Darren Moore praised after letting Sir John Rudge do team-talk to Port Vale players before Arsenal game

Darren Moore has been praised after letting Sir John Rudge do a special team-talk to Port Vale players before the Arsenal game.

The club said: “Who better to deliver our pre-Arsenal team talk than the man who took Arsene Wenger’s double-winners to the wire? Sir John Rudge, everybody! 🖤🤍”

Darren Moore introduced John Rudge, a former manager with over 15 years and 749 games at one football club, to inspire the team before the Carabao Cup Third round fixture.

Rudge shares his memories of his 19 years at Port Vale, highlighting a notable FA Cup match against Arsenal, where they drew away, replayed at home, and lost on penalties despite a strong fight.

He recalls other successes, and encourages the current team to seize the opportunity against a top-tier opponent, expressing hope they can continue their winning streak.

Who better to deliver our pre-Arsenal team talk than the man who took Arsene Wenger’s double-winners to the wire?

Sir John Rudge, everybody! 🖤🤍#PVFC | #PVFC150 pic.twitter.com/P5Gve0qCdU

— Port Vale Football Club (@OfficialPVFC) September 24, 2025

Darren Moore is heard in the clip saying: “Let me just give you a little bit profile, over 15 and a half years as a manager one football club, 749 games, so when you process that lads, it’s remarkably incredible.

“So what more and the game that we’ve got tomorrow night to sit here, live it, hear it, from the man himself, alright, so that why I’ve just brought him here.

“So what we do is, before he starts, we just play a little video so you can just see, and I’ve seen it already.

“Obviously we got the game tomorrow. What was it like for you?”

John Rudge: “Yeah, it brings back great memories of this to me, you know, I’ve been very fortunate that I came to uh Port Vale and sort of had what 19 years here and we had some great days at Regarding sort of being playing in the FA Cup and whatever.

“And the the one match we should talking about against Arsenal who, you know, I know they’re a great team, but the team which we played then, they won the league and the FA Cup that year.

“So we went to Arsenal, managed to get a draw down there, bring them back here, and then after 90 minutes, he was won a piece, and finished up extra time, finished up penalties. Lo and behold, they missed the first penalty.

“We managed to miss two. So it was the case, but they went on to win the FA Cup and the league that year, you know. And it was a great time for us at that time, you know.

“I’ve had some really good players, like yourselves, you know. mean, you’ve been back on the winning streak and I hope that it will be a great day for you tomorrow.

“And sort of let’s hope you can just surprise one or two, because I mean, the thing is they are at top notch side, but that doesn’t mean to say that you can’t beat them tomorrow.

“I just wish you all the best and sort of hope that you can continue with that winning streak of the last couple of games and let’s hope that we can go a little bit further.

“I mean the cup ties was a great thing for us because obviously as just mentioned there about the matches we played of going, obviously being close against Arsenal, beating Everton, beating Tottenham you know, so it was a great part and I was very, very privileged to have a really good team to be here for such a long time, 19 years I was here.

“So I mean, that’s how we can really put the show on tomorrow and it’d be great if we could just get a result tomorrow, it’d be great. I know it’s going to be a difficult match for you all, I know that much, but you never know.”

Darren added: “Yeah. Listen, I said to him when I was coming in here. He’s done a few fair team talks in his career and I said to him, come and let the boys hear you speak now.

“When on a Fridays, when we finish our work, me and him have 10 minutes and he just shares with me just to ask me how things are going because he knows exactly where I am.

“I think it’s essential that he come here today. Just to give you a little snippet in terms of that, you’ve heard him.

“Good team coming here tomorrow, but I don’t see why not, but we can’t in our own backyard. All right, so just savour the moment, savour the occasion and let’s just get ready tomorrow.”

“I hope there is going to be a bit of celebration!”

Former Port Vale manager and current Club President John Rudge is hoping for another memorable match against the Gunners 😁 pic.twitter.com/3p90Ev055l

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 24, 2025

The moment the statue of #PVFC‘s legendary manager John Rudge was unveiled pic.twitter.com/K9tfMuCRR7

— BBC Radio Stoke Sport (@BBCStokeSport) October 21, 2024

The game ended with Port Vale putting in a valiant effort, but lost 2-0 to Arsenal in front of a crowd of 16,326 fans, said to be the biggest attendance at Vale Park since the 90s.

Port Vale manager Darren Moore said to BBC Radio Stoke after the game: “The proudest moment for me was how the boys responded to going a goal behind.

“We didn’t lose our shape, or heads, and stayed compact.

“To go against that level of opponent and be in the game for long periods was fantastic.

“We were just looking for that one chance.

“There was a couple of half chances when I thought we might have pulled the trigger or something dropped for us in the box but it wasn’t to be.

“We didn’t sit back. We tried top put the pressure on them and turn the ball over and it forced them to produced some really good play to break through us.

“When I arrived 19 months ago the idea was to get this place going and get the fans connected with the team and work to get moments like this.

“For me it was a proud, proud evening. I did pause and look around and said ‘this is what it’s all about’.

“It’s whetted our appetite. We’ve got some work to do but nights like this are a credit to everybody.

“The messages I’ve been giving the players over the course of the season about what it takes – the movement, the discipline, the decision-making, the touch, the speed – all those things the players felt first hand.

“You can talk about it but when they experience it, it creates discussion.

“They’ve gone against one of the elite clubs in the world and at times when toe-to-toe with them it will give them a drive to get better.”

Here’s how fans reacted with Darren Moore praised after letting Sir John Rudge do a special team-talk to Port Vale players before Arsenal game..

@MindBodySoleUK: Absolutely brilliant this 💜

@LewisSm13427739: Undervalued at Wednesday. Miss him so much.

@Chris_Roberts85: The GOAT. What a legend that man is!! 🖤🤍💛

@FightingTarq: He’s brilliant at this stuff moore

@sneakunique: I bloody love Darren Moore. One of the absolute best humans around. The best of the best. #wawaw

@chorleyawaydays: Class this 👏

@StevoSteventon: Goosebumps. Right up for this now. Come on the vale !!!!!

@TimJBray77: A true Vale legend.

@LoubyLee12: Love this ❤️ Sir John Rudge you legend!!!

@ChampionshpTalk: Brilliant this from Darren Moore 👏. Similar to how he inspired the Sheffield Wednesday players before their Peterborough comeback. Never heard anyone in football say a bad word about him, great man manager.

@DPW1983pvfc: Love this. Absolute class. So much respect and class from Moore. Some club. Goooooooarn #pvfc

@John_E_Reese: You’ll struggle to find a single person that has a bad word to say about Darren Moore. He’s a very good coach but he really excels at managing the people and players that work under him.

@OffTheLineBlog: Darren Moore’s greatest strength: people. He knows how to get the best out of people, and that’s a big reflection on his character. He is a good man-manager, and someone that players are willing to fight for. Everyone I have spoken to in the game references he is a top guy.