It was our way of making sure the cameras and the world took notice of us.. George has no recollection of his dad leaving for Istanbul or of him saying goodbye. 2023 BBC. 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. When we got to the bottom of the stairs they pulled out a drawer, a bit like a filing cabinet, and Christophers body was there. [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. 13:02 EST 23 Mar 2021 We tried to keep a lot of the information about what had happened [to Speight and Loftus] from them, rightly or wrongly. They have nothing but good words for Ridsdales conduct and nothing but gratitude for his support. Galatasaray supporters, despite everything that had gone on, were pelting the buses and trying to smash the windows. [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. "This was a premeditated attack," said Steve Wilkinson, who suffered knife wounds to one leg and a wound to his hand. Spencer interrupted dinner to advise Ridsdale that they should return to the hotel immediately. And worse things too. The driver said hed turn it off but I wanted to listen to it. 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. [40], The Danish police were also criticised for their handling of the riots. Within an hour of the stabbings in central Istanbul, some of David OLearys squad emerged to speak to him. Its a strange thing but its important to me. When the hospital said they were short of blood supplies, Ridsdale sent his chauffeur off to get more. [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. You got paid each month and you did this, Andy says, gesturing as if to push a wad of banknotes into a drawer. 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. Bitexen Giresunspor 0 - 4 Galatasaray MORE. HONEYTRAP HELL: Watch the moment dad lets two women into flat who seduced and drugged him before stabbing him to death over fake Rolex he'd shown off online, Moment sonic boom 'like a gas explosion' shakes homes as RAF Typhoon aircraft scrambled, Spencer Matthews sparks concern as Finding Michael documentary pulled at 11th hour, Cyclist pavement killer risks losing home as neighbours break silence, BREAKING: Max Verstappen takes Bahrain GP pole as Fernando Alonso gets one over Lewis Hamilton, Defiant Prince Andrew seen smiling amid royal eviction clash with King Charles, BREAKING: Bus carrying 40 schoolchildren plunges down creek in French Alps, Matt Hancock's 41-hour battle to save career after Gina Coladangelo affair revealed, Art Attack legend Neil Buchanan unrecognisable after quitting TV role for rock band, Saturday Kitchen fans in hysterics as guest repeats X-rated word live on BBC, Harry has 'NOTHING TO LOSE' after Frogmore eviction as he prepares for trauma tell-all, Woman, who was over drink-drive limit, dies in crash on way home from work at club, Subscribe to Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror newspapers. They carried beer glasses outside, we couldn't stop them, and others followed." Andy has paid for the plaque to be cleaned a couple of times and it could do with another polish now. 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 led to the two Leeds fans being stabbed. Galatasaray 3-2 HangiKredi mraniyespor MORE. My mum always says the same: Hed gone out there for the football, nothing else. Ill be honest, by the time we were kicking off I had no idea why we were playing. It sounds daft but I dont think I knew how to react. 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. 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. , updated 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. 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. "They were screaming all sorts of things. 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. I dont know if the club encouraged them to do that but you were well aware of objects hitting the shields. zhuri james net worth 2021 / low carb ground beef and spinach recipes / low carb ground beef and spinach recipes 11 Feb 02 | Europe Turkish justice moves slowly . From my point of view I was only interested in getting that game over and done with as safely as possible. Give our social media channels a follow . Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. But it had to be done., In the circumstances, did it surprise Fallows that the game in Istanbul went ahead? Even now I get the feeling that people think we started it, Andy says. Ridsdale agreed to send his wife and other officials back but instructed a car to take him and Spencer to Taksim Hospital. Picture gallery: A black night for football, Fans urged to take steps to raise charity funds at home of Bradford City, Josh Richardson remains in critical condition after Thailand crash, Rob Burrow: Shock as vandals target Leeds Beckett Student Union mural dedicated to Leeds Rhinos legend, New data reveals train commuters spend up to 2450 more a year than car-owning colleagues, Wakey Wines viral TikTok shop owner responds after police drugs raid: All we sell is Prime & WFD sweets, Lonely Leeds man bravely reaches out for friends on Facebook as hundreds offer support and love, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. Jesus. Leeds fans have reacted furiously to reports that Ezgjan Alioski has agreed to move to Galatasaray. 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. Any time I think about what happened, I ask the same question. Its completely different. 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. [2] He was with Darren Loftus, Christopher's brother who had travelled with him, to identify his body. Uefa, after consultation with the clubs and the Turkish authorities, wavered but eventually decided to go ahead. By the time the match kicked off, the ramifications of two fatal stabbings the previous. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. [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. It shows all personal information about the players, including age, nationality, contract duration and market value. Andys last memory of Chris is of him rolling his eyes sarcastically and ribbing him for leaving early, in brotherly style. At this juncture, it should be said that Kewell and Alioski were not identical. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. You ask them one by one if 20 years have helped them process what happened. I got a lot of abuse for that and no wonder. "Once more English hooligans, once more, blood," said the mainstream Hurriyet newspaper. 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. 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. There isnt much that unnerves me but that was quite a scary moment. [39] Later on, British media blame also transferred towards Galatasaray fans. But in the light of day, the sun hits it and the sparkle lingers. 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. 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. 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. The Football Associations David Davies said playing the game was the least worst option. 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. That decision drew much criticism, as well it might. The Galatasaray fans were later attacked from behind by members of British hooligan firms seeking revenge for the Istanbul stabbings. Anywhere else in Europe, I doubt it would have been played. Surprise me? The plaque on the wall by Elland Roads East Stand says Never Forgotten and Leeds United swore themselves to those words. 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. I was getting into trouble, drinking and fighting. The brother of one of two Leeds United fans killed in Turkey 20 years ago says his death is "still fresh in my memory". They then broke into an apartment building to threaten Kosovan refugees with a knife, mistakenly believing them to be Turkish. 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. They stressed as delicately as they could the importance of staying indoors. He can picture the facade as he entered and the floorplan of the area where other injured Leeds fans had congregated; where Speight lay on an operating table, desperate for surgery. Leeds supporters in Istanbul were told to stay in their hotels. When he arrived at the hospital, Darren was in a bed with head injuries. 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. [29], In all, four people were stabbed during the riots: two English, one Turkish and one Dutch fan. Looking at it from where the fans were standing, Id have been as angry as them. 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. As. I didn't know this and deleted our promotion for the merchandise kitchen item #respect. Ridsdale can visualise it all 21 years on: the lay-out of the hospital, the chaos inside, the panicked confusion. [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. The eggs were massive and I was chuffed to bits with mine, he says. 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. He rushed to Taksim hospital, near where the men were stabbed. Can you list the top facts and stats about 2000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence? According to a waiter at a nearby restaurant, the Turkish club's fanatical fans had heard through the grapevine that trouble was brewing. They had been a couple since their teens. Asked shortly afterwards whether he thought the tie would still go ahead, Mr Ridsdale said: "It's too early to say. They will never be forgotten.. George understands why but wishes with hindsight that he had been there. He was on the scene as the club grieved and as much as any other of David OLearys players, he was in a position to fully comprehend both the impact of the killings and Galatasarays response to them. Tributes began to cover the gates and the Billy Bremner Statue at Elland Road. I dont know why.. [41] It was noted by Turkish newspaper, Radikal that cannabis was being freely traded in the city square during the time before the riots, and the police did nothing about it. Fri 7 Apr 2000 20.36 EDT. They ordered us to pump up the volume, so we did," said Mr Dedeler, 24. In Turkey, two supporters were murdered. In the circumstances, it was a total irrelevance and too highly-charged. By 10.30pm some of the rowdiest fans left the James Joyce and joined a crowd outside McDonalds just off Taksim Square. For me, it didnt feel real. 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 first time he went inside to be present, he sat with friends and cried. Wed heard that Istanbul could be a bit dangerous but we never thought anything of it, Andy says. My mum flicked it straight off again. 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). 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 tried telling Galatasarays staff to get them out. I feel everything: anger, sadness. #RIPChrisAndKev. But from 10.30pm local time, any sense of complacency seemed tragically misplaced, as a brutal battle began between Leeds supporters and a group of Turks, with running fights in the streets. Later in the day, Galatasaray fans occupied City Hall Square before heading towards Arsenal fans in bars nearby. Outside, Leeds fans reportedly taunted Turkish men. Send any friend a story. 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. 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. 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. Phil grew up near Edinburgh in Scotland and is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering Leeds United. 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. Gray, a Glaswegian, was in the Celtic end with his wife Linda on the day of the Ibrox disaster in 1971. He sees it now as a necessary shock to the system. It takes a certain amount of nerve to put a foot in both camps, which is doubtless why Harry Kewell was able to do so in 2008 when he left Liverpool for the Ali Sami Yen. 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. My sisters had a word and told me to sort myself out. Those April nights were as close as Leeds will get to it. Nicolo Zaniolo signed on a permanent deal MORE. Early relaxation gave way to brutal battle as rivals taunted each other, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. galatasaray leeds deathashtoreth worship practices. By last night's kick-off, the pools of blood, shattered glass and debris had been cleared away. Shes struggled with it more than I have because shes got nothing there. This morning the Dutch international tweeted: "Finally my GalatasaraySK knife set is now available and can be delivered everywhere.". Your choice, the official replied. Mr Loftus's brother Andy said: "I know it may seem a long time but it's still very much like yesterday really.". He visited his fathers body in the chapel of rest across the road, bringing pictures he had drawn for him with felt tips. 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 . Bits of Istanbul werent in control. He must have been off his head., Ian Harte, the left-back, is more vivid in describing it. He was seven when Speight died, his sister Holly two. He was showered with stickers and sweets gifts from friends who lived locally and Ridsdale, who supported both families throughout, delivered Easter eggs to the house for him and Holly. He started shouting for Christopher to wake up. A few hours later two Leeds supporters, Kevin Speight, 40, and Christopher Loftus, 37, were dead from stab wounds. Convictions were quashed, appeals were repetitive and it is far from clear how much of their respective sentences were served. He previously worked for the Yorkshire Evening Post as its chief football writer. 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. But when it came to Istanbul, he and the club were remarkable in reacting quickly and with compassion. It was obvious that Galatasaray were making no concession for what had taken place, so that was our form of protest. Life is good. The Turkish media blamed the Leeds fans. Galatasaray fans entered the area shortly afterwards which precipitated a fight between the two sets of supporters. junio 12, 2022. abc news anchors female philadelphia . 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. They phoned their parents back home but the media had already informed them of Chriss death. I got arrested which was a bad thing but also a good thing. I think those who arrived later knew what to expect.". 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. More importantly, we needed to find out what state the two lads were in and whether we could help them.. Trust us, this is only going to get worse., It didnt go down well, and I got that. "Kevin had two young children. Ill hear them saying, Thats Kevin Speights lad and I like that. She remarried and shes carried on with her life but its still there, every time you come up to my dads birthday or the anniversary. 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. [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. [38], In 2013, Arsenal invited Galatasaray to compete at their annual Emirates Cup tournament. Welcome to Hell, Galatasaray liked to say. 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. The bodies were repatriated a few days later, beginning the process of mourning and funerals. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. It wasnt a proper A&E unit. They reported that as one of them tried to give the kiss of life to Mr Loftus, he was set upon. The security guard who was in Turkey with the clubs players and directors is into his 50s and taking it easy after neck surgery. His brother was following behind us and, quite understandably, he lost it. 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. When they came back to Elland Road they thought our request for no away fans was inappropriate. Maybe, he says, and his voice tails off. I dont think, even to this day, that Galatasaray would see the amount of press coverage or criticism as being fairly labelled against them, Ridsdale said last year. No question.. Others that the Turks precipitated it by throwing chairs. I cant explain it but I got this weird feeling, he says. 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.
Florida Man September 22, 1998,
Pacybits 18 Mod Apk Unlimited Packs,
Hmong Blessing Ceremony,
Walden Woods Campground,
Airgun Repair And Restoration,
Articles G
