galatasaray leeds death

Football is sport here and for many Istanbul residents Galatasaray - who won the league last Sunday - is football. 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. One minute youre coming out of a bar, the next youve got people running to attack you. Confusion reigned. galatasaray leeds death. Will Griffee For Mailonline, BREAKING NEWS: Leeds United legend and all-time record goalscorer Peter Lorimer dies at the age of 74 after long-term illness, just a month on from being moved into a hospice, Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford slams 'dead' VAR after having two costly goals controversially ruled out for offsides this season as he claims the technology has 'killed the game', Marcelo Bielsa insists Leeds can't bank on Premier League safety yet, despite moving 13 points clear of the relegation zone with victory at Fulham, EDDIE GRAY: No one struck the ball like Peter Lorimer we roomed together for 10 years and he was a popular, generous man who will be missed, Michael Vaughan arrives at court for Yorkshire cricket racism hearing, Toronto Raptors post cringe-worthy about why girls run the world, Souness and Robson joke they'd kick players wearing pink boots, Graeme Souness questions Van Dijk's leadership capabilities, Man City manager Pep Guardiola speaks ahead of match against Newcastle, Liverpool v Man United: Jurgen Klopp press conference ahead of match, Daily Mail reporter tests out Formula One training techniques, Raiders star Jordan Rapan is grilled over brutal hit in match, Erik ten Hag ready for 'next step' with Man Utd by beating top four rival Liverpool at Anfield, Liverpool's April visit ticket allocation slashed by 20%, Footballer Danny Simpson talks meeting Ronaldo while on a date, NBA Star Ja Morant holds gun up to his head while at a strip club. The man named as the prime suspect in the killings, a cafe owner named Ali Umit Demir, was arrested by Turkish police within days and he and three other Turks were later convicted in court. Surprise me? Obviously he liked his football too. And there was the time when Speight took him to Elland Road and George, in his infancy, mistakenly cheered when the opposition scored. Sneijder's tweet has since been deleted and the midfielder sent a tweet to an angry fan stating: "Very sorry. Gray remembers OLeary going out of the team hotel to visit a barbers for a shave beforehand. I know bits and bats but it doesnt help me to go over it, he says. 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 shadow of Istanbul is longer for Andy Loftus. Theyd turned on their tellies and it was all over the Turkish news, Fallows says. Im not sure Ive even processed it now. "They were using very bad language," said Abdul Garlad, a manager. From 5pm local time more than 100 Leeds fans had arrived shouting, singing and demanding beer, according to Batu Dedeler, the bar owner. Send any friend a story. According to one witness, a Turkish man was pushed to the ground and smashed his teeth on the pavement. 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. 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. The brother of one of two Leeds United fans killed in Turkey 20 years ago says his death is "still fresh in my memory". Loftus had been stabbed five times and Speight twice. #RIPChrisAndKev. Youre a kid. The city centre was tense but, thanks to a massive police presence, mainly empty. Thats just how the system worked. galatasaray leeds death. 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. For me, it didnt feel real. 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. I could see in their faces how much they were raging, Fallows says. Later in the evening, a group of around 20 Leeds supporters broke off and found their way to the Riddim bar near Taksim Square, the huge expanse in the centre of Istanbul which was filled with places to eat and drink. There was no minutes silence or acknowledgement of the deaths. Then you get your head around whats actually happened. Within minutes, a pitched battle erupted. 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. [17], Throughout the day large numbers of fans, both English and Turkish, were seen throughout the city and at the airport. The police claim he was punched. 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). The Turkish police didnt give a shit about us. Mr Loftus's brother Andy said: "I know it may seem a long time but it's still very much like yesterday really.". 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'. In the early hours of the morning after the death of two Leeds United supporters in Istanbul, Peter Ridsdale met with a delegate from UEFA at one of the citys police stations. Theyd been seeing each other for about six months.. The security guard who was in Turkey with the clubs players and directors is into his 50s and taking it easy after neck surgery. Any time I think about what happened, I ask the same question. Ill hear them saying, Thats Kevin Speights lad and I like that. People know me because of my dad, he says. 2023 BBC. [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. His most recent role as a club manager was at English National League side Barnet, and he is currently a first team coach at Celtic.. As a player, Kewell represented Leeds United, Liverpool, Galatasaray, Melbourne Victory, Al-Gharafa and Melbourne Heart. 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 described the Turkish policing as diabolical and out of control. The day after the riots, FA Executive Director David Davies, issued an apology for the violence. You dont get it.. 2000 fights between English and Turkish football fans. Speight and Loftus were not close friends but knew each other in passing, as travelling football fans do. 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 . Harry Kewell (born 22 September 1978) is an Australian association football coach, manager and former player. Witnesses said he had been bludgeoned by police as he cradled a dying Chris in the street. 11 Feb 02 | Europe Turkish justice moves slowly . 'There were a lot of other clubs out there but this is perfect for me. They didnt care., The Speights were different and left the criminal cases alone. Though the versions of Leeds fans and Turkish witnesses are almost entirely at odds, it appears the trouble started in the city's entertainment district outside the Riddim reggae bar in Buyuk Parmakkapi Street. Anywhere else in Europe, I doubt it would have been played. From my point of view I was only interested in getting that game over and done with as safely as possible. OFFICIAL DONATION CAMPAIGN FOR THE VICTIMS OF EARTHQUAKE MORE. Whether this should dictate a transfer like the one Alioski was asked to ponder is a matter of opinion. George understands why but wishes with hindsight that he had been there. 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. Ridsdale agreed to send his wife and other officials back but instructed a car to take him and Spencer to Taksim Hospital. 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 The bodies were repatriated a few days later, beginning the process of mourning and funerals. On the 20th anniversary of their deaths, he said: "I suffered quite badly after it happened. 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. Galatasaray 3-2 HangiKredi mraniyespor MORE. 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. 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. "They were screaming all sorts of things. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. 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. [39] Later on, British media blame also transferred towards Galatasaray fans. Early relaxation gave way to brutal battle as rivals taunted each other, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. He started shouting for Christopher to wake up. The police were doing nothing to stop them. 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. I can only go on what my mum said, but my dad was nothing like that. Uefa, after consultation with the clubs and the Turkish authorities, wavered but eventually decided to go ahead. Peter Ridsdale, the Leeds chairman, had been dining with directors from Galatasaray when reports of trouble came through. I tried telling Galatasarays staff to get them out. Andy Loftus had flown to watch the match with his brother. It was how away days in Europe played out. 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.. [18] Arsenal fans congregated in nearby bars. 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. One wrote: 'If Alioski goes there, his high regard and reputation with Leeds fans is destroyed!! Ridsdale can visualise it all 21 years on: the lay-out of the hospital, the chaos inside, the panicked confusion. No one meant for it to happen. They reported that as one of them tried to give the kiss of life to Mr Loftus, he was set upon. In its opinion, contesting the game was the least worst option. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 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. UEFA, after a week of consideration, agreed with Leeds. Peter Ridsdale, the Leeds chairman, had been dining with directors from Galatasaray when reports of trouble came through. Shes struggled with it more than I have because shes got nothing there. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. There were reports that a Galatasaray fan had run to a telephone to call for support when he saw Leeds fans arriving. [18] Later, large numbers of Galatasaray fans congregated in Copenhagen's City Hall Square, raising the Turkish flag in the square. His financial record at Leeds was dismal and Leeds never forget about it. Arsenal qualified for the final by defeating French club Lens in their semi-final. Something went wrong, please try again later. It is part of Leeds Uniteds fabric and it will never disappear: the night when football became murder and so many lives were changed. [28] In Turkey, nine people were accidentally shot and injured by Galatasaray fans firing guns in celebration despite police warning them not to. 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. 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 . Ali Umit Demir, was arrested by Turkish police within days and he and three other Turks were later convicted in court. He must have been off his head., Ian Harte, the left-back, is more vivid in describing it. Nicolo Zaniolo signed on a permanent deal MORE. The first the Leeds players heard of the incident in Taksim Square was when phone calls started reaching them in their hotel. 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. After taking stock, he got involved with the cancer charity Candlelighters and helped raise almost 150,000 for local hospital facilities. [29], In all, four people were stabbed during the riots: two English, one Turkish and one Dutch fan. Wed spoken about doing something beforehand, he says. He has a busy job as an electrician and a twinkle in his eye. I was totally speechless, totally shocked. I just said to them, Good luck., Galatasarays reputation went before them. [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. He had travelled to the hospital where injured fans were being treated and arranged payment for a blood transfusion for Kevin Speight, one of the two who died. 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. Andy got a pint at the bar. By Six people were arrested and three Metropolitan Police officers were injured. Disgusting. 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. [17] This came after Arsenal had warned the police before the final that there could be hooligans travelling to Copenhagen. Galatasaray fans entered the area shortly afterwards which precipitated a fight between the two sets of supporters. [44], In the United Kingdom, the Daily Mirror newspaper printed pictures of Arsenal fans alleged to have been part of the violence. 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. [38], In 2013, Arsenal invited Galatasaray to compete at their annual Emirates Cup tournament. 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. .