Friends and family of Speight and Loftus had congregated there and other Leeds fans were waiting with more minor injuries, some of them slash wounds. In May 2002 Demir, who admitted the stabbings, was sentenced to 15 years in prison with four other men imprisoned for three months each. 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. For long periods, none of those found guilty spent time behind bars. lisa left eye zodiac sign Search. 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 images are so vivid in Peter Ridsdales mind that he can describe every aspect of the hospital where Speight and Loftus were taken after they were attacked. Maybe, he says, and his voice tails off. Thats what they were, kids. Its a game. Galatasaray's Wesley Sneijder apologises to Leeds fans over knife set The second leg was totally different. The Loftuses had travelled to Turkey on the same flight as David OLearys players. But if you back out, youll forfeit the game and incur a 3-0 defeat. 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. Away tickets were limited to 80, which effectively covered only senior Galatasaray officials. 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. [20], Then, in a calculated attack, approximately 500 Arsenal fans[19] attacked from the main road behind the Galatasaray fans. Susan chose not to take the children to Speights funeral. [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. [32] The rest were fined an equivalent of $500 and banned from Denmark for a year.[33]. More importantly, we needed to find out what state the two lads were in and whether we could help them.. ', Some wrote stronger messages, such as: 'Washed my hands with Alioski if he f***s off to those vermin. [5] As a result of the stabbings, Leeds United banned Galatasaray fans from attending the second leg at Elland Road, claiming that the safety of fans could not be guaranteed. And thats without even mentioning what had gone on the night before with the two lads who were killed. "They were screaming all sorts of things. Its the most terrified Ive ever been, he says. [13], On the Wednesday at 1:00, Galatasaray fans attacked a bar in Strget in Copenhagen, where some Arsenal fans were located. He rushed to Taksim hospital, near where the men were stabbed. Your mind was elsewhere., Harte also felt a delayed reaction. 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. Ridsdale can visualise it all 21 years on: the lay-out of the hospital, the chaos inside, the panicked confusion. I dont know why.. Riots and 2 English deaths around UEFA Cup matches Galatasaray from Turkey against English teams in 2000 Ill hear them saying, Thats Kevin Speights lad and I like that. ', By If someone could have shown me those levels of intimidation, Id have refused to play the game unhesitatingly. You were dealing with young lads and the last thing you wanted to do was scare them.. Leeds fans have reacted furiously to reports that Ezgjan Alioski has agreed to move to Galatasaray. So Leeds did. His brother was following behind us and, quite understandably, he lost it. Galatasaray wanted me from the start. Read about our approach to external linking. [37], In the United Kingdom, Arsenal fans were originally blamed for the violence as the police had fixed blame on them. Mr Loftus's brother Andy said: "I know it may seem a long time but it's still very much like yesterday really.". 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 . 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. Theyd turned on their tellies and it was all over the Turkish news, Fallows says. CATEGORIES . Turk admits stabbing murdered Leeds fan | Soccer | The Guardian "Kevin had two young children. In the circumstances, it was a total irrelevance and too highly-charged. It makes me proud. Like his father, George has the nickname Spag. junio 12, 2022. abc news anchors female philadelphia . 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. Speights son, George, is no longer the cheeky kid with floppy hair smiling brightly in the photograph of his father he digs out. galatasaray leeds deathashtoreth worship practices. 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence - Wikipedia 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. Hed just met a girl. [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. I just said to them, Good luck., Galatasarays reputation went before them. 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 led to the two Leeds fans being stabbed. He has never spoken about his memories of Turkey before but, like Andy Loftus, says he wants to reflect 20 years on. The eggs were massive and I was chuffed to bits with mine, he says. Fallows is a security guard with ample experience. George has no recollection of his dad leaving for Istanbul or of him saying goodbye. As a Turkish man is found guilty in Istanbul of murdering two Leeds United fans, the BBC gauges the reaction of local people. It was weird because when we got in the car, the game (Galatasaray versus Leeds) had just started and was on the radio, Andy says. Football riots in City Hall Square, Copenhagen, Denmark (May 2000). It was completely against your idea of law and order. The story goes that he and his wife Susan got together after he offered her a lift on the back of one. Holmes says Andy was the life and soul of the party before Istanbul but the impact of Chriss death was severe. Devastated., The next 24 hours were a blur. 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. It was horrible. Disgusting. Kevin Fallows was the clubs head of security and travelled with the players to all their fixtures in Europe. Peter Ridsdale, the chairman who guided Leeds through the tragedy, is approaching 70. [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. 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. When they came back to Elland Road they thought our request for no away fans was inappropriate. "When you see a man having to identify the body of his brother with a massive stab wound in his chest it just isn't what you'd associate with football.". Leeds have never forgiven Eric Cantona for . Ali Umit . Turkish police, according to British of ficials, appeared to be taking the killings as seriously as they would hope. 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. Galatasaray fans entered the area shortly afterwards which precipitated a fight between the two sets of supporters. Four people were stabbed in the scuffles, which also involved fans from other clubs and were viewed by the media as part of a retaliation for the killing of two Leeds United fans by Galatasaray supporters the month before. The deaths led to an angry reaction in England with Galatasaray fans . It was a load of shit. Rory Carroll in Istanbul and Martin Wainwright. It's a fantastic city and I'm willing to learn. 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. According to one witness, a Turkish man was pushed to the ground and smashed his teeth on the pavement. On the 21st anniversary of Kevin Speight and Christopher Loftus' deaths on April 5 2000, Martyn also recalls the immediate reaction of the Leeds squad . Andy Loftus had flown to watch the match with his brother. He started shouting for Christopher to wake up. [36], In August 2000, Arsenal banned thirty-seven people involved in the Copenhagen riot from Arsenal's Highbury stadium. The manager of Leeds, David O'Leary, had voiced fears of being met at the airport by "a 100-strong rentamob". If you're Leeds, you don't move to a direct rival, simple. He was with Darren Loftus, Christopher's brother who had travelled with him, to identify his body. Whether this should dictate a transfer like the one Alioski was asked to ponder is a matter of opinion. The driver said hed turn it off but I wanted to listen to it. [26] There were further clashes at the airport the day after the game. [23] The violence, which included fans from other English clubs[24] and Turks living in Denmark,[25] lasted for 45 minutes. The morning after Loftus and Speight were killed, Fallows and Stokoe were asked by Ridsdale to visit every hotel where the clubs supporters were staying. One of our security lads had to go with the bus to a compound, some sort of a lock-up. There isnt much that unnerves me but that was quite a scary moment. It was a haunting moment then and it haunts me now. That decision drew much criticism, as well it might. The day after the riots, FA Executive Director David Davies, issued an apology for the violence. Try a week on us. After a while, Andys eldest brother Phil complained of feeling ill and the two of them decided to go back to their hotel. Galatasaray 2 - 1 Fraport TAV Antalyaspor MORE. The Speights were a close family who lived in the Yorkshire village of Farsley, where Kevin Speight was landlord of the Bay Horse pub. Through different eyes and different viewpoints, a picture built up of the disregard and indifference with which they had been treated by those they looked to for help. By 10.30pm some of the rowdiest fans left the James Joyce and joined a crowd outside McDonalds just off Taksim Square. Nicolo Zaniolo signed on a permanent deal MORE. Chelsea 1-0 Leeds LIVE: Blues finally find the breakthrough as Wesley Fofana heads home the opener in the second half in a game Graham Potter really needs to win as Brighton and Aston Villa . The Turkish side are hated by those at Elland Road after two travelling fans were stabbed to. The first I knew of it was when they came out to tell me. 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. They then broke into an apartment building to threaten Kosovan refugees with a knife, mistakenly believing them to be Turkish. Ali Sami Yen was in a league of its own in atmosphere terms, aggressive and ferocious for visiting sides. 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. [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. But in the light of day, the sun hits it and the sparkle lingers. [12] However, there were conflicting reports, with claims that some Galatasaray fans were instigating some of the violence. Speight was with a group of Leeds fans attacked by Turkish locals outside a bar by Istanbuls Taksim Square, sustaining a slash wound to his stomach. [21] This lasted 20 minutes[19] before the Danish police attempted to break up the melee with dogs[22] and tear gas. A few hours later two Leeds supporters, Kevin Speight, 40, and Christopher Loftus, 37, were dead from stab wounds. [48] In 2001, the tribunal ruled in their favour,[49] and ordered Royal Mail to reinstate them. Bits of Istanbul werent in control. galatasaray leeds death We werent talking about Leeds General Infirmary. Speights treatment failed to save him. There were reports that a Galatasaray fan had run to a telephone to call for support when he saw Leeds fans arriving. Can you list the top facts and stats about 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence? I stood there with Eddie Gray, Fallows says. It was our way of making sure the cameras and the world took notice of us.. [40], The Danish police were also criticised for their handling of the riots. By Mr Loftus from a plunging wound to his heart; Mr Speight, a few hours later after receiving a wound the length of his stomach. The atmosphere was electric like, scarily electric. They reported that as one of them tried to give the kiss of life to Mr Loftus, he was set upon. The Football Associations David Davies said playing the game was the least worst option. galatasaray leeds death Fallows is convinced that Galatasaray and the Turkish police made deliberate attempts to rattle and unsettle away teams, forcing players to squeeze through tight lines of officers to gain entry to the ground and admitting thousands of home fans to the stadium hours before kick-off. 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. Soon, they arrived at a flight of steps and a spot which would generate one of the lasting images of the entire tragedy. [16] Dineen was released from hospital later in the day and attended the match as a guest of the Arsenal directors. 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. By the time the match kicked off, the ramifications of two fatal stabbings the previous evening were rapidly sinking in and for those who were closest to it, the images wont fade. The police warned a postponement could cause more trouble. [38], In 2013, Arsenal invited Galatasaray to compete at their annual Emirates Cup tournament. A lot of what the police were doing was pure intimidation, Fallows says. 12/02/2021 . Two lives lost and two lives wasted, for nothing. Alioski defended amid Leeds fans' fury over Galatasaray transfer links A week or so later, we lost 4-0 to Arsenal. 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. They all say no. At the time he said: 'It was a tragic thing in football but we can't live in the past. Their policing of City Hall Square in the days running up to the final was described as "non-existent" by Dineen. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. They will never be forgotten.. And I still blame myself a lot.. In fact, the Leeds United supporters, arriving for the first leg of their Uefa Cup semi-final with Galatasaray, were at first greeted in a way which mostly belied the Welcome to Hell banners which have traditionally greeted English teams there. He sees it now as a necessary shock to the system. Obviously he liked his football too. The Turkish media tried to blame English fans for provoking the violence by being drunk and disrespecting the Turkish flag.