Leeds United fans urged to remember Kevin Speight and Christopher Loftus on 20th anniversary of Istanbul tragedy

TRIBUTE: Floral tributes left at Elland Road in 2000 after the death of Leeds United supporters Kevin Speight and Christopher Loftus, who were killed in Istanbul before a UEFA Cup game against Galatasaray. Pic: Getty.

On Sunday it will be 20 years since the pair travelled into Europe to follow the club they love but did not return home.

They were both fatally stabbed the night before Leeds’ UEFA Cup semi-final first leg against Turkish side Galatasaray in Istanbul.

Kevin was 40 when he died on April 5, 2000 and Christopher 37.

The club’s chief executive said that in the absence of a match and an opportunity to congregate at Elland Road to pay tribute to their fallen fellow Whites, everyone connected to Leeds

United should mark the anniversary of their passing, as they have done every year.

And he encouraged everyone to spare a thought for the bereaved families.

“Importantly, this Sunday sees the 20th anniversary of the tragic deaths of Kevin Speight and Christopher Loftus who died supporting their beloved Leeds United,” said Kinnear.

“I know that the memories of Chris and Kev live on in the hearts of all Leeds United supporters but this weekend, without a game, we should all take a special moment to remember them and the Speight and Loftus families.”

Families and friends of the pair campaigned for years for justice and in 2010 Ali Umi Demir, Ali Baydar, Suleyman Gokhan Guven and Yilmaz Tutush, who were all initially convicted of the murders, lost their appeal and were sent back to prison to serve sentences totaling 28 years and four months.