Mark Venus

Mark Venus

Personal information
Full name	Mark Venus
Date of birth	6 April 1967 (1967-04-06) (age 44)
Place of birth	Hartlepool, England
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current club	Middlesbrough (assistant manager)
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)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Mark Venus (born 6 April 1967 in Hartlepool) 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 and Celtic. He is currently assistant manager at Middlesbrough.

Playing career

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. An often unsung player, Venus was noted for his left foot.

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

Venus was hired as Hibernian assistant manager by his former Ipswich Town teammate Tony Mowbray in 2004.^[1] Venus also registered as a player for Hibs, but played in only one match before ending his playing career. He returned to the West Midlands in October 2006 by following Mowbray to West Bromwich Albion.^[1] Their first game in charge was a Black Country derby against Wolves, where Venus had spent the bulk of his playing career.

Venus was appointed Celtic assistant manager on 16 June 2009, again following Mowbray.^[1][2] 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.^[3]

Personal life

Two medals awarded to Venus were stolen during a break-in at his house in the Morningside area of Edinburgh on 29 December 2010.^[4]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Wilson, Mark (17 June 2009). "Mark is from Venus, Tony is from Mars but together they are quite a partnership". Daily Mail. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1193300/Mark-Venus-Tony-Mars-quite-partnership.html. Retrieved 26 October 2010. 
2. ^ [1]
3. ^ "Mowbray Is New Boro Manager". Middlesbrough F.C. official website. http://www.mfc.co.uk/articles/20101026/mowbray-is-new-boro-manager-_70638_2197173. Retrieved 26 October 2010. 
4. ^ "Former footballer Mark Venus has medals stolen". BBC News. 2 January 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-12105365. Retrieved 3 January 2011. 

External links

• Mark Venus career stats at Soccerbase

Persondata
Name	Venus, Mark
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	6 April 1967
Place of birth	Hartlepool, England
Date of death
Place of death