Liverpool fans may remember Barry Venison. Full story here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_VenisonI've only extracted the bit about what he did after playing.
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In retirement, Venison took up punditry for Sky Sports before moving to ITV and though he expressed articulate and knowledgeable views on the game, his on-screen 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 also popularised the phrase "It's just one man's opinion", before he eventually dressed more soberly for television and had a haircut. He later revealed he had rejected a TV role as lead reporter for a new show entitled Mullet Hunter.
Whilst still playing, Venison starter up an internet business called Bid4sport.com which he is still involved with. Bid4sport is an auction site dedicated to memorabilia that has been signed by professional sports-stars from all walks of life, such as Muhammed Ali, Ronaldinho, Paul Gascoigne and the England 1966 World Cup winning side. Not only does the site cater for the sports fan it also supplies celebrity signatures from the world of film, television and stage. All the funds raised from the auction site are donated to children's charities; bid4sport has donated tens of thousands of pounds to several worthy causes.
Venison now resides in Southern California with his family.
My focus shall be on less 'glamorous' footballers.
Added on April 21, 2007, 3:55 pmFormer Liverpool left-back,
Nicky Tanner. I bet most fans won't have remembered him.
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Birthdate: 24.05.1965
Birthplace: Bristol, England
Other clubs: Bristol Rovers, Norwich (loan), Swindon (loan)
Bought from: Bristol Rovers
Signed for LFC: £20000 01.08.1988
International debut:
International caps:
Liverpool debut: 02.12.1989
Debut goal: 28.12.1991
Contract expiry: March 1993
LFC league games/goals: 40 / 1
Total LFC games/goals: 59 / 1
A player brought from the lower leagues who enjoyed a fairytale spell by his standards in Liverpool's first team three years after joining Liverpool. He was hardly considered a classy player but an injury-struck Souness team needed some cover and Tanner performed to the best of his limited ability. When more defenders became available again, his time in the sun was over. He was loaned out to Swindon in the 1990/91 season but a persistent back problem forced him into early retirement in 1994.
Since retiring, Tanner has been a coach and/or scout at a series of non-league clubs.
Added on April 21, 2007, 3:58 pmAnyone remember 'Rocket Ronnie'? Liverpool's very own super sub.
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Born and raised in Haifa, Israel, he soon joined the local club, Maccabi Haifa. He started playing for the club at the age of 11 in the junior team. At the age of 16, he was promoted to the senior squad for a match as a substitute and grabbed the opportunity with both legs, scoring twice. After that showing, he remained in the senior squad and was also selected for the Israeli junior national team.
At 1982, English coach Jack Mansell tried to force Rosenthal's way out of the club on a free transfer. He assumed that "He will never be a player" and that he was the weakest link of the team. Mansell didn't let Rosenthal to dress as a replacement. Luckily for Rosenthal, the transfer was irrupted by 'the brains of Maccabi Haifa', Yochanan Vollach who believed in Rosenthal's potential and wouldn't let go of him and leave the club at any price.
Shlomo Sharf was hired as the manager for season 1983/84. Rosenthal led the team as one of three strikers, winning two consecutive league championships before taking off for Europe. At that time he was also selected for the Israeli national team.
Rosenthal moved to the Belgium side Club Brugge at the end of the 1985/86 season, for a transfer fee of $275K (around £140,000). A couple of years later he moved to Standard Liège as part of an exchange deal. Whilst at Liège, Ronny was loaned out to Italian side Udinese and then in the midst of the 1989/90 season he was allowed to go on trial at English side Luton Town, whilst there he was spotted by Liverpool who loaned him on the 22nd March for the rest of the season.
He quickly made an impact at Liverpool that year after making his debut as a 70th minute sub on the 31st March '90 in the 3-2 league win over Southampton at Anfield, he then scored a hat-trick on his full debut against Charlton Athletic on the 11th April at Selhurst Park as the Reds won 4-0. His introdution to the Reds frontline assisted the club in the winning of the Football League championship of 1990, he chipped in with 7 goals in the final 8 matches of the season. Immediately after that, Liverpool bought him for a fee of £1.1m on the 29th June '90. Rosenthal was the club's top reserve team goalscorer during the 1990/91 season with 18 goals in 25 appearances. It was at that time he earned his nickname Rocket Ronny.
His time at Anfield never really reached the heights his early performances had promised becoming a player in the mould of David Fairclough, in that he was at his most dangerous when emerging from the substitutes bench. He stayed at Liverpool for 4 seasons, until moving to Tottenham Hotspur on the 26th January 1994, for a fee of £250k, he had played 97 times for the Anfield club scoring 22 goals.
Ossie Ardiles' underachieving Spurs side were hoping that Ronny would take his early Liverpool form to White Hart Lane but he again did most of his best work from the bench.
He made his Spurs bow on the 29th January '94 in the 3-0 FA Cup defeat to Ipswich Town at Portman Road, his first goal goal came in his first league game for the club a week later on the 5th February, he scored it against Sheffield Wednesday in the 3-1 defeat at the Lane.
He stayed at Tottenham for four full seasons and scored a number of important goals including a hat-trick after coming on as a substitute in an FA Cup match against Southampton at the Dell, it was made even more pleasing for Ronny has it came against former Anfield team-mate Bruce Grobbelaar.
After exactly 100 appearances for Spurs in which he somewhat disappointingly scored just 11 goals he was allowed to leave the club on the 10th August 1997. Rocket Ronny was transferred to Watford on a free and helped Watford gain pronmotion from Division 2 to Division 1.
He, unfortunately, began to suffer from injuries, particularly in the 1998/99 season, in which he played only 5 matches. Ater just 39 appearances for the Hornets in which he scored 11 times, plagued by injuries, he decided to retire on the 9th July '99 at the age of 36, he won 41 full international caps scoring 11 goals.
Ronny will be forever remembered for a hilarious miss whilst playing for Liverpool during the 1992/93 season against Aston Villa. Having already beaten the keeper, he amazingly hit the crossbar of the open goal from 10 yards out.
Ronny will always have a spot in many Liverpool supporters hearts and this was verified when he was placed at No.76 in the poll 100 Players Who Shook The Kop. 110,000 supporters worldwide voted in the poll which was conducted in the summer of 2006 by the official Liverpool Football Club web site, They were asked for their favourite 10 Reds who left an impression on them of all time.
This post has been edited by Duke Red: Apr 21 2007, 03:58 PM