Wikipedia

Mark Venus

Mark Venus (born 6 April 1967) is an English football coach and former player. As a player, he spent the majority of his career with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town. As a coach, he has served as an assistant manager to Tony Mowbray at Hibernian, West Bromwich Albion, Celtic, Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Sunderland and Birmingham City.

Mark Venus
Personal information
Full name Mark Venus[1]
Date of birth (1967-04-06) 6 April 1967 (age 57)[1]
Place of birth Hartlepool,[1] England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1985 Hartlepool United 4 (0)
1985–1988 Leicester City 61 (1)
1988–1997 Wolverhampton Wanderers 287 (7)
1997–2003 Ipswich Town 148 (16)
2003–2004 Cambridge United 21 (0)
2004 → Dagenham & Redbridge (loan) 5 (0)
2004 Hibernian 0 (0)
Total 526 (24)
Managerial career
2006 Hibernian (caretaker)
2013 Middlesbrough (caretaker)
2016 Coventry City (caretaker)
2024 Birmingham City (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

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His career started with his hometown team of Hartlepool United where he signed as a youngster in 1985. After a stay at Leicester City, he signed in 1987 for Wolverhampton Wanderers. Over nearly a decade at Molineux, Venus was an integral part of the club's resurrection after bankruptcy. Playing left back and, occasionally in his preferred position of central defence, Venus helped Wolves to Divisions Four and Three championships.

He joined Ipswich Town in 1997 after being exchanged for Steve Sedgley. With Ipswich Town he won the 1999–2000 First Division play-offs, and then finished 5th in the Premier League, qualifying for the UEFA Cup. Ipswich were relegated in 2001–02, but Venus picked up the club's Player of the Year award. He was given a free transfer by Ipswich Town manager Joe Royle at the end of 2002–03.

Whilst playing for Cambridge United in 2003–04, he fell out with the club and played the rest of that season on loan to Dagenham & Redbridge.

Coaching career

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Venus was hired as Hibernian assistant manager by his former Ipswich Town teammate Tony Mowbray in 2004.[3] Venus also registered as a player for Hibs,[3] but played in only one match before ending his playing career.[citation needed] Their contracts were extended in September 2006.[4]

Venus returned to the West Midlands in October 2006 by following Mowbray to West Bromwich Albion.[5] Their first game in charge was a Black Country derby against Wolves, where Venus had spent the bulk of his playing career.[citation needed] They had their contract extended until June 2011 in February 2008.[5]

Venus was appointed Celtic assistant manager on 16 June 2009, again following Mowbray.[6][7] After Mowbray was sacked as Celtic manager in March 2010, Venus and Peter Grant also left the club.

Venus was appointed assistant manager of Middlesbrough on 26 October 2010, working again with Mowbray.[8] After Mowbray was sacked by Middlesbrough in October 2013, Venus was made caretaker manager.[9] Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson commented that Venus was on the shortlist of candidates to be the next permanent manager.[9] On 25 October he led Middlesbrough to a 4–0 win over Doncaster Rovers.[10] Mark Venus' tenure as caretaker manager came to an end on 13 November when Aitor Karanka was appointed as the new Middlesbrough head coach.[11]

Venus joined Coventry City in June 2015 as technical director.[12] After the resignation of Tony Mowbray on 29 September 2016 he was made caretaker manager.[13][14]

In June 2017, Venus was once again appointed assistant to Mowbray, taking charge of recently relegated League One club Blackburn Rovers.[15] The duo guided the club straight back to the Championship, a 1–0 victory over Doncaster Rovers in April 2018 securing their promotion.[16] The duo departed the club at the end of the 2021–22 season.[17]

In September 2022, he once again reunited with Mowbray, appointed his assistant head coach at Championship club Sunderland.[18] Following Mowbray's sacking in December 2023, Venus also departed the club.[19]

In January 2024, just a month after his Sunderland departure, he was back in football following Mowbray to Birmingham City as assistant manager.[20] After Mowbray temporarily stepped down for medical reasons on 19 February, Venus took over as caretaker,[21] and a month later, when Mowbray took formal medical leave and Gary Rowett came in as interim manager, Venus also took extended leave.[22] Mowbray confirmed in May that he would not be returning ot Birmingham,[23] and Venus left the club on 4 June.[24]

Personal life

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Two medals awarded to Venus were stolen during a break-in at his house in the Morningside area of Edinburgh on 29 December 2010.[25]

Managerial statistics

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As of match played 16 March 2024
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record Ref
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Hibernian (caretaker) Scotland 13 October 2006 16 October 2006 1 0 1 0 2 2 0 000.00 [26]
Middlesbrough (caretaker) England 21 October 2013 13 November 2013 3 1 1 1 6 3 3 033.33 [27]
Coventry City (caretaker) England 29 September 2016 21 December 2016 18 8 2 8 24 27 −3 044.44 [28]
Birmingham City (caretaker) England 19 February 2024 19 March 2024 6 0 1 5 5 11 −6 000.00 [29]
Total 28 9 5 14 37 43 −6 032.14 —

Honours

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Ipswich Town

Individual

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Mark Venus". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  2. ^ Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 210. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
  3. ^ a b "Mowbray adds Venus to Hibs staff". Irish Examiner. 22 June 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  4. ^ "New Hibs deal for manager Mowbray". BBC Sport. 7 September 2006. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Tony Mowbray extends West Bromwich Albion deal". The Times. 11 February 2008. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  6. ^ Murray, Ewan (16 June 2009). "Tony Mowbray confirmed as new manager of Celtic". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Tony Mowbray is new Celtic manager". Archived from the original on 20 June 2009. Retrieved 16 June 2009.
  8. ^ "Mowbray Is New Boro Manager". Middlesbrough F.C. official website. Retrieved 26 October 2010.[permanent dead link‍]
  9. ^ a b "Steve Gibson: Mark Venus on Middlesbrough manager shortlist". BBC Sport. BBC. 25 October 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  10. ^ "Middlesbrough 4-0 Doncaster Rovers". BBC Sport. 25 October 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2020.[permanent dead link‍]
  11. ^ "Aitor Karanka: Middlesbrough name ex-Real Madrid man as boss". BBC News. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  12. ^ Connoll, Nick. "Coventry City FC Staff Profiles". www.ccfc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  13. ^ "Tony Mowbray: Coventry City manager resigns after 18 months in charge". BBC Sport. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  14. ^ "Mark Venus: Coventry City caretaker boss says no time limit to finding the right man". BBC Sport. 5 October 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  15. ^ Sharpe, Rich (2 June 2017). "Blackburn Rovers appoint Mark Venus as assistant to head coach Tony Mowbray". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  16. ^ "Doncaster Rovers 0–1 Blackburn Rovers". BBC Sport. 24 April 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  17. ^ "Mark Venus to leave Rovers role". www.rovers.co.uk. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  18. ^ "Mark Venus signs up". www.safc.com. 4 September 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  19. ^ "Tony Mowbray departs". www.safc.com. 4 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  20. ^ "Tony Mowbray: Birmingham City name ex-Sunderland boss as manager". BBC Sport. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  21. ^ "Tony Mowbray requires medical treatment". Birmingham City F.C. 19 February 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024. Assistant Manager, Mark Venus, will assume temporary responsibility for the team with immediate effect.
  22. ^ "Gary Rowett returns to Birmingham on interim basis as Tony Mowbray takes medical leave of absence". Sky Sports. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  23. ^ "Mowbray steps down as Birmingham City boss". BBC Sport. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  24. ^ "Mark Venus departs Blues". Birmingham City F.C. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  25. ^ "Former footballer Mark Venus has medals stolen". BBC News. 2 January 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  26. ^ "Mark Venus manager details". www.ihibs.co.uk. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  27. ^ "2013–14 Middlesbrough Results". Soccerbase. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  28. ^ "2016–17 Coventry City Fixtures and Results". Soccerbase. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  29. ^ "Birmingham Results 2023/24". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  30. ^ "Ipswich triumph at last". BBC News. 29 May 2000. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  31. ^ "Wolves Hero's Player of the Year". Wolves Hero's. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
  32. ^ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (1999). The 1999–2000 Official PFA Footballers Factfile. Harpenden: Queen Anne Press. p. 352. ISBN 978-1-85291-607-7.
  33. ^ "Veno Player of the Year". TWTD. 29 April 2002. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
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