THE GAFFER

Best-loved boss dies, 80 | Stars hail Euro 96 hero

- ADAM ASPINALL

TERRY Venables shrugs off his lowest moment as a manager to console Gareth Southgate after his penalty miss cost England a final spot in Euro 96.

The emotional scenes at Wembley followed the semi-final defeat to Germany and typified the selfless attitude of one of football's best-loved characters, who has died at the age of 80.

His gesture boosted Southgate's career on the pitch and ingrained in Venables as England boss. the sense of loyalty at all costs to his players, something that singled him out as one of the game's best man-managers with the sharpest footballing brain of his time.

The current national manager led the tributes to his old gaffer, hailing him as "tactically excellent" and a "brilliant man".

CHARISMA

Venables may not have won Euro 96, but he took the Three Lions on an incredible run that lifted the country and gave fans hope after decades of footballing despair, smashing a Holland side containing superstars such as Dennis Bergkamp 4-1 on the way.

It was not just as a player and manager that his charisma won him an army of followers. Venables reached the charts as a singer, was author of detective novels, a night club owner, karaoke club boss and restauranteur.

His grieving family announced the sad news of his death yesterday. They said: "We are totally devastated by the loss of a wonderful husband and father who passed away peacefully yesterday after a long illness."

That was followed by a flood of tributes for "El Tel", whose glittering career included spells as a player with Chelsea, Tottenham and QPR and stints managing Crystal Palace, Spurs, QPR, Barcelona, England and Australia.