The seventh instalment of long-standing Port Vale supporter Stuart Dean’s memoirs of decades supporting the club…
This is part eight and cover the sad end to the Rudge era.
75 YEARS OF SUPPORTING THE VALE - PART EIGHT
By Stuart Dean
In 1995–96, Vale finished 12th in the First Division and beat Stoke City 1–0 in both league encounters thanks to goals from Bogie. The club achieved another giant slaying by beating Everton 2–1 in an FA Cup fourth-round replay. Rudge also led Vale to the final of the Anglo-Italian Cup, where they lost 5–2 to Genoa, Gennaro Ruotolo scoring a hat-trick.
The win over Everton reminds me of the 4th Round FA Cup defeat to Everton way back on the 28th January 1956. A crowd of 44,278 saw ‘a match that had everything’, as the “Toffees” escaped with a 3–2 victory, Vale having had two goals disallowed. It also brings to mind goalkeeper, Jimmy O’Neill, who played for both Everton and the Vale. Jimmy had the ability to deliver a ball to his centre forwards feet better than any goalie I’ve seen play for the Vale. He never ever punted the ball – drop-kicking it every time with great accuracy. I reckon if Jimmy in his prime had been in goal last season we would have stayed up – he very rarely turned the ball over to the opponents. In fact the exact opposite of Joe Gauci.
Jimmy O'Neil
Ian Bogie scores
Vale’s memorable victory in 1996 was no fluke. After surviving for a 2-2 draw in the first match at Goodison Park, they outplayed the Premier League aristocrats in brilliant style to win 2-1. Everton, unbeaten in their 10 previous games, had no answer after Jon McCarthy struck Vale’s winner in the 69th minute and the final score on that February night might have been more decisive. Vale’s goal-scoring hero of the tie was Ian Bogie, who equalised with a shot deflected off a defender in the last minute at Everton and scored the opening goal in the replay.
First, a few words about the 2-2 draw at Goodison Park on a snowy day which caused a lot of postponements, but luckily the Everton ground had undersoil heating. Everton dominated play for much of the game, with Vale on the back foot. But the underdogs were in a determined mood and held together to nick a draw in a dramatic finish. The Vale defenders did well. Gareth Griffiths kept Duncan Ferguson under tight control until the final minutes when Ferguson put Everton 2-1 in front. Tony Naylor was also outstanding that day. We thought it was all over until Ian Bogie hit a shot in desperation from 25 yards and it flew into the net. Some Vale fans missed it as they were already on their way out.
Now let’s go to the replay at Vale Park, which must rank as one of Vale’s best-ever cup performances. We took Everton apart and should have won by a bigger margin than 2-1. The mood of the whole Vale team seemed to be quite different in the replay. Vale were full of confidence, urged on by the big crowd. It was the reverse of the first match. We set about them from the first kick and after Ian Bogie scored an early goal with another great shot I always felt Vale were going to win.
Jon McCarthy celebrates
Ian Bogie scores
Vale’s memorable victory in 1996 was no fluke. After surviving for a 2-2 draw in the first match at Goodison Park, they outplayed the Premier League aristocrats in brilliant style to win 2-1. Everton, unbeaten in their 10 previous games, had no answer after Jon McCarthy struck Vale’s winner in the 69th minute and the final score on that February night might have been more decisive. Vale’s goal-scoring hero of the tie was Ian Bogie, who equalised with a shot deflected off a defender in the last minute at Everton and scored the opening goal in the replay.
Georgiou Kinkladze
In 1996–97, the club finished in eighth place, their best league finish since 1934. In February, we sold Guppy to Martin O’Neill’s Leicester City for £950,000. In the March of that season I was in the Railway Paddock watching the Vale cruising to a 2-0 victory over Charlton Athletic and the Vale supporter sat in front of me turned to his mate and remarked “if we go up (to tier one) then we’ll have to get rid of Rudgie”. His mate, a little taken aback, enquired as to why? The reply was that John had zero experience of either playing or managing at the top level! A debate followed as to who they would replace him with and to my great amusement they finally agreed on Paul Gascoigne. I remember thinking at the time that they should have gone to whole hog and also replaced Bill Bell with Gazor’s best mate Jimmy “Five Bellies” – five for the price of one!
On the 10th September 1996 I saw the best performance of an opposition player against the Vale. Georgi Kinkladze ran the show from midfield as Man City beat us 2-0 in front of 10,770 at Vale Park. What a player!
I think the second best was on the 14 January 1998 when Dennis Berkampf helped Arsenal beat us on penalties after extra time in a FA Cup replay. Mention Port Vale to any members of Arséne Wenger’s class of ‘98, and following a sharp intake of breath, they’ll acknowledge that the men from the Potteries came within a whisker of ending their double dream that season. When they were drawn at home to Port Vale in the FA Cup third round, it was widely assumed that the title-chasing Gunners would easily defeat a side in the lower region of the second tier, without a win in nearly two months. The two clubs hadn’t faced one another since 1927 in the FA Cup, while the last time they were in the same league was when Second Division Woolwich Arsenal and Burslem Port Vale drew 0-0 in the final match of the 1903/94 season.
Allen Tankard takes on Ray Parlour
Ian Bogie at Highbury
On a chilly, wet and windy January afternoon, Vale escaped with a hard-fought goalless draw against a virtually full-strength Arsenal line-up, with neither team creating many clear chances, ensuring they would have to do it all again at Vale Park 10 days later. The atmosphere when Arsenal arrived was electric, and for Vale, this was our cup final. “Our match at Vale Park in the replay was a classic English cup game. Noisy crowd, physical football, bumpy pitch,” Patrick Vieira recalled. It was a tough night all around. The Vale should perhaps have been two goals up by half-time, with Tony Naylor toe-poking the ball wide, and Gareth Ainsworth clipping the ball over the bar when it looked easier to score. A strong Arsenal side were under the cosh; a Mark Overmars chance which hit the post was their best opportunity, while Ian Wright had a goal ruled out for offside before being forced off with a hamstring injury – with substitute Nicolas Anelka taking his chance to impress.
In extra-time, Dennis Bergkamp’s exquisite lob gave Arsenal the lead, before Wayne Corden slammed home Vale’s equaliser, sending the match to penalties. Lee Dixon, a regular penalty taker, missed from the spot, but Ray Parlour, Dennis Bergkamp, Luis Boa Morte and Stephen Hughes all tucked their spot kicks away. Ian Bogie fluffed his penalty and after Allen Tankard skied his into the crowd, Wenger’s men escaped into the next round. Arsenal went on to complete the Cup and League double.
Bergkamp scores
Ainsworth and Rudge
Gareth Ainsworth was purchased for a club record £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. A former youth player at Blackburn Rovers, the midfielder, who was known for his crossing ability, moved to Preston North End in 1992 after impressing at non-League Northwich Victoria. He signed for Cambridge United, who in turn loaned him back to Northwich, and returned to Preston in 1993, establishing himself in the first-team during his second spell. Sold on to Lincoln City in 1995, his performances earned him a place on the PFA Third Division Team of the Year in 1996–97, resulting in a move to Port Vale. He was signed to replace Jon McCarthy and Steve Guppy, wingers who had been sold for a combined £2.35 million earlier in the year.
He became the club’s Player of the Year for his performances in the 1997–98 season, helping the “Valiants” to narrowly avoid relegation above Manchester City and local rivals Stoke City.
He was criticized for an ‘ugly’ tackle on Sheffield United’s Dane Whitehouse in November that resulted in the player’s early retirement due to a serious leg injury sustained from the challenge. The club turned down a £1 million bid from Leeds United in summer 1998. However, Vale chairman Bill Bell did later accept an offer from another club, reportedly behind Rudge’s back, who was scouting in Sweden at the time, and Ainsworth was sold to Premier League club Wimbledon for £2 million.
Injuries at the Wimbledon dogged him, and following loan spells with Preston and Walsall, he moved to Cardiff City in March 2003. He signed with Queens Park Rangers in June 2003, where he spent seven years. During his time at QPR, he helped the club to promotion from the Second Division in 2003–04, and twice served as caretaker manager. Following a short loan period, he joined Wycombe Wanderers in February 2010. He was named in the PFA League Two Team of the Year in 2010–11, as Wycombe won promotion.
After a short period as caretaker manager, he was appointed manager in November 2012. He retired from regular playing appearances to concentrate on management in April 2013 but remained registered as a player. He led the Wycombe to promotion from League Two at the end of the 2017–18 season and then from League One in 2020, securing a place in the Championship for the first time in the club’s history. He left Wycombe in February 2023 to become head coach of QPR, where he would remain for eight months. He was appointed head coach at Shrewsbury Town in November 2024 and switched clubs to Gillingham after five months.
Vale finished a disappointing 19th, a mere point away from the drop. On May 3rd 1998 we travelled to Huddersfield’s McAlpine Stadium looking for a result to guarantee our place in what is now the Championship. John Rudge’s side had given themselves a fighting chance of staying up – and were backed by 4,000 supporters determined to play their part. Bottom-placed Reading were already relegated, so that left the final two places to be filled by Vale, Portsmouth, Manchester City or Stoke. To add to the drama, Man City and Stoke were meeting on the final day at the Britannia Stadium.
But the Vale did it with a 4-0 away win, stopping up as Manchester City and Stoke joined Reading in League One. We scored in only the second minute. Jansson’s corner was cleared, Bogie returned it to him and his cross was headed back by Barnett for Martin Foyle to slip the ball into the corner of the net. We doubled our lead when Foyle headed on Ainsworth’s cross for Jansson to volley in at the far post. Vale then made it 3-0. Ignoring a knot of players at the far post, Jansson bent his free kick wickedly under Harper’s crossbar and in. Lee Mills headed in from close range after a corner with just ten minutes left. I remember the tension of the day draining away after the early goal – you can see me right in the middle of the crowd picture wearing a flat cap.
Final day drama at Huddersfield
Stoke City chairman Peter Coates again offered the vacant manager’s position to Rudge, who accepted and signed a contract, only to change his mind and stay at Vale Park. At the start of the 1998–99 season, Ainsworth was sold to Wimbledon for £2 million, breaking another club transfer record. Ainsworth’s sale was authorised by the club’s board without Rudge’s knowledge or blessing as he was out of the country scouting in Sweden. Mills was also sold to Bradford City for £1 million, with the player unable to leave for free as he had signed a contract extension with the Vale only hours before the Bosman ruling came into law.
As well as an increased number of big money sales, key players such as Naylor, Foyle, Aspin, Glover and Walker were coming towards the end of their careers, with the latter having already departed for the local non-League scene. Bell and Rudge frequently clashed over the club’s spending priorities, with the chairman wanting to improve further the stadium and the manager demanding funds to improve the playing squad. In the summer of 1998, Rudge was permitted to spend £300,000 on forward Peter Beadle and £100,000 on defender Michael Walsh, whilst having to make do with free transfers to make up the rest of his squad. Bell sacked Rudge on 18 January 1999, two days after a 1–0 home defeat to Swindon Town that left the Vale 23rd in the table.
This caused outrage amongst Port Vale fans, who held a “flat cap protest” to display their disgust at Bell’s decision. Rudge had to take the club to an employment tribunal as Bell refused to pay the amount stipulated in his contract. Following the dismissal, Sir Alex Ferguson said: “Every Port Vale supporter should get down on their knees and thank The Lord for John Rudge”. One last signing from the Rudge era was Marcus Bent, who arrived for £300,000 from Crystal Palace just days before Rudge’s sacking. However, new manager Brian Horton let Bent go to Sheffield United for £375,000. United would sell Bent to Blackburn Rovers for £2 million just 13 months later.
Another star of the late Rudge era was Anthony Gardner. Gardner was retained by Vale and was sold to Spurs for £855,000 in January 2000. Born and raised in Stafford, Gardner played football for the local junior club Stafford Falcons. He was initially a forward before being moved into defence. He began his career with Port Vale after signing associate schoolboy forms in 1994. He signed his first professional contract on 31 July 1998. He made his first-team debut under John Rudge on 31 October, in a 3–2 defeat to Sheffield United at Vale Park. He scored his first senior goal on 1 May 1999, in a 2–0 win over Queens Park Rangers. He won the club’s young Player of the Year award for the 1998–99 season and making 15 league appearances. He made 29 appearances in the 1999–2000 season under new manager Brian Horton, scoring goals at Queens Park Rangers, Huddersfield Town and Sheffield United.
This earned an £855,000 move to Tottenham Hotspur. He spent eight years at the Premier League club, making 142 appearances in all competitions. In 2008. he spent time on loan at both Everton and Hull City, before signing permanently with the latter that summer for £2.5 million. He spent the 2010–11 season on loan at Crystal Palace before joining the club permanently the next season. He signed with Sheffield Wednesday in June 2012 and stayed with the club for two years.
Anthony Gardner
After Rudge was sacked in January 1999, Brian Horton kept the club up, but relegation followed in 2000. He led the club to another Football League Trophy title in 2001. The match was played at the Millennium Stadium, due to the ongoing reconstruction of its usual venue, Wembley Stadium. Both clubs had to survive five knock-out rounds to reach the final, Port Vale making it through the northern section. The first round saw Port Vale breeze past a second-string Notts County team 3–0 at Vale Park, ending a 300-minute goal drought in the process. Alex Smith gave Vale an eighth-minute lead with a drilled effort from long-range, Tony Naylor then provided an assist for Steve Brooker to double the advantage before putting the game beyond County on 59 minutes; Smith later won a penalty, which was missed by Tommy Widdrington. Vale then had a home tie with Conference club Chester City – who had suffered relegation from the Football League the previous season – and made the two division gap show with a confident performance; Chester defender Matt Doughty put a Smith cross into his own net on the 21st-minute and only some excellent goalkeeping from Wayne Brown kept the score down, he conceded just one further goal after Naylor struck the net from a Dave Brammer cross. Third Division strugglers Darlington failed to provide much stiffer competition in the area quarter-finals, as Onandi Lowe netted on his debut, followed by a headed goal from Allen Tankard and a brace from Naylor, giving the Vale a 4–0 victory.
Port Vale found their challenge in the area semi-finals, facing their rivals and Football League trophy holders Stoke City; despite it being a home tie the fixture was actually played at the Britannia Stadium due to the poor state of the Vale Park pitch. It took extra-time to separate the teams, Micky Cummins put the Vale ahead on 64 minutes before Nicky Mohan scored a late equaliser. However, Mohan gave away a penalty in the 105th-minute and Marc Bridge-Wilkinson converted, ending the game with a golden goal, to give the Burslem club a night of celebration. The area finals were two-legged fixtures, Port Vale against Lincoln City, with the first leg at Sincil Bank. Lincoln were the better side in the first half, but Vale came into the game and it was Bridge-Wilkinson who broke the deadlock after scoring direct from a free kick in the 53rd-minute; Naylor added a second with five minutes to go to give the “Valiants” a big advantage for the return fixture. Vale then put in a “professional display” in the second leg seven days later, hitting the woodwork three times through Brammer, Smith and Naylor and forcing saves out of Alan Marriott from Brooker and Bridge-Wilkinson. The game finished goalless though and Vale won the tie 2–0 on aggregate.
In the Final Brentford took the lead through Michael Dobson on three minutes and, despite completely out playing the opposition, it took until 76 minutes for Vale to equalise, when Marc Bridge-Wilkinson converted a penalty which was awarded following a foul from Darren Powell on Tony Naylor. Steve Brooker then put the Vale into the lead seven minutes later and they went on to win the match 2–1. Dave Brammer was named as man of the match, although I thought Tony Naylor was the outstanding candidate. I remember it raining heavily all day and the roof of the Millenium stadium refusing to close – the Welsh Male Voice Choir providing the pre match entertainment having to wear willies. Happy memories.
Horton steadied the ship following a period of administration. Still, he quit with the Vale in the play-offs of the third tier in February 2004. Another club legend, Martin Foyle, spent the next three years as manager before departing by mutual consent in September 2007. Lee Sinnott came in two months later, the first time in 28 years someone was appointed who had not previously played or coached at the club. Vale were relegated at the end of the 2007–08 season and Dean Glover was given the job, initially on a caretaker basis, in September 2008. Glover fared poorly however, and was sacked at the end of the 2008–09 season.
Read all the episodes
- 75 years a Vale fan: part one of Stuart Dean’s Port Vale memoirs
- 75 years a Vale fan: part two of Stuart Dean’s Port Vale memoirs
- 75 years a Vale fan: part three of Stuart Dean’s Port Vale memoirs
- 75 years a Vale fan: part four of Stuart Dean’s Port Vale memoirs
- 75 years a Vale fan: part five of Stuart Dean’s Port Vale memoirs
- 75 years a Vale fan: part six of Stuart Dean’s Port Vale memoirs
- 75 years a Vale fan: part seven of Stuart Dean’s Port Vale memoirs
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