JOHN RUDGE-to cap it all

John Robert Rudge (born 21 October 1944) is an English former professional footballer and manager who is the president of EFL Club, Port Vale.

Rudge began his playing career at Huddersfield Town (at £7 a week) in November 1961 and was transferred to Carlisle United in December 1966. In January 1969 he joined Torquay Utd and twice finished as the club's top-scorer, before he moved on to Bristol Rovers in February 1972. He then went to AFC Bournemouth in March, retiring in 1977. A forward, he scored a total of 78 goals in 267 league and cup matches in 16 years!!!

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 final in 1996, and to victory in the Football League Trophy final in 1993. He was sacked in January 1999, and subsequently was appointed Director of Football at Stoke City (neighbours!), until May 2013. After working as a "Scout" at Hull City. he returned to Port Vale in an advisory role in October 2017.

John Robert Rudge born in Wolverhampton on 21 October 1944 and supported Wolves). His family were closely linked to Port Vale and he released his autobiography, To Cap It All, in 2023, with all profits from the book going to the Port Vale Supporters' Club's fundraising efforts for a £100,000 statue in his honour. He was well known for his stylish flat cap!!

His career ended owing to an Achilles injury. He operated a fruit and veg stall on Christchurch market to supplement his income.

Date of birth	21 October 1944 (age 79)
Place of birth	Wolverhampton
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position	Forward
Youth career
1959–1961	Huddersfield Town
Senior career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1961–1966	Huddersfield Town	5	(0)
1966–1969	Carlisle Utd	50	(16)
1969–1972	Torquay Utd	96	(34)
1972–1975	Bristol Rovers	70	(17)
1975–1977	AFC Bournemouth	21	(2)
Total		242	(69)
Managerial career
1983–99 Port Vale
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He had the knack of spotting talented players, signing them cheaply, and then selling them on to bigger clubs for a large profit. As well as being an excellent judge of talent, he also had to be a skilled negotiator. He spent most of his free time scouting players, saying that "I would pride myself in knowing almost every player in the Football League down to the colour of his eyes". In all he made a profit for Port Vale of almost £5 million in the transfer market. However, Port Vale's budget meant that he always worked with only a skeleton staff of one first team coach, one youth team coach and one part-time physiotherapist, meaning that he himself " would be cast in the role of chief cook and bottle washer, gaffer, chief coach, chief scout, press officer, psychologist, psychiatrist and chief negotiator of all manner of things".

To Cap It All is the enthralling life story of legendary Port Vale manager, John Rudge, providing special behind-the-scenes insight into the ups and downs of six decades of professional football, from the depths of the Division Four re-election zone to the Premier League and Europe. Rudge managed the Valiants for a record 19 years, developing players like Robbie Earle, Mark Bright and Ian Taylor. As Vale slayed giants such as Spurs, Southampton and Everton, Rudge became a style icon famous for his flat cap. He moved to city rivals Stoke in 1999 to become director of football and oversaw the club's revival to reach the Premier League and their first ever FA Cup final. But it wasn't all plain sailing. John describes his volatile relationship with Vale chairman, Bill Bell and speaks out about Stoke's Icelandic owners and manager Johan Boskamp, who had Rudge put on garden leave. This hilarious memoir also reveals why a second-hand Lada changed John's life, how he once signed a drag artist and why he ended up in Denis Law's bed!