Silence, please

The passing of Terry Venables was met with a minute’s silence at Elland Road. Now, I’ve got nothing against El Tel. I don’t dislike him in any way. I thought he was a dreadful appointment for Leeds United when he arrived at the club and so he proved to be but, ultimately, his hands were tied by the incompetence of one Peter Ridsdale. The mess was hardly of Venables’ own making and it’s difficult to see who could have made a better fist of things. But what did he do to deserve a minute’s silence? How do you qualify for one?

Venables was a likeable character with a storied career. Silences at Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur and when England face Brazil at Wembley in a couple of months are fully merited. He left a deep impression at the Camp Nou, White Hart Lane and Wembley. He rode the crest of the wave of England’s Three Lions Summer With Des in ’96 all the way to Gazza’s agonising failure to reach the ball at the back post then Southgate’s penalty calamity. Those were great times (for England fans, at least). It got me thinking about who else might merit the silent treatment pre-kick off at Elland Road following their death.

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