Former England and Spurs boss Terry Venables dies aged 80

LONDON – Terry Venables, who led Tottenham Hotspur to the 1991 FA Cup and guided England to the European Championship semi-finals in 1996, has died on Nov 25 at the age of 80.

“We are totally devastated by the loss of a wonderful husband and father who passed away peacefully yesterday after a long illness,” his family said in a statement on Nov 26. 

Spurs posted an obituary on their website just before their English Premier League home game against Aston Villa. There was a minute’s applause in honour of Venables ahead of kick-off with their players donning black armbands.

Venables also played for Spurs, Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace, where he started his managerial career in 1976.

After a stint in charge of QPR, he went on to coach Barcelona from 1984 to 1987, during which he won the La Liga title, Copa de La Liga and led the Catalan side to the European Cup final, where they lost to Steaua Bucharest in 1986.

He then returned to London and managed a talented Tottenham side boasting the likes of Gary Lineker, leading them to third spot in the old English First Division in 1989-90 before winning the FA Cup the following season.

After the Three Lions’ Euro 96 campaign ended in the semi-finals where they lost to Germany on penalties, Venables left his post. He later managed Australia, Palace again, Middlesbrough and Leeds United. His last stint was as an assistant to Steve McLaren in the England set-up in 2006-2007.

Lineker, signed by Venables for Barcelona in 1986 and then Tottenham in 1989, wrote on social media platform X that he was devastated to hear of Venables’ death, adding: “He was the best, most innovative coach that I had the privilege and pleasure of playing for.

“He was much more, though, than just a great manager, he was vibrant, he was charming, he was witty, he was a friend. He’ll be hugely missed.”