General Football Thread

[Colly]

Why has he got an official knife set? That feels a bit absurd.

[Baddar]

Can someone c+p the article here for me please. The Mirror site won't work properly on my phone.

[Matt]

Why would they realise? Stabbings are as common as Sundays in Turkish football. It probably all merges into one sea of violence after a while, especially an incident that happened 15 years ago.

So why the fuck are they merchandising fucking knives at all

[Matt]

Can someone c+p the article here for me please. The Mirror site won't work properly on my phone.

I can't be bothered with the formatting.

Galatasaray's Wesley Sneijder launches knife range - on anniversary of Leeds fans being stabbed to death in Istanbul

04 April 2015 11:18 AM Sam Webb

On April 5 2000 two Leeds fans, Kevin Speight and Christopher Loftus, were stabbed to death before the 2000 Uefa Cup semi-final first leg against Galatasaray in Taksim Square, Istanbul

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Anger: Leeds fans are angry that Galatasaray's Wesley Sneijder has announced a new knife range on the 15th anniversary of the stabbing of two fans in Istanbul

Galatasaray football player Wesley Sneijder has released a commemorative knife set - on the 15th anniversary of the fatal stabbing of two Leeds fans by Turkish supporters.

On April 5 2000 two Leeds fans, Kevin Speight and Christopher Loftus, were stabbed to death before the 2000 Uefa Cup semi-final first leg against Galatasaray in Taksim Square, Istanbul.

This morning the Dutch international tweeted: "Finally my GalatasaraySK knife set is now available and can be delivered everywhere."

The set of knives, emblazoned with Galatasaray's colours, are produced by Dutch firm Senvi and are available for £22.

With CCTV evidence, four men were indicted for murder within a week, including Ali Umit Demir, at whose flat the police found a knife stained with the blood of both victims.

The Turkish media tried to blame English fans for provoking the violence by being drunk and disrespecting the Turkish flag.

Injured fan is taken away after riots between Leeds and Galatasaray fans before match in Turkey

Violence: An injured fan is taken away after riots between Leeds and Galatasaray fans before match in Turkey

Matt White tweeted: "Wesley Sneijder tweeting a personalised Galatasaray knife set on the 15th anniversary of the murder of 2 Leeds fans in Istanbul? Disgusting."

Jack Connolly added: "That Wesley Sneijder knife launch is disgusting, scum of the earth."

Leeds fans had planned to honour the memories of Speight and Loftus this weekend by holding up photos of the two murdered men at the home game with Blackburn Rovers.

In May 2002 Demir, who admitted the stabbings, was sentenced to 15 years in prison with four other men imprisoned for three months each.

Within a year, however, Demir, following an appeal, was a free man after his conviction was quashed and a re-trial ordered.

Riots between Leeds and Galatasaray fans man injured face bleeding

Horror: A fan is escorted away from the violence by a police officer after riots between Leeds and Galatasaray fans

Demir was allowed to undertake national service with the Turkish military before being convicted for a second time in June 2007 and sentenced to 80 months.

The authorities imposed sentences on some of those who had originally escaped justice with Suleyman Gokhan Guven, Ali Baydar and Yilmaz Tutus given ten, six and five years in prison respectively.

Sneijder's tweet has since been deleted and the midfielder sent a tweet to an angry fan stating: "Very sorry. I didn't know this and deleted our promotion for the merchandise kitchen item #respect.

The fan responded: "If you did not know then fair enough but your club certainly did and they should be ashamed of themselves. #RIPChrisAndKev."

[The Lusophone]

Why would they realise? Stabbings are as common as Sundays in Turkish football. It probably all merges into one sea of violence after a while, especially an incident that happened 15 years ago.

So why the fuck are they merchandising fucking knives at all

Because they have an interest in maintaining the Ultras and making money off of them?

[Baddar]

Yeah, I wouldn't place any blame on Sneijder for that, but either way, commemorative knives aren't a common thing, surely?

[Matt]

Why would they realise? Stabbings are as common as Sundays in Turkish football. It probably all merges into one sea of violence after a while, especially an incident that happened 15 years ago.

So why the fuck are they merchandising fucking knives at all

Because they have an interest in maintaining the Ultras and making money off of them?

Okay, you're just flat out trolling. Go away.

[Kaney]

Yeah its pretty horrible taste to do something like that. No point in going down this road, it's not something worth defending.

[brenchill]

Holy shit, that's almost too disgusting to be true. But it is by the looks of it. Awful.

[Lineker]

The Football Conference, comprising the fifth and sixth tiers of English football, is to be renamed as the National League from next season.

The competition has also announced a new logo and a renewed three-year TV broadcasting deal with BT Sport.

Incoming National League chairman Brian Barwick said the new branding would "offer much to our existing partners whilst opening up new opportunities".

Current sponsors Vanarama will continue to lend their name to the competition.

Under the changes the fifth tier of English football, currently the Conference Premier, will officially become the Vanarama National League.

The two divisions of the sixth tier, currently the Conference North and South, will be renamed the Vanarama National League North and the Vanarama National League South.

The League will also have its own TV channel, NLTV, which will focus exclusively on the 68 member clubs across the three divisions.

Outgoing Conference chairman Brian Lee said: "Our announcement around the name change and broadcasting channel excites me and I sincerely hope it excites the football world."

[Kyle]

It's good that non - league football is going to be televised but I wouldn't want to see those ratings.

[Lineker]

Wrong thread.

Edited April 6, 2015 by Jamеs

[Dan]

[MDK]

lol, Braintree won

[lanky316]

It's good that non - league football is going to be televised but I wouldn't want to see those ratings.

It's been televised for years and done okay all things considered. Might be why the contract keeps getting improved.

[Adam]

Yeah, it was televised back when we were in it. Used to have some great Saturday evening games on Sky Sports and then I think it moved to Setanta. Is it on BT now?

I think calling it the National League is good, makes more sense than the "Conference", although I'll struggle not to keep calling it that forever more. Like how my grandad still refers to the Premier League as the "First Division".

[MDK]

I quite like non league football. Seeing a player like Phil McNulty playing makes me think I could have been a footballer.

[Colly]

The BBC Sport guy?

[MDK]

Luton CB. Might have got his name wrong.

[Colly]

Luton aren't non-league. :/