Terry Venables - R.I.P.

Terry Venables was born in Dagenham on 6th January 1943. He grew up in Bonham Road near another QPR legend Les Allen.

Terry had a lot of personality and has tired many different ventures away from football such as pop singing, an author, a tv scriptwriter, a board game inventor and owner of a West End nightclub.

But Football always came first and it was his Grandfather who encouraged him to take up football and he make England Schoolboy's whilst a trainee at West Ham. He signed for Chelsea after leaving school as an amateur in 1958 before becoming a professional in 1960. He made his league debut against West Ham in 1959 and starred in Tommy Dochertys Chelsea team, which regained its first division status in 1963.

He soon became captain and gained two caps for England becoming the first player to represent England at Schoolboy, youth, amateur, Under 23 and full level. He scored 26 goals in 202 league outings from midfield and he helped Chelsea to win the league cup in 1965 and reach two consecutive FA Cup semi finals before being transfer listed.

In 1966, Terry made the move across London to spurs just weeks after getting married to Christine McCann. His former club Chelsea finally made it to the FA Cup Final but Terrys new club Spurs beat them 2-1 in the 1967 final. Sadly, Terry never received recognition at Spurs as his style of play didn't really suit the Spurs team and he soon left for newly relegated QPR in 1969.

Terry became a midfield inspiration for Rangers as we were FA Cup quarter finalists in 1969-70, won promotion back to the first division in 1972-93 and reached the FA Cup quarter finals again in 1974. Terry was captain at Rangers and was part of one of QPR's most talented teams with Stan Bowles, Dave Thomas, Dave Clement, Ian Gillard, Phill Parkes and Gerry Francis. Venables played a big part both on and off the pitch as his incredible football brain saw him get involved in coaching as well as playing.

Terry was the regular penalty taker scoring 11 times from the spot and managed 22 goals in 206 games before he moved on in a surprise transfer to Crystal Palace. In a strange twist, QPR tried to re sign Venables two months later but failed in their bid.

After just 14 games for Crystal Palace, Malcom Allison invited Terry to become his coach on New Years Eve 1974. It seemed an inevitable progression and in his first full season as coach, Palace reached the FA Cup semi finals.

Terry succeeded Malcom Allison in 1976 as manager and brought in ex QPR team mate Allan Harris as his assistant. His exciting young team won promotion in 1976/77 and won the second division title in 1978/79. It included such future stars as Terry Fenwick, Kenny Sansom, Clive Allen and Tony Sealy.

A disappointing start to the 1980/81 season saw Terry succeed Tommy Docherty as QPR manager in October 1980. This move caused much controversy as Venables backroom staff moved with him.

They included Allan Harris, George Graham and Dave Butler along with players Fenwick, Mike Flanagan, John Burridge, Clive Allen, Gerry Francis and Les Sealy.

Rangers then became the first football league club to lay down a plastic pitch and in another pioneering move he became Managing Director at QPR as chairmen John Gregory saw him as a future owner of the club.

Venables guided QPR to the 1982 FA Cup Final where we lost in a replay to Spurs. The following season saw promotion as champions as Rangers were back on the map as a quality football team.

Venables then saw his team finish in the top five of the first division and earn a place in the UEFA cup but speculation was rife that he was about tot leave the club and in May 1984 he broke Rangers fans hearts when he accepted the job as manager of Barcelona.

A few stats from his time as manager, he left with the highest win percentage of any QPR manager in our history who has managed more than 20 games. He won 49.2% of his games to put into perspective the highest win percentage of any manager since Venables left are Jim Smith and Neil Warnock with 39%. Alec stock is the only manager to come close at 47%.

Simon Stainrod scored the most goals under Venables with 54 whilst Clive Allen scored 47 times for Venables.

It was in Barcelona where he earned the nickname of "El Tel", he led them to their first title win in eleven years and became the first British manager to be named "World Manager of the Year".

The only trophy to evade him was the European up which they lost on penalties. 

His return to England saw his back at Spurs and win the FA Cup before leaving in controversial circumstances.

Venables became England manager in 1994 and after rebuilding the team he left after Euro 96 for unsuccessful spells at Portsmouth, Palace and Australia.

Terry Venables has had an amazing career and his time at QPR both as a player and manager was some of the best of his career and the man known as the "Arthur Daley of the football world" is a true legend from Queens Park Rangers history.

See below his career in numbers as both a player and a manager at Loftus Road,.