[38], In 2013, Arsenal invited Galatasaray to compete at their annual Emirates Cup tournament. It didnt sit right with me. On the 20th anniversary of their deaths, he said: "I suffered quite badly after it happened. 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. Harry Kewell - Wikipedia Ali Sami Yen was in a league of its own in atmosphere terms, aggressive and ferocious for visiting sides. As injured and angry Leeds fans came through, he did what he could. You dont get it.. Peter Ridsdale, the chairman who guided Leeds through the tragedy, is approaching 70. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Leeds fans had planned to honour the memories of Speight and Loftus this weekend by holding up photos of the two murdered men at the home game with Blackburn Rovers. , updated The police claim he was punched. Gray, a Glaswegian, was in the Celtic end with his wife Linda on the day of the Ibrox disaster in 1971. This morning the Dutch international tweeted: "Finally my GalatasaraySK knife set is now available and can be delivered everywhere.". Two lives lost and two lives wasted, for nothing. Wed heard that Istanbul could be a bit dangerous but we never thought anything of it, Andy says. Harry Kewell (born 22 September 1978) is an Australian association football coach, manager and former player. Arsenal qualified for the final by defeating French club Lens in their semi-final. The way the police and the authorities were with us. I respect the Loftuses for fighting, 100 per cent. They phoned their parents back home but the media had already informed them of Chriss death. Looking at it from where the fans were standing, Id have been as angry as them. 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. ', And: 'Alioski can f*** off, he obviously knows the history between the two clubs.'. If the thought of a transfer like that sits uncomfortably then perhaps it should. I got arrested which was a bad thing but also a good thing. 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. We had to say to them as clearly as we could, If you go into the streets, if you go out drinking, we cant tell you how dangerous itll be. Tragedy that awaited two fans on a journey to hell ', By At least nine other people, including six Leeds fans, were injured. Leeds fans have reacted furiously to reports that Ezgjan Alioski has agreed to move to Galatasaray. [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. The atmosphere was electric like, scarily electric. The police were doing nothing to stop them. 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. 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'. 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. Leeds and Galatasaray fans clashed in violent scenes in April 2000 at 21:00 in Istanbul's Taksim Square Following the two tragic deaths, local police arrested and charged four Galatasaray. They just looked at me like I was stupid.. The passing of time is there in all of them. 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. Witnesses said he had been bludgeoned by police as he cradled a dying Chris in the street. He wasnt one of them who tried to cause trouble. By 10.30pm some of the rowdiest fans left the James Joyce and joined a crowd outside McDonalds just off Taksim Square. We had a coach for the players and a coach for the directors, he says. The first the Leeds players heard of the incident in Taksim Square was when phone calls started reaching them in their hotel. Has to be the biggest DO NOT for any Leeds player!! [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. Bitexen Giresunspor 0 - 4 Galatasaray MORE. The Loftuses had travelled to Turkey on the same flight as David OLearys players. The Speights were a close family who lived in the Yorkshire village of Farsley, where Kevin Speight was landlord of the Bay Horse pub. 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence - Wikiwand As a free agent, he had a decision to make about how best to look after himself with his 30th birthday coming next year (and in the end, looking after himself meant joining Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia last night). Send any friend a story. Spencer stepped in and paid with his personal credit card. Your mind was elsewhere., Harte also felt a delayed reaction. 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. [19] The Danish police then moved in to separate the fans, and moved the Galatasaray fans back towards the square. He previously worked for the Yorkshire Evening Post as its chief football writer. The set of knives, emblazoned with Galatasaray's colours, are produced by Dutch firm Senvi and are available for 22. They carried beer glasses outside, we couldn't stop them, and others followed." 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. This caused a severe riot in the city square, with several restaurant facilities used by fans to fight each other, with iron bars and knives also being used. Whether this should dictate a transfer like the one Alioski was asked to ponder is a matter of opinion. There were reports that a Galatasaray fan had run to a telephone to call for support when he saw Leeds fans arriving. Galatasaray player apologises to Leeds fans for knife tweet Our Daz was there and he told me the full story. Leeds supporters in Istanbul were told to stay in their hotels. The friend who arranged their trips abroad organised for them to fly home via Brussels. [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". One wrote: 'If Alioski goes there, his high regard and reputation with Leeds fans is destroyed!! George is different. 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. [4] Police arrested Ali Umit Demir and three other men for the stabbings. By ", Get the FREE Mirror Football newsletter with the day's key headlines and transfer news straight into your inbox. "They came into town to see. 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. . Turk admits stabbing murdered Leeds fan | Soccer | The Guardian The Football Associations David Davies said playing the game was the least worst option. Read about our approach to external linking. Following the two tragic deaths, local police arrested and charged four Galatasaray supporters with murder. 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. 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence - Wikipedia 15:32 EST 23 Mar 2021. I prefer to go to the plaque at Elland Road, he says. I was totally speechless, totally shocked. Harry Kewell is in front of him, carrying a ball and looking bewildered. 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. [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. He sees it now as a necessary shock to the system. A lot of what went on I dont want to know. I thought about Graeme Souness running and planting a Galatasaray flag in the middle of the pitch at Fenerbahce. I just said to them, Good luck., Galatasarays reputation went before them. 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. Disgusting. My instinct was that we had to know what was happening, Ridsdale says. I genuinely feared for our lives. Speight arrived soon after and was seen chatting to midfielder Alan Smith as they walked through the breezy foyer at Ataturk Airport. [3] Leeds fans had been drinking in bars reportedly taunting local people and Turkish police intervened to stop fights breaking out. Some claimed the English sparked it by throwing beer glasses at passing women pedestrians. 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. "We did amazing business in one hour. 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. At conservative gathering, Trump is still the favourite. [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. Then a good mate of mine appeared and said thered been a bit of trouble. 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 . [28] In Turkey, nine people were accidentally shot and injured by Galatasaray fans firing guns in celebration despite police warning them not to. In 2014 he was spoken to by a Turkish website, a free man again. One of 13 Turks arrested in Istanbul has confessed to stabbing Leeds United fan Christopher Loftus, whose body is expected . I knew the ramifications would be life-long.. 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. It was a lad from Shipley who I knew, Andy says. 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. Rory Carroll in Istanbul and Martin Wainwright. galatasaray leeds death - kikuyajp.com The Football Associations David Davies said playing the game was the least worst option. The plaque on the wall by Elland Roads East Stand says Never Forgotten and Leeds United swore themselves to those words. Galatasaray - Detailed squad 22/23 | Transfermarkt Wesley Sneijder, a Dutch international who . on the 20th anniversary of the killings in Istanbul. Speights son, George, is no longer the cheeky kid with floppy hair smiling brightly in the photograph of his father he digs out. They just looked at me like I was stupid.. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 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. 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. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. 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. Surprise me? Galatasaray away on April 6, 2000; a huge occasion for the club in a football sense, Ridsdale says. Ali Umit Demir, was arrested by Turkish police within days and he and three other Turks were later convicted in court. [36], In August 2000, Arsenal banned thirty-seven people involved in the Copenhagen riot from Arsenal's Highbury stadium. They had been a couple since their teens. A fortnight ago, Ridsdale was voted onto the EFLs board. It is his life and his career, much as the option of Galatasaray was incapable of arising without anyone passing comment. The Galatasaray fans were later attacked from behind by members of British hooligan firms seeking revenge for the Istanbul stabbings. A lot of what the police were doing was pure intimidation, Fallows says. Within a year, however, Demir, following an appeal, was a free man after his conviction was quashed and a re-trial ordered. We could only do what we thought was best at that moment. The journey to the stadium prior to kick-off made him wish he had forfeited it and taken the consequences. 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. They know what he did for us.. Can you list the top facts and stats about 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence? galatasaray leeds death Early relaxation gave way to brutal battle as rivals taunted each other, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. [17], Throughout the day large numbers of fans, both English and Turkish, were seen throughout the city and at the airport. [30] A Danish police officer[22] and a Turkish cameraman were also injured in the riots. Thats what they were, kids. Thats just how the system worked. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Loftus had been stabbed five times and Speight twice. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. 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. 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. Squad Galatasaray This page displays a detailed overview of the club's current squad. We tried to keep a lot of the information about what had happened [to Speight and Loftus] from them, rightly or wrongly. At the hospital, Ridsdale encountered absolute chaos. SOCCER; Amid Heightened Security, Galatasaray Defeats Leeds You got paid each month and you did this, Andy says, gesturing as if to push a wad of banknotes into a drawer. [16] Dineen was released from hospital later in the day and attended the match as a guest of the Arsenal directors. At the hotel, Phil went up to his room. From my point of view I was only interested in getting that game over and done with as safely as possible. 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. He had a passion for Lambretta scooters and spent his spare time fixing old models in his mothers garden. It was how away days in Europe played out. The brothers went to the British Embassy but, in Andys words, found them to be worse than useless. It was horrible. 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. I cant explain it but I got this weird feeling, he says. [21] This lasted 20 minutes[19] before the Danish police attempted to break up the melee with dogs[22] and tear gas. 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. 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. 2023 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. It is regarded as a significant act of betrayal by many fans for a Leeds player to join Galatasaray. Devastated., The next 24 hours were a blur. Andy was jailed in 2013 for his part in a fight between Leeds and Tottenham Hotspur fans in which a Spurs supporter was knocked unconscious. Football riots in City Hall Square, Copenhagen, Denmark (May 2000). 2000 UEFA Cup Final riots - Wikipedia There isnt much that unnerves me but that was quite a scary moment. Peter Ridsdale, the Leeds chairman, had been dining with directors from Galatasaray when reports of trouble came through. 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. That deal took Kewell back to a stadium where he and Leeds once needed protection with riot shields. 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. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Both had numerous other wounds. [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. Ill hear them saying, Thats Kevin Speights lad and I like that. 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. Riots and 2 English deaths around UEFA Cup matches Galatasaray from Turkey against English teams in 2000 For a couple of days afterwards you run on adrenaline, he says. galatasaray leeds death The shadow of Istanbul is longer for Andy Loftus. After a long legal process in Turkey, four men were jailed in 2010. The families of the victims will tell you that. The Ali Sami Yen was in a league of its own in atmosphere terms, aggressive and ferocious for visiting sides. Galatasaray fans entered the area shortly afterwards which precipitated a fight between the two sets of supporters. 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. Everything about that whole occasion was shocking. Staff said many fans were drunk by 10pm, intimidating Turkish families drinking in the lounge. It is part of Leeds Uniteds fabric and it will never disappear: the night when football became murder and so many lives were changed. Those killed were "attackers", it said. As chairman of Leeds, he told the UEFA official that it would make sense to postpone the first leg of the semi-final which Leeds and Galatasaray were about to play. Both had numerous other wounds. Over a coffee in Starbucks, George Speight finds a way to be philosophical about his fathers death. Susan chose not to take the children to Speights funeral. He rushed to Taksim hospital, near where the men were stabbed. 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 . 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. I like that they remember him. 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. He previously worked for the Yorkshire Evening Post as its chief football writer. 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. Anyone can read what . "Maybe they thought they were being funny but to Turks who do not speak good English, it was very offensive.". That decision drew much criticism, as well it might. Tributes began to cover the gates and the Billy Bremner Statue at Elland Road. [7] The ban was supported by UEFA and only 80 tickets were issued to Galatasaray for officials and representatives of the Turkish government. Galatasaray wanted me from the start. They have nothing but good words for Ridsdales conduct and nothing but gratitude for his support. My sympathy was with them. They will never be forgotten.. Follow Phil on Twitter @PhilHay_, George and Holly Speight with Peter Ridsdale after their fathers death. As a Turkish man is found guilty in Istanbul of murdering two Leeds United fans, the BBC gauges the reaction of local people. [15] In the fight, Paul Dineen, an Arsenal fan, was stabbed, leading to Arsenal offering fans refunds if they did not want to fly to the game. Massive riots Galatasaray - Leeds / Arsenal 2000 - YouTube I say that as someone who was back at his hotel when the stabbings occurred, he would be one of the last people to blame. His brother was following behind us and, quite understandably, he lost it.
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