John Rudge
Encyclopedia
John Robert Rudge is an English
former football player and football manager
. He is currently working as the director of football
at Stoke City
.
His playing career saw him start with Huddersfield Town
, but find regular football with Carlisle United
in 1966. In 1969 he joined Torquay United
, before moving on to Bristol Rovers
three years later. He ended his career in 1977, after a three years spell with Bournemouth
.
He managed Port Vale
for a sixteen year period between 1983 to 1999, easily the longest spell in the club's history
. He masterminded some of the club's most successful ever campaigns, but was sacked in January 1999. Following this he was made director of football
at their rivals
– Stoke City.
, Rudge became a lifelong fan of Wolverhampton Wanderers
. However began his professional career with Second Division
Huddersfield Town
in 1962, and was given the residence of the recently departed Denis Law
. They were mid-table in 1963–64, coming close to promotion in 1964–65 and 1965–66. Rudge was still a young player coming to grip with the game, and thus only made five league appearances.
In 1966, he moved onto Second Division rivals Carlisle United
. They finished third in 1966–67, but this was not enough for promotion. In 1967–68 and 1968–69 the "Bluebirds" gradually declined in strength. Rudge scored sixteen goals in fifty league games.
In 1969, he moved on to Third Division
Torquay United
. He stayed for three seasons; 1969–70, 1970–71 and 1971–72. Mid-table for his first two seasons, Rudge switched clubs after relegation in 1972. He scored 34 goals in 96 league games for the "Gulls". During 1969/70 and 1970/71 he was the club's top scorer with sixteen and twenty goals respectively.
He spent 1972–73 and 1973–74 with Bristol Rovers
. Rovers were promoted in 1974 as Third Division runners-up. He made 70 league appearances for the "Pirates", scoring seventeen goals.
He saw out his playing days at Bournemouth
. They suffered relegation in 1974–75, thus were a Fourth Division
club in 1975–76 and 1976–77. He scored twice in 21 league games for the "Cherries". His career was ended at age 32, owing to an achilles-tendon injury.
, in December of that year he was promoted to the position of assistant manager, under John McGrath.
said that he had the "ability to make you feel guilty about playing badly".
He had the knack of spotting talented players, signing them cheaply, and then selling them on to bigger clubs for a large profit. In all he made a net income for Port Vale of almost £10 million in the transfer market.
at Port Vale. Under McGrath, the club had lost thirteen of their opening seventeen league games. The club had the third highest budget in the division, the weekly wage bill three times that of the home gate receipts and were rooted to the foot of the table, nine points from their nearest competitors. Rudge understated things somewhat when he said: "We cannot change things overnight." However, player Tommy Gore
noted "the players are in a more determined mood." He was unable to prevent relegation
that year
, though the club did avoid picking up the wooden spoon. Though Mark Bright
and Robbie Earle
were signed to Vale before Rudge's appointment, he helped to nurture their talents, both were the first of many to develop into outstanding players under Rudge.
In reality, the task in 1984–85
was to arrest the decline. Rudge achieved this aim, slashing the wage bill to offset the club's reduced income, the Vale finished 12th. Young striker Andy Jones
was purchased for a few thousands pounds from Rhyl
.
In 1985–86
, promotion was the target. An eighteen game unbeaten run from January to April helped to win Vale a fourth place promotion place, seven points clear of fifth place Leyton Orient
. At the end of the season, Rudge turned down an offer of the management job at Preston North End
.
Major signings for the start of the 1986–87
season were Mark Grew
and Ray Walker
, who would feature heavily for the club in the coming years, as well as Paul Smith
. Smith was purchased for £10,000 from Sheffield United
and was sold for four times that figure to Lincoln City
just over a year later. The club finished mid-table, twelve points above the drop. The winter signing of veteran Bob Hazell
helped to shore up the Vale's defence. At the end of the season, Bill Bell was made the club's chairman. Also Darren Beckford
was signed from Manchester City
for £15,000. He would become the club's top scorer for the next four seasons.
In 1987–88
, Vale were once again comfortable in mid-table. The cash-flow problem was eased by the sale of Andy Jones to Charlton Athletic
for £350,000. Ten percent of this money was invested in Simon Mills from York City
, who would be a firm fixture in the first team for the next five seasons. On 20 January the club achieved a famous 2–0 victory over top-flight Spurs
in the FA Cup
. Before the cup run there were rumours that the directors were considering sacking Rudge due to a poor run of results in the league. The cup run and the sale of Jones helped to put the club in the black financially for the first time in a long time.
The 1988–89
season was highly successful, the club beating Bristol Rovers
in the play-off Final
. For the first time in thirty two years, Vale were in the Second Division
. A new club record was set in January 1989, as Rudge purchased classy defender Dean Glover
from Middlesbrough
for £200,000.
To boost the side for the oncoming 1989–90
season, defender Neil Aspin
was purchased from Leeds United
for £150,000, Aspin would play over 300 games for Vale in the next ten years. £125,000 was splashed out on striker Nicky Cross
, who would play around 150 games over the next five years. Vale fans were not used to such purchases, but compared to other teams in the division, the money spent was quite modest. Now on a par with rivals Stoke City, both league games ended as draws, though Stoke were relegated in bottom place.
Delighted with his team, he made few changes in preparation for the 1990–91
campaign. Vale once again finished comfortably in mid-table. £80,000 was spent on Dutch
midfielder
Robin van der Laan
, over the next five years he would become a key player. In June 1992, Rudge again broke the club's transfer record, picking up striker Martin Foyle
for £375,000 from Oxford United
. Foyle would be a dominant figure at the club throughout the 1990s. The money for these acquisitions came from the sale of midfield dynamo Robbie Earle to Wimbledon.
In 1991–92
, the club finished in last place, five points short of the safety of Oxford United
. The club were still a Second Division club due to the creation of the Premier League, though they were now in the third tier. Ian Taylor
became another masterstroke signing, after he was purchased from non-league Moor Green
for £15,000 in May 1992.
Rudge managed his team to Wembley twice in 1993, winning the Football League Trophy
final
2–1 over Stockport County
, but losing the play-off final
3–0 to West Bromwich Albion
. His team had proved however that they were too good to remain in the third tier for long.
In 1993–94
the club went up in second place, also beating top-flight Southampton
in the FA Cup. At the end of the season, Ian Taylor was sold to Sheffield Wednesday
, becoming the club's first million pound sale.
The club consolidated their First Division
status in 1994–95
, finishing ten points above the drop. The money from Taylor's sale was reinvested into £225,000 Steve Guppy
from Newcastle United
and £15,000 striker Tony Naylor
from nearby Crewe Alexandra
. Both men would prove to be good buys, Naylor being a three time top scorer. At the end of the season, Van der Laan was sold to Derby County
for £475,000 plus Lee Mills
. £450,000 of this sum was reinvested in York City midfielder Jon McCarthy
. £50,000 was also spent on midfielder Ian Bogie
.
In 1995–96
, his team finished 12th in the First Division. 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. The club achieved another giant-slaying by vanquishing Everton
in the FA Cup. He also led Vale to the final
of the Anglo-Italian Cup
, where they lost out to Genoa
.
In 1996–97
, the club finished in eighth place, their best ever post-war
finish. Once again they were the best side in the Potteries
. In February he sold Guppy to Martin O'Neill
's Leicester City
for £850,000.
Gareth Ainsworth
was purchased for £500,000 from Lincoln City
at the start of the 1997–98
season. This was paid for by the sale of McCarthy to Birmingham City
for £1.5 million. Vale finished a disappointing 19th, a mere point away from relegation.
At the start of the 1998–99
season, Ainsworth was sold to Wimbledon
for £2 million. Mills was also sold to Bradford City
for £1 million. The club came even closer to relegation, finishing above 22nd place Bury
on goal difference. However Rudge had already departed, Chairman Bill Bell gave him the sack on 18 January 1999. It truly was the end of an era at Vale Park
. This caused outrage amongst Port Vale fans who held a "flat cap
protest" (Rudge's headwear of choice) to display their disgust.
One last present from Rudge to the Vale fans was the signing of Marcus Bent
for £375,000 from Crystal Palace
, just days before Rudge's sacking. However new manager Brian Horton
let Bent go for nothing. In November 2000, Bent was sold by Sheffield United
to Blackburn Rovers
for £2 million. Another star of the late Rudge era was Anthony Gardner
. Gardner was retained by Vale, and was sold to Spurs for £1 million in January 2000.
Rudge was awarded £300,000 compensation by an employment tribunal. He had been at the helm for 843 Port Vale games, by sheer coincidence this is one more game than fellow Vale legend Roy Sproson
managed as a player.
Following the dismissal, Sir Alex Ferguson
said: “Every Port Vale supporter should get down on their knees and thank The Lord
for John Rudge.”
at Stoke City
in 1999, after turning down the same role at Port Vale. Rudge had hoped to retire on his own terms at Vale and become a director of football at the club under a "with someone like Robbie Earle
as manager". He was offered the management job at Stoke but turned it down. He has never held ambitions of being appointed manager at Stoke, and has been Director of Football under five men: Gary Megson
, Guðjón Þórðarson
, Steve Cotterill
, Johan Boskamp
and Tony Pulis
.
On 2 November 2005, he had a public fall-out with then manager Johan Boskamp at Highfield Road
. Rudge went down the dug-out during the 2–1 win over Coventry City
to give some advice to Boskamp. The Dutchman took offence to this and said to the board 'either he goes or I go', under the belief that Rudge had overstepped the mark. Rudge maintains though, that Boskamp used the incident as a ploy, in an attempt to be paid off by Stoke as the Dutchman couldn't handle the pressure of the English game. Rudge points to the evidence that he talked Boskamp out of quitting during the pre-season.
Rudge and his assistant Jan de Koning were twice suspended by Stoke, after disagreements with Boskamp. Following Boskamp's departure and the arrival of new chairman Peter Coates
, Rudge was reinstated in his role.
When the club achieved promotion to the Premier League in 2007–08, Rudge was at a top-flight club for the first time since entering the game 46 years ago, in 1962.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former football player and football manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
. He is currently working as the director of football
Director of football
"Director of football" is a term describing a senior management figure at a football club, most commonly used in Europe. The exact nature of the role is often unclear and extremely variable and causes much debate in the sports media...
at Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
.
His playing career saw him start with Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
, but find regular football with Carlisle United
Carlisle United F.C.
Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....
in 1966. In 1969 he joined Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
, before moving on to Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
three years later. He ended his career in 1977, after a three years spell with Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
.
He managed Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
for a sixteen year period between 1983 to 1999, easily the longest spell in the club's history
History of Port Vale F.C.
The history of Port Vale F.C., an English association football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, began when the club was formed in 1876. In 1884, the club moved to the town of Burslem, changing their name to Burslem Port Vale in the process. The club joined the Football League Second Division upon its...
. He masterminded some of the club's most successful ever campaigns, but was sacked in January 1999. Following this he was made director of football
Director of football
"Director of football" is a term describing a senior management figure at a football club, most commonly used in Europe. The exact nature of the role is often unclear and extremely variable and causes much debate in the sports media...
at their rivals
Potteries derby
The Potteries derby is the football local derby in Stoke-on-Trent between Port Vale and Stoke City. The fans of each club both consider the other to be their main rivals; this has led to a heated atmosphere at these matches, especially with the rise of football hooliganism and the 'Naughty Forty'...
– Stoke City.
Playing career
Born and raised in WolverhamptonWolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
, Rudge became a lifelong fan of 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...
. However began his professional career with 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...
Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
in 1962, and was given the residence of the recently departed Denis Law
Denis Law
Denis Law is a retired Scottish football player, who enjoyed a long and successful career as a striker from the 1950s to the 1970s....
. They were mid-table in 1963–64, coming close to promotion in 1964–65 and 1965–66. Rudge was still a young player coming to grip with the game, and thus only made five league appearances.
In 1966, he moved onto Second Division rivals Carlisle United
Carlisle United F.C.
Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....
. They finished third in 1966–67, but this was not enough for promotion. In 1967–68 and 1968–69 the "Bluebirds" gradually declined in strength. Rudge scored sixteen goals in fifty league games.
In 1969, he moved on to Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
. He stayed for three seasons; 1969–70, 1970–71 and 1971–72. Mid-table for his first two seasons, Rudge switched clubs after relegation in 1972. He scored 34 goals in 96 league games for the "Gulls". During 1969/70 and 1970/71 he was the club's top scorer with sixteen and twenty goals respectively.
He spent 1972–73 and 1973–74 with Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
. Rovers were promoted in 1974 as Third Division runners-up. He made 70 league appearances for the "Pirates", scoring seventeen goals.
He saw out his playing days at Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
. They suffered relegation in 1974–75, thus were a Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
club in 1975–76 and 1976–77. He scored twice in 21 league games for the "Cherries". His career was ended at age 32, owing to an achilles-tendon injury.
Coaching career
Following his retirement as a player, Rudge was made a coach at old club Torquay United. In January 1980 he was appointed as a coach at Port ValePort Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
, in December of that year he was promoted to the position of assistant manager, under John McGrath.
Managerial style
Though he got his teams to play good football he was meticulous and rather cautious. He thoroughly researched opposition players and informed his players on weaknesses to exploit and strengths to watch out for. He was reluctant to use substitutions unless a player was injured as he believed in the first eleven he had selected could get the job done over the ninety minutes. He tended not to lose his temper after a bad performance, and instead Robbie EarleRobbie Earle
Robert Fitzgerald "Robbie" Earle MBE is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals....
said that he had the "ability to make you feel guilty about playing badly".
He had the knack of spotting talented players, signing them cheaply, and then selling them on to bigger clubs for a large profit. In all he made a net income for Port Vale of almost £10 million in the transfer market.
Managerial career
Following the sacking of McGrath in December 1983, Rudge was made caretaker managerCaretaker manager
In association football, a caretaker manager is someone who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is ill or unable to attend to his...
at Port Vale. Under McGrath, the club had lost thirteen of their opening seventeen league games. The club had the third highest budget in the division, the weekly wage bill three times that of the home gate receipts and were rooted to the foot of the table, nine points from their nearest competitors. Rudge understated things somewhat when he said: "We cannot change things overnight." However, player Tommy Gore
Tommy Gore
Thomas John Gore is an English former footballer.-Wigan Athletic:Gore played as a youth for Liverpool and Tranmere Rovers before joining Wigan Athletic in January 1974. He made 185 Northern Premier League appearances for Wigan before the club gained its Football League status...
noted "the players are in a more determined mood." He was unable to prevent relegation
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
that year
1983–84 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1983–84 season was Port Vale's seventy-second season of football in the Football League, and first back in the Third Division following their promotion from the Fourth Division. The club suffered a horrendous start, and John McGrath lost his job before Christmas; he was replaced by his...
, though the club did avoid picking up the wooden spoon. Though Mark Bright
Mark Bright
Mark Abraham Bright is a former English footballer who is now a sports pundit and BBC London's sport presenter, as well as a coach at Crystal Palace....
and Robbie Earle
Robbie Earle
Robert Fitzgerald "Robbie" Earle MBE is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals....
were signed to Vale before Rudge's appointment, he helped to nurture their talents, both were the first of many to develop into outstanding players under Rudge.
In reality, the task in 1984–85
1984–85 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1984–85 season was Port Vale's seventy-third season of football in the Football League, and first back in the Fourth Division following their relegation from the Third Division. John Rudge's first full season in charge, the Vale finished in mid-table following a season of rebuilding the squad...
was to arrest the decline. Rudge achieved this aim, slashing the wage bill to offset the club's reduced income, the Vale finished 12th. Young striker Andy Jones
Andy Jones (footballer)
Andrew Mark "Andy" Jones is a former Welsh international footballer. He gained six caps at international level, to add to his 276 appearances in the Football League. He scored one international goal and 89 domestic league goals....
was purchased for a few thousands pounds from Rhyl
Rhyl F.C.
Rhyl Football Club is a Welsh football club, playing in the Cymru Alliance.The club was founded in 1882 and the team plays its home matches at Belle Vue, Rhyl, which can accommodate 3,000 spectators.- History :Few clubs in the Welsh Premier League have as distinguished a past as Rhyl's...
.
In 1985–86
1985–86 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1985–86 season was Port Vale's seventy-fourth season of football in the Football League, and second successive season in the Fourth Division. John Rudge achieved his first success as manager, leading Vale to promotion into the Third Division with a fourth place finish...
, promotion was the target. An eighteen game unbeaten run from January to April helped to win Vale a fourth place promotion place, seven points clear of fifth place Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
. At the end of the season, Rudge turned down an offer of the management job at 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...
.
Major signings for the start of the 1986–87
1986–87 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1986–87 season was Port Vale's seventy-fifth season of football in the Football League, and first season back in the Third Division following promotion from the Fourth Division. John Rudge led to Vale to a mid-table finish, his Player of the Year signing Andy Jones scoring 37 goals in all...
season were Mark Grew
Mark Grew
Mark Stuart Grew is an English former football goalkeeper, now assistant manager to Micky Adams at Port Vale. On three occasions he has also served as the club's caretaker-manager, most recently from March to May in 2011....
and Ray Walker
Ray Walker (footballer)
Raymond "Ray" Walker is an English former football midfielder. He played 440 games for Port Vale in all competitions between 1986 and 1997, ensuring himself a place in the club's history. He was twice the club's player of the season, and was named on the PFA Team of the Year three times...
, who would feature heavily for the club in the coming years, as well as Paul Smith
Paul Smith (footballer born 1964)
Paul Michael Smith is a former English footballer.-Playing career:Smith played for Sheffield United and spent time on loan at Stockport County before joining Port Vale for £10,000 in July 1986. He played 54 games for the Vale before being sold on to Lincoln City for £40,000 in September 1987...
. Smith was purchased for £10,000 from Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
and was sold for four times that figure to Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
just over a year later. The club finished mid-table, twelve points above the drop. The winter signing of veteran Bob Hazell
Bob Hazell
Robert Joseph Hazell is a former footballer of the 1970s and 1980s, notably with Wolves, Port Vale, Luton Town, Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City...
helped to shore up the Vale's defence. At the end of the season, Bill Bell was made the club's chairman. Also Darren Beckford
Darren Beckford
Darren Richard Lorenzo Beckford is a former professional footballer. His younger brother Jason also played professional football. They both played as forwards....
was signed from Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
for £15,000. He would become the club's top scorer for the next four seasons.
In 1987–88
1987–88 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1987–88 season was Port Vale's seventy-sixth season of football in the Football League, and second successive season in the Third Division. John Rudge's side started the season well, but then suffered following the sale of star striker Andy Jones...
, Vale were once again comfortable in mid-table. The cash-flow problem was eased by the sale of Andy Jones to Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
for £350,000. Ten percent of this money was invested in Simon Mills from 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...
, who would be a firm fixture in the first team for the next five seasons. On 20 January the club achieved a famous 2–0 victory over top-flight Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
. Before the cup run there were rumours that the directors were considering sacking Rudge due to a poor run of results in the league. The cup run and the sale of Jones helped to put the club in the black financially for the first time in a long time.
The 1988–89
1988–89 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1988–89 season was Port Vale's seventy-seventh season of football in the Football League, and third successive season in the Third Division. They achieved promotion to the Second Division with a 2–1 aggregate win over Bristol Rovers in the two-legged play-off Final...
season was highly successful, the club beating Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
in the play-off Final
1989 Football League Third Division play-off Final
The 1989 Football League Third Division play-off final was a two-legged football match played at on 31 May and 3 June 1989, to determine the third and final team to gain promotion from the Third Division to the Second Division of The Football League in the 1988–89 season. Port Vale faced Bristol...
. For the first time in thirty two years, Vale were in 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...
. A new club record was set in January 1989, as Rudge purchased classy defender Dean Glover
Dean Glover
Dean Victor Glover is an English former footballer and football manager. A cultured and stylish defender, he had the ball control skills of a midfielder. He played 457 league games in a seventeen year career in the Football League.He started his career at Aston Villa in 1980, before he moved on to...
from Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
for £200,000.
To boost the side for the oncoming 1989–90
1989–90 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1989–90 season was Port Vale's seventy-eighth season of football in the Football League, and first season back in the Second Division following their promotion from the Third Division. They were playing in the second tier, and at the same level as rivals Stoke City, for the first time since...
season, defender Neil Aspin
Neil Aspin
Neil Aspin is an English former professional footballer turned football manager, who is now managing Conference North club F.C. Halifax Town....
was purchased from Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
for £150,000, Aspin would play over 300 games for Vale in the next ten years. £125,000 was splashed out on striker Nicky Cross
Nicky Cross
Nicholas Jeremy Rowland Cross is a former English footballer.-Playing career:Cross played for West Bromwich Albion before signing for Walsall where he was the clubs 1985–86 top scorer with 21 goals. He later signed for Leicester City before joining Port Vale for a £125,000 fee in June 1989...
, who would play around 150 games over the next five years. Vale fans were not used to such purchases, but compared to other teams in the division, the money spent was quite modest. Now on a par with rivals Stoke City, both league games ended as draws, though Stoke were relegated in bottom place.
Delighted with his team, he made few changes in preparation for the 1990–91
1990–91 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1990–91 season was Port Vale's seventy-ninth season of football in the Football League, and second successive season in the Second Division. For the first time since 1926–27 they played in a league above rivals Stoke City...
campaign. Vale once again finished comfortably in mid-table. £80,000 was spent on Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
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...
Robin van der Laan
Robin van der Laan
Robin van der Laan is a Dutch former footballer who spent most of his senior career in English football...
, over the next five years he would become a key player. In June 1992, Rudge again broke the club's transfer record, picking up striker Martin Foyle
Martin Foyle
Martin John Foyle is an English former footballer, turned football manager. In his 20 year playing career he played 533 League games, scoring 155 goals...
for £375,000 from Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
. Foyle would be a dominant figure at the club throughout the 1990s. The money for these acquisitions came from the sale of midfield dynamo Robbie Earle to Wimbledon.
In 1991–92
1991–92 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1991–92 season was Port Vale's eightieth season of football in the Football League, and third successive season in the Second Division. For only the third time in their history they competed in a division above rivals Stoke City...
, the club finished in last place, five points short of the safety of Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
. The club were still a Second Division club due to the creation of the Premier League, though they were now in the third tier. Ian Taylor
Ian Taylor (footballer)
Ian Kenneth Taylor is an English former footballer, best known for his time at Aston Villa. A midfielder, he had a fifteen year career in the Football League and Premier League, making 478 league appearances....
became another masterstroke signing, after he was purchased from non-league Moor Green
Moor Green F.C.
Moor Green F.C. was a non-league association football team originally from the Hall Green area of south Birmingham but later based in the town of Solihull, West Midlands, England...
for £15,000 in May 1992.
Rudge managed his team to Wembley twice in 1993, winning the Football League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
final
1993 Football League Trophy Final
The 1993 Football League Trophy Final was the 10th final of the domestic football cup competition for teams from Football League Second and Third Division, the Football League Trophy. The final was played at the Wembley Stadium in London on 22 May 1993. The match was contested by Port Vale and...
2–1 over Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
, but losing the play-off final
1993 Football League Second Division play-off Final
The 1993 Football League Second Division play-off Final was a football match played at Wembley Stadium on 30 May 1993, to determine the third and final team to gain promotion from the Third Division to the Second Division of The Football League in the 1992–93 season...
3–0 to West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
. His team had proved however that they were too good to remain in the third tier for long.
In 1993–94
1993–94 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1993–94 season was Port Vale's eighty-second season of football in the Football League, and fifth successive season in the Second Division. They won promotion to the First Division as the division's runners-up, just one point away from champions Reading...
the club went up in second place, also beating top-flight Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
in the FA Cup. At the end of the season, Ian Taylor was sold to Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
, becoming the club's first million pound sale.
The club consolidated their First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
status in 1994–95
1994–95 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1994–95 season was Port Vale's eighty-third season of football in the Football League, and first ever season in the First Division following their promotion from the Second Division. John Rudge led his team to safety in the league, whilst reaching the Second Round of the FA Cup and League Cup...
, finishing ten points above the drop. The money from Taylor's sale was reinvested into £225,000 Steve Guppy
Steve Guppy
Stephen Andrew "Steve" Guppy is a retired English international football winger, who now works as assistant coach at Colorado Rapids....
from Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
and £15,000 striker Tony Naylor
Tony Naylor
Anthony Joseph Naylor is an English former football player. He is best known for his spells at Port Vale and Crewe Alexandra in the 1990s....
from nearby Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
. Both men would prove to be good buys, Naylor being a three time top scorer. At the end of the season, Van der Laan was sold to Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
for £475,000 plus Lee Mills
Lee Mills
Rowan Lee Mills , usually known as Lee Mills, is an English former footballer, who played as a striker....
. £450,000 of this sum was reinvested in York City midfielder Jon McCarthy
Jon McCarthy
Jonathan David "Jon" McCarthy is a former footballer who played over 500 games in his career, many of which were in the Football League....
. £50,000 was also spent on midfielder Ian Bogie
Ian Bogie
Ian Bogie is a former footballer, now football manager. He spent two decades as a professional player, from 1985 up until 2001 he was playing in the Football League, where he made 382 appearances....
.
In 1995–96
1995–96 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1995–96 season was Port Vale's eighty-fourth season of football in the Football League, and second successive season in the First Division. Despite a poor start to the season, John Rudge led his side to a twelfth place finish. The league highlights were two derby wins over Stoke City, had these...
, his team finished 12th in the First Division. Rudge had Port Vale playing some of the best football ever witnessed at Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
. 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. The club achieved another giant-slaying by vanquishing Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in the FA Cup. He also led Vale to the final
1995–96 Anglo-Italian Cup
The 1995–96 Anglo-Italian Cup was the last ever Anglo-Italian Cup competition. The European football competition was played between eight clubs from England and eight clubs from Italy. Italian side Genoa lifted the trophy after beating English side Port Vale 5-2.-Format:For the competition there...
of the Anglo-Italian Cup
Anglo-Italian Cup
The Anglo-Italian Cup is a defunct European football competition that was played intermittently between 1970 and 1996 between clubs from England and Italy. Founded by Gigi Peronace in 1970, following the success of the Anglo-Italian League Cup, it was played as a professional tournament until 1973...
, where they lost out to Genoa
Genoa C.F.C.
Genoa Cricket and Football Club, commonly referred to simply as Genoa , is a professional Italian football club based in the city of Genoa, Liguria...
.
In 1996–97
1996–97 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1996–97 season was Port Vale's eighty-fifth season of football in the Football League, and third successive season in the First Division. John Rudge led the club to its joint-second highest ever league finish, as Vale finished in eighth spot, four points from the play-offs...
, the club finished in eighth place, their best ever post-war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
finish. Once again they were the best side in the Potteries
The Potteries Urban Area
The Potteries Urban Area is a conurbation in North Staffordshire in the West Midlands region of England.It includes the city of Stoke-on-Trent, and the towns of Newcastle-under-Lyme and Kidsgrove....
. In February he sold Guppy to Martin O'Neill
Martin O'Neill
Martin Hugh Michael O'Neill, OBE, is a Northern Irish football manager and former player.Until resigning the post on 9 August 2010, he was manager of Aston Villa. Starting his career in his native Northern Ireland, O'Neill moved to England where he spent most of his playing career with Nottingham...
's Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
for £850,000.
Gareth Ainsworth
Gareth Ainsworth
Gareth Ainsworth is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for League One side Wycombe Wanderers, he is also the club captain....
was purchased for £500,000 from Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
at the start of the 1997–98
1997–98 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1997–98 season was Port Vale's eighty-sixth season of football in the Football League, and fourth successive season in the First Division. John Rudge managed to mastermind a final day escape from relegation, as rivals Stoke City instead lost their second tier status, leaving Vale as the top...
season. This was paid for by the sale of McCarthy to Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
for £1.5 million. Vale finished a disappointing 19th, a mere point away from relegation.
At the start of the 1998–99
1998–99 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1998–99 season was Port Vale's eighty-seventh season of football in the Football League, and fifth successive season in the First Division. It was the end of an era for the club, as manager of sixteen years John Rudge was sacked in January, and was replaced by Brian Horton...
season, Ainsworth was sold to Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
for £2 million. Mills was also sold to Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
for £1 million. The club came even closer to relegation, finishing above 22nd place Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
on goal difference. However Rudge had already departed, Chairman Bill Bell gave him the sack on 18 January 1999. It truly was the end of an era at Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
. This caused outrage amongst Port Vale fans who held a "flat cap
Flat cap
A flat cap is a rounded men or women's cap with a small stiff brim in front. Cloths used to make the cap include original wool, tweed , and cotton. Less common materials may include leather. Cord flat caps are also worn in various colours. The inside of the cap is usually lined with silk for...
protest" (Rudge's headwear of choice) to display their disgust.
One last present from Rudge to the Vale fans was the signing of Marcus Bent
Marcus Bent
Marcus Nathan Bent is an English football striker who plays for Indonesian club Mitra Kukar. A former England under-21 international, the journeyman striker has played for fourteen different clubs, playing over 570 games and scoring 110 goals in the process.A England under-21 international, he...
for £375,000 from Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
, just days before Rudge's sacking. However new manager Brian Horton
Brian Horton
Brian Horton is an English former footballer and manager, who is working as Phil Brown's assistant at Preston North End.Horton played for Hednesford Town, Port Vale, Brighton & Hove Albion, Luton Town and Hull City as a midfielder...
let Bent go for nothing. In November 2000, Bent was sold by Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
to Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
for £2 million. Another star of the late Rudge era was Anthony Gardner
Anthony Gardner
Anthony Gardner is an England international football defender, who plays for Crystal Palace. A tall centre-back, he has represented England and been bought and sold for millions in the domestic transfer market...
. Gardner was retained by Vale, and was sold to Spurs for £1 million in January 2000.
Rudge was awarded £300,000 compensation by an employment tribunal. He had been at the helm for 843 Port Vale games, by sheer coincidence this is one more game than fellow Vale legend Roy Sproson
Roy Sproson
Roy Sproson was an English footballer and football manager for Port Vale. A one-club man, he holds the all-time appearance record for Vale, making 837 starts for Vale between 1950 and 1972. This includes a run of 128 consecutive appearances between April 1954 and March 1957...
managed as a player.
Following the dismissal, Sir Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
said: “Every Port Vale supporter should get down on their knees and thank The Lord
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
for John Rudge.”
Director of Football
Rudge was appointed as director of footballDirector of football
"Director of football" is a term describing a senior management figure at a football club, most commonly used in Europe. The exact nature of the role is often unclear and extremely variable and causes much debate in the sports media...
at Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
in 1999, after turning down the same role at Port Vale. Rudge had hoped to retire on his own terms at Vale and become a director of football at the club under a "with someone like Robbie Earle
Robbie Earle
Robert Fitzgerald "Robbie" Earle MBE is an English-born Jamaican former international footballer who played as a midfielder. He played 578 league games in senior club football, scoring 136 goals....
as manager". He was offered the management job at Stoke but turned it down. He has never held ambitions of being appointed manager at Stoke, and has been Director of Football under five men: Gary Megson
Gary Megson
Gary John Megson is an English former football player and is currently manager of Sheffield Wednesday.He has previously managed Norwich City, Blackpool, Stockport County, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City and Bolton Wanderers...
, Guðjón Þórðarson
Guðjón Þórðarson
Guðjón Þórðarson is an Icelandic former footballer and the current manager of Grindavík....
, Steve Cotterill
Steve Cotterill
Stephen "Steve" Cotterill is an English former footballer who is manager of Nottingham Forest.-Playing career:...
, Johan Boskamp
Johan Boskamp
Johannes Boskamp is a Dutch football manager, his most recent job was in Belgium managing KSK Beveren, but he was dismissed in late December 2009-Career:...
and Tony Pulis
Tony Pulis
Anthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
.
On 2 November 2005, he had a public fall-out with then manager Johan Boskamp at Highfield Road
Highfield Road
The Highfield Road Stadium was a football stadium in the city of Coventry, England. It was the home ground for Coventry City F.C. until the club moved to the new Ricoh Arena after the 2005-06 season...
. Rudge went down the dug-out during the 2–1 win over Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
to give some advice to Boskamp. The Dutchman took offence to this and said to the board 'either he goes or I go', under the belief that Rudge had overstepped the mark. Rudge maintains though, that Boskamp used the incident as a ploy, in an attempt to be paid off by Stoke as the Dutchman couldn't handle the pressure of the English game. Rudge points to the evidence that he talked Boskamp out of quitting during the pre-season.
Rudge and his assistant Jan de Koning were twice suspended by Stoke, after disagreements with Boskamp. Following Boskamp's departure and the arrival of new chairman Peter Coates
Peter Coates
Peter Coates is a businessman and current owner of the Stoke City Football Club. He has been listed as the 25th richest person in British football. He founded Bet365 in 2000, as well as Signal Radio in 1983....
, Rudge was reinstated in his role.
When the club achieved promotion to the Premier League in 2007–08, Rudge was at a top-flight club for the first time since entering the game 46 years ago, in 1962.
as a Player
with Bristol Rovers- Football League Third DivisionFootball League Third DivisionThe Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
runner-up: 1973–74
as a Manager
with Port Vale- Football League Fourth DivisionFootball League Fourth DivisionThe Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
fourth place promotion winner: 1985–861985–86 Port Vale F.C. seasonThe 1985–86 season was Port Vale's seventy-fourth season of football in the Football League, and second successive season in the Fourth Division. John Rudge achieved his first success as manager, leading Vale to promotion into the Third Division with a fourth place finish... - Football League Third DivisionFootball League Third DivisionThe Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
Play-offFootball League One play-offsThe Football League One Playoffs are a series of playoff matches, contested by the teams finishing from 3rd to 6th in the NPower Football League One table to determine the third spot for promotion to the second tier of English football, the Championship....
winner: 19891989 Football League Third Division play-off FinalThe 1989 Football League Third Division play-off final was a two-legged football match played at on 31 May and 3 June 1989, to determine the third and final team to gain promotion from the Third Division to the Second Division of The Football League in the 1988–89 season. Port Vale faced Bristol... - Football League TrophyFootball League TrophyThe Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
winner: 19931993 Football League Trophy FinalThe 1993 Football League Trophy Final was the 10th final of the domestic football cup competition for teams from Football League Second and Third Division, the Football League Trophy. The final was played at the Wembley Stadium in London on 22 May 1993. The match was contested by Port Vale and... - Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 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...
runner-up: 1993–941993–94 Port Vale F.C. seasonThe 1993–94 season was Port Vale's eighty-second season of football in the Football League, and fifth successive season in the Second Division. They won promotion to the First Division as the division's runners-up, just one point away from champions Reading... - Anglo-Italian CupAnglo-Italian CupThe Anglo-Italian Cup is a defunct European football competition that was played intermittently between 1970 and 1996 between clubs from England and Italy. Founded by Gigi Peronace in 1970, following the success of the Anglo-Italian League Cup, it was played as a professional tournament until 1973...
runner-up: 19961995–96 Anglo-Italian CupThe 1995–96 Anglo-Italian Cup was the last ever Anglo-Italian Cup competition. The European football competition was played between eight clubs from England and eight clubs from Italy. Italian side Genoa lifted the trophy after beating English side Port Vale 5-2.-Format:For the competition there...
Managerial statistics
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | D | Win % | ||||
| Port Vale Port Vale F.C. Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as... |
 |
5 December 1983 | 18 January 1999 |
|||||
| Total |
||||||||
External links
- Profile at Stoke City's official site