[38], In 2013, Arsenal invited Galatasaray to compete at their annual Emirates Cup tournament. Leeds and Galatasaray fans clashed in violent scenes 21 years agoat 21:00 in Istanbul's Taksim Square. It didnt sit right with me. galatasaray leeds death; marfan criteria calculator; galatasaray leeds death. ', And: 'Alioski can f*** off, he obviously knows the history between the two clubs.'. [50] In 2012 Piers Morgan, the editor of the Daily Mirror at the time and a high-profile Arsenal fan who attended the match, apologised for printing the pictures. 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. If you ask me now if I made the right or wrong decision by playing it, I still dont know, Ridsdale says. 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. "I haven't seen a single Englishman all day," said a newspaper vendor. Even so, the counterargument holds water. 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. He liked a drink and a laugh, simple as that, Andy says. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. And worse things too. 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. I stood there with Eddie Gray, Fallows says. . How the violence started is unclear. 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. This morning the Dutch international tweeted: "Finally my GalatasaraySK knife set is now available and can be delivered everywhere.". Our Daz was there and he told me the full story. Ali Sami Yen stadium should even go ahead. You were dealing with young lads and the last thing you wanted to do was scare them.. Leeds had taken over an entire corridor at the five-star Kempinski and the squad were in their rooms, ready to sleep ahead of the game the next night. Both had numerous other wounds. Ill hear them saying, Thats Kevin Speights lad and I like that. 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. Four men were arrested and charged with their murders. [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. 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. Right up to the attack, I didnt see any trouble. Other fans in Istanbul spoke of isolated incidents here and there but nothing serious. 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. Who really cares?. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. 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. 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. [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". [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. Turkish Prime Minister Blent Ecevit also made a call for fans to avoid violence after the riots, stating: Sports should be an initiative for friendship, not for fighting. Read about our approach to external linking. My mum struggled massively with it all and she still does now, George says. Its completely different. The loss ofKevin Speight and Christopher Loftus is still felt incredibly deeply and the feud between the clubs remains. [10] It was reported that members of Leeds United's Leeds United Service Crew[11] and Chelsea's Chelsea Headhunters, along with hooligans supporting Rangers, Cardiff City and Swansea City all travelled to Denmark to join Arsenal fans in attacks on Galatasaray fans. 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. 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. Everyones different., A brass plaque commemorating Speight and Lofus was set into brickwork outside Elland Road in 2001. A lot of what the police were doing was pure intimidation, Fallows says. There was nothing you could say to him. 2000 fights between English and Turkish football fans. 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.. The deaths led to an angry reaction in England with Galatasaray fans . The passing of time is there in all of them. [17] This came after Arsenal had warned the police before the final that there could be hooligans travelling to Copenhagen. Ridsdale agreed to send his wife and other officials back but instructed a car to take him and Spencer to Taksim Hospital. In the context of football, that era was phenomenally good: Leeds in Europe and another trip to the continent always waiting around the corner. We switched on the telly and it was all over the news, George says. 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. That is true. 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. "They were using very bad language," said Abdul Garlad, a manager. Ridsdale still struggles to accept Galatasarays indifferent reaction to the stabbings. Both families come here each April 5, to lay flowers and let another year pass. The Loftus family gave up on campaigning for justice in Turkey because they did not think the system cared about them. 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'. 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. Football is sport here and for many Istanbul residents Galatasaray - who won the league last Sunday - is football. He was seven when Speight died, his sister Holly two. [30] A Danish police officer[22] and a Turkish cameraman were also injured in the riots. 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). The away crowd emptied after Rangers late equaliser without realising what had unfolded inside the ground. 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. From 5pm local time more than 100 Leeds fans had arrived shouting, singing and demanding beer, according to Batu Dedeler, the bar owner. 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. 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. Holmes says Andy was the life and soul of the party before Istanbul but the impact of Chriss death was severe. I dont know why.. UEFA also requested that fences be put up around the perimeter of the pitch. Galatasaray supporters, despite everything that had gone on, were pelting the buses and trying to smash the windows. Thats what they were, kids. Gray remembers OLeary going out of the team hotel to visit a barbers for a shave beforehand. The city centre was tense but, thanks to a massive police presence, mainly empty. Speight arrived soon after and was seen chatting to midfielder Alan Smith as they walked through the breezy foyer at Ataturk Airport. zhuri james net worth 2021 / low carb ground beef and spinach recipes / low carb ground beef and spinach recipes 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). No question.. 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. The police did nothing, in fact they were helping them beat us up." By that stage he was exhausted. 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.". The way the police and the authorities were with us. [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. [4], It was not clear how the fight started, with reports of it either being started by Leeds fans throwing beer glasses and insulting the Turkish flag,[5] or being started by Galatasaray fans throwing chairs. And there was the time when Speight took him to Elland Road and George, in his infancy, mistakenly cheered when the opposition scored. People speak well of him. 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. The Football Associations David Davies said playing the game was the least worst option. Loftus had been stabbed five times and Speight twice. More importantly, we needed to find out what state the two lads were in and whether we could help them.. 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. He started shouting for Christopher to wake up. He previously worked for the Yorkshire Evening Post as its chief football writer. George is aware of some of the details but has tried not to dig too deeply. The brother of one of two Leeds United fans killed in Turkey 20 years ago says his death is "still fresh in my memory". 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. The English FA followed the line of least resistance. 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. 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]. The potential for trouble was as high as anything Id been involved in. There was no minutes silence or acknowledgement of the deaths. [42] Arsenal fans also criticised the police, claiming that they had been slow to intervene and were "too soft" on the hooligans. The story goes that he and his wife Susan got together after he offered her a lift on the back of one. David Davies, the Football Association's executive director, called it "frankly, the least worst option". Shes struggled with it more than I have because shes got nothing there. The Ibrox disaster was a tragedy, an accident, he says. It was how away days in Europe played out. He described the Turkish policing as diabolical and out of control. Demir lost his last appeal in 2010 and was jailed for six years and eight months. A fortnight ago, Ridsdale was voted onto the EFLs board. 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. 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. [7] The ban was supported by UEFA and only 80 tickets were issued to Galatasaray for officials and representatives of the Turkish government. 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. I knew the ramifications would be life-long.. As a Turkish man is found guilty in Istanbul of murdering two Leeds United fans, the BBC gauges the reaction of local people. By last night's kick-off, the pools of blood, shattered glass and debris had been cleared away. Can you list the top facts and stats about 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence? It was the same at the second leg when I had to stand and look after Galatasarays main man at Elland Road. 13:02 EST 23 Mar 2021 You dont get it.. [30] In total, nineteen people were injured and sixty people were arrested,[27] with 15 of the arrested being subsequently banned from attending Euro 2000. Absolutely amazed and totally stunned. By the time the match kicked off, the ramifications of two fatal stabbings the previous. Confusion reigned. One wrote: 'If Alioski goes there, his high regard and reputation with Leeds fans is destroyed!! Mr Loftus's brother Andy said: "I know it may seem a long time but it's still very much like yesterday really.". We werent talking about Leeds General Infirmary. Speights treatment failed to save him. The families of the victims will tell you that. Galatasaray away on April 6, 2000; "a huge occasion for the club in a football sense," Ridsdale says. The police claim he was punched. Harry Kewell (born 22 September 1978) is an Australian association football coach, manager and former player. It shows all personal information about the players, including age, nationality, contract duration and market value. The plaque on the wall by Elland Roads East Stand says Never Forgotten and Leeds United swore themselves to those words. [12] However, there were conflicting reports, with claims that some Galatasaray fans were instigating some of the violence. Hed just met a girl. I prefer to go to the plaque at Elland Road, he says. Leeds fans have reacted furiously to reports that Ezgjan Alioski has agreed to move to Galatasaray. [2] 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. Istanbul was like no other event he has dealt with. Andys last memory of Chris is of him rolling his eyes sarcastically and ribbing him for leaving early, in brotherly style. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. They had been a couple since their teens. A group of rival fans gathered and jeers were exchanged. 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. Its a strange thing but its important to me. As kick-off drew near, the drums and the noise from the stadium filtered down to the Ali Sami Yens subterranean dressing rooms. 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. In the circumstances, it was a total irrelevance and too highly-charged. Peter Ridsdale, the Leeds chairman, had been dining with directors from Galatasaray when reports of trouble came through. 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. But it was common sense. And I still blame myself a lot.. Its the most terrified Ive ever been, he says. ', Some wrote stronger messages, such as: 'Washed my hands with Alioski if he f***s off to those vermin. [28] In Turkey, nine people were accidentally shot and injured by Galatasaray fans firing guns in celebration despite police warning them not to. 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. [2] The events happened at 22:00 in Istanbul's Taksim Square during a fight between Leeds fans and Galatasaray fans. [16] Dineen was released from hospital later in the day and attended the match as a guest of the Arsenal directors. When youre seven you cant process something like that, can you? Spencer stepped in and paid with his personal credit card. 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. They ploughed on regardless, much like UEFA, and left Ridsdale thinking that their directors were more worried about distancing themselves from the stabbings than helping Leeds cope with them. Disgusting. In contrast, what Leeds saw in Galatasaray was a baffling lack of sympathy. 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. 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. The Loftuses had travelled to Turkey on the same flight as David OLearys players. The deaths led to an angry reaction in England with Galatasaray fans being banned from attending the second leg in England. At the hospital, Ridsdale encountered absolute chaos. But in the light of day, the sun hits it and the sparkle lingers. Everything happened in a flash. George understands why but wishes with hindsight that he had been there. #RIPChrisAndKev. When they came back to Elland Road they thought our request for no away fans was inappropriate. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? At the hotel, Phil went up to his room. It is 10 years since he last went to the grave. Leeds' bitter hatred towards the Turkish side is no secret after two of their supporters, Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight, were stabbed to death by Galatasaray fans prior to the UEFA Cup. 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. It sunk in quickly once we got home. Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight were stabbed in Istanbul on the eve of Leeds' Uefa Cup semi-final tie against Galatasaray in April 2000. But he didnt make much of it, like it was something of nothing. Bitexen Giresunspor 0 - 4 Galatasaray MORE. Later in the day, Galatasaray fans occupied City Hall Square before heading towards Arsenal fans in bars nearby. Then a good mate of mine appeared and said thered been a bit of trouble. They just looked at me like I was stupid.. Alioski had less of a cross to bear. Whether this should dictate a transfer like the one Alioski was asked to ponder is a matter of opinion.
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