| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mark Venus[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1967-04-06)6 April 1967 (age 58)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Hartlepool,[1] England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | West Bromwich Albion (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) |
| 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 | |||
Mark Venus (born 6 April 1967) is an Englishfootball coach and former player who was the assistant manager ofEFL Championship clubWest Bromwich Albion. As a player, he spent the majority of his career withWolverhampton Wanderers andIpswich Town. As a coach, he has served as assistant toTony Mowbray atHibernian,West Bromwich Albion,Celtic,Middlesbrough,Blackburn,Sunderland andBirmingham City.
His career started with his hometown team ofHartlepool United where he signed as a youngster in 1985. After a stay atLeicester City, he signed in 1987 forWolverhampton Wanderers. Over nearly a decade atMolineux, Venus was an integral part of the club's resurrection after bankruptcy. Playingleft back and, occasionally in his preferred position ofcentral defence, Venus helped Wolves to DivisionsFour andThree championships.
He joinedIpswich Town in 1997 after being exchanged forSteve Sedgley. With Ipswich Town he won the 1999–2000 First Division play-offs, and then finished 5th in thePremier League, qualifying for theUEFA Cup. Ipswich were relegated in 2001–02, but Venus picked up the club's Player of the Year award. He was given afree transfer by Ipswich TownmanagerJoe Royle at the end of 2002–03.
Whilst playing forCambridge United in 2003–04, he fell out with the club and played the rest of that season on loan toDagenham & Redbridge.
Venus was hired asHibernian assistant manager by his former Ipswich Town teammateTony 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 theWest Midlands in October 2006 by following Mowbray toWest Bromwich Albion.[5] Their first game in charge was aBlack 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 appointedCeltic assistant manager on 16 June 2009, again following Mowbray.[6][7] After Mowbray was sacked asCeltic manager in March 2010, Venus andPeter Grant also left the club.
Venus was appointed assistant manager ofMiddlesbrough 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 clubBlackburn Rovers.[15] The duo guided the club straight back to the Championship, a 1–0 victory overDoncaster Rovers in April 2018 securing their promotion.[16] The duo departed the club at the end of the2021–22 season.[17]
In September 2022, he once again reunited with Mowbray, appointed his assistant head coach at Championship clubSunderland.[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 toBirmingham 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 andGary Rowett came in as interim manager, Venus also took extended leave.[22] Mowbray confirmed in May that he would not be returning to Birmingham,[23] and Venus left the club on 4 June.[24]
Two medals awarded to Venus were stolen during a break-in at his house in theMorningside area ofEdinburgh on 29 December 2010.[25]
| 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 | — | |||
Ipswich Town
Individual
Assistant Manager, Mark Venus, will assume temporary responsibility for the team with immediate effect.
