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Terry Venables will forever be remembered as the manager who oversaw the summer when football came home. The charismatic boss, who has died at the age of 80, enjoyed a colourful and controversial career, the undoubted highlight of which was leading England to within a penalty shoot-out of reaching the final of the European Championship on home soil in 1996. That fixture was his last as the national team’s manager after he left the role to focus on his upcoming court cases, but by the end of the year he was, perhaps typically, combining a new role as Portsmouth chairman with another as Australia coach. That ‘wheeler-dealer’ streak saw Venables court controversy for his dealings outside of football. ‘El Tel’, as he became known during his time in charge of Barcelona, also co-owned and managed Tottenham, and was the subject of allegations of improper business conduct, as well as claims he once paid Brian Clough a bung. The one-time midfielder was born in Dagenham, Essex, on January 6, 1943, and was an only child. Having shown promise as a footballer, he joined Chelsea as an apprentice in 1958 before signing professional terms two years later, and then winning a League Cup winner’s medal in 1965 following a 3-2 victory over Leicester. He had earned his two England caps the previous year in fixtures against Belgium and Holland, having represented his country at schoolboy, youth, amateur and under-23 level. It was his transfer to Tottenham in 1966 that led to his most successful period as a player, during which he won the following year’s FA Cup with a 2-1 victory over his former club. He left Tottenham for QPR in 1969, moving on five years later to Crystal Palace. His talents did not just lie on the pitch, though. During his playing career, Venables co-wrote detective novels, which were later turned into the TV series Hazell about a wise-cracking cockney private eye. It ran for 22 episodes from 1978-79. It proved a significantly bigger hit than one of his early business ideas – the ‘Thingummywig’, a hat with a built-in wig so women could go out without removing their curlers. After one season as a player at Palace he retired and joined the coaching staff and, in 1976, he was promoted into the role that proved his most natural fit – manager. Venables required only one year to lead Palace to promotion from the Third Division and just a further two to secure the Second Division title. In October 1980 he resigned to take over at QPR, leading the second-tier side to the 1982 FA Cup final, which they lost to Tottenham in a replay. The following season he guided them to the Second Division title, while becoming both their major shareholder and managing director. He led QPR to a fifth-placed finish and qualification for the UEFA Cup in the 1983-84 campaign, but in May 1984 he resigned to become manager of Barcelona. He charmed the crowd present at his first match in charge by addressing them in Catalan and, more significantly, in his first season he led the club to their first Spanish league title in 11 years. Venables signed Gary Lineker and Mark Hughes during his time at the Nou Camp, also selling Diego Maradona. However, Barca only finished runners-up in the league during the following two seasons, also losing in the final of the 1986 European Cup as Romanian opponents Steaua Bucharest triumphed on penalties after a goalless draw. His dismissal in September 1987 was followed by his appointment as Tottenham manager in October. He brought Paul Gascoigne to the club and linked up with Lineker again. Venables led Spurs to 1991 FA Cup glory with a 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest in the final, although the match was overshadowed by Gascoigne’s cruciate ligament injury. When Venables and Alan Sugar won the takeover battle for the club that June, he was also appointed chief executive, but his relationship with the then chairman gradually broke down. In 1993 Sugar sacked him, and later that year the BBC’s Panorama programme alleged misdealings connected with Venables’ businesses, which he responded to by threatening libel action. Despite any damage to his reputation, in January 1994 he was appointed England manager, and his first fixture in charge came two months later when they defeated Denmark 1-0 at Wembley. That August, police also dropped their inquiry into allegations he paid Clough a £50,000 bung to arrange a player transfer. In January 1996 Venables revealed he would resign as England manager after that year’s European Championship to focus on pending court cases, but the imminent conclusion to his reign could not take the gloss off what so nearly became such a glorious summer for the hosts. With Arsenal’s Tony Adams as his captain at the heart of defence, Alan Shearer in form up front and a rejuvenated Gascoigne pulling the strings in midfield, they progressed to the knockout stages following a 4-1 thumping of Holland that still ranks as one of England’s finest performances. Venables’ use of the ‘Christmas Tree’ formation was considered instrumental to their success, which also included a penalty shoot-out victory over Spain in the quarter-finals. England produced another memorable display in the semi-final, only to lose on penalties to eventual winners Germany. Despite the cruel nature of the defeat and the fact it proved his final match as England manager, he later described that summer as the “best time of my life”. That July, Venables made an unexpected return to the sport as Portsmouth’s director of football and by November he had been appointed Australia manager, also becoming Portsmouth chairman, having bought the club for £1. In January 1998 he stepped down from his role of chairman and also agreed to a High Court order banning him from holding company directorships for seven years. His return to Palace as manager that April was short-lived, but he was recruited again, this time by struggling Middlesbrough, in December 2000. Having left after leading them to Premier League survival, in July 2002 he returned for one last job in club management, this time at financially-troubled Leeds. The sale of key players including Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler and Jonathan Woodgate contributed to their plight and in March, as the threat of relegation loomed, he was sacked again. Venables surprisingly returned to the England set-up as new manager Steve McClaren’s assistant in the summer of 2006. Failure to qualify for Euro 2008 saw them dismissed in November 2007. Having speculated in clubs and property, his final business venture began in 2014 when he opened a boutique hotel and restaurant with wife Yvette in Penaguila, Spain. Venables, who died on Saturday, is survived by his wife and daughters Tracey and Nancy. Read More Jurgen Klopp hails ‘super influential’ Trent Alexander-Arnold after Man City draw On This Day in 2020: Gunners have a good night against Rapid Vienna Erik ten Hag: Schedule has already crossed limits of what players can handle Mikel Arteta hails Aaron Ramsdale despite errors in Arsenal’s win over Brentford Novak Djokovic handed ‘bitter’ end to season as Jannik Sinner stuns Serbia We have to be better – Brendan Rodgers says Celtic’s penalty record must improve

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Yaya Toure is one day targeting a top managerial job in the Premier League after taking the next step in his career by becoming assistant coach at Standard Liege. The 40-year-old, who lit up the top league as a player with Manchester City, has joined Carl Hoefkens’ staff at the Belgian club after a spell coaching Tottenham Under-16s. Toure enjoyed his time at Hotspur Way, admitting he would one day love to return there, but felt the time was right to go and coach first-team football. He is happy to learn from his boss Hoefkens but has desires to become a manager in the future. “One hundred per cent, that is my plan and idea.” he told the PA news agency. “For me I have to go step after step, I am on a learning journey. “I am very open to everything, just carrying on what I am doing. “Why not the Premier League? I don’t know how long it is going to take, maybe sooner or later, for me I am always open for it. “I know it’s going to be a big challenge and coaches’ jobs are becoming tougher and tougher. You see coaches surviving for a maximum four or five months. “That is what it is now, that is the reality. “For me, I am quite patient and I have to take my steps very carefully and in the right manner. That’s why I am going to Belgium because I want to learn from top coaches like Carl, who has huge experience.” Toure, who previously held positions at Ukrainian side Olimpik Donetsk and Russian team Akhmat Grozny, has not ruled out the possibility of one day returning to Spurs. “Tottenham did not stand in my way and they let me go and I think that was brilliant,” he added. “I would love to carry on in Tottenham because my belief and development was to try to work with the grown men. “If the opportunity to go back was there then why not, because what Tottenham did for me was incredible, they allowed me to work there and develop as a coach and for what they did for me I will never be able to thank them enough. “They opened the door for me and allowed me to express myself in the right manner and do the things I wanted to do. “That is a real positive for me. Of course at the end of the day I move on but Tottenham is always going to be a great club and one that will always mean something to me.” Toure will first put his coaching skills to use on the launch of Amazon’s Prime Day, as a Prime customer can buy a private coaching session for them and three friends. He added: “The experience will be unmissable. For me it is very positive and I think this idea with Amazon is great. “It is important we share experiences and talk to them about football and show them inside it and an understanding of it.” ::Yaya Toure will give one lucky Prime customer and their three friends a football training session to learn perfect delivery this Prime Day. Prime Members should check out www.amazon.co.uk/primeexperiences throughout July 11 and 12 to purchase. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Faye White reflects on ‘soul destroying’ lack of media attention after Euro 2009 England forward Beth Mead admits missing World Cup ‘a tough pill to swallow’ Wales coach Warren Gatland calls up Taine Plumtree to World Cup training squad

Brentford scored three second-half goals to edge an important Premier League victory over Luton at Gtech Community Stadium. Neal Maupay opened the scoring and Ben Mee added a second soon after. Although Luton’s Jacob Brown pulled a goal back, Shandon Baptiste sealed a 3-1 success for Thomas Frank’s men with nine minutes remaining. However, the Bees’ injury troubles worsened when Kristoffer Ajer picked up a knock in the warm-up, with Saman Ghoddos replacing him. The hosts lacked any edge to their play in the first half as they struggled to play without midfield operator Mathias Jensen, who remained sidelined with an abductor injury. Luton’s absent Alfie Doughty, who picked up a hip injury in the week, was replaced by centre-back Amari’i Bell, who slotted in as a makeshift left-wing back. In the early stages of the contest, Bryan Mbeumo beat Jamaica international Bell on the outside, before his deft cross was dealt with by Luton’s tight defence. Neither side registered a shot on target inside the first half hour, although Yehor Yarmoliuk came close for the hosts. The midfielder’s close-range effort took a heavy deflection off Carlton Morris before the ball narrowly missed the inside of Thomas Kaminski’s post and went out for a corner. The Bees gained momentum from this and Mbeumo was in the thick of things again in the 37th minute. The attacker glided past his marker, driving inside, before producing a whipped curling shot which narrowly missed the target. The six-goal man was Brentford’s only real outlet in the first half and his neat flicks and feints opened opportunities up for attack partner Yoane Wissa, who tested Kaminski moments later. The home side came out for the second half strongly and broke the deadlock in the 49th minute. The pacey Wissa took up a dangerous position on the left and sent a testing cross into the box. The ball cannoned off Gabriel Osho and into the path of the alert Maupay, who opened the scoring. Frank’s half-time wisdom paid dividends for the west Londoners and they doubled their lead in the 56th minute through Mee. Mbeumo’s corner found the head of the rising central defender, whose effort deflected off Morris and into Kaminski’s net. Luton had paid the price for an erratic opening 10 minutes of the second half, as their defensive structure and organisation abandoned them.However, Rob Edwards’ team sought a way back and Brown, who helped them to a first home win of the season last week, came off the bench to make it 2-1 in the 76th minute. A week after his 83rd-minute winner against Crystal Palace, Brown cut through the middle of the Brentford backline and shot powerfully into the bottom corner of Mark Flekken’s goal. However, in keeping with the Hatters’ day, a series of mishaps led to Brentford sealing the win five minutes later. The ball pinballed around Luton’s penalty box and no defender managed to clear their lines before a poor parried save from Kaminski gifted Baptiste with an easy tap-in to round off the scoring. Read More Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard fire Arsenal four points clear at PL summit Five-star Burnley crush Sheffield United at Turf Moor Ronnie O’Sullivan out to ‘ruin careers’ of trophy rivals after reaching UK final Bristol blow Gloucester away for derby delight Police charge more than 40 away fans after major disorder outside Villa Park ‘We never lost trust’: Sarina Wiegman remained confident of England comeback

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