John Rudge
John Robert Rudge (born 21 October 1944) is an English former professional football player and manager who is the president of EFL League One club Port Vale.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Robert Rudge | ||
| Date of birth | 21 October 1944 | ||
| Place of birth | Wolverhampton, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1959–1961 | Huddersfield Town | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1961–1966 | Huddersfield Town | 5 | (0) |
| 1966–1969 | Carlisle United | 50 | (16) |
| 1969–1972 | Torquay United | 96 | (34) |
| 1972–1975 | Bristol Rovers | 70 | (17) |
| 1975–1977 | AFC Bournemouth | 21 | (2) |
| Total | 242 | (69) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1983–1999 | Port Vale | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Rudge began his playing career at Huddersfield Town in November 1961, but made little impact at the club and was transferred to Carlisle United in December 1966. In January 1969 he joined Torquay United, and twice finished as the club's top-scorer, before he moved on to Bristol Rovers in February 1972. He helped the club to win promotion of the Third Division in 1973–74, before departing for AFC Bournemouth in March 1975. His time on the coast was disrupted by injury, and he retired in 1977. A forward, he scored a total of 78 goals in 267 league and cup appearances in a 16-year career in the English Football League.
He coached at Torquay United and Port Vale, before being appointed as Port Vale's manager in December 1983. He remained in the role for the next 16 years, easily the longest management spell in the club's history. He masterminded some of the club's most successful campaigns, leading them to promotion in 1985–86, 1989 and 1993–94; he also led them to the Anglo-Italian Cup final in 1996, and to victory in the Football League Trophy final in 1993. However, he was sacked in January 1999, and subsequently was appointed director of football at their rivals of Stoke City, a position he held until May 2013. After working as a scout at Hull City, he returned to Port Vale in an advisory role in October 2017.