Istanbul tragedy quite rightly never forgotten by whole family associated with Leeds United - David Prutton

Something as tragic as this will always be remembered and quite rightly so by Leeds fans and hopefully the wider football community, because two young men went to watch a football match and never came back.

On the pitch, this was in the most recent incarnation of Leeds United’s glory days. United were competing at the top end of the Premier League and rubbing shoulders with the best teams in Europe.

The game against Galatasary and the European run should have been reasons to celebrate and savour.

Chris and Kevin travelled over to Turkey to see a team they knew and loved and followed avidly.

It should have been a night and a trip that would be remembered and enthused about in the run up to other games as they continued to watch Leeds throughout their lives.

And the fact that 20 years has gone by in such a quick flash of time does not diminish the pain felt by connecting family and friends nor those of the broader Leeds United family.

It should never, ever happen – fans going to a game and not coming back as result of brutal violence that has absolutely no place in any form of any civilised society.

Leeds were growing as a force in the Premier League at that time and their progress reflected what a wonderful young team they were and the way David O’Leary led them.

But when you look back on it now I think there is a tinge of disappointment that they didn’t build on that promise, that they didn’t go on and win a Premier League or major trophies in that era.

On the field this team entranced and excited. The shadow cast by events in Istanbul 20 years ago scarred this great club, losing two of their own in such tragic circumstances will forever be remembered.

A memorial is right and commemoration is right because incidents like this should never be forgotten and they should hopefully be learnt from by the relevant authorities because no fan should pay the ultimate price of their own life just to follow their football team.

Two decades have passed and people could collectively sit there and say it’s flown by.

But I bet it hasn’t flown by at all for the families of both men or their extended family and friends as they have been left with the huge void where two contented middle aged men should be residing right now.

We should always try and have the bigger picture in mind when we look at football. Obviously you get caught up in the game because it is the same with anything we are extremely passionate about.

That’s just what life is about – indulging your passions and following and engaging in the people, the pastimes and the events that make you feel good and that’s exactly what football is.

Football has correctly paused on lockdown amidst the current global battle against coronavirus and we obviously miss it but we also understand where it fits in that broader spectrum.

The men that went out to Istanbul to watch their club went because they were passionate about their side.

They wanted to go and see Leeds United in Europe and if you were a Leeds fan you would have heard the tales of yesteryear and the tales of the side swaggering around Europe with one of their best teams and doing their utmost to bring silverware home.

It’s something that Chris and Kevin would have wanted to taste first hand but football pales into insignificance when an occasion such as 20 years ago happens and football pales into insignificance in the current climate also, with a reality that we are all sharing, together, right now.

The predominant things that I have been asked about at this time are football and any sane, normal person with an ounce of common sense understands that a football chat within this context is nowhere near as important.

But we all love talking about football, it takes us away, helps us dream, helps to elevate the normal. We are not disregarding the bigger picture and we are not unaware of the bigger picture and how could you not be?

But within this lockdown situation, idle football chat maybe helps us meander through it all with a little less unease and allows us to be a little less afraid of what the future holds.

Tragically, though, nothing will ever bring back those that we have lost – like Chris and Kevin – and it is absolutely right that they will be remembered this weekend and always.