Dale Rudge
Encyclopedia
Dale Anthony Rudge is an English
former professional footballer. Playing as a midfielder
, he represented his hometown club Wolverhampton Wanderers
in the 1980s before moving on to Preston North End
, Norwegian
club Djerv 1919, and Hednesford Town
.
Rudge, a Wolves
apprentice, made his league debut on December 18, 1982 in a 4-0 win over QPR
. He went onto feature 8 times during the 1982/83 season as Wolves won promotion from the Second Division
at the first attempt. He made a further 19 appearances during the club's top flight campaign that ended in relegation, before moving to Preston North End
. In total, he represented the Midlanders 29 times in all competitions.
The midfielder remained in English league football for two further seasons, making 47 league appearances for Preston in the bottom two divisions, scoring twice. Both goals came in the 1984/85
season against York City
at home and Doncaster Rovers
away.
He was released in the summer of 1986 and he joined Norwegian
club Djerv 1919. He later returned to England with non-league
Hednesford Town
, where he helped the club to the 1992 Welsh Cup
final.
A Preston North End fanzine
, 'Deepdale
Rudge' is named after him. He still makes the odd appearance for the 'old Wolves' side in charity matches and appears alongside the likes of Mel Eves
, Dean Edwards, Andy Thompson and Phil Parkes
. He currently coaches at the Old Swinford Hospital
school, and has also coached at Kidderminster Harriers'
academy.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former professional footballer. Playing as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
, he represented his hometown club Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
in the 1980s before moving on to Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
, Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
club Djerv 1919, and Hednesford Town
Hednesford Town F.C.
Hednesford Town Football Club are an association football team based in Hednesford, Staffordshire, England. They play at Keys Park.-History:...
.
Rudge, a Wolves
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
apprentice, made his league debut on December 18, 1982 in a 4-0 win over QPR
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
. He went onto feature 8 times during the 1982/83 season as Wolves won promotion from the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
at the first attempt. He made a further 19 appearances during the club's top flight campaign that ended in relegation, before moving to Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
. In total, he represented the Midlanders 29 times in all competitions.
The midfielder remained in English league football for two further seasons, making 47 league appearances for Preston in the bottom two divisions, scoring twice. Both goals came in the 1984/85
The Football League 1984-85
-Overview:The 1984–1985 season was the 85th completed season of The Football League.-First Division:Howard Kendall’s Everton side beat neighbours Liverpool to the league championship, while Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United followed closely behind...
season against York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
at home and Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
away.
He was released in the summer of 1986 and he joined Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
club Djerv 1919. He later returned to England with non-league
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
Hednesford Town
Hednesford Town F.C.
Hednesford Town Football Club are an association football team based in Hednesford, Staffordshire, England. They play at Keys Park.-History:...
, where he helped the club to the 1992 Welsh Cup
Welsh Cup
The Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
final.
A Preston North End fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
, 'Deepdale
Deepdale
Deepdale is a stadium in the Deepdale area of Preston, England, the home of Preston North End F.C. and, up to 2010, England's National Football Museum. Preston North End are one of the founder members of the Football League.- History :...
Rudge' is named after him. He still makes the odd appearance for the 'old Wolves' side in charity matches and appears alongside the likes of Mel Eves
Mel Eves
Melvyn James "Mel" Eves is a former English professional footballer who had a long career playing as a striker and left sided attacker, mostly known for his time with Wolverhampton Wanderers.-Career:...
, Dean Edwards, Andy Thompson and Phil Parkes
Phil Parkes
Philip Benjamin Neil Frederick "Phil" Parkes is a former football goalkeeper.He was a pupil at Dormston School from September 1961 to December 1965....
. He currently coaches at the Old Swinford Hospital
Old Swinford Hospital
Old Swinford Hospital is a selective voluntary aided boys' boarding school in Oldswinford, Stourbridge, West Midlands, England that has been in continuous operation since the 17th century.- History :Old Swinford Hospital opened in the late summer of 1667...
school, and has also coached at Kidderminster Harriers'
Kidderminster Harriers F.C.
Kidderminster Harriers F.C. are an English football club based in Kidderminster, Worcestershire formed in 1886 They currently play in the Conference National and have played at Aggborough Stadium since they were formed...
academy.