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 Name: Mark Venus
Date of Birth: 06/04/1967
Nationality: English
Birthplace:
Hartlepool
Nickname: Veno
Appointed: Wednesday 18th October 2006
Previous Clubs - Player:
Hartlepool United (Apprentice, March
1985 to June 1985), Leicester
City (September 1985 to March 1988), Wolverhampton
Wanderers (March 1988 to
August 1997), Ipswich Town (August 1997 to July 2003),
Cambridge United (July 2003 to July 2004), Dagenham & Redbridge
(On loan, March 2004 to April 2004).
Previous Clubs - Managerial:
Hibernian
(Assistant Manager 22nd June 2004 - 12th October 2006. Caretaker Manager 12th October to
18th October 2006).
Honours
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Division Four
Champions: 1987/88. Division Three Champions: 1988/89. Division One
Play-Off Semi-Finalists: 1994/95, 1996/97.
Ipswich Town: Division One Play-Off
Semi-Finalists: 1997/98, 1998/99. Division One
Play-Off Winners: 1999/00.
Biography
Mark Venus was born in
Hartlepool on the 6th April 1967. He had a long and
industrious career but most importantly played together
with Tony Mowbray at Portman Road between August 1997
and May 2001 where the two built up a strong partnership
in the Town defence.
Hartlepool United - March
1985 to June 1985
Mark Venus started out as an apprentice
with Hartlepool in March 1985 before moving onto
Leicester City as a professional.
Leicester
City - 1985 -1988
Mark joined
Leicester City on a free transfer on the 8th August 1985
from Hartlepool United. During his spell at the club, Mark made
69 appearances in all competitions netting just once.
Wolverhampton Wanderers - 1988 - 1997
Mark joined Wolverhampton Wanderers for £40,000 on the
23rd March 1988. Whilst at Molineux the cultured
left-footer made in excess of 300 league and cup
appearances
and scored 30 goals in all competitions.
Ipswich Town -1997 - 2003
Mark joined Ipswich Town for £150,000 on the 1st August 1997, but was tagged the 'make
weight' in the sale of Steve Sedgley to Wolves.
This tag was soon removed as he surprised everyone
by adapting so easily to life in the Premiership whilst
becoming one of the fans favourites at Portman Road.
He
made his Town debut away to Queens Park Rangers in a
Division one match on 9th August 1997.
Centre back Venus,
the 2001-02 Ipswich Player of the Year,
made almost 200 appearances in six years at Portman
Road.
Following relegation,
Mark was troubled by niggling injuries for the following
season and featured just 12 times in the first team
before playing his last game for Ipswich Town against
Rotherham United at home in a Nationwide League Division One
game on the 7th December 2002.
The damaged cartilage
then sidelined Venus who opted for surgery in January
after which Ipswich gave him a free transfer and so
joined Alun Armstrong, Nabil Abidallah, James Pullen,
Martijn Reuser and Finidi George on the way out of
Portman Road.
Cambridge United (July 2003 to July 2004)
Venus joined Cambridge
United from Ipswich Town in July 2003 after six
years at Portman Road.
He went on to make 21
appearances during his short spell at the Abby Stadium before Cambridge boss John Taylor
and the vice-chairman Roger Hunt placed him onto the
transfer list to pursue his career elsewhere following a "impromptu and lengthy"
dressing-room debate after losing to Huddersfield Town.
Dagenham & Redbridge - March 2004 - April 2004
Venus joined English Conference side Dagenham &
Redbridge at the Victoria Road in
March 2004 on a months loan from Cambridge United having
not featured for them since January. He went on to make 5
appearances during his brief spell there.
Hibernian - May 2004 - October 2006
Mark was appointed as Hibernian assistant manager
by
former team-mate Tony Mowbray
on
Tuesday 22nd June 2004. Venus was also registered as a
player but only made one appearance for Hibs coming in
their 3-1 away victory over Albion Rovers in the Third
Round of the Scottish League Cup.
He was
appointed caretaker manager on Thursday 12th October
2006 after Tony Mowbray was given permission to speak to
West Bromwich Albion about the vacant managers position
at The Hawthorns.
Mark
Venus and John Park took control of first-team affairs
for the Edinburgh derby at Easter Road on Sunday 15th
October and despite taking a 2 nil lead, Hibs drew with
Hearts 2-2.
West Bromwich Albion - October 2006 - Present
On
Tuesday 17th October Albion played Crystal Palace away
in a 2-0 win after which Venus came onto the pitch
clapped the travelling Baggies fans before the official
club announcement on Wednesday, 18th October 2006, that
Mark Venus was to be reunited with his former Hibs
boss at The Hawthorns as his assistant manager. |
