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'Promise of action against tragedy chants must be kept'

BBC Sport's Leeds United 'Fan's voice' banner
[BBC]
Floral tributes at Elland Road in 2000 and Kevin Speight, a victim of fan violence in Istanbul in April 2020
Leeds United fan Kevin Speight (right) was one of two supporters killed in Istanbul in April 2000 [PA Media]

It will be 25 years this April since Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight went to the UEFA Cup semi-final first leg in Istanbul and never came home.

Like all footballing tragedies, it was a loss that transcended rivalries.

Tributes poured in from supporters' groups from across the globe and there was a terrible feeling of loss and anger that reverberated around Elland Road in the days and months after.

Those feelings were compounded by a sense that two of our own had not been protected.

This is one reason why the anger and sadness still lingers on so profoundly.

As a small boy, I couldn't understand why the game still went ahead. Football felt inconsequential.

After Millwall fans turned this tragedy into chanting at Saturday's FA Cup game, statements were made by both clubs condemning the behaviours and promising action.

But despite the various initiatives of individual clubs, the EFL, the FA and broadcasters, tragedy chanting seems to have been met only with statements and thus allowed to proliferate for years.

Lack of meaningful perceived regular action on chants continues to encourage an atmosphere that pushes the line between banter and tragedy chanting.

Until there are meaningful consequences, tragedy chanting will continue. Twenty-five years on from Chris and Kev, it is sad to think that football culture may be regressing.

Leeds fans can only hope that the promises of action are kept.