Kewell's open letter to Leeds fans
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23985783-23215,00.html
HARRY Kewell has written an open letter to Leeds United fans in a desperate attempt to quell their anger over his move to Turkish club Galatasaray.
The Australia star revealed late last week he had signed with the Istanbul-based team on a two-year deal as a free agent after his contract at Liverpool expired in May.
But his move angered many supporters at his former club Leeds, whose fans Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight were stabbed to death by Turkish hooligans on the eve of the UEFA Cup semi-final first leg against Galatasaray in 2000.
Kewell insisted he maintained strong feelings towards Leeds and said he had chosen his new number at Galatasaray as a mark of respect for his former club.
"My love and respect for Leeds United FC and what the club has done for me will never change, no matter what anyone says about me and whatever their motives are," he wrote in a letter issued through Sky Sports in Britain.
"My sense of sorrow and sympathy for the families and friends of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight will always be with me.
"I chose the No.19 shirt when I signed for Galatasaray as a sign of respect for Leeds because that was the number I got when I first became a regular member of the Leeds United FC starting XI.
"I felt that it might be a way to demonstrate that I had not forgotten where it all started and I was hoping that in a small way it would help the healing process of the tragedy that occurred on the 5th of April 2000.
Kewell said to blame Galatasaray club for the deaths of the two Leeds fans eight years ago was "simply wrong and discriminatory".
"This is a club founded in 1905 that has a proud history of striving for sporting excellence and it should be given the same respect as any other football club," he wrote.
"I respect everyone's right to have their own opinion on whatever they like, but that does not make their opinion right.
"No one has to agree with my views or my choices, but I think it's only fair and reasonable to allow me and my family to enjoy the same democratic rights as expected by those that have been attacking me over the last few days."
But Kewell's letter has failed to calm concerns about his move among some Leeds supporters, with many sending angry emails to Sky Sports' website.
"Shame on you Harry. As someone who was there and witnessed what happened you really should be ashamed," Craig Higgins said in an email.
Tony Darley added: "For all the fine words HK says, or should I say his agent has wrote (sic) for him, there is one reason and one reason only that he has chosen to join Galatasaray, money."
