# Zak Rudden

Zak Andrew Rudden (born 6 February 2000) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Scottish Championship club Queen's Park. He has previously been a player for Rangers, Partick Thistle and Dundee, and had loan spells at Falkirk, Plymouth Argyle, Dundee, St Johnstone and Raith Rovers.

## Club career
### Rangers

Rudden began his career with Rangers and joined the first-team for pre-season before the start of the 2018–19 season for the first time.

### Loans

In August 2018, Rudden moved out on loan to Falkirk. On 15 September 2018, Rudden scored on his debut for Falkirk.
On 23 August 2019 Rudden moved on loan to EFL League Two side Plymouth Argyle. He made his debut for the club the next day, as a first half substitute in a 3–0 win over Walsall, and scored his first goal for the club in an EFL Trophy tie against Swindon Town on 8 October 2019. The loan ended in January 2020.

### Partick Thistle

On 15 January 2020 Rudden signed for Partick Thistle on a two-and-a-half-year deal.
After multiple injury problems and the shutdown of football due to COVID-19, Rudden scored his first Thistle goal on 23 March 2021 in a 3–0 win at home over Cowdenbeath in the Scottish Cup.

### Dundee

In January 2022 he signed a pre-contract agreement with Dundee on a three-year deal, starting in summer 2022. On 31 January 2022, Rudden joined Dundee on loan until the end of the season. He made his debut the following day as a substitute in the Dundee derby, and scored his first goal for the club four days later against Ross County.
After officially joining Dundee permanently the following season, Rudden scored his first goal of the season in a home league win over Arbroath.
On 31 January 2023, Rudden joined St Johnstone on loan until the end of the season. On 25 February Rudden scored his first goal for the Saintees in a draw against St Mirren.
Following his return from loan at St Johnstone, Rudden scored the winner in Dundee's first competitive game of the 2023–24 season, coming in the League Cup against Bonnyrigg Rose. On 23 September, Rudden came off the bench on for 10-man Dundee and scored a late equaliser against Kilmarnock.
On 26 January 2024, Rudden joined Scottish Championship club Raith Rovers on loan until the end of the season. He made his debut the following day in a league game at home against Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Rudden scored his first goal for the Fifers in the following league game, in a sold-out title-chasing win over his parent club's rivals Dundee United.
On 12 July 2024, Dundee announced that Rudden had departed the club after both parties mutually agreed to terminate his contract.

### Queen's Park

The day after departing Dundee, Rudden signed for Scottish Championship club Queen's Park on a two-year deal. Rudden made his debut for the Spiders on the same day, and scored his first goal for the club in a 0–5 away victory over Peterhead in the Scottish League Cup group stage.

## International career

Rudden has represented Scotland at youth international levels, up to and including under-21.

## Career statistics

    As of match played 15 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National Cup | National Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Rangers U20 | 2016–17 | SPFL Development League | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Rangers U20 | 2017–18 | SPFL Development League | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Rangers U20 | 2018–19 | SPFL Development League | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Rangers U20 | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Rangers | 2018–19 | Scottish Premiership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rangers | 2019–20 | Scottish Premiership | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rangers | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Falkirk (loan) | 2018–19 | Scottish Championship | 31 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 12 |
| Plymouth Argyle (loan) | 2019–20 | EFL League Two | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 3 |
| Partick Thistle | 2019–20 | Scottish Championship | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Partick Thistle | 2020–21 | Scottish League One | 13 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 7 |
| Partick Thistle | 2021–22 | Scottish Championship | 19 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 9 |
| Partick Thistle | Total | Total | 36 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 16 |
| Dundee (loan) | 2021–22 | Scottish Premiership | 13 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| Dundee | 2022–23 | Scottish Championship | 19 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 27 | 8 |
| Dundee | 2023–24 | Scottish Premiership | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 3 |
| Dundee | Total | Total | 33 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 43 | 11 |
| St Johnstone (loan) | 2022–23 | Scottish Premiership | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 |
| Raith Rovers (loan) | 2023–24 | Scottish Championship | 14 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | 17 | 3 |
| Queen's Park | 2024–25 | Scottish Championship | 28 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 40 | 14 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 181 | 47 | 11 | 4 | 17 | 4 | 16 | 7 | 225 | 62 |
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 Appearance(s) in the Scottish Challenge Cup.
* ↑ Appearance(s) in the Football League Trophy.
* ↑ One appearance in the Scottish Challenge Cup, two appearances in the Premiership play-offs

## Honours
### Club
#### Partick Thistle

* Scottish League One: 2020–21

#### Dundee

* Scottish Championship: 2022–23