John Rudge

Infobox Football biography
playername = John Rudge
fullname = John Rudge
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1944|10|21
cityofbirth = Wolverhampton
countryofbirth = England
height =
nickname =
currentclub =
position = Striker
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1962-1966
1966-1969
1969-1972
1972-1974
1974-1977
clubs = Huddersfield Town
Carlisle United
Torquay United
Bristol Rovers
Bournemouth
caps(goals) = 5 (0)
50 (16)
96 (34)
70 (17)
21 (2) |
manageryears = 1983-1999
managerclubs = Port Vale

John "Rudgie" Rudge (born October 21, 1944 in Wolverhampton, England) was a professional footballer and a football manager. He was born in Wolverhampton in 1944. He managed Port Vale (1983–1999) and is currently the director of football at Stoke City.

Rudge was manager of Port Vale from 1983 to 1999, where he achieved much success, and is thought of by many as the best ever manager of the club. He took Port Vale up from the old Fourth Division to the First, winning the Autoglass Trophy in 1993 and coming runners-up in the Anglo-Italian Cup. Rudge was also well-known for his talent-spotting ability, bringing players such as Ian Taylor, Gareth Ainsworth and Mark Bright to the club. He snapped up many players as youngsters, and made healthy profits on them in the future, Steve Guppy being a prime example.

From the mid-to-late 1990s John Rudge had Port Vale playing some of the best football ever witnessed at Vale Park. This was mainly due to his perseverance with playing a standard 4-4-2 - employing wingers who became the focal point of much of the attacking play. Rudge presided over some of the most famous Port Vale victories in their history; defeating the then FA Cup folders Everton in 1997, and knocking Tottenham Hotspur out in the FA Cup Fourth Round in 1988.

Despite his success as Vale manager, every reign must come to an end, and Rudge was controversally dismissed on January 18 1999 due to the club's form. This caused outrage amongst Port Vale fans who held a "flat cap protest" (Rudge's headwear of choice) to display their disgust. His successor was Brian Horton.

Away from football, Rudge cites his interests as tending to his garden and his flat cap collection.

Managerial stats

External links

*soccerbase (manager)|id=835|name=John Rudge