Mighty Leeds Weblog

Jesse Marsch, his Leeds United squad and most of those who bowed their heads in silence outside Elland Road could not comprehend the pain and injustice still burning in the friends and families of Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight, but they were united in remembrance. By Graham Smyth The presence of Marsch, his staff and senior players at Tuesday's memorial gathering was important, to show those left suffering by the brutal killings that they are not alone. Even if they did not and cannot ever fully grasp what the victims' loved ones are still feeling, the team wearing the colours to which Chris and Kevin belonged did share, for a moment or two, in the grief. It was a poignant display of unity from start to finish, with wreaths and scarves laid by Liam Cooper and his team-mates before Gareth Senior, a witness to the violence in Istanbul, spoke about the importance of remembrance and truth. What was perhaps most endearing about the squad's appearance was the informal fe...

Leeds United chief executive Angus Kinnear pledges fans Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight will be remembered by club after ‘benchmark’ ceremony Chief executive Angus Kinnear hopes Leeds United have set the benchmark for future commemorations of Kevin Speight and Christopher Loftus after criticisms they did not do enough to mark the anniversary on Saturday. By Stuart Rayner Yesterday was 22 years to the day the Leeds supporters were killed in Istanbul, where they had gone to watch their team play Galatasaray in a UEFA Cup semi-final first leg the following day. Jesse Marsch and his squad attended a ceremony at 2pm, laying wreaths and scarves alongside the plaque commemorating the pair outside Elland Road. In a speech which managed to be humorous, moving and hard-hitting, supporter Gareth Senior expressed outrage more was not done to mark the anniversary when Leeds hosted Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday. In the 22nd minute fans turned their back on the pitch and appl...

Leeds United supporters need no reminders of the tragic injustice suffered by Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight in Istanbul on April 5, 2000. By Graham Smyth In the 22nd minute of Saturday’s Premier League game against Southampton, without an announcement or any official notification on the big screen, Elland Road rose as one, turned their back to the play and sang for two of their own. Today, on the 22nd anniversary, Leeds United will mark what is always a sombre occasion with the laying of wreaths outside the stadium’s East Stand by the first team squad and club officials. The murders, which took place on the eve of Leeds’ UEFA Cup semi-final tie against Galatasaray, shook English football and the anguish felt in Leeds remains real and raw. Friends and family members, the other victims of the senseless violence, will still be hurting today as they pay their own traditional tributes. Anyone connected with the club at the time has their own haunting memories, which come flooding b...