'Chris and Kev's families keep their memory alive' — BBC 7/4/25

-

Leeds United fan's voice banner

Adonis Storr

Fan writer

Last weekend marked a milestone in the memories of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight. It has been 25 years since they left to watch Leeds United in the Uefa Cup semi-final first-leg against Galatasaray in Istanbul, and never came home.

The banners unfurled at Leeds' last two games bore the words "25 years" and "Never forgotten".

Both family and friends of Chris and Kev attended a memorial last Thursday to mark the occasion, and spoke movingly. They have always maintained that the rumours that Leeds fans had been the cause of the violence, were completely false.

Chris' brother Andy Loftus told The Daily Telegraph, external: "People don't really understand what happened that night – they always believe the lies that we did something wrong."

In 2004, West Yorkshire coroner David Hinchliff returned verdicts of unlawful killing and found the local police had been "not in control of the situation and ill-prepared" and that the attack had been "pre-planned and orchestrated".

The details of that horrific night, as told by witnesses, never get easier to hear. It is a moment in time that for Leeds fans you just cannot "move on" from.

Some amount of justice was eventually found when four men were sentenced over the killings in 2010. And family, friends and the fanbase have found catharsis in charity fundraisers.

To mark the 10th anniversary, £140,000 was raised for children's cancer charity, the Candlelighters Trust.

The families of Chris and Kev have brought the football community together again to raise a further £25,000 this year – a thousand pounds for each year that has passed.

In a joint statement to mark the occasion the families said: "We cannot change history but what we have done is to keep their memories alive, do good things for great charities in their name and make sure that both Chris and Kev are never forgotten."

Popular posts from this blog

The huge initial fee Leeds are set to receive for Crysencio Summerville’s move to West Ham — Leeds United News 31/7/24

-
Will Butcher West Ham United are closing in on a deal to sign Crysencio Summerville from Leeds United, and Ben Jacobs has shared how much Leeds will receive for the Dutchman. The 22-year-old has been strongly linked with the Elland Road exit door all summer and was targeted as the one big sale Leeds needed to make before the Profit & Sustainability Rules deadline this month. But instead, Leeds sold Archie Gray for £40m to Tottenham. Leeds have since sold five more players in the form of Diego Llorente, Marc Roca, Kris Klaesson and Charlie Cresswell – raking in around £60m in total. But more exits were always likely and Fabrizio Romano reported on Wednesday afternoon that West Ham had agreed personal terms with Summerville, and talks for a fee were ongoing with the Yorkshire side. Now, the story has moved on with multiple sources claiming a deal is done between Leeds and Angus Kinnear’s old club. The Dutchman is expected to sign a five-year at the London Stadium, until Jun...
Read more

Leeds United board break silence after transfer window with statement on upcoming Elland Road development — YEP 2/9/24

-
By Joe Donnohue Leeds United have confirmed supporters' commemorative stones at Elland Road's Centenary Square will be replaced free of charge in a bid to improve their longevity. Beginning next month, Leeds supporters' personalised stones will be replaced with exact replicas, courtesy of a new company, to ensure of a 'much better quality' installation. The work is expected to take around two months to complete. An official club statement confirmed 'three larger stones dedicated to former managers Don Revie, Howard Wilkinson and Marcelo Bielsa' will also be installed, 'similar to those located in Bremner Square', while additional space for supporters to purchase new stones has also been factored into the project. “The club have taken on board recent feedback from supporters on the stones at Centenary Square, and we are really happy that we can now announce that all of the stones will be replaced," chief executive Angus Kinnear confirmed,...
Read more

Leeds United transfer state of play as Whites knock back low bid and assert wing pair stance — YEP 3/7/24

-
By Graham Smyth Leeds United are not actively looking to cash in on Crysencio Summerville and Willy Gnonto and believe any further outgoing transfer business will be done on their terms. The Whites, who sold Archie Gray to Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday for £40m, expect that there will be continued interest in wing pair Summerville and Gnonto as the summer transfer window progresses. Summerville has been a target for Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion but their interest has not yet materialised into a bid. The Albion did, however, send a £30m proposal for Georginio Rutter, which Elland Road chiefs rejected. Rutter is not expected to try and force an exit this summer and appears settled at Leeds after a far more positive second season in English football. The sale of Gray has helped put Leeds into a position where they do not need to sell star players and can dictate any moves that do happen. Club sources say they are not actively looking to sell the likes of Summerville o...
Read more