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Follow Phil on Twitter @PhilHay_, George and Holly Speight with Peter Ridsdale after their fathers death. Speight arrived soon after and was seen chatting to midfielder Alan Smith as they walked through the breezy foyer at Ataturk Airport. "They came into town to see. For Leedss staff and players, the details of what had occurred in Taksim Square the night before remained sketchy until after full-time. Others that the Turks precipitated it by throwing chairs. They know what he did for us.. Leeds always kept records of who was travelling and which hotels they were using. The driver said hed turn it off but I wanted to listen to it. Ridsdale can visualise it all 21 years on: the lay-out of the hospital, the chaos inside, the panicked confusion. [13], On the Wednesday at 1:00, Galatasaray fans attacked a bar in Strget in Copenhagen, where some Arsenal fans were located. For long periods, none of those found guilty spent time behind bars. I dont think, even to this day, that Galatasaray would see the amount of press coverage or criticism as being fairly labelled against them, Risdale says. Youre a kid. 2000 fights between English and Turkish football fans. 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. 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. 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. But it was common sense. He was seven when Speight died, his sister Holly two. It is 10 years since he last went to the grave. After a long legal process in Turkey, four men were jailed in 2010. When the hospital said they were short of blood supplies, Ridsdale sent his chauffeur off to get more. Ill be careful here but I have to say that I felt uncomfortable welcoming Galatasarays delegates to Elland Road. 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. I dont think a single one of the lads wanted to play that night.. We tried to keep a lot of the information about what had happened [to Speight and Loftus] from them, rightly or wrongly. Ill hear them saying, Thats Kevin Speights lad and I like that. I tried telling Galatasarays staff to get them out. It was how away days in Europe played out. junio 12, 2022. abc news anchors female philadelphia . 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. Andys last memory of Chris is of him rolling his eyes sarcastically and ribbing him for leaving early, in brotherly style. Spencer stepped in and paid with his personal credit card. [45] It later arose that the majority of the people in the photos were either not involved or had been acting in self-defence. They will never be forgotten.. It was completely against your idea of law and order. 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. "Most were kind, but there were five or six really crazy guys. The Turkish media blamed the Leeds fans. Life is good. From my point of view I was only interested in getting that game over and done with as safely as possible. Leeds supporters in Istanbul were told to stay in their hotels. 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. Im not sure Ive even processed it now. Its funny what sticks in your head, he says. Grieving Leeds Faces Galatasaray Rematch : It Is a Matter of Life Or Death, Sometimes. I was amazed, he says. It sunk in quickly once we got home. And there was the time when Speight took him to Elland Road and George, in his infancy, mistakenly cheered when the opposition scored. No question.. 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. The police warned a postponement could cause more trouble. 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. [19] The Danish police then moved in to separate the fans, and moved the Galatasaray fans back towards the square. So Leeds did. Read about our approach to external linking. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 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. Ali Umit . They all say no. [6] Demir was later found guilty of murder and was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, but released in 2004. British fans were outnumbered and chased up side streets. Hed just met a girl. Harry Kewell (born 22 September 1978) is an Australian association football coach, manager and former player. . By 10.30pm some of the rowdiest fans left the James Joyce and joined a crowd outside McDonalds just off Taksim Square. 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. Kewell was quoted after joining Galatasaray as saying that to blame Galatasaray for the tragedy in Istanbul is simply wrong and discriminatory. 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. As. [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. Has to be the biggest DO NOT for any Leeds player!! 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. Fans in nearby bars remained unaware of the violence. Kewell grew up in Leeds academy and was in the starting line-up for both legs against Galatasaray. Four men were arrested and charged with their murders. At this juncture, it should be said that Kewell and Alioski were not identical. My mum struggled massively with it all and she still does now, George says. The security guard who was in Turkey with the clubs players and directors is into his 50s and taking it easy after neck surgery. Within an hour of the stabbings in central Istanbul, some of David OLearys squad emerged to speak to him. Turkish eye-witnesses accused Leeds fans of insulting women, defacing the Turkish flag, urinating in the street and tipping over a car. Peter Ridsdale, the Leeds chairman, had been dining with directors from Galatasaray when reports of trouble came through. "They were using very bad language," said Abdul Garlad, a manager. "It's just a bit of a rollercoaster ride really but we get by," he said. But he didnt make much of it, like it was something of nothing. The stadium is stuck in a state of eerie silence but this Sunday it will do what it always does on April 5 by standing in salute to the two who were lost. The Football Associations David Davies said playing the game was the least worst option. "Once more English hooligans, once more, blood," said the mainstream Hurriyet newspaper. In the first leg it was difficult to say, Lets get out there do it for the two lads because we didnt have the full picture, Gray says. Those killed were "attackers", it said. "Maybe they thought they were being funny but to Turks who do not speak good English, it was very offensive.". Bits of Istanbul werent in control. Leeds and Galatasaray fans clashed in violent scenes 21 years agoat 21:00 in Istanbul's Taksim Square. The Galatasaray fans were later attacked from behind by members of British hooligan firms seeking revenge for the Istanbul stabbings. [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. They had been a couple since their teens. 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. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk. [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". It is his life and his career, much as the option of Galatasaray was incapable of arising without anyone passing comment. [7] The ban was supported by UEFA and only 80 tickets were issued to Galatasaray for officials and representatives of the Turkish government. Jesus. Even so, the counterargument holds water. He rushed to Taksim hospital, near where the men were stabbed. Will Griffee For Mailonline The Loftus family gave up on campaigning for justice in Turkey because they did not think the system cared about them. Fatih Terim, Galatasaray's coach, had whipped up his side's supporters. The first time he went inside to be present, he sat with friends and cried. [3] Leeds fans had been drinking in bars reportedly taunting local people and Turkish police intervened to stop fights breaking out. You dont take much notice of whats said because youre out there for a beer and a laugh. A lot of what the police were doing was pure intimidation, Fallows says. ", Jack Connolly added: "That Wesley Sneijder knife launch is disgusting, scum of the earth.". They reported that as one of them tried to give the kiss of life to Mr Loftus, he was set upon. It makes me proud. Like his father, George has the nickname Spag. Soon, they arrived at a flight of steps and a spot which would generate one of the lasting images of the entire tragedy. The pair were met by angry, upset and bewildered groups. He sees it now as a necessary shock to the system. But where Galatasaray failed, and where Ridsdale specifically felt resentment, was in grasping the scale of the tragedy and in refusing to accept that violence on the streets and a UEFA Cup tie could not be classed as unrelated events once the worst had happened. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. 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. Leeds fans had planned to honour the memories of Speight and Loftus this weekend by holding up photos of the two murdered men at the home game with Blackburn Rovers. Galatasaray away on April 6, 2000; a huge occasion for the club in a football sense, Ridsdale says. Peter Ridsdale, the Leeds chairman, had been dining with directors from Galatasaray when reports of trouble came through. This caused a severe riot in the city square, with several restaurant facilities used by fans to fight each other, with iron bars and knives also being used. Sneijder's tweet has since been deleted and the midfielder sent a tweet to an angry fan stating: "Very sorry. Istanbul was like no other event he has dealt with. Galatasaray 2 - 1 Fraport TAV Antalyaspor MORE. 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 police warned a postponement could cause more trouble. ', By [44], In the United Kingdom, the Daily Mirror newspaper printed pictures of Arsenal fans alleged to have been part of the violence. Football is sport here and for many Istanbul residents Galatasaray - who won the league last Sunday - is football. All he recalls about the incident was being woken up by Susan the following morning and told, as softly as it could be broken, that Speight had died. The complication here is that football has no right to dictate how people manage a grievance that goes so far beyond standard rivalry. "They were screaming all sorts of things. [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. Peter Ridsdale, the chairman who guided Leeds through the tragedy, is approaching 70. George understands why but wishes with hindsight that he had been there. 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. Leeds fans have reacted furiously to reports that Ezgjan Alioski has agreed to move to Galatasaray. By then, you knew exactly what had gone on and you knew the severity of it. 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. I genuinely feared for our lives. [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 getting into trouble, drinking and fighting. [40], The Danish police were also criticised for their handling of the riots. 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). He visited his fathers body in the chapel of rest across the road, bringing pictures he had drawn for him with felt tips. He must have been off his head., Ian Harte, the left-back, is more vivid in describing it. 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. The cause of the fighting which broke out after dark in Istanbul was a subject of fierce contention in the weeks after the stabbings. We had a coach for the players and a coach for the directors, he says. lisa left eye zodiac sign Search. 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. The police claim he was punched. He previously worked for the Yorkshire Evening Post as its chief football writer. "We did amazing business in one hour. ', And: 'Alioski can f*** off, he obviously knows the history between the two clubs.'. Trust us, this is only going to get worse., It didnt go down well, and I got that. I can only go on what my mum said, but my dad was nothing like that. 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. If you ask me now if I made the right or wrong decision by playing it, I still dont know, Ridsdale says. Mr Loftus from a plunging wound to his heart; Mr Speight, a few hours later after receiving a wound the length of his stomach. 2023 BBC. 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. By last night's kick-off, the pools of blood, shattered glass and debris had been cleared away. After taking stock, he got involved with the cancer charity Candlelighters and helped raise almost 150,000 for local hospital facilities. 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. He has never spoken about his memories of Turkey before but, like Andy Loftus, says he wants to reflect 20 years on. 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. 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. Read about our approach to external linking. He described the Turkish policing as diabolical and out of control. (Top photo: Robbie Jay Barratt AMA/Getty Images). According to one witness, a Turkish man was pushed to the ground and smashed his teeth on the pavement.