To Cap it All: The Autobiography of John Rudge

by John Rudge

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!

348 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 2, 2023

Reviews

[N.Barber · Rating 3 out of 5]

A somewhat scrambled chronology and intermittent proof-reading make this a bit disjointed. Enjoyed the early years and the bits of the Vale years I’d lived through. After that, it stylistically reminds me of the Johnny Marr biography in that it becomes a list of anecdotes, strung together. It’s somewhat strange reading a text where you’ve met and know several of the people involved which was the case with this.

[Jonny Brick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple of quite atrocious copy errors aside, this is a well-told tale of a doyen of lower-league football. Worth the 25-year wait. Very good on the backstage aspect of football: scouting, chairmen, managers.