Shocked Leeds United fans due to go on the official club flight to Istanbul today said the match should be called off.

Hundreds of supporters turned up at Leeds/Bradford airport for the Leeds United Travel flight, only to be told it had been cancelled by Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale because of the killing of the two fans in Turkey.

Lee Farrer, of Horsforth, one of 240 fans due to fly out to Istanbul at 7am today, said: "The events of last night are an absolute tragedy that no one can have foreseen.

"The match shouldn't be played, but the fact that it is going ahead means we should go."

Neil Calam, a 35-year-old marketing executive from Leeds, said: "I feel angry that we're not going to be able to see the game but I can see why the decision has been made.

"They may be thinking about our personal safety but we've made that decision already. We knew we were going to a notorious football ground and part of the reason we were travelling with the club was because it was the safest way.

"There is a different level of danger out there. It seems to me they were out to kill." Mr Calam said he would have to watch the match on television for the first time in 25 years of following the club around the world.

He added: "I feel tremendous sympathy for the families of the people who died. It's horrific.

"We believe they should have cancelled the match but if it's going ahead we should have been allowed to go."

By 8am, the airport was clear of any Leeds fans. Leeds chairman Mr Ridsdale told airport officials that on no account should the Air 2000 flight chartered to Istanbul be allowed to leave.

Philip Firth, head of business development at the airport, said although many fans were disappointed they agreed with the safety measure.

He said: "I'm told many of them saw the sense in the decision and we have had no problems whatsoever as they left the airport. We understand some fans have tried to go out to Turkey via Heathrow, Brussels and Amsterdam."

Geophysicist Phil Rennison, 36, originally from Leeds, but now living in Oslo, travelled from Norway to Leeds yesterday to join today's official flight, only to turn up at the airport to find it was cancelled.

He said: "I could have gone direct from Oslo but I felt this was the only safe way to travel.

"I'm so shocked about what's happened. Two people who just wanted to follow their team have lost their lives.

"I've been to all the European away games for the last 15 years and I am disgusted this flight has been cancelled.

"I would hope there are no further incidents in Istanbul - but I fear there will be."

Paul Leveridge, 37, who lives in Morley, and makes kitchen units, said: "It's a tragedy that people have been killed following their team. The use of knives is mental.

"I follow Leeds United everywhere and I'm mad that the flight has been cancelled.

"If the game's on we should be allowed to go. They say it's for our own safety but that should be our choice."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.