Glamping Wedding Venues Nsw, Parmentier Potatoes Slimming World, Articles G

SOCCER; Amid Heightened Security, Galatasaray Defeats Leeds The interview included vague expressions of regret but no apology to Speight and Loftus or their relatives. The Football Associations David Davies said playing the game was the least worst option. No question.. He must have been off his head., Ian Harte, the left-back, is more vivid in describing it. Over a coffee in Starbucks, George Speight finds a way to be philosophical about his fathers death. 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. On the 20th anniversary of their deaths, he said: "I suffered quite badly after it happened. 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. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Eddie Gray is crouching down as he runs up from underground and into the open air. 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. ', While a third posted: 'They suit each other. . Leeds always kept records of who was travelling and which hotels they were using. [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. Chris and Kevin were brutally murdered in Istanbul on the eve of our UEFA Cup semi-final fixture with Galatasaray in 2000. 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. He sees it now as a necessary shock to the system. I like that they remember him. 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. BBC News | EUROPE | Turkey still angry over fans' behaviour Leeds fans have reacted furiously to reports that Ezgjan Alioski has agreed to move to Galatasaray. Scuffles broke out but the police moved in and fans scattered. He has a busy job as an electrician and a twinkle in his eye. George has no recollection of his dad leaving for Istanbul or of him saying goodbye. 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. 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. Anyone can read what . "They were screaming all sorts of things. I stopped getting involved eventually, Andy says. Four men were arrested and charged with their murders. It triggered something and I ran into the ward. 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. I think those who arrived later knew what to expect.". How can it be that two lads go to watch a football game and dont come back?. Football riots in City Hall Square, Copenhagen, Denmark (May 2000). Fri 7 Apr 2000 20.36 EDT. Spencer interrupted dinner to advise Ridsdale that they should return to the hotel immediately. I had no idea where we were going or why we were going there, he says. [36], In August 2000, Arsenal banned thirty-seven people involved in the Copenhagen riot from Arsenal's Highbury stadium. To this day, it is used as a tribute every time the anniversary comes round. The plaque on the wall by Elland Roads East Stand says Never Forgotten and Leeds United swore themselves to those words. My dad is ex-World Cup star and BBC pundit but I want glory in a Tragedy that awaited two fans on a journey to hell 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. Ali Umit Demir, was arrested by Turkish police within days and he and three other Turks were later convicted in court. Confusion reigned. If the thought of a transfer like that sits uncomfortably then perhaps it should. Mr Loftus's brother Andy said: "I know it may seem a long time but it's still very much like yesterday really.". By We catch up at the cafe in an Asda store near his home in Killingbeck and he speaks bravely but reluctantly; not because he wants to but because he thinks he should, for the sake of his brother Chriss memory. They will never be forgotten.. At the hotel, Phil went up to his room. Football authorities condemned the riots and threatened to expel national football teams from European competition if such events happened again. Ill hear them saying, Thats Kevin Speights lad and I like that. galatasaray leeds death 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. Everything about that whole occasion was shocking. Several fans offered to foot the bill. I looked at Eddie, he looked at me, we smiled a nervous smile and both said the same thing: Lets go.. I dont want to imply criticism of the hospital for that, Ridsdale says. The Ali Sami Yen was in a league of its own in atmosphere terms, aggressive and ferocious for visiting sides. 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. Harry Kewell - Wikipedia 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. Six people were arrested and three Metropolitan Police officers were injured. It sounds daft but I dont think I knew how to react. Acquittal plea in soccer death trial. 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. My sympathy was with them. Leeds have never forgiven Eric Cantona for . [26] There were further clashes at the airport the day after the game. [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. [38], In 2013, Arsenal invited Galatasaray to compete at their annual Emirates Cup tournament. "They were using very bad language," said Abdul Garlad, a manager. The friend who arranged their trips abroad organised for them to fly home via Brussels. My mum just felt she had to move on. The brothers went to the British Embassy but, in Andys words, found them to be worse than useless. The facilities are great. 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. Convictions were quashed, appeals were repetitive and it is far from clear how much of their respective sentences were served. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. The Turkish police didnt give a shit about us. [10][12] This led to the final being considered "high risk"; 2,000 members of the Danish police were assigned to the game, with assistance from members of British and Turkish police forces. As. Chris & Kevin - Never Forgotten - Leeds United A couple of lads came back to the hotel on their own and when I asked where the rest of them were, they didnt know. The police warned a postponement could cause more trouble. [39] Later on, British media blame also transferred towards Galatasaray fans. [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. Anywhere else in Europe, I doubt it would have been played. [29], In all, four people were stabbed during the riots: two English, one Turkish and one Dutch fan. Galatasaray wanted me from the start. Alioski had less of a cross to bear. 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. Forty Leeds fans arrested in the scuffles were released without charge. So Leeds did. Life is good. Ill be honest, by the time we were kicking off I had no idea why we were playing. I didnt feel that their response was what our response would have been. Its completely different. Try a week on us. [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. Theyd been seeing each other for about six months.. That is true. Bouncers guarded the bars from any English fans. Others that the Turks precipitated it by throwing chairs. Has to be the biggest DO NOT for any Leeds player!! 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. He was taken to identify the other, Chris Loftus, in the morgue after doctors mistook him for a family member. 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. When he arrived at the hospital, Darren was in a bed with head injuries. 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. [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. In contrast, what Leeds saw in Galatasaray was a baffling lack of sympathy. 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. Staff said many fans were drunk by 10pm, intimidating Turkish families drinking in the lounge. Obviously he liked his football too. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. I got a lot of abuse for that and no wonder. Around them, riot police are standing with shields in the air, protecting the players from what Fallows says was all sorts of things smashing off them. Ridsdale agreed to send his wife and other officials back but instructed a car to take him and Spencer to Taksim Hospital. Sneijder's tweet has since been deleted and the midfielder sent a tweet to an angry fan stating: "Very sorry. 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 day after the riots, FA Executive Director David Davies, issued an apology for the violence. They knocked back as much Elfe (lager), Jack Daniels and Bacardi as I could pour.". But when it came to Istanbul, he and the club were remarkable in reacting quickly and with compassion. I got arrested which was a bad thing but also a good thing. 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? 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. It was the same at the second leg when I had to stand and look after Galatasarays main man at Elland Road. A group of rival fans gathered and jeers were exchanged. They all say no. The manager of Leeds, David O'Leary, had voiced fears of being met at the airport by "a 100-strong rentamob". He had a passion for Lambretta scooters and spent his spare time fixing old models in his mothers garden. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. I could see in their faces how much they were raging, Fallows says. I cant explain it but I got this weird feeling, he says. "I haven't seen a single Englishman all day," said a newspaper vendor. The away crowd emptied after Rangers late equaliser without realising what had unfolded inside the ground. "Their chanting should make Ali Sami Yen [the Galatasaray stadium] hell for Leeds United.". 11 Feb 02 | Europe Turkish justice moves slowly . The police claim he was punched. I prefer to remember that way. George is a regular at Leeds games but until his teens he would wait outside the stadium at the home fixture closest to the April 5 anniversary while a minutes applause played out. 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. They phoned their parents back home but the media had already informed them of Chriss death. Witnesses said he had been bludgeoned by police as he cradled a dying Chris in the street. The authorities imposed sentences on some of those who had originally escaped justice with Suleyman Gokhan Guven, Ali Baydar and Yilmaz Tutus given ten, six and five years in prison respectively. The brother of one of two Leeds United fans killed in Turkey 20 years ago says his death is "still fresh in my memory". I dont think a single one of the lads wanted to play that night.. But the Leeds fans do not see it that way. 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. He wasnt one of them who tried to cause trouble. Those April nights were as close as Leeds will get to it. "There's a lot of anger. galatasaray leeds death. [48] In 2001, the tribunal ruled in their favour,[49] and ordered Royal Mail to reinstate them. People speak well of him. It is wrong to presume to tell those who were affected by the events in Istanbul how to feel or how to react to a player taking Galatasarays money. In the context of football, that era was phenomenally good: Leeds in Europe and another trip to the continent always waiting around the corner. My mum struggled massively with it all and she still does now, George says. 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. He had been involved in the plane crash which Leeds players and coaches escaped from on the way home from a Premier League game at West Ham United in 1998. I knew the ramifications would be life-long.. Leeds supporters in Istanbul were told to stay in their hotels. One Love was a controlled situation. Susan chose not to take the children to Speights funeral. That deal took Kewell back to a stadium where he and Leeds once needed protection with riot shields. George is aware of some of the details but has tried not to dig too deeply. The first I knew of it was when they came out to tell me. [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. 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). A lot of what the police were doing was pure intimidation, Fallows says. junio 12, 2022. abc news anchors female philadelphia . 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. . [2] The events happened at 22:00 in Istanbul's Taksim Square during a fight between Leeds fans and Galatasaray fans. Loftus had been stabbed five times and Speight twice. George understands why but wishes with hindsight that he had been there. [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. CATEGORIES . Demir lost his last appeal in 2010 and was jailed for six years and eight months. Galatasaray fans attempted to provoke the Arsenal fans in the bars, and the two sides began chanting at each other until bottles were thrown from both sides around 16:00. It was a load of shit. It sunk in quickly once we got home. And many have voiced their opinion on social media following a report by Football Insider that Alioski has agreed a pre-contract to join the rivals in the summer. But eventually the issue of what to do about the game had to be addressed. A lot of what went on I dont want to know. [19] The Danish police then moved in to separate the fans, and moved the Galatasaray fans back towards the square. The problem shouldn't have been Alioski or his next club, it's how For a couple of days afterwards you run on adrenaline, he says. The police warned a postponement could cause more trouble. Spencer stepped in and paid with his personal credit card. The police were doing nothing to stop them. I feel sorry for her, George says. The potential for trouble was as high as anything Id been involved in. Andys last memory of Chris is of him rolling his eyes sarcastically and ribbing him for leaving early, in brotherly style. Theyd turned on their tellies and it was all over the Turkish news, Fallows says. I tried telling Galatasarays staff to get them out. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. [42] Arsenal fans also criticised the police, claiming that they had been slow to intervene and were "too soft" on the hooligans. 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. Its funny what sticks in your head, he says. Holmes was there and witnessed the entire away end turning their backs to the pitch with arms raised, an act of silent defiance and dissent. Disgusting. galatasaray leeds death. She knows who he was but its not the same.. 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. Turkish police, according to British of ficials, appeared to be taking the killings as seriously as they would hope. Fallows is a security guard with ample experience. Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight were stabbed in Istanbul on the eve of Leeds' Uefa Cup semi-final tie against Galatasaray in April 2000. 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. I had joked with him and said, At least youll be safe. He gave me a look and said, Or maybe not., The attitude as far as I could see was, Lets intimidate these lads and see what happens. Leeds back then had a lot of kids in their squad. Grieving Leeds Faces Galatasaray Rematch : It Is a Matter of Life Or 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. For George, the clearest memories of his dad are few and slightly random. Football is sport here and for many Istanbul residents Galatasaray - who won the league last Sunday - is football. [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. At the time he said: 'It was a tragic thing in football but we can't live in the past. Nicolo Zaniolo signed on a permanent deal MORE. There was no minutes silence or acknowledgement of the deaths. Everything was muddled. When the hospital said they were short of blood supplies, Ridsdale sent his chauffeur off to get more. "Once more English hooligans, once more, blood," said the mainstream Hurriyet newspaper. We had hundreds of fans in Turkey, some in the air and another plane due to fly the following morning (the morning flight out from Leeds-Bradford Airport was rapidly cancelled). I can only go on what my mum said, but my dad was nothing like that. You were dealing with young lads and the last thing you wanted to do was scare them.. 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. The Turkish. Maybe, he says, and his voice tails off. 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. We tried to keep a lot of the information about what had happened [to Speight and Loftus] from them, rightly or wrongly. Try a week on us. Those killed were "attackers", it said. Another supporter who tried to resuscitate Chris was hit with batons. The Turkish media tried to blame English fans for provoking the violence by being drunk and disrespecting the Turkish flag. This led to the two Leeds fans being stabbed. The story goes that he and his wife Susan got together after he offered her a lift on the back of one. We had a coach for the players and a coach for the directors, he says. They thought we were looking for a sporting advantage, which is just incredible. For Leedss staff and players, the details of what had occurred in Taksim Square the night before remained sketchy until after full-time. A Galatasaray player who endorsed a set of knives as Leeds United paid tribute to fans fatally stabbed before a game against his club has apologised. 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. Alioski defended amid Leeds fans' fury over Galatasaray transfer links [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". I tried telling Galatasarays staff to get them out. lisa left eye zodiac sign Search. 2000 fights between English and Turkish football fans. 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 . But in the light of day, the sun hits it and the sparkle lingers. He had been in touch with the Turkish authorities, and with Chief Superintendent Steve Matthews from West Yorkshire police, who travels abroad with Leeds fans on away trips, and his team of three or four officers acting as "spotters". The deaths led to an angry reaction in England with Galatasaray fans being banned from attending the second leg in England. Ridsdale still struggles to accept Galatasarays indifferent reaction to the stabbings. Loftus had been stabbed five times and Speight twice. British fans were outnumbered and chased up side streets. ', Some wrote stronger messages, such as: 'Washed my hands with Alioski if he f***s off to those vermin. He just happened to run into some tossers with knives., George was so young that the aftermath almost strayed into boyhood adventure. We tried to raise awareness but it was a farce. 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. [17], Throughout the day large numbers of fans, both English and Turkish, were seen throughout the city and at the airport. Leeds and Galatasaray have an extremely volatile relationship following the death of two Leeds supporters prior to the UEFA CUp semi-final back in 2000. 'There were a lot of other clubs out there but this is perfect for me. My mum flicked it straight off again. Galatasaray.org Former club legend Harry Kewell previously soured his relationship with Leeds fans after moving to Galatasaray from Liverpool in 2008. At this juncture, it should be said that Kewell and Alioski were not identical. [3] Leeds fans had been drinking in bars reportedly taunting local people and Turkish police intervened to stop fights breaking out. They carried beer glasses outside, we couldn't stop them, and others followed." Galatasaray supporters, despite everything that had gone on, were pelting the buses and trying to smash the windows. The set of knives, emblazoned with Galatasaray's colours, are produced by Dutch firm Senvi and are available for 22. [21] This lasted 20 minutes[19] before the Danish police attempted to break up the melee with dogs[22] and tear gas. The connection was not comparable to Kewells. Football and Leedss financial collapse made Ridsdale persona non grata at Elland Road but George says his mums face lit up when she heard that he was being interviewed for this article. It was a lad from Shipley who I knew, Andy says. The complication here is that football has no right to dictate how people manage a grievance that goes so far beyond standard rivalry. They just looked at me like I was stupid.. But he didnt make much of it, like it was something of nothing. I respect the Loftuses for fighting, 100 per cent. 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 . galatasaray leeds death Shes struggled with it more than I have because shes got nothing there. Wesley Sneijder, a Dutch international who . UEFA also requested that fences be put up around the perimeter of the pitch. And I still blame myself a lot.. Speights son, George, is no longer the cheeky kid with floppy hair smiling brightly in the photograph of his father he digs out. One of 13 Turks arrested in Istanbul has confessed to stabbing Leeds United fan Christopher Loftus, whose body is expected .