Profile of Barry Venison on Famous Like Me

Barry Venison (born August 16, 1964 in Consett, England) was a footballer with a distinguished record at the top of the game in the 1980s and 1990s, who later became one of the sport's top pundits.

Venison, who played for England at youth and under-21 level in his early days, started his career in his native north-east with Sunderland and set a record when he became the youngest captain at a Wembley cup final when, aged 20 years and 220 days, he skippered Sunderland against Norwich City in the 1985 League Cup final. Sunderland lost 1-0.

A steady and reliable right full back, Venison decided to seek pastures new when his Sunderland contract neared expiry in 1986 and wrote to every club in English football's top division to ask if they were interested in him. Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish duly offered him a deal, paying Sunderland 250,000 pounds for Venison.

Venison was a League Cup final loser again in his first season at Anfield, when Liverpool were defeated by Arsenal in the 1987 final. However, he was a solid if irregular member of the first team which coasted in style to the League championship in 1988, ultimately losing his place when an on-song Gary Ablett forced Dalglish into reshaping his defence. Venison was also hampered by injury and was unavailable for that season's FA Cup final, which Liverpool lost to Wimbledon.

The next season would see Venison feature in more games but with fewer starts, often named as one of the two permitted substitutes. With his team-mates, he rallied round the bereaved families of the Hillsborough disaster and then played his role as Liverpool reached the final of the FA Cup again. Dalglish brought him on as an extra-time substitute as Liverpool defeated Merseyside rivals Everton 3-2. They later lost the League title in a decider against Arsenal at Anfield after Michael Thomas scored the winner with virtually the last kick of the whole season. Venison was on the bench again.

1990 saw Venison again hampered by injuries but he did enough to earn another League championship medal. He left Liverpool in 1992 to return to the north east with Newcastle United, who were embarking on their return to the top end of English football under Kevin Keegan and Terry McDermott.

Venison was a crucial part of the Newcastle defence which progressed towards challenging for the League under Keegan, who also successfully converted him into a midfield player, though he lost the club captaincy when Keegan's spies spotted him in a wine bar outside of a club curfew. In 1994, aged 30, Venison was picked to represent his country by new coach Terry Venables. The call-up came as a surprise, not least to Venison, but he played well in both of his full international appearances.

As his career reached its twilight years, Venison played for Galatasaray in Turkey, one of many British footballers recruited by coach Graeme Souness (who was, ironically, the manager who let Venison leave Liverpool) and then finished his playing days at Southampton, retiring with an injury at the age of 33.

In retirement, Venison took up punditry for ITV and though he expressed articulate and knowledgeable views on the game, his onscreen performances were overshadowed by his rather flamboyant and garish clothing, combined with a streaked-blonde "mullet" hairstyle which he had sported throughout his playing days. He eventually dressed more soberly for television and had a haircut.

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