Terry Venables through the years: Mail Sport’s picture tribute to ‘El Tel’, who won the cup at Spurs and Chelsea, revived the fortunes of Barcelona and took England so close at Euro ’96

• Legendary player and manager Venables has died at the age of 80
• Played for England at schoolboy, youth, amateur, U23 and full international level
• He became known as ‘El Tel’ after leading Barcelona to the league title in 1985

Legendary former player and manager Terry Venables has died at the age of 80.

Venables enjoyed a hugely successful playing career before going on to manage the likes of England, Barcelona and Tottenham.

In January, Mail Sport compiled the below set of images to mark some of his most memorable moments to celebrate his 80th birthday. 

A skilful midfielder, Venables came through the Chelsea academy and made his senior debut in 1960 after winning back-to-back FA Youth Cups. He won promotion back to the First Division after the Blues were relegated in 1962, and scored a penalty in the 1965 League Cup final first leg as Chelsea beat Leicester 3-2 to take the trophy.

Venables signed for Tottenham in 1966, where he won the FA Cup in 1967 – beating former club Chelsea in the final – as well as that year’s Charity Shield. A move to Second-Division QPR followed in 1969 and after five years in west London, Venables moved to Crystal Palace in 1974 before hanging up his boots midway through the season.

Legendary player and manager Terry Venables celebrated his 80th birthday in January

The midfielder made his debut for Chelsea in 1960 before joining Tottenham six years later

The midfielder earned two England caps — in draws with Belgium and the Netherlands — and narrowly missed out on selection for Alf Ramsey’s victorious 1966 World Cup squad. However, Venables does hold the distinction of being the only footballer to represent England at schoolboy, youth, amateur, under 23 and full international levels.

After coaching under Malcolm Allison at Crystal Palace for a season, Venables took over from ‘Big Mal’ in 1976 and guided the Eagles from the Third Division to the top flight in the space of three seasons. He left for second-tier QPR in 1980, took them to the 1982 FA Cup final – where they lost to Spurs – and up to the First Division in 1983.

A fifth-place finish the following season — and a recommendation from Sir Bobby Robson — earned him a move to Barcelona, where he became known as ‘El Tel’. Venables led a star-studded team to the Spanish league title in 1985, their first since 1974, the 1986 Spanish league cup and the Copa del Rey and European Cup finals that season.

Venables became known as ‘El Tel’ after leading Barcelona to the Spanish league title in 1985

Venables with his assistant Allan Harris and striker Steve Archibald at the Nou Camp in 1984

Venables took charge of a Rest of the World XI featuring Diego Maradona at Wembley in 1987

After returning to England with Tottenham in 1987 — where we won the FA Cup and Charity Shield in 1991 before being appointed chief executive of the club — Venables was appointed England manager. He guided the home nation to the semi-finals at Euro 96, where they lost to Germany on penalties but secured their best finish in the tournament since 1968.

Venables was replaced by Glenn Hoddle as England manager after the tournament — having lost just one of his 23 matches in charge of the Three Lions — and went on to manage the Australian national team (1996-98), before a second spell with Crystal Palace (1998-99) and stints at Middlesbrough (2000-01) and Leeds (2002-03), his final managerial post

Tottenham boss Venables holds hands with Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough as they lead out their sides at the 1991 FA Cup final

Venables lost just one of his 23 matches in charge of the Three Lions between 1994 and 1996

Venables has two spells in charge at Crystal Palace and stints at Middlesbrough and Leeds

Venables and his wife Yvette pictured at their 10-room hotel in Alicante, Spain

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