Candlelighters was formed more than 40 years ago and is a Leeds based charity that specialises in helping and providing support for children and their families through the stages of cancer. The charity was founded and is still run by families of children who have or who have had cancer. The charity is also the chosen charity of Leeds Fans Remembrance, an organisation set up to do a series of fundraising events to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragic deaths of Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight. As of today Candlelighters have benefited from over £100,000 in donations from Leeds Fans Remembrance and we hope to add half the money raised in the Darlington 10km to this growing total.

The Myasthenia Gravis Association is a UK based organisation that became registered as a charity in 1995. The MGA offers support to Myasthenics and their families. Myasthenia Gravis itself is a rare severe muscle weakening disease. The MGA also aims to increase public and medical awareness of the disease and raising funds for research.

This charity has been chosen in memory of Diane Cowan, a lifelong Leeds supporter who sadly passed away last December at the age of 26. Diane was a close friend to many who are taking part in this run and we are running with the full support of her family.

We thank you for your kind donations and hope to raise enough money to make a sizeable donation to both charities.
www.mgauk.org www.darlowhites.co.uk www.candlelighters.org.uk

They are collecting sponsorships in person at Derby home game for those that know them(kop bar at h/t) and also for those that don’t sponsorships can be taken via email at darlowhites@hotmail.co.uk and we’re looking to collect all monies in by the end of september.

Hello All you Lovely Ladies

Firstly I would like to say a massive thank you to each and everyone of you that turned up to the walk.

I’m sorry I wasn’t there to see some of the more sprightly of you finish the event!! I sure you’ll be all pleased to hear I finished with a personnel best of 6 hours!!! hee hee. I definitely feel my age today.

£2945.35

from 28 people, absolutely blooming fantastic. If you didn’t provide a final amount yesterday, could you please send me an email to advise, this will enable me to calculate a total figure from all 64 of you.

Just wanted to say a special round of applause to Jo Mangan, you are an inspiration to us all. xxx

Ÿ         2 PEOPLE TO VISIT SKY STUDIOS TO SIT IN AND VIEW LIVE FILMING OF SOCCER AM - TRANSPORT NOT PROVIDED -

    CHRIS KAMARA

WINNING BID £800 – JOHN MORAN     

Ÿ         SC LEIPZIP V LEEDS UNITED 24/11/1965 INTERNATIONALER MESSE-STADTE-CUP (FAIRS CUP, BOX EMBOSSED WITH ABOVE) OFFICIAL GIFT TO LUFC WHICH IS A COMMERATIVE FREEDOM OF CITY KEY (DOUBLES AS A CORK SCREW!) -

     DAVE COCKER

Ÿ         UIPEST DOZA V LEEDS UNITED 1965 FAIRS CUP QUARTER FINAL OFFICIAL GIFT FROM UIPEST (SMALL CHINA TRINKET PLATE) AND PENNANT, BOXED WITH MR L COCKER LABEL -

     DAVE COCKER

Ÿ         REAL ZARAGOZA V LEEDS UNITED 1965 FAIRS CUP SEMI FINAL OFFICAL MATCH GIFT TO LEEDS UNITED IN ZARAGOZA, SMALL SILVER TRAY , BOXED (VELVET LINED) ENGRAVED REAL ZARAGOZA CD ALONG WITH PRANCING HORSE BADGE -

     DAVE COCKER

WINNING BID £450 – STEVE WHITTAKER

Ÿ         SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE WESTMINSTER CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL, LONDONS NEWEST 5 STAR HOTEL AND WEST END THEATRE TICKETS FOR 2 -  MIKE DANDY & DAVID HAINES

WINNING BID £500 NICK SYKES

Ÿ         SIGNED PICTURES OF GORDON STRACHAN SCORING WINNER AGAINST LEICESTER AND PICTURES OF LEEDS TEAM SIGN BY JACK CHARLTON IN SAME FRAME - NICK MATTHEWS

WINNING BID £350 – KEVIN COWLING

Ÿ         ARTWORK BY CHARLES BRONSON - CHARLES BRONSON

WINNING BID £500 – SALLY KEMP

Ÿ         SIGNED FRAMED PICTURE OF JAMAINE BECKFORD SCORING WINNING GOAL AGAINST MUFC - LEEDS UNITED

WINNING BID £700 – ANDREW DICK

Ÿ         ENGLAND 1966 REPLICA SHIRT SIGNED BY 9 OF THE ‘66 TEAM -

     GWYNE HOLLIS

WINNING BID £950 – NEIL SIBSON

Ÿ         SIMON GRAYSON SIGNED PICTURE CELEBRATING MUFC WIN -

     LEEDS UNITED

WINNING BID £400 – GWYNE HOLLIS

·        LEEDS FANS REMEMBRANCE SHIRT SIGNED BY SIMON GRAYSON 11 - SIMON GRAYSON

WINNING BID £550 – C HINCHCLIFFE

·        SIGNED YORKSHIRE CRICKET BAT –

YORKSHIRE CRICKET MARTIN MOXON

WINNING BID £325 – STEVE OMATSEONE

·        GOLF – 2 BALL ON BRABAZON COURSE –

C&D (LEEDS) PLUMBERS MERCHANTS LTD

WINNING BID £150 – DEAN PETTITT

“LET the Turkish police sort it out. They will do it.” So said Chief Superintendent, Steve Matthews, the morning after two Leeds United supporters had been murdered on the streets of Istanbul.

Such a call for restraint from West Yorkshire Police to the 800 or so fans who had travelled from Yorkshire to the Turkish capital for their club’s first European semi-final in 25 years was understandable as emotions were running high following the killings of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight.

After the horror of the previous night when the two men had been brutally ambushed by local youths brandishing clubs and knives, the priority had to be getting everyone home safely once the now meaningless first leg tie was out of the way. Then, so the theory went, the local police could get to work on finding the assailants and bringing them to justice.

Ten years on, however, and the well-meaning words of Chief Supt Matthews have taken on a hollow ring due to the failings of the Turkish legal system.

Justice has, quite clearly, not been served and, ahead of Monday’s actual anniversary, appears to be as far away as ever.

To recap, chief suspect Ali Umit Demir - one of 13 arrested on the night of the killings - remains free despite twice being convicted by the courts and forensics proving a knife belonging to him had the blood of both victims on it.

He was initially jailed for 15 years in 2002 only for the conviction to be later quashed and a re-trial ordered.

Five years later and after interminable delays, Demir was again found guilty of fatally stabbing the two Leeds supporters but was jailed for just six years and eight months after the three judges insisted three mitigating factors be taken into account. Namely, his good behaviour since the killing, more than one person being involved in the attacks and that the assailants had been provoked on the night.

Wild accusations about the behaviour of the United fans had begun circulating within hours of the deaths, including suggestions the Turkish flag had been disrespected and local women abused. All were vehemently denied by those involved, claims that were backed up at the 2004 inquest in Leeds when a West Yorkshire Police officer on duty that night clearly stated the ambush had been planned.

Despite that, the Turkish courts refuse to accept provocation was not a factor in the violence - hence Demir’s reduced sentence in 2007. His subsequent appeal - and release pending a date being set - means the Loftus and Speight families approach the 10-year anniversary still waiting for justice.

To their immense credit, they are determined to mark April 5 this year in a positive way by raising £100,000 for Leeds charity, Candlelighters. A host of events have been staged throughout the past 12 months, including a charity game involving United manager Simon Grayson, while a fundraising dinner is being held at Elland Road after tomorrow’s meeting with Swindon Town.

Perhaps more pertinently for the expected 25,000 crowd, a bucket collection for the charity that helps the family of child cancer sufferers is being held before the game.

This column fervently hopes supporters will forsake that final pre-match pint, or maybe even their usual half-time pie, and instead chuck a few coins into the buckets in memory of Chris and Kevin.

The focus will then switch to the actual anniversary, which sees Leeds travel to Yeovil Town for a lunchtime kick-off that will be shown live on Sky Television.

Those travelling to Huish Park are being asked to repeat the moving tribute of 10 years ago when the visiting fans inside Galatasaray’s Ali Sami Yen Stadium turned their back on the game for two minutes, part in tribute to the two men and part in disgust after the home team had opted not to stage a minute’s silence or wear black armbands.

A repeat at Yeovil on Monday in front of a live audience would not only be a sign of respect to Kevin Speight and Christopher Loftus, it will also hopefully serve as a timely reminder that there is still a long way to go before justice is finally served for one of football’s blackest nights.

IT seemed just like any other European away game as the visitors from Yorkshire mingled happily with tourists and commuters in the city’s main square.

Already that season, Leeds United had travelled to Heerenveen, Moscow, Sofia, Rome and Prague as David O’Leary’s exciting young side cut a swathe through the UEFA Cup.

A trip to Istanbul and the notorious Ali Sami Yen Stadium was not one for the faint-hearted, as supporters of Manchester United and Chelsea had found to their cost when watching their respective teams take on Galatasaray in the recent past.

But, even so, early impressions from the 800 Leeds fans in the Turkish capital ahead of the following day’s semi-final first leg tie had been favourable as small groups of friends moved from bar to bar in relaxed mood.

Among one such group in Taksim Square were Christopher Loftus, a 35-year-old fibre optics engineer from Burmantofts in Leeds, and pub landlord Kevin Speight, 40. The pair had followed United across Europe throughout the season and were excited about the game, the first time the club had been in the last four of a European competition in 25 years.

Speight, a father-of-two who ran the Bay Horse pub in Farsley with wife Susan, had even enjoyed a chat with Alan Smith a few hours earlier at Ataturk Airport after their respective flights had touched down at a similar time.

Tragically, as the Rothwell-born young striker watched from the bench the following night as Galatasaray triumphed 2-0, the bodies of both Loftus and Speight were being flown back to England after an attack so brutal and horrific that it stunned English football to the core.

Ten years on - the anniversary is on Monday when United fans plan to stage their own gesture of support at Yeovil Town in front of the live Sky cameras - the memories burn as bright as ever for the families and those who were there that fateful night.

Andy Loftus was one of four brothers who made the trip to Istanbul along with Chris, Darren and Philip. Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, the 39-year-old recalls: “After arriving at the hotel, we got taxis down to Taksim Square and ended up in a pub where we had a couple of beers before moving on to a place called the Reggae Bar.

“It was quite full and, at that point, some Galatsaray fans started to arrive at the bottom of the street. Words were said so we decided to move on and find somewhere quieter to watch that night’s Champions League match. At the most, there were 25 of us left.

“We went into another bar, not knowing we were being followed by the shoe-shine boys that work in Taksim Square. We found out later they were the ones carrying the knives that were used in the attack.”

Inside the Han Cafe, the group continued to enjoy the evening until Andy decided to head back to the hotel because his brother Philip was feeling unwell. A few minutes later, others started to do the same and it was then that the horror began as locals, armed with clubs and knives, launched an unprovoked and vicious assault that, eye-witnesses would later claim, was akin to ‘wave upon wave of attacks’.

News footage beamed around the world in the hours that followed the attack showed the true ferocity of what had happened, a point underlined at the subsequent inquest when one of the English policemen on duty that night told Leeds Corner’s Court: “It was frightening. In 15 years doing this job, I’ve never felt so frightened.”

Andy Loftus recalls: “I had only been back in the hotel bar for a short while when news came through that there had been some trouble and I just had this bad feeling about it.

“I went back to the Square, where I was ushered to the hospital. I was told what happened and couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“The Turkish police were no help, at all. As Chris was laid on the floor, my brother Darren was cradling him and they (the police) just came up and battered him.

“I found Daz in the hospital, he was on one of the beds with his head stitched up. A few of the others were badly injured as well but the Turks wouldn’t treat anyone until credit cards were produced. That was one of the things with Kevin, they wouldn’t treat him until money was produced.”

By now, United chairman Peter Ridsdale had arrived at the hospital after leaving a pre-match dinner for club officials immediately on hearing about the trouble. He was present when the two men were pronounced dead.

As news of the killings broke in the early hours of the morning back in Leeds, Turkish police were quick to announce a chief suspect was already in custody. However, even as the name of Ali Umit Demir - one of 13 arrested Turks in the aftermath of the trouble - was being handed to the media, a sinister turn-of-events was taking place as wildly inaccurate stories about the clashes began circulating in Istanbul .

The violence had been provoked, claimed the local rumour mill. The English had disrespected the Turkish flag and abused local women. The fans in question were all banned and did not have tickets, a lie repeated by Galatasaray’s director of football, Mete Razlikli. Leeds United moved quickly to refute the latter.

Andy Loftus said: “The slurs started straight away. None of what the Turks later claimed actually happened, including the abusing of any women or, most ridiculously of all, a car being overturned. It was all lies..

“At the inquest (in England), the police confirmed we had not done anything to provoke them.”

Despite the protests of the English in Taksim Square that night and the evidence of West Yorkshire Police at the 2004 inquest, the accusations about the Turks being provoked continue to this day.

Chief suspect Demir was jailed for 15 years in 2002 but his conviction was later quashed and a re-trial ordered. In 2007, he was again found guilty of fatally stabbing the two Leeds supporters but sentenced to only six years and eight months after the Istanbul judges took into account three factors - his good behaviour since the killing, more than one person being involved in the attacks and that the assailants had been provoked.

Demir immediately appealed and was released, pending a date being set. He remains free and with no sight of the appeal getting underway soon, it means both families are still waiting for closure 10 years on from the tragic events of April 5, 2000.

Christopher Loftus’ sister Pamela said: “Nothing has happened at all. There has been no update and no information for the family.

“We want a conclusion to the trial as it will help us move forward with our lives. At the moment, we are getting passed around and no-one will give us the truth.

“Something like this never leaves you. We are a very private family so talking so publicly is not something we are comfortable doing. But we want justice for Chris.”

richard.sutcliffe@ypn.co.uk

ends

FACTBOX

To mark the 10th anniversary, the families of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight have launched an appeal to raise £100,000 for the Leeds cancer charity, Candlelighters. All manner of events have been held in recent months, including a charity game involving United manager Simon Grayson, and organisers hope to reach the target today when a bucket collection will be held at Elland Road ahead of the Swindon Town game along with a fundraising dinner tonight. Details of the appeal and how to help in the on-going fight for justice can be obtained at www.leedsfansremembrance.com

We managed to raise an amazing  £5334.44

I will then auction the items and any successfull bids will be contacted next week.

The Tenth Anniversary of the Murder of Leeds United Football Fans, Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight

After being contacted by the family of Christopher Loftus , Leeds North East MP, Fabian Hamilton, has written to the Foreign Secretary David Miliband and the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire, Sir Norman Bettison, to draw their attention to the fact that ten years after the unprovoked attacks on Leeds United fans Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight in Istanbul on 5th April 2000 which resulted in the deaths of the two Leeds supporters, nobody has yet been brought to justice for the murders.

Fabian Hamilton has also tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) to draw the attention of fellow MPs and the Government to the fact that the murderers have so far gone unpunished and that the Foreign Office has not continued to pursue the Turkish authorities to press for those accused of the crimes to face a full trial.

Fabian will meet members of the Loftus and Speight families by the plaque at Leeds United’s stadium on Elland Road, Leeds at 10.45am on Monday 5th April to commemorate their relatives and press our Government and the Police to do more to see that justice is done.

ENDS

For further information see the website:

Contact Gerry Harper on 07790 277757 or 0113 2496600

Early Day Motion

Tenth Anniversary of the murder of Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight

http://www.lufctalk.com/chris-kevin-leeds-fans-remembered/# or http://www.leedsfansremembrance.com/hello-world/

If you would like to know more about early day motions then please visit this site

http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/business/edms.cfm

If anyone has any that i have missed then please could you let me know.