Terry Venables, a talented midfielder, passed away at the age of 80. Born in Dagenham, London, in 1943, Venables attracted attention from top clubs like West Ham and signed as an apprentice for Chelsea.
Venables, initially scouted by the Irons, was discovered by defender Malcolm Allison during a youth courting process. He made his first-team debut for Chelsea in a 1960 First Division defeat against West Ham.
Venables won the FA Youth Cup with Chelsea in 1960 and 1961, becoming a regular starter. He won two England caps in 1964. At 23, he moved to Tottenham Hotspur and passed his FA coaching badges, leading to a three-decade managerial career.
Venables won the FA Cup with Spurs in 1967 and later joined Queens Park Rangers in 1969. He helped Rangers win promotion in 1973 and later joined Crystal Palace in 1974.
In 1976, Venables led Palace to the FA Cup semi-finals, creating a ‘Team of the Eighties’. He later joined Queens Park Rangers, leading them to the 1982 FA Cup final and promotion to the First Division. He was appointed by Barcelona in 1984.
Venables returned to England in 1987, leading Tottenham to the FA Cup in 1991. In 1994, he became England manager, leading them to the semi-finals.
Terry Venables, a former Australian national team manager, managed Crystal Palace, Middlesbrough, Leeds United, and ended his coaching career as an assistant to England manager Steve McClaren. He was a popular media personality and businessman, retiring in 2019 after running a hotel in Spain.
