but I dont think Ill ever get over it. CATEGORIES . His brother was following behind us and, quite understandably, he lost it. Peter Ridsdale, the Leeds chairman, had been dining with directors from Galatasaray when reports of trouble came through. A fortnight ago, Ridsdale was voted onto the EFLs board. How the violence started is unclear. Fatih Terim, Galatasaray's coach, had whipped up his side's supporters. It was a lad from Shipley who I knew, Andy says. 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. 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[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. My mum just felt she had to move on. OFFICIAL DONATION CAMPAIGN FOR THE VICTIMS OF EARTHQUAKE MORE. Outside, Leeds fans reportedly taunted Turkish men. sauce pizza and wine mac and cheese. The Turkish police didnt give a shit about us. 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. Ill be careful here but I have to say that I felt uncomfortable welcoming Galatasarays delegates to Elland Road. 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. He had a passion for Lambretta scooters and spent his spare time fixing old models in his mothers garden. I can only go on what my mum said, but my dad was nothing like that. Even now I get the feeling that people think we started it, Andy says. Forty Leeds fans arrested in the scuffles were released without charge. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Fans in nearby bars remained unaware of the violence. [34] The Copenhagen riots followed a long line of similar events involving English football fans, and in June, UEFA's executive committee listed the Heysel Stadium disaster, disorders in Charleroi and Brussels, the killing of the two Leeds fans in Istanbul, and the Copenhagen riots and warned the British government that if there was any more rioting then England would be expelled from Euro 2000. [38], In 2013, Arsenal invited Galatasaray to compete at their annual Emirates Cup tournament. Hed just met a girl. Spencer stepped in and paid with his personal credit card. We tried to raise awareness but it was a farce. The cause of the fighting which broke out after dark in Istanbul was a subject of fierce contention in the weeks after the stabbings. [26] There were further clashes at the airport the day after the game. Loftus, 35, was a telephone engineer and an easy-going lad. Kewell was quoted after joining Galatasaray as saying that to blame Galatasaray for the tragedy in Istanbul is simply wrong and discriminatory. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [39] Later on, British media blame also transferred towards Galatasaray fans. [2] The events happened at 22:00 in Istanbul's Taksim Square during a fight between Leeds fans and Galatasaray fans. 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. galatasaray leeds death I genuinely feared for our lives. Nigel Martyn has exclusively told LeedsUnited.News that playing against Galatasaray in the first leg of the UEFA Cup semi-final in 2000 - just 24 hours after the murders of two Leeds fans - is to this day, his biggest regret in football. The brother of one of two Leeds United fans killed in Turkey 20 years ago says his death is "still fresh in my memory". galatasaray leeds death - Sercano TV Everything happened in a flash. Exclusive: Leeds icon Martyn on 21st anniversary of Galatasaray murders Fri 7 Apr 2000 20.36 EDT. But eventually the issue of what to do about the game had to be addressed. 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. I was totally speechless, totally shocked. 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. It was a haunting moment then and it haunts me now. Leeds United fans' deaths in Turkey 20 years ago 'feels like - BBC 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. Later in the day, Galatasaray fans occupied City Hall Square before heading towards Arsenal fans in bars nearby. In 2014 he was spoken to by a Turkish website, a free man again. The Football Associations David Davies said playing the game was the least worst option. By Speights son, George, is no longer the cheeky kid with floppy hair smiling brightly in the photograph of his father he digs out. Another picture, taken by the Yorkshire Evening Posts Mark Bickerdike, shows Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate stepping from the tunnel with tangible shock on their faces. 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence - Wikipedia 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. 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. 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. The loss ofKevin Speight and Christopher Loftus is still felt incredibly deeply and the feud between the clubs remains. 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. I feel everything: anger, sadness. It shows all personal information about the players, including age, nationality, contract duration and market value. 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. By 10.30pm some of the rowdiest fans left the James Joyce and joined a crowd outside McDonalds just off Taksim Square. Leeds always kept records of who was travelling and which hotels they were using. [36], In August 2000, Arsenal banned thirty-seven people involved in the Copenhagen riot from Arsenal's Highbury stadium. More importantly, we needed to find out what state the two lads were in and whether we could help them.. 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.. I was amazed, he says. Hello Hell, We Are Leeds, read one banner carried by fans piling through Istanbul airport on Wednesday night. [20], Then, in a calculated attack, approximately 500 Arsenal fans[19] attacked from the main road behind the Galatasaray fans. I went off the rails, he says. 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. Its the most terrified Ive ever been, he says. [23] The violence, which included fans from other English clubs[24] and Turks living in Denmark,[25] lasted for 45 minutes. [4] Police arrested Ali Umit Demir and three other men for the stabbings. My sisters had a word and told me to sort myself out. 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. The facilities are great. [6] Demir was later found guilty of murder and was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, but released in 2004. Andy got a pint at the bar. "We came out of a bar and there were 100 people waiting for us with machetes, knives, bits of chair and table legs and they just attacked us. Those killed were "attackers", it said. Who really cares?. [21] This lasted 20 minutes[19] before the Danish police attempted to break up the melee with dogs[22] and tear gas. 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. Harry Kewell - Wikipedia 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. Both had numerous other wounds. They thought we were looking for a sporting advantage, which is just incredible. Ali Umit Demir, was arrested by Turkish police within days and he and three other Turks were later convicted in court. 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. My sympathy was with them. The Ibrox disaster was a tragedy, an accident, he says. BBC News | EUROPE | Turkey still angry over fans' behaviour His financial record at Leeds was dismal and Leeds never forget about it. The blood had to be sourced externally and to do that, someone had to pay. 2023 BBC. Leeds Crown Court sentenced him to 12 months. 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. More than a dozen police watched but initially did not intervene. ", Get the FREE Mirror Football newsletter with the day's key headlines and transfer news straight into your inbox. 13:02 EST 23 Mar 2021 It is regarded as a significant act of betrayal by many fans for a Leeds player to join Galatasaray. Istanbul was like no other event he has dealt with. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? But in the light of day, the sun hits it and the sparkle lingers. Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight were killed in Istanbul, Turkey, in April 2000, Their deaths had left a "lasting impact" on their families, a former Leeds United chairman 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 phoned their parents back home but the media had already informed them of Chriss death. Theyd turned on their tellies and it was all over the Turkish news, Fallows says. Thats just how the system worked. Galatasaray - Detailed squad 22/23 | Transfermarkt 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.". galatasaray leeds death. One Love was a controlled situation. We tried to keep a lot of the information about what had happened [to Speight and Loftus] from them, rightly or wrongly. Rory Carroll in Istanbul and Martin Wainwright. We had a coach for the players and a coach for the directors, he says. Leeds fans RAGING at Ezgjan Alioski transfer links to Galatasaray As injured and angry Leeds fans came through, he did what he could. At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. The deaths led to an angry reaction in England with Galatasaray fans being banned from attending the second leg in England. 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. Leeds will on Saturday afternoon mark 15 years since the deaths of supporters Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight, who were stabbed by a Galatasaray fan in April 2000. A lot of what went on I dont want to know. My mum always says the same: Hed gone out there for the football, nothing else. The police warned a postponement could cause more trouble. 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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). It also contains a table with average age, cumulative market value and average market value for each player position and overall. Andy Loftus had flown to watch the match with his brother. The Loftuses had travelled to Turkey on the same flight as David OLearys players. You got paid each month and you did this, Andy says, gesturing as if to push a wad of banknotes into a drawer. Send any friend a story. [3] Leeds fans had been drinking in bars reportedly taunting local people and Turkish police intervened to stop fights breaking out. And worse things too. [32] The rest were fined an equivalent of $500 and banned from Denmark for a year.[33]. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. 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 . The manager of Leeds, David O'Leary, had voiced fears of being met at the airport by "a 100-strong rentamob". I like that they remember him. Amid the fall-out and a world of shock in Leeds, Ridsdale suggested that the second leg at Elland Road would be safer without away fans. The first time he went inside to be present, he sat with friends and cried. I looked at Eddie, he looked at me, we smiled a nervous smile and both said the same thing: Lets go.. The Turkish media tried to blame English fans for provoking the violence by being drunk and disrespecting the Turkish flag. [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". For a couple of days afterwards you run on adrenaline, he says. Squad Galatasaray This page displays a detailed overview of the club's current squad. [17] This came after Arsenal had warned the police before the final that there could be hooligans travelling to Copenhagen. The slit-throat gestures from fans as we arrived on the bus. I am happy and I hope everyone else can be too. The Galatasaray fans were later attacked from behind by members of British hooligan firms seeking revenge for the Istanbul stabbings. [45] It later arose that the majority of the people in the photos were either not involved or had been acting in self-defence. There isnt much that unnerves me but that was quite a scary moment. Kewell grew up in Leeds academy and was in the starting line-up for both legs against Galatasaray. 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. I know bits and bats but it doesnt help me to go over it, he says. 11 Feb 02 | Europe Turkish justice moves slowly . [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. 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]. 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. 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. I think you just go into a downward spiral. Twenty Leeds fans, witnesses to the fight, were interviewed. Galatasaray's Wesley Sneijder launches knife range - mirror I knew the ramifications would be life-long.. They will never be forgotten.. By last night's kick-off, the pools of blood, shattered glass and debris had been cleared away. Some claimed the English sparked it by throwing beer glasses at passing women pedestrians. 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. Something went wrong, please try again later. 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. lisa left eye zodiac sign Search. The passing of time is there in all of them. 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. I stopped getting involved eventually, Andy says. The city centre was tense but, thanks to a massive police presence, mainly empty. It is part of Leeds Uniteds fabric and it will never disappear: the night when football became murder and so many lives were changed. Grieving Leeds Faces Galatasaray Rematch : It Is a Matter of Life Or Within a year, however, Demir, following an appeal, was a free man after his conviction was quashed and a re-trial ordered. It was horrible. [40], The Danish police were also criticised for their handling of the riots. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. galatasaray leeds death 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. [41] It was noted by Turkish newspaper, Radikal that cannabis was being freely traded in the city square during the time before the riots, and the police did nothing about it. The images of that never grow old. Eddie Gray is crouching down as he runs up from underground and into the open air. Trust us, this is only going to get worse., It didnt go down well, and I got that. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? Try a week on us. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. Anywhere else in Europe, I doubt it would have been played. 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. 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. Galatasaray wanted me from the start.
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