Gary Neville leads heartfelt tributes to 'larger than life' Terry Venables after his death aged 80

Touching tributes have been pouring in for former England manager Terry Venables following the announcement of his death aged 80.

His family announced his death in a statement released via the League Managers' Association today (Sunday). "We are totally devastated by the loss of a wonderful husband and father who passed away peacefully yesterday after a long illness", they said in a statement.

"We would ask that privacy be given at this incredibly sad time to allow us to mourn the loss of this lovely man who we were so lucky to have had in our lives."

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Tributes have now been flooding in from across the world of football for the ex-England, Barcelona and Tottenham coach. In a lengthy tribute posted to Twitter, formerly known as X, Gary Neville described his as a 'larger than life' character who was a 'player's man'.

The ex-Manchester United star turned pundit said he was 'without doubt the most technically gifted British coach we’ve ever produced'. In full, the tribute said: "So sorry to hear the news of my very first England coach, Terry Venables. A man who gave me a chance to play for my country and became without a shadow of doubt my number one England coach in my whole career.

"There were three things that were important to me about Venables. The first is when we hear people that play for Pep Guardiola now say that he can call the outcome of a game in training a few days before the match arrives, Terry Venables had that very same capability, he’d come through the Barcelona system.

"In Euro 96 as a right back, I played as a conventional right back in the first match, the right of a