Leeds United: Emotional night with tributes to tragic Leeds fans

Christopher Loftus, one of the United fans who died in Istanbul along with Kevin Speight.

The club will stage a minute’s silence ahead of tonight’s Championship game against Queens Park Rangers in memory of Kevin Speight and Christopher Loftus.

The pair were fatally stabbed on the night before Leeds’ UEFA Cup semi-final first leg away at Galatasaray in April 2000.

Evans, who became United’s head coach in October and is pushing to earn an extension to his short-term contract, said: “It’ll be an emotional night, as it will be for this club every year.

“We’re remembering two loyal, fanatical supporters who never came home from Turkey.

“For Leeds United every game should be about winning, and that goes for the QPR game, but tonight it’s also about unity, about us all being together as a club.”

Teenage goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell is set to make his senior debut for Leeds tonight and Evans said: “The two lads will be looking down on him. They’d want him to do as well as they would if they were sitting in their seats.”