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. Everything was muddled. You got paid each month and you did this, Andy says, gesturing as if to push a wad of banknotes into a drawer. Without his help, my mum would have been a bit lost, George says. Mr Loftus's brother Andy said: "I know it may seem a long time but it's still very much like yesterday really.". For players and supporters alike, this has become one of the most fraught and difficult venues in Europe. It was only when Gray arrived home that his parents asked if he was OK and told him about the many Rangers fans who had died. Everything about that whole occasion was shocking. He has never spoken about his memories of Turkey before but, like Andy Loftus, says he wants to reflect 20 years on. Will Griffee For Mailonline 'There were a lot of other clubs out there but this is perfect for me. Absolutely amazed and totally stunned. Bouncers guarded the bars from any English fans. Grieving Leeds Faces Galatasaray Rematch : It Is a Matter of Life Or 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. The potential for trouble was as high as anything Id been involved in. Leeds and Galatasaray fans clashed in violent scenes 21 years agoat 21:00 in Istanbul's Taksim Square. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. It is 10 years since he last went to the grave. 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. [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. Send any friend a story. Gray remembers OLeary going out of the team hotel to visit a barbers for a shave beforehand. At the hospital, Ridsdale encountered absolute chaos. 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. Looking at it from where the fans were standing, Id have been as angry as them. They know what he did for us.. Even so, the counterargument holds water. Gray, one of OLearys assistants, tried to focus his attention elsewhere. Leeds fans have reacted furiously to reports that Ezgjan Alioski has agreed to move to Galatasaray. 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). Your choice, the official replied. 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. [7] The ban was supported by UEFA and only 80 tickets were issued to Galatasaray for officials and representatives of the Turkish government. Leeds fans RAGING at Ezgjan Alioski transfer links to Galatasaray We had a coach for the players and a coach for the directors, he says. How can it be that two lads go to watch a football game and dont come back?. Gala is an awful football club and Alioski is an awful footballer. Leeds fans furious as Alioski's move to Galatasaray nears completion For Leedss staff and players, the details of what had occurred in Taksim Square the night before remained sketchy until after full-time. This morning the Dutch international tweeted: "Finally my GalatasaraySK knife set is now available and can be delivered everywhere.". But the Leeds fans do not see it that way. 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 . Nicolo Zaniolo signed on a permanent deal MORE. Galatasaray accused him of trying to gain an unfair sporting advantage. I thought about Graeme Souness running and planting a Galatasaray flag in the middle of the pitch at Fenerbahce. I am just trying to come to terms with the fact that I have seen a dead body for the first time in 10 years. Galatasaray advance to Ziraat Trkiye Kupas . But when it came to Istanbul, he and the club were remarkable in reacting quickly and with compassion. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. They knocked back as much Elfe (lager), Jack Daniels and Bacardi as I could pour.". We tried to keep a lot of the information about what had happened [to Speight and Loftus] from them, rightly or wrongly. The police claim he was punched. SOCCER; Amid Heightened Security, Galatasaray Defeats Leeds Away tickets were limited to 80, which effectively covered only senior Galatasaray officials. The brother of one of two Leeds United fans killed in Turkey 20 years ago says his death is "still fresh in my memory". 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. A few hours later two Leeds supporters, Kevin Speight, 40, and Christopher Loftus, 37, were dead from stab wounds. 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. He started shouting for Christopher to wake up. Surprise me? Can you guess these stars by their unrecognisable FIFA and PES looks? He rushed to Taksim hospital, near where the men were stabbed. ', And: 'Alioski can f*** off, he obviously knows the history between the two clubs.'. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [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. Who really cares?. Twenty Leeds fans, witnesses to the fight, were interviewed. "Maybe they thought they were being funny but to Turks who do not speak good English, it was very offensive.". on the 20th anniversary of the killings in Istanbul. 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. It is unobtrusive and reads simply: In memory of Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight who died tragically in Istanbul, April 5th 2000. Summarize this article for a 10 years old. Galatasaray football player Wesley Sneijder has released a commemorative knife set - on the 15th anniversary of the fatal stabbing of two Leeds fans by Turkish supporters. From my point of view I was only interested in getting that game over and done with as safely as possible. galatasaray leeds death. But he was not and the atmosphere was initially warmer than normal. Anywhere else in Europe, I doubt it would have been played. Send your story ideas to [email protected]. Leeds always kept records of who was travelling and which hotels they were using. 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. It shows all personal information about the players, including age, nationality, contract duration and market value. Something went wrong, please try again later. Galatasaray player apologises to Leeds fans for knife tweet Exclusive: Leeds icon Martyn on 21st anniversary of Galatasaray murders Then you get your head around whats actually happened. In 2014 he was spoken to by a Turkish website, a free man again. You dont take much notice of whats said because youre out there for a beer and a laugh. The Ibrox disaster was a tragedy, an accident, he says. The police did nothing, in fact they were helping them beat us up." It was totally deliberate. The Speights were a close family who lived in the Yorkshire village of Farsley, where Kevin Speight was landlord of the Bay Horse pub. 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. The set of knives, emblazoned with Galatasaray's colours, are produced by Dutch firm Senvi and are available for 22. By then, you knew exactly what had gone on and you knew the severity of it. The way the police and the authorities were with us. For me, it didnt feel real. lisa left eye zodiac sign Search. Leeds have never forgiven Eric Cantona for . 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. I respect the Loftuses for fighting, 100 per cent. They all say no. His brother was following behind us and, quite understandably, he lost it. Witnesses said he had been bludgeoned by police as he cradled a dying Chris in the street. Kewell grew up in Leeds academy and was in the starting line-up for both legs against Galatasaray. They had been a couple since their teens. 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. 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. Matt White tweeted: "Wesley Sneijder tweeting a personalised Galatasaray knife set on the 15th anniversary of the murder of 2 Leeds fans in Istanbul? They thought we were looking for a sporting advantage, which is just incredible. The routine for Andy and others who went abroad with Leeds was always the same: straight to the hotel, straight into town, straight on the beer. Wed spoken about doing something beforehand, he says. Youre a kid. After a while, Andys eldest brother Phil complained of feeling ill and the two of them decided to go back to their hotel. Peter Ridsdale, the Leeds chairman, had been dining with directors from Galatasaray when reports of trouble came through. My mum flicked it straight off again. As a Turkish man is found guilty in Istanbul of murdering two Leeds United fans, the BBC gauges the reaction of local people. A fortnight ago, Ridsdale was voted onto the EFLs board. 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. Istanbul was like no other event he has dealt with. 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 got arrested which was a bad thing but also a good thing. "Kevin had two young children. 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. 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. 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. It's a fantastic city and I'm willing to learn. I dont know if the club encouraged them to do that but you were well aware of objects hitting the shields. There were reports that a Galatasaray fan had run to a telephone to call for support when he saw Leeds fans arriving. For long periods, none of those found guilty spent time behind bars. Welcome to Hell, Galatasaray liked to say. It was a lad from Shipley who I knew, Andy says. CATEGORIES . They then broke into an apartment building to threaten Kosovan refugees with a knife, mistakenly believing them to be Turkish. 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. Soon, they arrived at a flight of steps and a spot which would generate one of the lasting images of the entire tragedy. Galatasaray 2 - 1 Fraport TAV Antalyaspor MORE. Rory Carroll in Istanbul and Martin Wainwright. The plaque on the wall by Elland Roads East Stand says Never Forgotten and Leeds United swore themselves to those words. He was with Darren Loftus, Christopher's brother who had travelled with him, to identify his body. I could see in their faces how much they were raging, Fallows says. 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. They have nothing but good words for Ridsdales conduct and nothing but gratitude for his support. The brothers went to the British Embassy but, in Andys words, found them to be worse than useless. It is regarded as a significant act of betrayal by many fans for a Leeds player to join Galatasaray. "We did amazing business in one hour. Its the most terrified Ive ever been, he says. Spencer interrupted dinner to advise Ridsdale that they should return to the hotel immediately. It makes me proud. Like his father, George has the nickname Spag. 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. Turk admits stabbing murdered Leeds fan | Soccer | The Guardian In the circumstances, it was a total irrelevance and too highly-charged. "Most were kind, but there were five or six really crazy guys. Later in the day, Galatasaray fans occupied City Hall Square before heading towards Arsenal fans in bars nearby. Galatasaray tragedy will stay with Leeds United and Eirik Bakke forever 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. 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. Peter Ridsdale, the chairman who guided Leeds through the tragedy, is approaching 70. Those killed were "attackers", it said. Within an hour of the stabbings in central Istanbul, some of David OLearys squad emerged to speak to him. The bodies were repatriated a few days later, beginning the process of mourning and funerals. 13:02 EST 23 Mar 2021 sauce pizza and wine mac and cheese. The setting was Turkeys biggest city, on the banks of the Bosphorus, and the game was the first leg of a UEFA Cup semi-final. More than a dozen police watched but initially did not intervene. Then a good mate of mine appeared and said thered been a bit of trouble. Andy Loftus had flown to watch the match with his brother. [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. There was a sense of relief to be leaving, he says, but I knew that flying out of Istanbul wasnt the end of it. ", Get the FREE Mirror Football newsletter with the day's key headlines and transfer news straight into your inbox. 2000 UEFA Cup Final riots - Wikipedia He visited his fathers body in the chapel of rest across the road, bringing pictures he had drawn for him with felt tips. And it is far too late to redress that now. Galatasaray away on April 6, 2000; a huge occasion for the club in a football sense, Ridsdale says. I didnt want to do it either. The Turkish side are hated by those at Elland Road after two travelling fans were stabbed to death by Galatasaray supporters prior to the UEFA Cup semi-final in 2000. He has a busy job as an electrician and a twinkle in his eye. 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. The shadow of Istanbul is longer for Andy Loftus. 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. Six people were arrested and three Metropolitan Police officers were injured. At the time he said: 'It was a tragic thing in football but we can't live in the past. [3] Leeds fans had been drinking in bars reportedly taunting local people and Turkish police intervened to stop fights breaking out. How the violence started is unclear. 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. 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. 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. The Football Associations David Davies said playing the game was the least worst option.